The grumpy thread

[High Jetter]

Sounds to me like you have something more important in your life, right now.

[sierraman]

  On 27/03/2023 at 16:36, jakebullet said:

Idiot sister bitches to Ma screen wash isn't working on her juke-o-doom, and Ma volunteers I will 'look at it' instead of telling her google a garage then.

There is a tiny trickle coming out of the jets. Found a connector in the pipe, and it blasts from there. Hmm, going to be the combo splitter non return valve I can see under the plastic but can't get to without taking everything out. Eventually got it out by jamming fingers painfully where there isn't space. It is indeed fucked. Went round every parts place in town who all have choice of 4mm or 6mm t pieces, and the bastard is 5mm. Took a 6mm and managed to get the pipes on with persuasion. Put the bastard thing back together, and voila, screen wash working.

Idiot comes out, and I say it's done. She thanks me profusely  bitches that it's been a long time, and the car has more important problems that need fixing than the screen wash. When am I going to fit a new exhaust? How about Tuesday the 3rd of Get to fuck? Does that work for you?

Asked Ma why was I volunteered* for this shit, and Ma wanted it done as idiot's answer to no screen wash is lower the window on the motorway and lean out with a can of de-icier to clean the screen.

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Honestly I would just chuck the ball back in their court and suggest they look for a garage like 90% of the rest of the population does. If it’s going to cost £300 for a new exhaust fitting it’s their problem. 

[sierraman]

  On 27/03/2023 at 21:25, Talbot said:

Go back to the kwik fit and complain like fuck in a loudish voice that the "technicians" there are utter idiots.  Explain why.   As other punters start to listen in and then leave to go elsewhere, they will almost certainly cover your costs and offer at least a partial refund.

Did this at a tyre fit place once.. complained that the twat had rattle-gunned up my wheel nuts.  Manager asks what the issue is with that.  So I handed him the factory wheel brace and told him to undo just one nut with that, "like if I was at the side of the road with a puncture".  He couldn't.  I got an apology and correctly torqued wheel nuts after showing the cretin how a torque wrench works.

Drove off down the road and two wheels shed all their balance weights, as the fucking numpties had fitted steel-wheel-type clamp weights on an aluminium rim.  Complained A LOT.  Got a refund.

Bunch of incompetent twats.

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‘Kwik Fit Technician’ a feature on your CV to ensure you don’t get taken seriously at interviews at garages. 🤣

I think Kwik Fit seems to be where all the failed mechanics go. 

[Metal Guru]

  On 28/03/2023 at 06:38, sierraman said:

‘Kwik Fit Technician’ a feature on your CV to ensure you don’t get taken seriously at interviews at garages. 🤣

I think Kwik Fit seems to be where all the failed mechanics go. 

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With all respect to Kwik Fit and other guys who work at similar places, they  not mechanics. They are fitters doing a limited range of mechanical jobs. 
(And before anyone asks, no I can’t fit a tyre , or exhaust although I can manage batteries and oil changes.)

[iainrcz]

Car insurance renewal.

Cost to insure last year 297, this year 423!?

What??

[Rust Collector]

  On 28/03/2023 at 09:26, iainrcz said:

Car insurance renewal.

Cost to insure last year 297, this year 423!?

What??

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Ours shot up this year too, it's gone up some 60%. Couldn't find anyone else cheaper. Can only assume it's to do with the legislation that came in to stop insurers offering a different rate between new business and renewals... Was meant to protect people who don't shop around, but can't help but feel it's left them in the same situation but fucked over the folks who did shop around.

[cort1977]

Thanks for Kwik Fit responses and advice.  I managed to change the drop link with the wheel on and got a new locking nut winging it's way from China so not too bad.  In defence of Kwik Fit, the one near my parents has been run by the same guy for as long as I can remember and never had an issue with them, like a lot of things it depends on the management.

[iainrcz]

  On 28/03/2023 at 10:25, Rust Collector said:

Ours shot up this year too, it's gone up some 60%. Couldn't find anyone else cheaper. Can only assume it's to do with the legislation that came in to stop insurers offering a different rate between new business and renewals... Was meant to protect people who don't shop around, but can't help but feel it's left them in the same situation but fucked over the folks who did shop around.

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I've managed to moan and get my renewal to £340. The lass couldn't explain the massive hike.

I always thought insurance got cheaper as you got older. I'm 42, drive a Toyota Corolla estate and have +20 years no claims ffs.

[iainrcz]

Another thing I've just noticed on Go Compare. the closer you set your start date to the date you're looking the higher the price.

Policy start date tomorrow with esure flex £450. Policy start date 26th April, same insurer £386.

