The grumpy thread

[Des]

I did get to make my hidden hydraulic handbrake yesterday though

 

MOT man is going to be thrilled with that, probably stomp your good foot.

[Lord Sterling]

Wow, EE are incompetent. 

Moved my direct debit date so it was closer to payday. Wish I hadn't bothered...

EE are pretty shit. I only stay with them because thier deal suit me qnd my current circumstances. I have a so-called "choice" (an over used word today, particularly by politicians) to pay my bill in the 5 days between the renewal of the month and the day the bill is expected to be paid.

 

The other day, I paid, on time, through thier site (which is incredibly SHIT) and got some error as my payment was being processed. Tried a second time and the site seemed to almost stumble through. Checked my bank account and the amount seemed to have taken but my bank isn't great at updating it's own site unless for security reasons. Got a text about 10 days later demanding payment. Couldn't be arsed with the rigmarole with customer services, so just paid through their automated system. Ifthey add a charge for late payment, they'll be getting thier arse handed to them on a plate.

 

How cunting useless can a "posh" hotel be.

 

Started new contract in Wolverhampton on Tuesday. Booked using company debit card via Hotels.com because get reward points where the price average of 10 stays is the value of your free night. to stay at Patshill Park Hotel, because has spa and gym and is miles from city centre.

This place is 1992.

If it were a J reg Cavalier you'd have scrapped it in 2012

Wolverhampton is 1992. Besides that, welcome to the Midlands. I'm only 20 miles down the road so if you fancy a meet up or to see some better sites that aren't Wolverhampton, just gis' a shout.

[Guest Hooli]

Referring to modifications to cars as "deleted" instead of "removed" and "swapped out" for "replaced".

 

 

Odd that I asked one of those damned yanks to stop abusing my wonderful language & learn to use it properly on FB this morning.

[fordperv]

MOT man is going to be thrilled with that, probably stomp your good foot.

I still wanted it legal, I still have cable operated mechanical handbrake so those from the ministry will be happy, modified the handbrake lever by welding a saddle on to attatch the Clevis from a master cylinder to, which is all hidden in a centre console, I didn't want one of those nasty looking ebay type

[Pillock]

I've got to deal with EE soon, mrs_pillock's phone (in my name, because previous employer discount) is up for renewal next week.

 

Except cos I now work for O2, I get a better deal from them.

 

However I've cancelled another EE contract before, my own, and they just don't take no for an answer. Offering this, that, god knows what, double data (she doesn't want more data, she wants less price), two lines (a bizarre offer when I want to get rid of the one I have), trying to convince me shit phones are amazing.

 

Then they put you through to cancellation, which is actually retentions, and they start waffling through their script that details why the sun shines out their arse.

 

I had this before from Carphone too, he was a right obnoxious git that got a formal complaint due to the way he spoke to me, and my wife.

[beko1987]

Mate at work got offered an early upgrade last week from Ee. Curious, he clicked about to see what the cost was. I watched him do it.

 

Screen 1 - enter account details

Screen 2 - choose handset (pixel 2 xl). Proceed to screen 3 to check and confirm

Screen 3 - Thanks for your order

 

Wtf

 

Confirmation email received...

 

Turns out they called him a few days later saying there has been a problem, and he hadn't ticked to confirm the costs. He explained there were no costs, out of interest, what were they? £385...

 

Lol no thanks, bye!

 

Shame cos I'm lined up for his pixel 1 xl when he upgrades, but sod £400,ill wait until October!

[Dave_Q]

‘Badge delete’ is common on BMW, Mini, M-B etc. Sometimes it’s referred to as such sometimes other words to that effect, but having it removed is 100% an option on the list in some manner.

 

Deffo a thing, certainly in the good old dayz.

 

Here is the option list off a mate's old Alpina C1, these were delivered to Sytner badgeless and spoilerless and had the tat nailed on there.

 

 

 

L812A National version Great Britain

S209A Differential lock 25%

S210A Dynamic stability control

S215A Power steering, rpm-sensitive

S300A Central locking with antitheft system

S314A Door mirror / driver's lock, heated

S320A Deleted, model lettering

S326A Deleted, rear spoiler

S350A Therm. insulat. glass green

S401A Lift-up-and-slide-back sunroof, electric

S411A Window lifts,electric,front/rear

S415A Sun-blind, rear

S500A Headlight wipe/wash/Intensive cleaning

S530A Air conditioning

S551A On-board computer II with remote control

S850A Dummy-SALAPA

S860A Additional turn indicator lamp

[New POD]

Why are you staying at that pretentious knobhole when there's a perfectly acceptable* Holiday Inn (or some such) just across the A449 from the plant?

 

I think I may just have answered my own question.

