The grumpy thread

[RoverFolkUs]

On the subject of neighbours, mine tend to leave me alone when it comes to cars, which is lucky. 

I've never announced it but word has got around all but one in the immediate vicinity that I'm handy with cars and in fact work at a nearby garage...  

The one that doesn't know - never spoken to them, they've never spoken to any of the others as far as I know. They very much keep themselves to themselves. Fair enough. 

All the others are aware in some capacity, two I try to swerve any dealings with, one always has a selection of council estate fresh heaps with bent MOTs and another has a strange circulation of modified detritus with cut springs and back boxes "deleted", with the odd (genuine) JDM import thrown into the mix. 

The others generally only ask for help/advice when it's service/MOT time

But there's this one guy. 

Now, he's actually a nice bloke. 

But, we have had the following conversation about 3 times..

I have a Ford Focus. He has a Ford Focus, albeit a newer one. You might be able to see where this is going. 

Neighbour - "I like your alloys, ever thought about selling them?"

[They're standard Ford rims, albeit a previous owner's choice of MK2.5 Zetec wheels fitted to my MK2 GHIA]

Me - "you mean swap?" 

Neighbour - "no I'd like to buy them but keep my wheels incase I sell the car" 

Ok, cool, you can buy my wheels and I'll just leave my car on axle stands then until you sell your car and I can have them back 🤣🤣

I'll happily help you source a like for like set, but you can't have mine! It hasn't ever registered with him, it'll only be a matter of time before we have the same conversation for a 4th time... 🤣

[RoverFolkUs]

7 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

On the subject of neighbours, mine tend to leave me alone when it comes to cars, which is lucky. 

I've never announced it but word has got around all but one in the immediate vicinity that I'm handy with cars and in fact work at a nearby garage...  

The one that doesn't know - never spoken to them, they've never spoken to any of the others as far as I know. They very much keep themselves to themselves. Fair enough. 

All the others are aware in some capacity, two I try to swerve any dealings with, one always has a selection of council estate fresh heaps with bent MOTs and another has a strange circulation of modified detritus with cut springs and back boxes "deleted", with the odd (genuine) JDM import thrown into the mix. 

The others generally only ask for help/advice when it's service/MOT time

But there's this one guy. 

Now, he's actually a nice bloke. 

But, we have had the following conversation about 3 times..

I have a Ford Focus. He has a Ford Focus, albeit a newer one. You might be able to see where this is going. 

Neighbour - "I like your alloys, ever thought about selling them?"

[They're standard Ford rims, albeit a previous owner's choice of MK2.5 Zetec wheels fitted to my MK2 GHIA]

Me - "you mean swap?" 

Neighbour - "no I'd like to buy them but keep my wheels incase I sell the car" 

Ok, cool, you can buy my wheels and I'll just leave my car on axle stands then until you sell your car and I can have them back 🤣🤣

I'll happily help you source a like for like set, but you can't have mine! It hasn't ever registered with him, it'll only be a matter of time before we have the same conversation for a 4th time... 🤣

Speaking of him has just reminded me - when he first bought the car new - a year or so later (whenever the first service light came on "oil change required") he decided to buy a 5 litre bottle of oil, and poured the lot in. 😐😂

He'd started it up, you can imagine the smoke. I looked out the window and thought "holy shit, what's he done" 

Went out to investigate/intervene... Drained the oil out for him, probably about 9 litres came out, capacity just over 4 litres ....

If you think I'm joking - seriously, I'm not! That's what he thought he needed to do... 

[GMcD]

2 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I can’t remember if I posted this before, but a neighbour (who has since moved) was having a spat with another neighbour (who I think has also moved now as I don’t see her car anymore) as she would watch out the window constantly and if he moved his car from outside his house, she would move hers there. I know parking is a free for all, but she lived about 10 doors down, and would come out for no reason and move her car just to wind him up. I think she had a problem with him as his driveway was always full of cars (like mine).

In a retaliation act of incredibly focused pettiness, he kept buying absolutely hanging end of life shitters, taxing and insuring them and then parking them outside his house permanently, then parking his daily outside her house whenever the space was free 🤣

🤣I like his style! 

I've said before I think. My neighbour likes to park on the pavement across my steps, sometimes leaving a bawhair to squeeze past and walk up to them, which I think is just plain rude.

No objection to them parking on the road, but the pavement is a red line.

My wife snapped and barked at them yesterday (my wife is normally lovely, but when she bites - run and take cover! 😂) to move their car and in fairness they did, but I am finding it extremely difficult to resist the urge to buy an old van and park it a bawhair from their driveway just to make it awkward AF for them to get in and out. 

Or obtain an MOT exempt and pretty thing (as it's in my eyeline) to park and permanently bag the space. 

