The grumpy thread

[Station]

Quote for insurance on a 19 year old Astra with a 1400 8v engine that is worth 300 quid max, driver has no claims and two year's NCB, his 69 year old Pa with 40 year's worth of driving included in policy:

 

Grand Total: £1762.13

 

How? Wankers.

[chaseracer]

Because they can...

[Station]

It was £400 9 years ago, I doubt inflation or claims would've pushed it up 1,300? Why can't they just nail the drivers who can't drive and leave the ones who have never had a crash or made a claim or had whiplash alone? It makes no sense! Absolute wankers.

[warren t claim]

It was £400 9 years ago, I doubt inflation or claims would've pushed it up 1,300? Why can't they just nail the drivers who can't drive and leave the ones who have never had a crash or made a claim or had whiplash alone? It makes no sense! Absolute wankers.

 

Go traders with your insurance.

[Polystratus]

Quote for insurance on a 19 year old Astra with a 1400 8v engine that is worth 300 quid max, driver has no claims and two year's NCB, his 69 year old Pa with 40 year's worth of driving included in policy:

 

Grand Total: £1762.13

 

How? Wankers.

 

If you think thats bad there was something in the news that some teenager was quoted £26,000, dont know what the car was but don't think it was a new one.

[Albert Ross]

I was quoted £32.5K to insure the Scorpio Cosworth TPF&T the other year. I got it for £320 Fully comp in the end.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm grumpy cos i'm SKINT! I have spent up completely on shite/shite parts.

[eddyramrod]

I was quoted £32.5K to insure the Scorpio Cosworth TPF&T

 

YEWOT????? I always knew it was a scam, but that's... you know, I don't think there are any English words that cover it.

[Lord Sterling]

I'm in my late 20s now, have a couple of years of NCB but having been on Classic policies now for a couple of years I dont think they are valid anymore. But even if they are, for me to insure mk2 Rover Sterling is at least around the £2000 mark, its a 1995 model so not quite into classic territory. Its the only reason I havent used it since mid 2009. I've not tried Traders policies yet though.

 

Also - A couple of years ago someone from abroad offered me a set of Rover 800 mats from an early model for free, he kept saying he'd send them but for one reason or another, never did. He keeps on telling me he'll send them but never seems to get around to it. I offered to pay for the mats and postage, or just postage if needs be but he always refused.

 

I sent a PM recently (Not this site) and told him he didnt have to send them if he has changed his mind or its difficult or whatever and I shant be offended, but coulod he at least let me know he he is going to send them or not, I've since seen him online but he has never bothered to reply to my PMs, no courtesy.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Then SELL something.

 

Like the Croma!

[dollywobbler]

I'm grumpy cos i'm SKINT! I have spent up completely on shite/shite parts.

 

Yup. Same here. Most frustrating! Can't progress any projects due to skintness. Can't actually afford to put fuel in the cars even, which stops me enjoying the ones I have.

[CreepingJesus]

Ditto. Work's so thin I'm stuggling to find the money to do the few things the V70 needs. So I'm quitting smoking...day 1; thus far I haven't killed anyone, but I've got a scraping-bottom-of-the-barrel job booked for tonight. O Joy.

I'm only really looking to scrape up enough to change the cambelt and service the bloody thing. Is that too much to ask of the Universe?

[scaryoldcortina]

Meh, I'm always skint. You get used to it. Try looking down the back seat of the Maserati, with your luck there will be a Diamond necklace or a Faberge egg down there.

 

I'm having a properly shit day today.

First, UK Mail.. They "tried" to deliver something at about 5 to 8 this morning, belted on the door hard enough to wake my wife up but didn't stay long enough for me (already up) to make it to the front door. Gets. The card they left says to ring on (0845) something to re-arrange delivery or to collect from their depot (15 miles away). Something to do this afternoon then. I expect to be more grumpy about this later.

 

Next, off to the yard so I can get the LT to the class VII test station before 9.00 so I can get a free brake test before the days work starts....

 

3 cars to move... 2 in the yard, one on the back of the truck, all should run.

 

First car - crank, crank, crank, click.... Damn and blast. Find jumpleads, start it from the one in front.

Second car - started fine, ran out of fuel before I got it to the gate. AAAAAGH. Find petrol... look for spout, fail, use a watering can instead (note to A5, don't smoke near the watering can, or try to put fires out with it....). Put car outside.

Third car... lower ramps on truck, remove straps, get into car and turn key.... Nothing at all, no lights, totally flat battery. Shit. Put ramps back. Reverse truck out of yard, then reverse in. Ramps down, freewheel car into yard. Replace ramps again.

