The grumpy thread

[juular]

12 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

If there's no takers on here I'm going to try Recap in Cumbernauld.

It's madness.

Strathcarron hospice? 

Furniture Collection | Strathcarron Hospice

 

[myglaren]

Daughter was going out in her C3, saw that a tyre was soft, got her inflator out and when she was fastening the hose to the valve, the valve blew out of the wheel.

Abandoned it and went on the bus instead, told me about it yesterday when she got home, apparently her youngest son, a bike mechanic, glued the valve back in with superglue, reinflated the tyre and declared it all OK

I wasn't happy with that, siad that I would swap the spare in and have the valve replaced.

Went to remove the wheel (ten-minute job ) and the wheel bolts were solid, took a good half hour jumping on a breaker bar to get them to shift.

Bolts were rusty so wire brushed them and smear a thin coat of coppaslip on them, tried them in the holes and they refused to go in.

When I looked closer the holes in the disc didn't align with the bolt holes.

Got a mel hammer and punch and forced the disc into alignment, using the screw holes where the screws weren't, snapped off.

The discs are clearly new, had them fitted in January along with four new tyres, springs etc.

Looks like the valve was defective.  Taken it to have a new one fitted.

When I got home from dropping the wheel off I thought it best to check the tyre pressures, which were OK but the spare seemed to be leaking

Except it was jut the radiator fan running on

 

 

[vulgalour]

Oh aye, that's a completely satisfactory replacement item.  Thanks for siding with the seller on this one, eBay, you absolute bawbag.

[Zelandeth]

Apparently just buying bog standard 1.2W wedge type dash lamps in a physical shop isn't something I can do now.  Unless I want to pay £1.99 each in Halfords - and they have a total of 2 in stock.

Had expected to just buy a box from Motorserv, however they "don't do those any more" apparently.  They really are as much use as a chocolate teapot lately, no idea what it was that happened a few months ago, but overnight they went from being pretty decent to less useful than Halfords.

Great, guess I buy another pack from Amazon and see if more than 30% last longer than 24 hours in actual service this time...

[Crackers]

I have a sticky caliper somewhere on the Mazda yet again - just a few months after begrudgingly paying for the calipers to be changed. None of them are getting significantly hotter than the rest, and the problem seems to clear after a few miles.... but in stop-start traffic I can definitely feel something dragging as the car doesn't roll on like it should - it pulls up to a definite stop.

I don't really have time to be working on cars at the moment as my end-of-year exams start in 2 weeks and I should be spending my time preparing for them, but it looks like I'll have to compromise. Why can't these things just happen when I've got a little free time?! 🤬

[meggersdog]

The unit nextdoor to mine sell secondhand junk. I came in this morning and they've dragged some of their crap outside and in their parking area. This means their customers park where the car stops, if that's right across two MoT parking only signs so be it . Their first customer of the day was so indecisive .First she parked at another unit further up, then she didn't.Then the next one sideways, then forward. Then she decided to move again. I am trying to get the cars out of my unit usually reversing out and along to the side but because of her faffing about I reversed the Land Rover straight back straight into a motorbike which I didn't see in any of the mirrors as there was a truck one side and a traffic cone the other side. I'm still miffed with myself even now. 

[High Jetter]

11 minutes ago, Crackers said:

I have a sticky caliper somewhere on the Mazda yet again - just a few months after begrudgingly paying for the calipers to be changed. None of them are getting significantly hotter than the rest, and the problem seems to clear after a few miles.... but in stop-start traffic I can definitely feel something dragging as the car doesn't roll on like it should - it pulls up to a definite stop.

I don't really have time to be working on cars at the moment as my end-of-year exams start in 2 weeks and I should be spending my time preparing for them, but it looks like I'll have to compromise. Why can't these things just happen when I've got a little free time?! 🤬

Might be best to concentrate on the exams first, then deal with the car when they're over.

[C1am]

"Evri - The New Hermes" 

No, Evri - the old Hermes with a new name. 

[cobblers]

23 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Apparently just buying bog standard 1.2W wedge type dash lamps in a physical shop isn't something I can do now.  Unless I want to pay £1.99 each in Halfords - and they have a total of 2 in stock.

Had expected to just buy a box from Motorserv, however they "don't do those any more" apparently.  They really are as much use as a chocolate teapot lately, no idea what it was that happened a few months ago, but overnight they went from being pretty decent to less useful than Halfords.

Great, guess I buy another pack from Amazon and see if more than 30% last longer than 24 hours in actual service this time...

100% do not buy lucas ones! my usual supplier were out of stock so I got a few packs of 24v lucas bulbs for a volvo truck dash that had been sent in without any bulbs at all.

Running the dash on my bench on a 24v supply, I fitted about 30 bulbs and had it on bulb test mode with them all on for a couple of minutes while I checked the pointer calibration.