Cheeky pricks.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Just been playing with online insurance sites (not* looking at anything in particular) but thought I'd ask about the Bini - insured that in November, current prices are 50% up from then (and that's giffer rates)

[EyesWeldedShut]

  On 28/03/2023 at 10:43, iainrcz said:

Another thing I've just noticed on Go Compare. the closer you set your start date to the date you're looking the higher the price.

Policy start date tomorrow with esure flex £450. Policy start date 26th April, same insurer £386.

Cheeky pricks.

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Martin Lewis has a take on that  (old link) I think they're saying 2 -3 weeks now maybe best. Trouble is my last renewal only came out about 14 days before expiry but I usually work on the premise that renewal price will be bollix anyway

[Talbot]

  On 28/03/2023 at 06:38, sierraman said:

I think Kwik Fit seems to be where all the failed mechanics go. 

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Remember.  You can't get shitter than a Kwik-Fit fitter.

Probably not fair to all fitters, but the experience I've had bears that jingle out.

[Markeh]

Yeah mine was set to go up £250 until I rang Admiral and complained, got it back down to almost what I paid last year. Comparison sites weren't offering me anything decent either. If that's how bad things are this year without me claiming I'm glad I fixed my little accident myself!

[High Jetter]

Insurance costs have generally gone up across the board like everything else. though some will occasionally get a better deal than previously. MSE now says cheapest time is 23 days before renewal (current link) https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-insurance/

If you get a quote then, and it's lower than your current price, don't wait for your renewal quote - ring your current insurer and ask what it will be or just jump ship. I have 2 vans on one policy and renewal is 20% higher than last year. Am still shopping around but within the 23 day window cos busy (plus it takes soooo long).

[Spiny Norman]

  On 28/03/2023 at 10:25, Rust Collector said:

Can only assume it's to do with the legislation that came in to stop insurers offering a different rate between new business and renewals...

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My home insurers used that as an excuse for more than doubling my renewal quote in January. I went to the Meerkats and got a quote roughly back to what I'd paid last year....from my current insurers. So I don't think their new system is working very well.

[maxxo]

  On 28/03/2023 at 06:22, High Jetter said:

Sounds to me like you have something more important in your life, right now.

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it's made me realise there's a lot more to life than cars.......nice change tbh

[sdkrc]

What the fuck is wrong with the tradesmen in Scotland? Is there a single one who's not a feckless, unreliable cunt?  I'm convinced that all trades are stocked with the lowest common denominators with not even the remotest shred of pride in their work. I've had perhaps 2 positive experiences in 9yrs in Scotland and countless shit ones. 

Trying to get a boiler fixed. Had to call 8 or 9 engineers now. Most don't want the work unless they're fitting a new boiler. I've had 2 who did want the work, 1 turned up hours late, asked to go for a piss and spent almost zero time diagnosing the fucking issue. "Need a new PCB, might not fix it though. The office will call with a quote". The office didn't call though, I had to call them a week later. £320 for the part alone. He took loads of the screws that hold the boiler cover and he broke some of the plastics inside the boiler as well. Sound. 

2nd guy spoke well, replied quickly and turned up on time. Seemed decent until he left and nothing fucking worked. He was supposed to install a Nest thermostat but he fucked that up. He was supposed to turn up at 10am this morning and he's AWOL. 

Turn up when you've said you would? Nah

Answer a call or text? Nah

3min test of your work to make sure you don't need to come back out again? Nah

 

The first boiler broke down because of a flood caused by shitty, uninsulated pipework. The second boiler was installed by a guy who left 2 gas leaks and tried to blame me, he also never hooked up the thermostat. 

I'd gladly pay @paulplom through the nose just to come up and sort this out but he's left the sodding site. 

[sdkrc]

I'd also like to take this opportunity to say Glasgow is a dirty shithole and should be nuked from orbit. Massively downhill since 2014 and has lost almost all of its scrappy, underdog charm. It used to be rough, dirty, vibrant and cheap. Now it's rough, dirty, cramped and expensive. The amount of litter, dog shit and cave dwellers is absolutely world-beating. 

[chadders]

  On 28/03/2023 at 14:09, sdkrc said:

What the fuck is wrong with the tradesmen in Scotland? Is there a single one who's not a feckless, unreliable cunt?  I'm convinced that all trades are stocked with the lowest common denominators with not even the remotest shred of pride in their work. I've had perhaps 2 positive experiences in 9yrs in Scotland and countless shit ones. 

Trying to get a boiler fixed. Had to call 8 or 9 engineers now. Most don't want the work unless they're fitting a new boiler. I've had 2 who did want the work, 1 turned up hours late, asked to go for a piss and spent almost zero time diagnosing the fucking issue. "Need a new PCB, might not fix it though. The office will call with a quote". The office didn't call though, I had to call them a week later. £320 for the part alone. He took loads of the screws that hold the boiler cover and he broke some of the plastics inside the boiler as well. Sound. 

