The grumpy thread

[GrumpiusMaximus]

1 minute ago, goosey said:

Is it because they want to be a true Petrol head or something like that?

They've owned Alfas in the past and 'know the make'.  Or rather, they'll try and irritate the local Alfa specialist garage with constant innane questions again.

In fairness, they've owned a 164, at least two 156s, a 147 so they do have experience with them.  But an Alfa GT with 'severe underbody corrosion' is ridiculous even by their standards.

What they need is something cheap, sensible, reliable and has good parts availability.  The Alfa GT is insurance group 32E...

[wuvvum]

I've broken the Rover.

I went to do an injector leak off test this morning, to try and find the source of the intermittent diesel knock.  Didn't get very far though, as one of the return pipe nozzles in the top of the injectors snapped off as I was prising it out.  It's just the very tip that's snapped, with the rubber sealing ring round it, and it's deep down inside the top of the injector with no feasible way of getting at it to remove it.  So the car is now pissing out diesel whenever the engine is running.  And it's the nozzle on #1 injector which snapped, so it has the return fuel from the other three injectors running through it as well as its own - so it really does piss out.  So the car is now basically immobile until I buy and fit a replacement injector.

FML.

[Talbot]

1 hour ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

they won't listen and really want an Alfa

Then let them buy an alfa.  When it causes issues, it won't be your problem.

If, however, you steer them to purchasing a sensible-o-box and it then needs a set of brake pads and the screenwash filling up, that will be your fault and "that Alfa would never have needed all this work"

Avoid the issue.  Not your problem.  Etc.

[Shoysty]

1 hour ago, wuvvum said:

I've broken the Rover.

I went to do an injector leak off test this morning, to try and find the source of the intermittent diesel knock.  Didn't get very far though, as one of the return pipe nozzles in the top of the injectors snapped off as I was prising it out.  It's just the very tip that's snapped, with the rubber sealing ring round it, and it's deep down inside the top of the injector with no feasible way of getting at it to remove it.  So the car is now pissing out diesel whenever the engine is running.  And it's the nozzle on #1 injector which snapped, so it has the return fuel from the other three injectors running through it as well as its own - so it really does piss out.  So the car is now basically immobile until I buy and fit a replacement injector.

FML.

small self tapping screw might get it out

[GrumpiusMaximus]

11 minutes ago, Talbot said:

Then let them buy an alfa.  When it causes issues, it won't be your problem.

If, however, you steer them to purchasing a sensible-o-box and it then needs a set of brake pads and the screenwash filling up, that will be your fault and "that Alfa would never have needed all this work"

Avoid the issue.  Not your problem.  Etc.

Unfortunately due to various mobility issues it’s very much our problem as we’ll be the ones picking up the pieces.  I won’t go into specifics on a public forum but it’s a very complex situation...

[Talbot]

As in maintaining the vehicle for them, or having to come to their help when the Alfa shits its gearbox out through the rotten floorpan?

[3VOM]

Insurance last year 225, renewal this year 1200. WTF? I know insurance has gone up but not that much. No, I will not be renewing with you.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

1 hour ago, Talbot said:

As in maintaining the vehicle for them, or having to come to their help when the Alfa shits its gearbox out through the rotten floorpan?

Having to come to their help with practically everything, including when the Alfa shits its gearbox through the rotten floorpan.

It's in our interest to get a decent car for him.  Believe me.  Repairs he can sort himself, fortunately enough.  But currently he has a Focus with a fucked starter motor that he's not getting repaired because 'it won't pass the next MOT', despite said MOT being 5 months away.

Sadly, this isn't a rational situation.

[PhilA]

7 hours ago, Talbot said:

It's at that point you make your line manager aware of the fact that they are not providing an appropriate vehicle for the journey being made.  Company policy be dammned, I'd be using my own car for that and claiming the 45p/mile for the entire journey.

I sometimes forget how good it is to work for a smaller company where we don't have "company policies" like this bollocks.  Posts like this remind me not to complain too much.

(he says, with a 300 mile round-trip to do tomorrow, which is both 45p/mile claimable, and being fuelled by waste veg....)