We lost 6 bulbs by then. Then I cranked the voltage up to 28.5v and more and more started going.

In the end I went through almost the full box of 96 bulbs to find 30 that would last long enough to get it out of the door. Customer was desperate for the dash back so I told him the situation and included all my spare bulbs with the dash.

The truck had a 1/2 mile journey to the MOT station the following day, and by the time it had got there the left indicator telltale and the full beam indicator had packed up! luckily the tester let him swap some more bulbs in and sneak through.

I was suspicious they might have been incorrectly labelled 12v bulbs, but TBH they weren't even that bright and drew a little bit less power than they were specced to. 

[Zelandeth]

15 minutes ago, cobblers said:

100% do not buy lucas ones! my usual supplier were out of stock so I got a few packs of 24v lucas bulbs for a volvo truck dash that had been sent in without any bulbs at all.

Running the dash on my bench on a 24v supply, I fitted about 30 bulbs and had it on bulb test mode with them all on for a couple of minutes while I checked the pointer calibration.

We lost 6 bulbs by then. Then I cranked the voltage up to 28.5v and more and more started going.

In the end I went through almost the full box of 96 bulbs to find 30 that would last long enough to get it out of the door. Customer was desperate for the dash back so I told him the situation and included all my spare bulbs with the dash.

The truck had a 1/2 mile journey to the MOT station the following day, and by the time it had got there the left indicator telltale and the full beam indicator had packed up! luckily the tester let him swap some more bulbs in and sneak through.

I was suspicious they might have been incorrectly labelled 12v bulbs, but TBH they weren't even that bright and drew a little bit less power than they were specced to. 

The last batch were supposedly genuine Philips...but this is Amazon so it's anybody's guess if they were actually genuine!

Went with Osram this time...but again it's a source from the internet so goodness only knows where they're actually going to come from!

Just doing my head in how even trivially simple stuff like this has become a pain to get hold of.

[Mrcento]

1 hour ago, Crackers said:

I have a sticky caliper somewhere on the Mazda yet again - just a few months after begrudgingly paying for the calipers to be changed. None of them are getting significantly hotter than the rest, and the problem seems to clear after a few miles.... but in stop-start traffic I can definitely feel something dragging as the car doesn't roll on like it should - it pulls up to a definite stop.

I don't really have time to be working on cars at the moment as my end-of-year exams start in 2 weeks and I should be spending my time preparing for them, but it looks like I'll have to compromise. Why can't these things just happen when I've got a little free time?! 🤬

I bet it's the sliders starting to stick. i've seen 3 or 4 cars recently that have had brake work done at a garage all having issues a few months down the line.

Every single one has had dry sliders. Not a single thing lubricated.

All just stuff rattled on with an impact wrench, bled and punted out the door again.

[Crackers]

5 minutes ago, Mrcento said:

I bet it's the sliders starting to stick.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Unfortunately I've just gone out to jack up the front end and discovered my jack is too tall to reach under the sills to the jacking point. That's that plan fucked then.

[robinmasters]

Went into that London the other week. Only thought about the ULEZ charge when I was already in it. Got a fine. Fair enough. 

The fine was for driving in the ULEZ area at 00:03, on 17/04. The return journey. I got a second fine today for 18:45 on 16/04, on my way in. Bastards. 

[Markeh]

16 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Apparently just buying bog standard 1.2W wedge type dash lamps in a physical shop isn't something I can do now.  Unless I want to pay £1.99 each in Halfords - and they have a total of 2 in stock.

Had expected to just buy a box from Motorserv, however they "don't do those any more" apparently.  They really are as much use as a chocolate teapot lately, no idea what it was that happened a few months ago, but overnight they went from being pretty decent to less useful than Halfords.

Great, guess I buy another pack from Amazon and see if more than 30% last longer than 24 hours in actual service this time...

I've had shite luck with Amazon bulbs. Ordered a pair of Osram Nightbreakers a few years back from Amazon (direct from them, not a marketplace seller) for the Megane after I had one go out - knowing what a pain in the arse Megane II headlights were I figured I'd get decent ones and not have to do it again. I ran out of time to do it and after realising how shite one headlight was on the way to work the next morning, I figured sod this, let's see if the garage across the way from my office will sort them out for me. Dropped the car back off at lunch, I go to get in it to go home, and both new bulbs had blown! Fortunately still open, so had to get them to chuck a set on - gave me the bulbs back so I don't think they were pulling a fast one but can't be 100%. Don't think I got my money back off Amazon...