 

Finally, lock gate and take truck to MoT station. 2 minutes past nine. Lots of piss taking about punctuality and some rather crap brake roller readings later I'm back at the yard. Stuck a battery on the third car, put it outside. Truck in, caliper off, Stuck piston (VERY stuck)

 

While I was dealing with that, one of autofive's scimitar driving "chums" popped in looking to waste half a morning talking total nonsense. It took an hour to get rid of him.

 

Just after he went, I managed to maul 2 fingertips with the caliper (it popped a piston out while I was blasting it with compressed air. Not the stuck one, and my fingers were in the way) so I decided to give up. First and second cars drove in fine but the third one? Bugger went and ran out of petrol! Never mind, there was some in the watering can.

 

 

Teatime update edit - UKmail are gits. Their phone system sucks, I'm going to go collect tomorrow instead.

 

and, because I was home early my wife made me help in the garden, and I got bitten by one of the ferrets (hard enough to bleed like a stuck pig, and also on one of the previously damaged fingers - just to add injury to injury I suppose)

 

BAH. I'm going to get pissed and go to bed early.

[Guest]

Our next door neighbour at the unit has at a stroke turned from a boorish irritant into a full blown arsehole. I can't even be bothered giving him the time of day any more. One more complaint out of you big lad, and I'll hammer your fucking skull into the pavement.

 

Aaaand breathe.

[Cavcraft]

Going on holiday soon and for the first time my lad isn't coming with us. So that's no more sneaking off to play football and crazy golf and instead being stuck with two females whose idea of 'fun' is shopping and watching shit about Peter 'Twatting' Andre and that incredibly annoying, balloon titted, balloon headed gobshite Jordan.

Plenty of reading material and some covert Autoshite viewing via moble phone is in order I think.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Going on holiday soon and for the first time my lad isn't coming with us. So that's no more sneaking off to play football and crazy golf and instead being stuck with two females whose idea of 'fun' is shopping and watching shit about Peter 'Twatting' Andre and that incredibly annoying, balloon titted, balloon headed gobshite Jordan.

Plenty of reading material and some covert Autoshite viewing via moble phone is in order I think.

 

Isn't there any 'activity' where you're going? For example, during a beach holiday you can go 'swimming' and just read the paper on the beach while ogling the local (or imported) talent.

[Cavcraft]

That was always more fun in holiday camp indoor pools where amongst the disgusting Toyota Previa driving, dole cheating, walk with a limp and crtutches until I see food or cheap clothes then run like fuck lardy bints there was always a couple of right hotties. The two ladies I'm holidaying with don't 'do' swimming :[

[Albert Ross]

When I go on holiday, I spend the first three days pissed, then go and barter for a cheap rented Jimny Soft top, and go explore. When on Zakynthos a few years ago, I found a 3000 year old Mycenean (I think) graveyard, with poorly written signs from the main road. A few Kilometers down a dirt track, and there was a three vehicle Land Rover "quest" style trip going off, all passengers in locally driven motors. They were mostly Germans.... I sat for a while and just soaked in the peace once they had left. I then went and found a "local shop" and filled the back with Mythos. Went back to the apartment and got pissed for the next three days WIN!

[Cavcraft]

Sounds GR8 but I don't like drinking (too much) when with the family. Never mind, it should piss the missus off greatly if we go in the veg oil burner with it's stupid bouncy scene taxed lowered suspension.

[eddyramrod]

I'm grumpy cos i'm SKINT! I have spent up completely on shite/shite parts.

 

Yep, extremely familiar with this position! Doesn't help that we're fast running out of cash and there are simply no jobs, especially if you're not a native-born-Cypriot. Also doesn't help that Mrs Ramrod doesn't even know I've got the grey Mazda, you know, the one the wheels were nicked from... Haven't mentioned that to the previous owner either yet, who technically still owns it... but only because there's nothing I can do about it until I can lay hands on some cash.

 

Oh yeah, and we had a message from my stepson to say the back gate's blown down at our (rented-out) house in Barrow, and could we transfer some money so he can fix it? This is from a Royal Navy submariner, who just (like, the day before) announced on Facebook that he's trading in his three-year-old Golf GTI for a new Blue Motion, whatever kind of Golf that's supposed to be. And he can't stand the cost of a gate until the rent comes in?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

he's trading in his three-year-old Golf GTI for a new Blue Motion, whatever kind of Golf that's supposed to be. And he can't stand the cost of a gate until the rent comes in?

 

Probably because he can't lease the gate and trade it in in 3 years!

 

If you have the option, I'd be looking into cutting your losses and selling the house ASAP. There is plenty of data to suggest that the coming autumn wil make the 2008 crisis look like a picnic!