Yeah, heck with that. Recently the baseline here got put up to 65.5¢/mile which just about covers the car running at 11mpg...

Enterprise are a large enough company that they should have enough suitable cars available. No arguments. If they don't, it's easy enough to go to Avis or National once the contract is up.

Phil

[RoverFolkUs]

6 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I've broken the Rover.

I went to do an injector leak off test this morning, to try and find the source of the intermittent diesel knock.  Didn't get very far though, as one of the return pipe nozzles in the top of the injectors snapped off as I was prising it out.  It's just the very tip that's snapped, with the rubber sealing ring round it, and it's deep down inside the top of the injector with no feasible way of getting at it to remove it.  So the car is now pissing out diesel whenever the engine is running.  And it's the nozzle on #1 injector which snapped, so it has the return fuel from the other three injectors running through it as well as its own - so it really does piss out.  So the car is now basically immobile until I buy and fit a replacement injector.

FML.

Diesel knock is more likely to be dodgy spray patterns. If I were you I'd whip them all out whilst you're at it and pop them over to a diesel specialist to be rig tested, then you know for sure whether they are good or not. 

[RoverFolkUs]

Haven't had a "count down the 2 weeks" for a while...

It's only a bus lane, but I found myself in one earlier for a few seconds

There was a left arrow in the bus lane, and a left/straight on for the middle lane

Trying to plan ahead, I reacted to the left turn only and signalled into there. Then I noticed the [very badly faded, in my defense] solid white line and encountered a "BUS LANE" marking a few seconds later

Quickly got out, there probably wasn't a camera in such a short space of time but I'll find out in 2 weeks. 

Fucking annoying, because faded road marking really piss me off. 

Maybe it would be contestable because of that but a bus lane fine is usually £30 or so, therefore I can't be bothered with the aggro if it comes to it. Just one of those things. 

Still grumpy though...

[Datsuncog]

How's everyone's evening going?

[Metal Guru]

8 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

How's everyone's evening going?

Lidl’s own label tins are the worst for that.

[GMcD]

22 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

How's everyone's evening going?

You need one of these. Click

I didn't know they existed until I watched a technology connections yt video a while back. 

I don't use the ring pulls normally as with a safety opener I can reuse the lid and lob in the fridge (a tin of beans is too big for one sitting as my wife thinks baked beans are the devil)

 

 

 

[RoverFolkUs]

14 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Lidl’s own label tins are the worst for that.

Which is helpful, because it prevents you from consuming their disgusting baked beans. I've been served better from a sketchy B&B 🤢

[GMcD]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Haven't had a "count down the 2 weeks" for a while...

It's only a bus lane, but I found myself in one earlier for a few seconds

There was a left arrow in the bus lane, and a left/straight on for the middle lane

Trying to plan ahead, I reacted to the left turn only and signalled into there. Then I noticed the [very badly faded, in my defense] solid white line and encountered a "BUS LANE" marking a few seconds later

Quickly got out, there probably wasn't a camera in such a short space of time but I'll find out in 2 weeks. 

Fucking annoying, because faded road marking really piss me off. 

Maybe it would be contestable because of that but a bus lane fine is usually £30 or so, therefore I can't be bothered with the aggro if it comes to it. Just one of those things. 

Still grumpy though...

A good number of them in the southside of Glasgow have been suspended for months (small yellow sign on them).

It's quite joyful driving up them and passing queues of traffic as 8/10 drivers seem incapable of reading them. 

[adw1977]

32 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

How's everyone's evening going?

This has happened to me a few times recently with Branston Beans.

[Datsuncog]

8 hours ago, GMcD said:

You need one of these. Click

Fortunately, I've quite a similar side-cutting opener which rode to the rescue:

But it was just that sinking feeling of "ah, FFS" as the ring pull came off at the slightest pressure, leaving me standing there like a numpty.

Not the first time it's ever happened to me, but interesting that others have had the same bother specifically with Branson lately!

[Markeh]

From what I can tell Enterprise have gone very downhill as of late.