[cobblers]

6 minutes ago, Markeh said:

I've had shite luck with Amazon bulbs. Ordered a pair of Osram Nightbreakers a few years back from Amazon (direct from them, not a marketplace seller) for the Megane after I had one go out - knowing what a pain in the arse Megane II headlights were I figured I'd get decent ones and not have to do it again. I ran out of time to do it and after realising how shite one headlight was on the way to work the next morning, I figured sod this, let's see if the garage across the way from my office will sort them out for me. Dropped the car back off at lunch, I go to get in it to go home, and both new bulbs had blown! Fortunately still open, so had to get them to chuck a set on - gave me the bulbs back so I don't think they were pulling a fast one but can't be 100%. Don't think I got my money back off Amazon...

Loads of fake stuff on amazon. The way they handle logistics makes it almost certain.

Basically if there's 10 different sellers flogging one product on there, all the stock they supply gets chucked together in one bay. So even if the seller you used supplied amazon with genuine gear, there's no guarantee that the stock you get sent will be genuine.

[Rocket88]

22 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

There's the Furniture Scheme in Dalmellington, but that's mibbie a bit of a trek.

https://gift-furniture-scheme.weebly.com/

 

British Heart Foundation?

[Fumbler]

On 05/05/2022 at 17:35, Crackers said:

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Unfortunately I've just gone out to jack up the front end and discovered my jack is too tall to reach under the sills to the jacking point. That's that plan fucked then.

Have you got some wood like a 2x6 or something like that to raise the car by?

[Agila]

On 5/5/2022 at 5:35 PM, Crackers said:

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Unfortunately I've just gone out to jack up the front end and discovered my jack is too tall to reach under the sills to the jacking point. That's that plan fucked then.

I've found caravan leveling ramps ideal for this, cheaper than a low Jack. They raise the car a few inches, just enough to get your normal Jack under.

Normally about a tenner used. Light weight and can be left outside.

[Garythesnail]

Not my grump.....

less than 5 years and  50k miles, child seat in the back

unfuckingbelievable

[Bren]

9 minutes ago, Garythesnail said:

Not my grump.....

less than 5 years and  50k miles, child seat in the back

unfuckingbelievable

Why the panic? Loads of meat on that piston.

[sierraman]

54 minutes ago, Garythesnail said:

Not my grump.....

less than 5 years and  50k miles, child seat in the back

unfuckingbelievable

But it’s had an MOT last year!! And now it wants brakes! 

[RoverFolkUs]

44 minutes ago, sierraman said:

But it’s had an MOT last year!! And now it wants brakes! 

"The bloke I bought it from 3 years ago is a real crook, that could have killed the kids"

(oh the irony!)

[goosey]

2 hours ago, Garythesnail said:

Not my grump.....

less than 5 years and  50k miles, child seat in the back

unfuckingbelievable

“Dad, the man at the Garage sez it wants a new Caliper or something but I only took it in for brakes, what should I do ?”

[sierraman]

7 hours ago, goosey said:

“Dad, the man at the Garage sez it wants a new Caliper or something but I only took it in for brakes, what should I do ?”

‘Right I’ll go down and have it out with these robbing bastids!’

’First the MOT and now this! I’m never buying a Vauxhall again’

[twosmoke300]

So close to the truth it’s scary

[sierraman]

“Someone on Facebook says he can fit a new part for 15 pounds all in, if you can’t match that I’ll go elsewhere!”

”Fukin disgustin how garages can charge 60 pounds an hour, don’t they know I only get £8.41 an hour  n ive got 2 kids to feed”

[goosey]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

‘Right I’ll go down and have it out with these robbing bastids!’

’First the MOT and now this! I’m never buying a Vauxhall again’

The Local Paper will run with the story

YOUNG MUM DESTROYED OVER GARAGE BILL

Everyone in the pics will have compensation faces

[New POD]

On 04/05/2022 at 23:36, High Jetter said:

Even beds can't get shelter! The NHS must have enough. Oh, wait...

They have beds.  It's up-to-date qualified nurses, who pay for their own training and pay to stay up to date, they they have trouble retaining. 

And Doctors and Pharmacists, and ..... insert job title of people required to run a ward....... 

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, New POD said:

They have beds.  It's up-to-date qualified nurses, who pay for their own training and pay to stay up to date, they they have trouble retaining. 

And Doctors and Pharmacists, and ..... insert job title of people required to run a ward....... 

Apart from junior doctors who’s hourly rate must be terrible, doctors are pretty well paid, but having had recent experience of private medicine, they can obviously make much more there.

As for nurses, they could be paid more if lazy management didn’t use agency nurses so much.

[Spurious]

22 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

private medicine, they can obviously make much more there

Quite true.

I could make about 5-8k pa more. 

However, you're back on statutory sick leave, less holidays and far less Unionised workplace where employers take a lot of liberties. 

Takes your money, makes your choices. Most I know stick with the NHS and either moonlight with privates or just pick up an OT shift.