 

I feel your pain on the job front- been looking for a while, I've applied for about 150 jobs and haven't even had any interviews yet- I suspect many of them may be dreamt up by recruitment agencies...Well, I guess I can take comfort in the fact that my shite-fixing tenants (body/paint shop) in Greece are only 20 days late with their rent this month...

[barrett]

Just heard that Chris Lawrence of Morgan SLR, Deep Sanderson and Monica fame (amongst many others) passed away at the weekend.

 

A truly unique and gifted British engineer with an eye for the unusual and a generally good outlook on life, despite most of the projects he was involved in not being successful. Unlike so many others he was just as concerned with history as he was with new projects and spent much time and money returning many of his old projects back to the road or track where they belong and ensuring their survival for future generations. Definitely a real loss to fans of the more arcane side of British motoring, and for all those who cheer on the underdog.

 

R.I.P

[M'coli]

Going on holiday soon and for the first time my lad isn't coming with us. So that's no more sneaking off to play football and crazy golf and instead being stuck with two females whose idea of 'fun' is shopping and watching shit about Peter 'Twatting' Andre and that incredibly annoying, balloon titted, balloon headed gobshite Jordan.

Plenty of reading material and some covert Autoshite viewing via moble phone is in order I think.

That sounds more like you're not looking forward to missing your youngun's company. From what you say on here, I get the impression you're really chuffed with the way that he's turning out, what with him being a whizz with the spanners, being conscientious and generally being a good egg. You should be proud of that, it's a great thing!

 

As for the holiday, you might just have to bite the bullet and say, "Are you staying here? Well, I'm missing the youngster, so I'm off to play football/do something interesting so I have summat to talk to him about when we get back".

[Station]

Go traders with your insurance.

 

I'd love to mate but I literally want a single low-powered car for a couple of years with minimal impact on the spending. Having 6 cars all insured seems like a hundred years ago when infact it was in 2007 - I'd be lucky now to get one car insured for the price I was paying for all five.

I was getting £1,500 quote for trader's insurance - my mate went in for it at the same time and he got quoted £1,000 per year. He's got points, 0 NCB and lives in a shite area. I told them to stick it as they're obviously picking numbers out of the air. I've already had to pass on a job a fair distance away as I can't afford to get there for the first month.

 

I feel your pain on the job front- been looking for a while, I've applied for about 150 jobs and haven't even had any interviews yet- I suspect many of them may be dreamt up by recruitment agencies...Well, I guess I can take comfort in the fact that my shite-fixing tenants (body/paint shop) in Greece are only 20 days late with their rent this month...

 

I think they do, I got a offered a mysterious job two Fridays ago, only for it to be filled on Monday - they didn't phone to tell me though. They signed off by saying they may have work in 'in a month'. Apply on spec or through the job centre website, don't give up trying, agencies are completely useless and there is no longer any justification for their existance thanks to the internet.

[cort16]

The twat that phoned first at 10.45 last night then 7 am this morning about my merc. When he phoned at 7 and I said it was a bit early and he replied 'like your sleep do you' I just told him it was sold as it was already a conversation i didn't want to continue.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I think they do, I got a offered a mysterious job two Fridays ago, only for it to be filled on Monday - they didn't phone to tell me though. They signed off by saying they may have work in 'in a month'. Apply on spec or through the job centre website, don't give up trying, agencies are completely useless and there is no longer any justification for their existance thanks to the internet.

 

Trouble is even the vacancies on the jobcentre website (I am not on benefits- do they give you access to a greater pool of jobs?) are mostly posted by agencies. I'm not bothered about pay or location, but, since I've done two degrees in HR and have a bit of experience to back them up with, too, I am not about to work in anything that's not even slightly related to it...and that usually means it's 'specialised', thus having to go through a bunch of idiots who think they are 'recruitment specialists'.

[dollywobbler]

That's one thing that makes me glad I never got a degree. Seems very rare to see people doing something related to what they studied! When I worked in the IT department at a large utility company, there was a girl there who'd got a degree in something environmental. Seems logical enough - water/environment - but not sure how it related to running IT Projects.

 

Quite depressing how often the people inputting adverts at publishers are more qualified than me too...

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

That girl was probably the product of a Graduate Training Scheme. GR99 4 buzzwords and corporate indoctrination, not so good for harnessing technical ability- though I can see myself getting into something like that once I am exasperated after a couple of thousand unsuccessful applications.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

haha and at long last I got an interview! Of course, it's a direct application as opposed to agency shit. However, it's for a job in London paying 20k (i.e. about as much as the rent)...still, I ain't bothered. I can always move to a more civilised place after a while.

[dollywobbler]

Good luck! Don't forget that you don't have to live in London. Even as far away as Huntingdon, Cambs is only 1hr on the train. Which will be packed and horrible. I know people who live a lot closer to London and travel for as much as 2hrs each way! Yuck.