The grumpy thread

[nev_jr]

Why does everywhere smell of piss now? Have I been gone that long that its normal to smell piss?

[Jazoli]

49 minutes ago, nev_jr said:

Why does everywhere smell of piss now? Have I been gone that long that its normal to smell piss?

Are you sure it's not you?

[nev_jr]

16 minutes ago, Jazoli said:

Are you sure it's not you?

I’ve checked, thrice. 

[New POD]

13 hours ago, andy18s said:

Have you phoned the garage and asked where the car is yet?

No, I popped in and paid, and mentioned it to the lady mechanic. Apparently one of the mechanics has done that before. But in that case the neighbour was on holiday for a week, so they ended up fishing through the letter box for the keys.  

I said, good job I've got honest neighbours and 2 keys. It's not a problem. I can't feel angry because shit happens sometimes. 

[New POD]

1 hour ago, nev_jr said:

Why does everywhere smell of piss now? Have I been gone that long that its normal to smell piss?

Concrete stairs that are a  bit porous? 

[nev_jr]

2 minutes ago, New POD said:

Concrete stairs that are a  bit porous? 

Either that or I am constantly hot on the heels of a serial street pisser, possibly both. 

[RoverFolkUs]

On 9/19/2023 at 1:18 AM, wuvvum said:

Hub nuts.  (Not you Ian.)

I started to have a look at the rear brakes on the Visa between downpours, but to get the drum off you have to remove the hub nut and the outer wheel bearing.  Which is fine, but the nut has evidently been off a few times as it's been staked in so many times it almost certainly won't take another.  Can't do the old trick of swapping the nuts side to side either as that's already been done too, given that the nut has chisel marks on the other side as well.

So I need a new hub nut if I'm going to take the drum off.  But the only ones I can find look like this.

How the actual cunting fuck am I supposed to stake in a 2mm thick steel collar, on a nut that can only be tightened finger tight or it crushes the bearings?  The answer, as I discovered with the similar nuts provided with the wheel bearing kits for the Mazda, is that I can't.  All the hammer and chisel does is to make a dent in the outside of the collar, the inside edge doesn't move until you chisel all the way through it, and even then it's almost impossible to bend down into the slot in the stub axle - and completely impossible whilst trying to maintain the correct (minimal) torque on the nut.

What was wrong with the old brass nuts with a nice thin collar?  And why is everything these days totally unfit for purpose?

https://www.eurocarparts.com/search/630545029?gclid=CjwKCAjwsKqoBhBPEiwALrrqiJ2My3dZDout2lGkij7oGFnDpCx8wbAEuEE1PNVeY2fNWIQqDGejExoCU7EQAvD_BwE

Looks like these are for an AX/ZX/205 

Looks similar, probably the same

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, nev_jr said:

I’ve checked, thrice. 

Can you remember when tho, was it last week?

[somewhatfoolish]

2 hours ago, nev_jr said:

Either that or I am constantly hot on the heels of a serial street pisser, possibly both. 

Incontinent pet? A mate had an ancient collie that stank for the last couple of years of its life.

[scorchio69]

Annoying bell ends offshore that put a spoon covered in sugar into the coffee jar can go and throw themselves off the heli-pad, pretty trivial but nearing the end of a three week trip enough is enough 🤬🤬

[Zelandeth]

There is a space reserved in the Special Hell for selfish bastards who park communal bikes/scooters behind locked security gates in such a position that the providers believe them to still be available.

[wuvvum]

18 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

https://www.eurocarparts.com/search/630545029?gclid=CjwKCAjwsKqoBhBPEiwALrrqiJ2My3dZDout2lGkij7oGFnDpCx8wbAEuEE1PNVeY2fNWIQqDGejExoCU7EQAvD_BwE

Looks like these are for an AX/ZX/205 

Looks similar, probably the same

Not sure they are - the 4-stud Visas are the same as a 205 but all the part numbers are different for the 3-stud cars.

[meggersdog]

9 O'clock MoT turns up  late this morning (ten minutes). Just about to get in the car when a LWB Sprinter pulls up behind the car blocking the car and the entrance to the workshop. I asked "can you move your van, please ?" just ignored me and got out. I then politely ask again. Nothing so I ask loudly. He replies with " I am dropping that car off nextdoor, then it's coming to you." I ask again " could you move your van please" with added " you are blocking this car which I want to put in there, which you are also blocking. So please can you move" He looked at me like I was talking jibberish. Eventually his wife comes across and I explain he's blocking me in and won't move. She gets him to move forward so I can get on.  My 9 O'clock MoT  is now 9.15 and I'm playing catch-up. Put me in a bad mood for most of the day. 