 

 

Price and Pool, and stupidity. Next week I have booked 2 nights in

The Lion Hotel Brewood

 

because price, and breakfast and time to i54 / Junction 2 M54.

 

Then I have booked a night at home with the wife - not sure, but expect the 95 miles to take 3 hours, but the return trip to take 1 hour 45 mins. - wife seems happy with this.

 

Then Thursday night has yet to be booked.

 

Hopefully the next week I will have organised "digs" with a mate who is in Cuba for Christmas and new year until Sunday.

 

[New POD]

I heard that in Germany it’s common for people to debadge the performance model whereas here we debadge the 316i - could be pub bollocks

 

After purchasing the omega I removed the 3.2 off the back of the omega before my wife could see it. Because I imagined that she would think it unethical to have an engine equal to the size of her 2 engines combined.

 

I left the MV6 badges though.

[New POD]

What did you expect of Wolverhampton?

Doesn’t sound much better than my old uni halls - someone got stabbed there the year after I jumped ship.

 

Hotel.com brings up the option of staying at Telford University Campus Hotel for £36 a night, and the YHA in Iron Bridge for £13 a night.

I once had an interview for a lecturers job at Wolverhampton Polyersity (1994 IIRC) - I never got it, due to not expressing an interest in wanting to research and obtain a million quid of BriteEuram Funding from the EU for Novel approaches to centreless grinding technology of butter based composites or some such ballocks.

[loserone]

I want to find an evening version of this kind of course - even though it'd take a long time..  https://www.ableskills.co.uk/multiskill-courses/property-development-course/

 

Fuck all out there mind, I guess it's quite difficult to teach plumbing/plastering/etc in 3 hour evening slots.

 

Holy shit, for just over £2k you can do a course in a few weeks that gives you enough to register as a competent person? I don't have any more electrics needing to be notified, but that's effing tempting.

[chaseracer]

^^^^ Brewood's very nice.

[wuvvum]

S860A Additional turn indicator lamp

Were those the ones on the outside of the car?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

‘Badge delete’ is common on BMW, Mini, M-B etc. Sometimes it’s referred to as such sometimes other words to that effect, but having it removed is 100% an option on the list in some manner.

  

I’m sure I heard that badge delete was a cost option on either Bmw or mb

My old 635CSi never had the bootlid badge but none of its old records confirmed that it had been deleted by its first owner. In the end I bought the three badges "635" "CS" and "i" from BMW.....and then couldn't be bothered to stick them on.

[Dave_Q]

Were those the ones on the outside of the car?

 

I think that code is for side repeaters, the car was an 84 so they were still optional.

 

Naturally, they were never used by whichever thrusting executive was driving the thing.

[DodgeRover]

MOT man is going to be thrilled with that, probably stomp your good foot.

As long as cables are still fitted then the MOT man has nothing to complain about as long as the hydraulic one holds ok.

[chodweaver]

Grrr. Breakdown cover is up for renewal later this month. As expected, my reward* for loyalty is a raise in the premium of 24 quid with an arrangement fee of 61 quid. Grand total £315

 

Forgive me if I don't renew, you piss taking shitehawks. Did I use your service last year? No, as it happens. Do you have my credit card details and will you be auto renewing if I do nothing? Yes. So charging me 61quid for an email and one Bacs transaction seems like a lot.

 

<Sorry all, but you actually haven't got to the crux of my grump, yet, amazingly...>

 

So, to their competitors, who are able, via their 'first year' offers, to give me the same service for half the renewal price. Great! Except on the cheapest competitor's web site, there's no option to add European cover. I google it. They do offer it. Just not to me. Hmm. Use the Chat window. Get 'Zoe'. After 10 minutes of to and fro (and I can type quite fast) which seems to be getting me nowhere, I happen to mention that I can see the European cover option on screen but it's greyed out. 'Zoe' - "Is there anything about your details that might be causing this?"

 

Fortunately, she must have sensed my lack of quick response as an indication that this was a really stupid question and my eventual response would be quite terse, so she follows it with...

 

"What year is your vehicle?"

 

"2002"

 

"Ah, we don't do European cover for vehicles older than 16 years"

 

Kthnxbye

 

As I'm sure you will have guessed, I now have a large bruise on my head from the surface of the desk in front of me following this chat debacle.

 

FFS. 16 years. Apart from Mrs CW's driving school eurobox, (which I really don't want to go to Europe in, ever), an 02 is my newest vehicle. It went to southern France last year. But this year, I can't get cover for it.

 

Don't worry. I took full advantage of the Feedback window that appeared straight after 'Zoe' went back to her other call centre duties, to tell this bunch what a heap of shite their quote site is - all it needs is a popup next to the greyed out Euro cover option saying 'we cannot offer this option for the vehicle you have specified' and I could have been angry sooner, without having tied up one of their staff for 15 minutes first.