2nd guy spoke well, replied quickly and turned up on time. Seemed decent until he left and nothing fucking worked. He was supposed to install a Nest thermostat but he fucked that up. He was supposed to turn up at 10am this morning and he's AWOL. 

Turn up when you've said you would? Nah

Answer a call or text? Nah

3min test of your work to make sure you don't need to come back out again? Nah

 

The first boiler broke down because of a flood caused by shitty, uninsulated pipework. The second boiler was installed by a guy who left 2 gas leaks and tried to blame me, he also never hooked up the thermostat. 

I'd gladly pay @paulplom through the nose just to come up and sort this out but he's left the sodding site. 

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He's on TDW and still merrily* plumbing away.

I think that you might be able to post on there without jumping through loads of log on hoops.

If not someone will do it for you. 

[Lankytim]

  On 28/03/2023 at 14:09, sdkrc said:

What the fuck is wrong with the tradesmen in Scotland? Is there a single one who's not a feckless, unreliable cunt?  I'm convinced that all trades are stocked with the lowest common denominators with not even the remotest shred of pride in their work. I've had perhaps 2 positive experiences in 9yrs in Scotland and countless shit ones. 

Trying to get a boiler fixed. Had to call 8 or 9 engineers now. Most don't want the work unless they're fitting a new boiler. I've had 2 who did want the work, 1 turned up hours late, asked to go for a piss and spent almost zero time diagnosing the fucking issue. "Need a new PCB, might not fix it though. The office will call with a quote". The office didn't call though, I had to call them a week later. £320 for the part alone. He took loads of the screws that hold the boiler cover and he broke some of the plastics inside the boiler as well. Sound. 

2nd guy spoke well, replied quickly and turned up on time. Seemed decent until he left and nothing fucking worked. He was supposed to install a Nest thermostat but he fucked that up. He was supposed to turn up at 10am this morning and he's AWOL. 

Turn up when you've said you would? Nah

Answer a call or text? Nah

3min test of your work to make sure you don't need to come back out again? Nah

 

The first boiler broke down because of a flood caused by shitty, uninsulated pipework. The second boiler was installed by a guy who left 2 gas leaks and tried to blame me, he also never hooked up the thermostat. 

I'd gladly pay @paulplom through the nose just to come up and sort this out but he's left the sodding site. 

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It’s not just Scotland, it’s the whole of the U.K. Trying to get a tradesman through the door is a mission in itself and even then they’ll probably fuck up whatever they’re meant to be doing.  We had a bathroom install and I had to finish the job off properly after they left. It took 3x longer than planned and still leaked. They were literally the only guys we could get in to do the job though.

In other grumpy news… The eldest daughter needs a couple of teeth removed and braces fitting. The NHS waiting list is 3.5 years OR we could get the treatment within a few weeks by going private for 3k. Same treatment at the same dentist. Shocking. We’ve got to make the decision wether to wait, by which time the situation will be more involved or somehow get 3k from somewhere which we haven’t got. 
 

I clapped the NHS in gold faith too! 

[GMcD]

  On 28/03/2023 at 14:26, sdkrc said:

I'd also like to take this opportunity to say Glasgow is a dirty shithole and should be nuked from orbit. Massively downhill since 2014 and has lost almost all of its scrappy, underdog charm. It used to be rough, dirty, vibrant and cheap. Now it's rough, dirty, cramped and expensive. The amount of litter, dog shit and cave dwellers is absolutely world-beating. 

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We are an embarrassment. I've just spent 3 weeks in Sydney - not a single dog egg on any street anywhere. I walked for miles in the 3 weeks there. Not immaculate by any means but hardly any litter scattered about the place either. 

Fuck, even the public/ shopping centre bogs were all pretty clean instead of literal shite thrown up walls and pish on every surface like this shit hole. 

I was back one day in Glasgow and I've already stepped on a turd right outside my brother in laws driveway in Craigton. Brilliant. 

I can't help you with local trades I'm afraid as my decent (although still absolutely hopeless at timekeeping) plumber has retired.  I've got some contacts for leccy and plastering, but they aren't without fault either (again timekeeping mostly). 

Half the problem I think is that most are all swimming in work, so it doesn't matter to them if they treat customers like shit. 

 

[MikeR]

one of the main reasons I have never updated the boiler , it works and is left alone , along the lines of if it aint broke .....

same with the hot water heater , its done well as well , its had a few lookings at , new gas tap ,bellows  and I have a spare heat exchanger hiding in the greenhouse .

considering my  heating system was condemed by a expert who never looked at it and said it needed replacing when all it needed was a pipe moving and a flush !!  , its has operated for years .

my tooth when it split , couple of hundred quid to go private , sorted in a few weeks  , with offers of cosmetic work , but a fall out of the ugly tree sorted that response out

as for bogs and such , we are a shit hole , just walking around liverpool,  its now 30p for a dump , cards accepted of course !

and parking , thats £5 ( todays trip ) , naw mate , playing the blue get out free pass ...  nice to get somat free for my rates !