The car they dropped off nextdoor which is in for MoT tomorrow is a 60 plate Mercedes C class so if it hasn't got a rotten subframe it will be getting a two page advisory list. Twat.

[Noel Tidybeard]

3 hours ago, meggersdog said:

9 O'clock MoT turns up  late this morning (ten minutes). Just about to get in the car when a LWB Sprinter pulls up behind the car blocking the car and the entrance to the workshop. I asked "can you move your van, please ?" just ignored me and got out. I then politely ask again. Nothing so I ask loudly. He replies with " I am dropping that car off nextdoor, then it's coming to you." I ask again " could you move your van please" with added " you are blocking this car which I want to put in there, which you are also blocking. So please can you move" He looked at me like I was talking jibberish. Eventually his wife comes across and I explain he's blocking me in and won't move. She gets him to move forward so I can get on.  My 9 O'clock MoT  is now 9.15 and I'm playing catch-up. Put me in a bad mood for most of the day. 

The car they dropped off nextdoor which is in for MoT tomorrow is a 60 plate Mercedes C class so if it hasn't got a rotten subframe it will be getting a two page advisory list. Twat.

please post the fail/advisories asap foe us all to lol at

[EyesWeldedShut]

My parcel grump this morning:
Yesterday (Thursday) lunchtime order up a front pad set from online factor with 'free' three day delivery. I'd like these yesterday (don't we all?) so I fork out £8.99 for 24 hour courier.
Just now I decide to check - ring them up and they answer (so pukka factors that open early - plus one)
"sorry mate, it's just been collected, 24 hour - be with you Monday" (minus one)
"Who with?"
"Parcel Force" (minus hundreds)
"They don't deliver on Saturdays, have you another you can Royal Mail 24 for me?"
"No - we've none on the shelf"
"Monday's not 24 hours"
"No - but it is next working day"
"From Thursday?"
"No...."
I gave up cos we're talking around in circles -  I can wait  but FFS 

[Split_Pin]

I occasionally help my wife's pal with her car as she's good to our son at Christmas and Birthdays. 

She's got a BMW F20 1 series. A while back I came out in the pissing rain as her boot wouldnt close. I got it permanently closed and said she will need to take it to BMW to find out what's up with it.

Ages ago I bought a new exhaust clamp and headlight levelling arm. As its a fairly new car I bought BMW bits which came to £40. 

Yesterday she brought it round as agreed. My wife got the kettle on for a catch up with her.

The first problem was she couldn't find rhe locking wheel nut key. It was probably in the boot but as that was still not fixed I couldn't get to the stowage underneath. So I had to work with the wheel in the way, in a stupidly contorted position. I got the old levelling arm off OK but simply could not get the stupid clamp on the new one to fasten around the lower arm. 2 hours I tried with every tool in the garage. I was nearly there but then she had to go as she had brought her 4 year old niece with her who was getting restless. So the car left minus the levelling arm (which was so badly seized it was better not being there), the parts in the footwell,  not even a 'thanks for trying' and no payment for the parts which came to £40.

I am done helping people. 

[Jazoli]

14 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I occasionally help my wife's pal with her car as she's good to our son at Christmas and Birthdays. 

She's got a BMW F20 1 series. A while back I came out in the pissing rain as her boot wouldnt close. I got it permanently closed and said she will need to take it to BMW to find out what's up with it.

Ages ago I bought a new exhaust clamp and headlight levelling arm. As its a fairly new car I bought BMW bits which came to £40. 

Yesterday she brought it round as agreed. My wife got the kettle on for a catch up with her.

The first problem was she couldn't find rhe locking wheel nut key. It was probably in the boot but as that was still not fixed I couldn't get to the stowage underneath. So I had to work with the wheel in the way, in a stupidly contorted position. I got the old levelling arm off OK but simply could not get the stupid clamp on the new one to fasten around the lower arm. 2 hours I tried with every tool in the garage. I was nearly there but then she had to go as she had brought her 4 year old niece with her who was getting restless. So the car left minus the levelling arm (which was so badly seized it was better not being there), the parts in the footwell,  not even a 'thanks for trying' and no payment for the parts which came to £40.