Friend of mine had his vehicle break down in Germany, was flown back to Birmingham, where he tried to collect a car that the AA had arranged at Enterprise - turns out there were no spare vehicles in the entirety of Birmingham, ended up being fetched from the airport by someone else.

Another friend received a reasonably ropey i10 with the service, TPMS and EML on.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Last night, last lot at Anglia Car Auctions, 70K miles, one owner, licking my lips in anticipation when the bloody online bidding thing borked on me - I think it sold for £450 or thereabouts

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 9/27/2023 at 11:57 AM, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Trying to persuade a family member that a particular car is a better fit for them than an end-of-life Alfa with 'severe underbody corrosion' listed at the last MOT when they won't listen and really want an Alfa, despite having a very limited budget and not being able to go and see said car before purchase.

Like pulling fucking teeth.

Well, my partner gave him a deadline of yesterday night to let us know what he actually wants.  We were travelling to a different part of the country where the perfect car was available and had a few days to contact the seller and arrange a viewing and now he's lost that opportunity.

I expect a fucked Alfa in my near future.  His problem now.

[gm]

On 9/24/2023 at 5:51 PM, gm said:

@DVee8 came round this afternoon and we had a go at diagnosing the bini -

my initial suspicions of the drive shaft were close, the noise was coming from that area, but was not as we thought a ruined cv joint but a rather poorly looking crank pulley dancing around on top of the driveshaft !

how the hell has this happened ? 

the pulley is 6 months old and was only fitted last month ! 

i was so astonished at finding this i forgot to examine the cv joints  but there’s enough of the pulley still fitted that the car still drives - which makes it much simpler to get it to a garage tomorrow  

tuesday morning the postie left me a red card of doom, this time i had to collect my parcel from the local post office instead of the usual depot in town. 

as the girl was handing it over, she commented on how heavy it was - i said something like “it’s bits to fix my engine” and ended up chatting to her colleague for ten minutes about the lotus esprit he is restoring - not sure the queue behind me appreciated it  

Fragile ? well, yes, the old one certainly was

my problem here is the threaded holes for removing the pulley are part of the bit already off the car  

i tried a few tentative grinder cuts then set about making a puller. i drilled and tapped threads in the remains of the pulley and got stuck in 

nope - that pulley is only coming off in pieces

which it did

being extra careful not to damage the end of the crank

well, i did my best

i wonder if the supplier will want this sent back ?

now to get the new one on and that belt fitted

all done  

and to celebrate, the number plate fell off again 

all seems to be well so far, on the test drive i heard a clonk from under the car - i bet that’s the 16mm socket i dropped earlier 

aye, that’s the one

this lot can go in the bin 

definitely a job i should have taken to a garage but it’s done now - let’s hope this one lasts a bit longer  

 

[Pieman]

Offering people help and support (in this case, someone who'd lost their job) and them responding that they either don't need help or want to be left alone, and then seeing a Facebook post thanking other people for helping them in the last few days.

They may as well just say to me "Yes I do want help, just not from you cos I don't actually like you or want you around, so fuck off".  When someone does that it always feels like they've stuck shit through my letterbox.

[jakebullet]

Had the man from the council dog fouling team phone up about mr. doesn't give a fuck & his shit machines roaming about shitting.

He knew exactly who I was talking about, as he's been getting complaints for about 8 years from all over my estate. The official line is I fill in a form saying I've seen his shit machines shitting. They then issue him with a £100 fine. When he doesn't pay (Man says he never pays), council take him to court, and he gets a copy of the form with my deets, so he knows who's car to damage. He gets another conviction and pays it at 5p a week.

That sounds less than ideal. Man agrees, and says he's an ignorant old git. Man suggests he will attempt to spot him walking around with shit machines, which will result in a fine as he never has poo bags / can be seen to let them shit everywhere. Man not looking forwards to this as last time he was assaulted with dog lead. I thank man and wish him luck.