 

I'll save the obvious question for the appropriate thread, as well as posing it on the XM forum which currently is covering the excellent adventure of one of their number, taking a road trip through much of France and deep into Spain. In an XM. Well jel.

 

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

[wuvvum]

I've taken some right old heaps down to the south of France and never bothered with breakdown cover - ye'll be rite.

[Tickman]

Grrr. Breakdown cover is up for renewal l.....

 

15 months for the price of 12 through the link with Autoaid.

 

http://www.silvertap.com/autoaid/

 

That covers you for the UK and they have this for europe:

 

https://www.eurorescue.co.uk/

[DVee8]

Watching this weeks Grand tour.What a load of shit..

[Snipes]

Holy shit, for just over £2k you can do a course in a few weeks that gives you enough to register as a competent person? I don't have any more electrics needing to be notified, but that's effing tempting.

No. That’s about a quarter what you’d need to be a spark and is useless without the rest. Looks more like something for a DIY enthusiast.

[chaseracer]

...the XM forum which currently is covering the excellent adventure of one of their number, taking a road trip through much of France and deep into Spain. In an XM. Well jel.

 

Me too.

 

Aside from the sad reason for the adventure, I'm pleased that the seats Ray is travelling on came out of my broken '89 XM.  They were the most comfortable of any car I've ever had, and I'm glad now that I stored them for so long.

[chaseracer]

15 months for the price of 12 through the link with Autoaid.

 

http://www.silvertap.com/autoaid/

 

That covers you for the UK and they have this for europe:

 

https://www.eurorescue.co.uk/

 

15 year age limit in the small print...

[Parky]

I've taken some right old heaps down to the south of France and never bothered with breakdown cover - ye'll be rite.

Chodweaver, who do you bank with? Often your Bank will offer an enhanced account which includes travel and breakdown insurance for free. Even if it costs £15 a month, that's £180 a year which sounds cheaper than your current breakdown provider. Plus the free travel insurance is usually worthwhile and there are often other discounts and benefits thrown in (gadget cover, legal protections, etc)

 

For my holiday this year I got some quotes for the family for a fortnight in the US. The travel insurance alone was about £110 for the two weeks we were there so the costs of the account largely covered themselves. Plus the cover was better. Of course if you don't break down or travel anywhere it's money down the drain but that could apply to any insurance policy. Total waste of money until one day it suddenly isn't.

 

Here's a Which thing for research purposes:

 

https://www.which.co.uk/money/banking/bank-accounts/guides/best-bank-accounts/best-packaged-bank-accounts

[M'coli]

Watching this weeks Grand tour.What a load of shit..

Don't watch it then!

[bramz7]

Someone has left a deposit on the AX, but over a week later and nothing to suggest any collection of it soon.

It's not got to the point of annoying me just yet but it's beginning to. Admittedly the guy lives quite some way away but it's insured and MOT'd, just drive it back man.

[dave21478]

Holy shit, for just over £2k you can do a course in a few weeks that gives you enough to register as a competent person? I don't have any more electrics needing to be notified, but that's effing tempting.

It's a stepping stone to getting there. But these qualifications have never been about safety, but making money by allowing the Deanos and Bazzas of the world to buy their "competency".

There are obviously plenty of good tradesmen about, but some of the most mind-bendingly dangerous stuff I have seen was done by folks with their shiny new bit of paper that says they apparently know what they are doing.

[dave21478]

I am generally in favour of making things greener, but not at the cost of the effectiveness of the product.

Todays example is the only decent oven and grill cleaner I have found here. You could tell it was good because it pretty much ripped your lungs out. It is now "new improved formula" With no caustic whatever and smells like mild deodorant. It also does literally fuck all... Aye thanks lads, gotta use the whole fucking tin now where a few squirts used to do it...much greener.

See also...all paint strippers, hammerite, in fact pretty much all exterior and metal paints....all ineffective shadows of what they used to be.

[chodweaver]

 

 

Aside from the sad reason for the adventure, I'm pleased that the seats Ray is travelling on came out of my broken '89 XM

Good on yer.

 

Sent from my BV6000 using Tapatalk

[Kiltox]

It's a stepping stone to getting there. But these qualifications have never been about safety, but making money by allowing the Deanos and Bazzas of the world to buy their "competency".

There are obviously plenty of good tradesmen about, but some of the most mind-bendingly dangerous stuff I have seen was done by folks with their shiny new bit of paper that says they apparently know what they are doing.

Yeah I must admit the electrics stuff frightens me a bit - to think you could be legally competent in a few weeks

 

Not looking for that, just want to be less shite at stuff like tiling and plastering