I am done helping people. 

Yeah fuck that I don't do anything now for anyone other than wife and daughters, oh and my neighbour who paid me 50 quid to change the battery in her i10 and wouldn't let me do it for free so she is in credit.

[Split_Pin]

Aye I'll do anything for my wife and son obviously and I also don't mind helping my neighbour 2 doors down as I now have an inexhaustible supply of bloo-roll and nitrile gloves, great for car stuff.

[myglaren]

3 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

My parcel grump this morning:
Yesterday (Thursday) lunchtime order up a front pad set from online factor with 'free' three day delivery. I'd like these yesterday (don't we all?) so I fork out £8.99 for 24 hour courier.
Just now I decide to check - ring them up and they answer (so pukka factors that open early - plus one)
"sorry mate, it's just been collected, 24 hour - be with you Monday" (minus one)
"Who with?"
"Parcel Force" (minus hundreds)
"They don't deliver on Saturdays, have you another you can Royal Mail 24 for me?"
"No - we've none on the shelf"
"Monday's not 24 hours"
"No - but it is next working day"
"From Thursday?"
"No...."
I gave up cos we're talking around in circles -  I can wait  but FFS 

My stuff always seems to be delivered earlier than estimated, sometimes very much so.  Could it be because the couple over the road are both posties and looks as though one of their sons is too.

The Evry man is very good too.

I ordered a hole saw arbor last Monday, £3 for second class post, £6 for next day delivery with DPD.

Opted for the three quid deliver, dropped through the door at 9 a.m. the following morning.

 

Less satisfying is that I spent ages removing an old, broken outside PIR light and fitting a new one, along with a waterproof junction box.  Turned the MCB back on at the consumer unit and it is dead.  Not the light but the wiring from the attic.  No wonder the old one didn't work.

[MikeR]

cyclists with a death wish ..  dont half get some around here

was a few cars back from the leaders on a local dual carriageway  yesterday , when this cyclist came right across the road and onto the midway crossing point ,

causing the leading cars to slap on brakes and some horn blaring ...

cyclists response , the good old finger !!

things to be learnt ??

the day before that was a windy day , what did I see , a lycra warrior battling along the same road in a strong side wind , 2 meters to his left , a safe path FFS !!!

He caused the traffic to bunch up and the poor little old dear in a Micra behind me nearly hit him when he got blown sideways , across the 1.5m gap she had left him .

thankfully I had a rear facing dash cam that would of helped her out if she had connected ...

[hairnet]

On 9/21/2023 at 5:33 AM, scorchio69 said:

Annoying bell ends offshore that put a spoon covered in sugar into the coffee jar can go and throw themselves off the heli-pad, pretty trivial but nearing the end of a three week trip enough is enough 🤬🤬

@Saabnut nick hes talking about you again

 

[hairnet]

25 minutes ago, MikeR said:

cyclists with a death wish ..  dont half get some around here

was a few cars back from the leaders on a local dual carriageway  yesterday , when this cyclist came right across the road and onto the midway crossing point ,

causing the leading cars to slap on brakes and some horn blaring ...

cyclists response , the good old finger !!

things to be learnt ??

 

that happens round here on a 50 road on the pavement is a cycle path which is the athletics track burgandy so you cant miss it

they get very much squeezed as thick as two short planks doesnt cover it - seeing as most of the time theres wagons coming the other way which means we cant move out

lack of wheels doesnt forgive your stupidity

[hairnet]

friday can fuck right off

especially when it involves medical

[EyesWeldedShut]

5 hours ago, myglaren said:

My stuff always seems to be delivered earlier than estimated, sometimes very much so.  Could it be because the couple over the road are both posties and looks as though one of their sons is too.

The Evry man is very good too.

 

We're right out in the middle of nowhere and Parcel Farce does not operate this far West - they run a lorry down from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Royal Mail Depot who then dropoff on their behalf. That works but can add an extra day - usually I'll check and see who the courier is likely to be but, in this case, I didn't .

The RM service here is getting v.patchy. Our long term posties are all quitting/quit and there's a shortage of bodies such that if our 'new' guy is on a day off then he's sometimes not covered - two weeks ago nothing Thurs or Fri, this week nothing today. He'll be back tomorrow with a double van load.