 

[robthedonkey]

From what I can tell Enterprise have gone very downhill as of late.
Friend of mine had his vehicle break down in Germany, was flown back to Birmingham, where he tried to collect a car that the AA had arranged at Enterprise - turns out there were no spare vehicles in the entirety of Birmingham, ended up being fetched from the airport by someone else.
Another friend received a reasonably ropey i10 with the service, TPMS and EML on.

We had a 19 plate outlander delivered to work the other day by them ... they called 3 hours later to see if it had gone out as had been sold .... they swapped it for a Corsa ... a Corsa excite on a 19 plate .... where's the nice new stuff ?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[RoverFolkUs]

48 minutes ago, jakebullet said:

Had the man from the council dog fouling team phone up about mr. doesn't give a fuck & his shit machines roaming about shitting.

He knew exactly who I was talking about, as he's been getting complaints for about 8 years from all over my estate. The official line is I fill in a form saying I've seen his shit machines shitting. They then issue him with a £100 fine. When he doesn't pay (Man says he never pays), council take him to court, and he gets a copy of the form with my deets, so he knows who's car to damage. He gets another conviction and pays it at 5p a week.

That sounds less than ideal. Man agrees, and says he's an ignorant old git. Man suggests he will attempt to spot him walking around with shit machines, which will result in a fine as he never has poo bags / can be seen to let them shit everywhere. Man not looking forwards to this as last time he was assaulted with dog lead. I thank man and wish him luck.

 

What a shit situation for you and everyone else to be involved in!

HARDY HAR HAR

[gets coat]

[artdjones]

55 minutes ago, robthedonkey said:

We had a 19 plate outlander delivered to work the other day by them ... they called 3 hours later to see if it had gone out as had been sold .... they swapped it for a Corsa ... a Corsa excite on a 19 plate .... where's the nice new stuff ?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 

I had a Peugeot 3008 from their branch in Cork last year as an insurance claim courtesy car. It was on the km equivalent of 60k miles. It replaced a Skoda Kamiq when I noticed that the Kamiq's tyres were on the point of becoming illegal.

[chaseracer]

Odd.  The Key Arse Tonic we had from the Cherbourg office last Friday was immaculate, with 5000km on the clock, and has behaved impeccably so far.

I shall complain... 😁

[GMcD]

2 hours ago, jakebullet said:

Had the man from the council dog fouling team phone up about mr. doesn't give a fuck & his shit machines roaming about shitting.

He knew exactly who I was talking about, as he's been getting complaints for about 8 years from all over my estate. The official line is I fill in a form saying I've seen his shit machines shitting. They then issue him with a £100 fine. When he doesn't pay (Man says he never pays), council take him to court, and he gets a copy of the form with my deets, so he knows who's car to damage. He gets another conviction and pays it at 5p a week.

That sounds less than ideal. Man agrees, and says he's an ignorant old git. Man suggests he will attempt to spot him walking around with shit machines, which will result in a fine as he never has poo bags / can be seen to let them shit everywhere. Man not looking forwards to this as last time he was assaulted with dog lead. I thank man and wish him luck.

 

Why are cunts like him even allowed to own dogs if they aren't capable of cleaning up after them. 

Must admit this estate is actually pretty good for lack of dog oysters as most folk seem to have security cameras and offenders get threatened with social media shaming on the local Facebook group if they don't pick them up. Seems to work. 

[RoverFolkUs]

3 hours ago, jakebullet said:

Had the man from the council dog fouling team phone up about mr. doesn't give a fuck & his shit machines roaming about shitting.

He knew exactly who I was talking about, as he's been getting complaints for about 8 years from all over my estate. The official line is I fill in a form saying I've seen his shit machines shitting. They then issue him with a £100 fine. When he doesn't pay (Man says he never pays), council take him to court, and he gets a copy of the form with my deets, so he knows who's car to damage. He gets another conviction and pays it at 5p a week.

That sounds less than ideal. Man agrees, and says he's an ignorant old git. Man suggests he will attempt to spot him walking around with shit machines, which will result in a fine as he never has poo bags / can be seen to let them shit everywhere. Man not looking forwards to this as last time he was assaulted with dog lead. I thank man and wish him luck.