Petty but I can live with petty.  

[Mrcento]

21 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I can’t remember if I posted this before, but a neighbour (who has since moved) was having a spat with another neighbour (who I think has also moved now as I don’t see her car anymore) as she would watch out the window constantly and if he moved his car from outside his house, she would move hers there. I know parking is a free for all, but she lived about 10 doors down, and would come out for no reason and move her car just to wind him up. I think she had a problem with him as his driveway was always full of cars (like mine).

In a retaliation act of incredibly focused pettiness, he kept buying absolutely hanging end of life shitters, taxing and insuring them and then parking them outside his house permanently, then parking his daily outside her house whenever the space was free 🤣

The watching and car moving thing 100% happens here too (though not to that extent 😂), the spot in the residents bay at the end of the path is like gold dust, if you have it and a neighbour sees you getting in the car, they're out. and within 30 seconds of the space being vacated, they're in it, even if they were parked 1 over, literally 5 steps away, they HAVE to have the number 1 spot like some sort of status symbol, it's fucking bizarre.

I should probably add though, they aren't all like that, my actual neighbour is pretty sound, into his older rot prone stuff as well.

[horriblemercedes]

Parents' garage flooded overnight. My Jaguar was in there, which luckily is fine! 

 

Spent the day clearing it up. Still stuff to do but it seems that quick action prevented anything too bad from happening. Fingers crossed!

 

Got a big demudifier from a plant hire place in there now to dry it out before finding some way to clean out the silt 

[Markeh]

Reading these comments and knowing what the parking is like on my road is really making me look forward* to trying to find somewhere to park an LWB van on Sunday night.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Speaking of him has just reminded me - when he first bought the car new - a year or so later (whenever the first service light came on "oil change required") he decided to buy a 5 litre bottle of oil, and poured the lot in. 😐😂

He'd started it up, you can imagine the smoke. I looked out the window and thought "holy shit, what's he done" 

Went out to investigate/intervene... Drained the oil out for him, probably about 9 litres came out, capacity just over 4 litres ....

If you think I'm joking - seriously, I'm not! That's what he thought he needed to do... 

My Great Uncle (90 this year) tells a good story from about 50 years ago.  A young lady knocks on his door during a storm at about 1AM and asks if she can use his telephone as her car has spectacularly broken down.  Of course, he obliges and asks her what happened.  She said it just stopped and the engine wouldn't start again.  Apparently it was fairly new.

He asked if any work had been done on the car.  She said:

'Yeah.  I drained the oil.  The handbook said that every 6,000 miles, I should drain the oil.'

Unfortunately the handbook apparently didn't say that it needed to be filled up again.

[Wibble]

10 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

Parents' garage flooded overnight. My Jaguar was in there, which luckily is fine! 

 

Spent the day clearing it up. Still stuff to do but it seems that quick action prevented anything too bad from happening. Fingers crossed!

 

Got a big demudifier from a plant hire place in there now to dry it out before finding some way to clean out the silt 

You need to add air movement with that dehumidifier. Some high speed blowers/fans will speed up drying massively, as it increases evaporation rates, allowing the dehumidifier to collect more moisture laden air. Speaking as a fire and flood restorer!

[EyesWeldedShut]

3 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

My Great Uncle (90 this year) tells a good story from about 50 years ago.  A young lady knocks on his door during a storm at about 1AM and asks if she can use his telephone as her car has spectacularly broken down.  Of course, he obliges and asks her what happened.  She said it just stopped and the engine wouldn't start again.  Apparently it was fairly new.

He asked if any work had been done on the car.  She said:

'Yeah.  I drained the oil.  The handbook said that every 6,000 miles, I should drain the oil'

Unfortunately the handbook apparently didn't say that it needed to be filled up again.

1981 - chap I knew sprung for a MG Midget - white and rust in colour. 
He topped up the oil, and up, and up until he could see it in the rocker cover. Turned it over, hydro locked it and spent £££ getting it fixed.
I knew nothing much about anything (including cars) back then so I didn't ask him if it had starting dribbling out of the overfill warning device (dipstick tube) 

[EyesWeldedShut]

1 hour ago, GMcD said:

 

Petty but I can live with petty.  

No you can't. I married her first

[horriblemercedes]

3 minutes ago, Wibble said:

You need to add air movement with that dehumidifier. Some high speed blowers/fans will speed up drying massively, as it increases evaporation rates, allowing the dehumidifier to collect more moisture laden air. Speaking as a fire and flood restorer!

Tried to get one but unfortunately they didn't have any to rent out. I've set up some small desk fans. I guess that's better than nothing? 

