The grumpy thread

[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.

[messerschmitt owner]

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.

I spent three days in Godmanchester last week at the graveyard - lovely!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

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.

 

 

Cheers for that! I will be needing some luck- it's been months since even the last time I wore a suit!

 

Of course, the way that the railroads are planned, even the 150 miles from Sheffield to London only take two hours- that's why the 35 miles from here to Huddersfield are 1h25'!

 

However, it's a safe bet that a lot of the long-distance (let's say anything further than Luton/Gatwick/Guildford) commuters barely manage to exceed minimum wage once you've added the travel time and subtracted the travel cost ('travel cost', of course, being about 35-40% more than the 'travel price', as it comes from the money on which you've already paid tax and NI). That's why I have no intention of ever living very far from work (unless there is an accident of fate that propels me to a job with an obscene salary and/or a chauffeur).

[trigger]

Bloody cars, My Mondeo TDCi is as noisey as buggery which turned out to be the bottom pulley "They all do that, Sir, common problem".

 

So I've spend £187 on a new pulley, tensoner and belt kit which my tamed mechainc fitted this this afternoon for me, (£64 labour inc. a oil change - Bargain), the trouble is, there's still a noise, The original rattle has now gone, but it now sounds like a machine gun going off instead from the same area, if you remove the belts the noise stops so it's something connected to this.

 

So my mechainc has to strip it all down again now tomorrow to try and find what's at fault, there is a wear mark on the alternator bracket which might be the problem, he's going to file it down to see if that cures it.

 

Anyone else on here had this problem? It's a Mondeo 2.2 TDCi ST BTW. (< That is the problem)

[George-Roper]

Anyone else on here had this problem? It's a Mondeo

 

Not had that problem but the answer would be to sell it off and buy a older easier cheaper to repair car. You could still get one with a bit of class like a BMW or Mercedes and shopping around the bits are cheap and the knowlege to repair them is out there. Bought right you would have little trouble during your ownership.

[Albert Ross]

The Mondeo noise can be cured with regular application of a Renault Safrane.

[dollywobbler]

Just replace it with another Escort. Preferably a 1.6 Diesel for maximum economy and misery.

[Negative Creep]

Women

 

Attractive, single, stable. Pick any two.

 

 

For fucks sake

[Polystratus]

Women

 

Attractive, single, stable. Pick any two.

 

 

For fucks sake

 

Not been online dating then?

[trigger]

The Mondeo will be going, I'm a bit gutted as I spend a lot of money buying it with the plan to keep it 2 years, It's lasted 5 months, I've been left so impressed with the £700 17 year old Golf I've decided to go back to basics.

 

£2000 on something like a Focus 1.8 Estate would be ideal, Leaving enough money to pay a few bills and to go towards a new classic, like that yellow MK3 Cortina, Mind you the Kadett will be going on ebay in the next week or so once the clutch has been fitted as well, I want a classic that can be used and enjoyed rather than sat in a garage in fear of it breaking or getting hit by a moog in a 4x4.

[Polystratus]

£2000 on something like a Focus 1.8 Estate would be ideal, Leaving enough money to pay a few bills and to go towards a new classic.

 

Thats about the amount I'm going to spend on the next car - given that a typical supermini for the spec i want is now above £10k.

[retrogeezer]

The Mondeo will be going,

 

£2000 on something like a VW Bora would be ideal,

 

EFA..

[Negative Creep]

Women

 

Attractive, single, stable. Pick any two.

 

 

For fucks sake

 

Not been online dating then?

 

 

This time around it was real life. Same thing applies to both though.

[meggersdog]

I seem to have acquired a Renault Laguna.It's a P.reg 2.0 litre and drives alright.The car's been regularly serviced and the last owner had the car for nine years.The problem is the MOT is nearly out and it needs two tyres.It's taxed until the end of September so I could get some part worn tyres and MOT it then sell on.This won't happen as we all know I would only get messed about for weeks on end.Now a couple of my mates have forecourts and they both like to have a few cheap old bangers in their "part ex " section.Knowing you can't buy anything for less than £160 from the auction I offered it to them for £140.First declined because it's a Laguna and the second because of no MOT.I will frag it next week.

Makes me grumpy that I will be sending a perfectly usable car over the bridge because it's worth more as a cube than a car.

[messerschmitt owner]

Makes me grumpy that I will be sending a perfectly usable car over the bridge because it's worth more as a cube than a car.

feel better for the fact that it's a Laguna and you're making the world a more reliable, better place

[Cavcraft]

Makes me grumpy that I will be sending a perfectly usable car over the bridge because it's worth more as a cube than a car.

feel better for the fact that it's a Laguna and you're making the world a more reliable, better place

 

Agreed, but it's madness to frag a useable car. However if the market dictates it's unwanted then alas so be it. Might still be worth a bash testing it though I suppose, twenty quid on a couple of tyres and it's got to be worth £350 to someone with a full MOT?

[chaseracer]

...it's madness to frag a useable car. However if the market dictates it's unwanted then alas so be it. Might still be worth a bash testing it though I suppose, twenty quid on a couple of tyres and it's got to be worth £350 to someone with a full MOT?

I think you've made your own point there, Billy. Small amount of effort = car saved, AND you make more folding.

 

Win/win...

[trigger]

Fucking fuckerty fuck!!!!! My Mondeo still sounds like a machine gun is going off under the bonnet, The garage have spend all morning trying to fix it and now thinks it's the new bottom pulley that's at fault, He's going to take it of to check it now.

 

Fucking ebay and pattern parts, ALL MONDEO TDCIS MUST DIE!!!!!!!!!

 

*Sorry for the language outburst btw.

[meggersdog]

Makes me grumpy that I will be sending a perfectly usable car over the bridge because it's worth more as a cube than a car.

feel better for the fact that it's a Laguna and you're making the world a more reliable, better place

 

Agreed, but it's madness to frag a useable car. However if the market dictates it's unwanted then alas so be it. Might still be worth a bash testing it though I suppose, twenty quid on a couple of tyres and it's got to be worth £350 to someone with a full MOT?

 

It might be worth doing this but I would have to advertise it and having to deal with pennyless cretins would more than likely send me crashing back down into deep depression.