Evri here is bloody good - partly because most of them are the aforementioned ex-posties so they know everybody & everywhere. DPD are good - they now handle all our Amazon stuff and UPS (who haul out of Swansea so 70 miles away) excellent. 

[gm]

the new Bini is on the naughty step - i pulled out a junction quickly and the cv axle shat itself - thankfully not far from home so i nursed it back whilst knocking its tits off  

double grump - i’m off work with sciatica so not exactly fit to replace the bloody thing either  

thankfully the trusty mazda can take over daily duties for the time being  

frustratingly i had the wheels off earlier today and didn’t spot the grease leaking out of the gaiter 

i took the photo as i was impressed how clean it is under there 

[eddyramrod]

As if it's not bad enough that the world is going to shit, my Jag has thrown a hissy and health, for both of us, is a distant memory... now the telly's gone to shit too.  Football on all sorts of channels at zero notice, displacing the regular programmes.  They can FRO with that, and when they get there, FRO some more.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

FFS. Covid for the entire household. Currently rough as a badger's arse - I thought the current strain is supposed to be a lighter one? 

[myglaren]

Chucked out of my doctors I signed up for another.  The one we were in from 1978 to 1985.

Went for the 'health check' yesterday and they had no record of me.  Fixed that but have to wait another week for an appointment.

Went to Sunderland police station to get my certificate of life signed and stamped the dropped in on a mate that lives there.

He was just on his way out, which was fortunate as I was ringing the bell of the house next door.

Accompanied him to the chemist where he was going to collect a prescription, they offered him a Covid jab so I asked for one too, all done and dusted in no time flat.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

As if it's not bad enough that the world is going to shit, my Jag has thrown a hissy and health, for both of us, is a distant memory... now the telly's gone to shit too.  Football on all sorts of channels at zero notice, displacing the regular programmes.  They can FRO with that, and when they get there, FRO some more.

Missing Corrie?

[RoverFolkUs]

On 9/21/2023 at 6:43 PM, meggersdog said:

9 O'clock MoT turns up  late this morning (ten minutes). Just about to get in the car when a LWB Sprinter pulls up behind the car blocking the car and the entrance to the workshop. I asked "can you move your van, please ?" just ignored me and got out. I then politely ask again. Nothing so I ask loudly. He replies with " I am dropping that car off nextdoor, then it's coming to you." I ask again " could you move your van please" with added " you are blocking this car which I want to put in there, which you are also blocking. So please can you move" He looked at me like I was talking jibberish. Eventually his wife comes across and I explain he's blocking me in and won't move. She gets him to move forward so I can get on.  My 9 O'clock MoT  is now 9.15 and I'm playing catch-up. Put me in a bad mood for most of the day. 

The car they dropped off nextdoor which is in for MoT tomorrow is a 60 plate Mercedes C class so if it hasn't got a rotten subframe it will be getting a two page advisory list. Twat.

Last Wednesday we had an MOT booked.  Because we do them by arrangement - no shows can really fuck things up and we have to be really careful to avoid a wasted journey for the driver when it could turn out there's nothing ready to go ... 

He was one of those no shows. But today, he phoned up. 9 days later... no phone call at all from him on the day..

An apology* because apparently he had a message to say his insurance had run out on that morning (?) And he didn't have any money to "buy more insurance" until today. 

Bullshit smelt. 

Anyway, the main point he had to make was "do you have any slots this afternoon to do the MOT, replace 2x calipers and the body control module?" 

Do you have any availability this afternoon.... 

Fucking no!!!! 😂

Then he says "I've checked the glass's guide and it takes 20 minutes to replace the body control module"

I immediately became angry, but thought I'd listen to what else he may have to say: 

"You need to remove the cover, undo 4x T20 screws and then...."

I responded - "let me stop you there, please don't tell me how to do the job, how long it should take, or anything like that. This is the labour rate, this is the price for the job, and we'll leave it at that. If you want to do it yourself, or take it somewhere else who can do it cheaper, go for it. 

I said, the next availablity will be... [about 2 weeks time]

"Ok" he replied.

So do you want me to book you in for then? 

"Errr, errmmm, errrr, I'll let you know on Monday" 

Argh!!! Please fuck off!!! 😂

My main thought was if he didn't have money to buy insurance on the day then how was he going to pay for the work?!