 

[Dave_Q]

  On 28/03/2023 at 16:30, MikeR said:

one of the main reasons I have never updated the boiler , it works and is left alone , along the lines of if it aint broke .....

same with the hot water heater , its done well as well , its had a few lookings at , new gas tap ,bellows  and I have a spare heat exchanger hiding in the greenhouse .

considering my  heating system was condemed by a expert who never looked at it and said it needed replacing when all it needed was a pipe moving and a flush !!  , its has operated for years .

my tooth when it split , couple of hundred quid to go private , sorted in a few weeks  , with offers of cosmetic work , but a fall out of the ugly tree sorted that response out

as for bogs and such , we are a shit hole , just walking around liverpool,  its now 30p for a dump , cards accepted of course !

and parking , thats £5 ( todays trip ) , naw mate , playing the blue get out free pass ...  nice to get somat free for my rates !

 

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At 30p a shit what are the dogs meant to do, no wallets for coins and they're not allowed cards? No wonder they all shit on the pavement 

[chadders]

  On 28/03/2023 at 14:09, sdkrc said:

What the fuck is wrong with the tradesmen in Scotland? Is there a single one who's not a feckless, unreliable cunt?  I'm convinced that all trades are stocked with the lowest common denominators with not even the remotest shred of pride in their work. I've had perhaps 2 positive experiences in 9yrs in Scotland and countless shit ones. 

Trying to get a boiler fixed. Had to call 8 or 9 engineers now. Most don't want the work unless they're fitting a new boiler. I've had 2 who did want the work, 1 turned up hours late, asked to go for a piss and spent almost zero time diagnosing the fucking issue. "Need a new PCB, might not fix it though. The office will call with a quote". The office didn't call though, I had to call them a week later. £320 for the part alone. He took loads of the screws that hold the boiler cover and he broke some of the plastics inside the boiler as well. Sound. 

2nd guy spoke well, replied quickly and turned up on time. Seemed decent until he left and nothing fucking worked. He was supposed to install a Nest thermostat but he fucked that up. He was supposed to turn up at 10am this morning and he's AWOL. 

Turn up when you've said you would? Nah

Answer a call or text? Nah

3min test of your work to make sure you don't need to come back out again? Nah

 

The first boiler broke down because of a flood caused by shitty, uninsulated pipework. The second boiler was installed by a guy who left 2 gas leaks and tried to blame me, he also never hooked up the thermostat. 

I'd gladly pay @paulplom through the nose just to come up and sort this out but he's left the sodding site. 

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I've a message from Paul but you don't seem to be able to receive messages on here.

[sdkrc]

  On 28/03/2023 at 16:57, chadders said:

I've a message from Paul but you don't seem to be able to receive messages on here.

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Thanks @chadders, genuinely appreciated. Someone else has pinged me Paul's number. Going to try one last time to get someone local through some contacts, when that inevitably doesn't pan out I'll give Paul a buzz. 

[chadders]

Here's the message, which I've edited to remove his number as you already have it:

"It's a bit far for a repair. You can give him my number for messaging though if you don't mind. I might be able to talk him through it."

[Mrcento]

Once again, multicar insurance a total no-go for me. I don't get it. What planet are people living on where they can add cars for a couple of hundred quid extra?, i'm at 1100 per car i want to add regardless of what it is.... (so 2 cars would start at nearly 1800, adding a third nearly 3 grand, 4 over 4 etc)

What do they think i'm going to do with them?, Divide myself into 4, drive them all at once and have a pile up with myself on the motorway?.

[richardmorris]

  On 27/03/2023 at 22:51, maxxo said:

i've basically just lost interest in cars

since selling the XM, i just don't feel excited anymore about cars

i don't look online at cars for sale, don't go to car meets or really care about cars

i don't think of cars i'd like to own, as i know for daily drivers i'll just keep buying C5s, they're the only cars that have managed to completely satisfy me

i just can't be arsed with faff, with cars, with car communities, with anything really

just cars in general, they're a bit crap aren't they?

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I can sympathise. I’ve gone right off driving because of traffic and idiot drivers. But looking forward to easter when I can swap cars around and use my x1/9 again.

[richardmorris]

Just had a weird call on the landline - a mobile number. Said I’d called them at 2 and they’d missed the call. No said I, I’ve been at work from 6 till 6 and I don’t use the landline for calls anyway.

very odd, presumably she’d misread the number, was localish in windlesham she said. Or perhaps a call centre spoofing any local numbers?

[Bren]

Secondhand alloys.

Need a set for the BMW.

People are offering utter shite - cracked buckled need tyres refurb.

And asking hundreds.

Throw em in the sea.