 

Any insight is welcome. Trying to do my best here with basic knowledge! Thank you for your advice 

[Wibble]

2 minutes ago, horriblemercedes said:

Tried to get one but unfortunately they didn't have any to rent out. I've set up some small desk fans. I guess that's better than nothing? 

 

Any insight is welcome. Trying to do my best here with basic knowledge! Thank you for your advice 

Yep, that’s better than nothing. With current weather issues, drying equipment is going to be in high demand. Where are you? We have a fair amount of kit but aren’t really interested in drying work these days. Don’t just leave the garage door open though, you’ll be trying to dry the planet! The dehumidifier will take whatever moisture is easily available. If the door is open, it won’t be from the garage structure.

[horriblemercedes]

2 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Yep, that’s better than nothing. With current weather issues, drying equipment is going to be in high demand. Where are you? We have a fair amount of kit but aren’t really interested in drying work these days. Don’t just leave the garage door open though, you’ll be trying to dry the planet! The dehumidifier will take whatever moisture is easily available. If the door is open, it won’t be from the garage structure.

Shropshire. Everywhere I phoned said the same! Eventually I found a place locally that had one dehumidifier. It's a three car garage with a flat over it, so a fairly big building. 

 

I have had the dehumidifier going since this afternoon and it has almost filled a bucket so far. Definitely making a difference - I have been checking and taking photos and definitely I can see dry bits of floor that were once puddle. We've swept out as much water and crap as we could 

[sheffcortinacentre]

5 hours ago, 108 said:

It’s absolutely ridiculous that bikes have to pay for parking.
You can usually find somewhere to leave it that inconveniences nobody. 

 

What next? Charges for bicycles and mobility scooters? (Which are usually parked/dumped in even worse places).

Won't be long

[Wibble]

1 hour ago, horriblemercedes said:

Shropshire. Everywhere I phoned said the same! Eventually I found a place locally that had one dehumidifier. It's a three car garage with a flat over it, so a fairly big building. 

 

I have had the dehumidifier going since this afternoon and it has almost filled a bucket so far. Definitely making a difference - I have been checking and taking photos and definitely I can see dry bits of floor that were once puddle. We've swept out as much water and crap as we could 

Ok, good. That floor, looking dry isn’t dry. Will take ages to dry(assuming concrete) and should have an equilibrium relative humidity test to prove it is.

[C1am]

TalkTalk "free fibre upgrade!" Don't believe it. No communication, received an e-mail from a courier to say "Your TalkTalk delivery is on its way." Hadn't ordered anything or been contacted by them. Turns out it is a new router for the impending "free" upgrade which I wasn't informed of.  Fifteen calls and hours of wasted time later have been outright lied to regarding contact prior to an engineer visit (it didn't happen) that my existing phone will work with the new set up (it won't) and that the engineer will be able to replicate the existing set up (no). Engineer turned up, so after he and I spoke to his company to explain the situation he left.  Felt sorry for him as asked if this happens often and he said all the time with TalkTalk. 

E-mailed their complaints address and received an automated reply inform me of the ways I can contact them!  Unfortunately can't leave them without a penalty as still have a long time on my existing contract. 

[sierraman]

18 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Speaking of him has just reminded me - when he first bought the car new - a year or so later (whenever the first service light came on "oil change required") he decided to buy a 5 litre bottle of oil, and poured the lot in. 😐😂

He'd started it up, you can imagine the smoke. I looked out the window and thought "holy shit, what's he done" 

Went out to investigate/intervene... Drained the oil out for him, probably about 9 litres came out, capacity just over 4 litres ....

If you think I'm joking - seriously, I'm not! That's what he thought he needed to do... 

Are these people nuts? 😂

[RoverFolkUs]

43 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Are these people nuts? 😂

He must be something or other 🤣

Thing is, he's reasonably car-competent, he knows what the cambelt is and had it changed a bit early just in case, he changes bulbs himself, he tops up his own screenwash and I regularly see him out there checking tyre pressures, but he went and did that 🤷🤣

[wuvvum]

I went out to the Toyota earlier to see if it'd taken in any water during the recent inclement weather or if the door seals had decided to do their job properly again.

It was rather damp in there, but that was mainly because I'd left the front passenger window open all week.  Twat.

[GeordieInExile]

Yeah that's fine, we don't use the drive or need access to it anyway. Prick.

 

Contrary to the note she put through my door in response to the note I left asking her not to do it again, she cannot "park where she fucking likes" because she has a Blue Badge. Let's see what the council has to say about that, eh?

[Rust Collector]

Today I drove the discovery 3 out.

I was mistaken in my confidence that it could traverse puddles without an FTP.

Fucking land rovers.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

1 minute ago, Rust Collector said:

Today I drove the discovery 3 out.

I was mistaken in my confidence that it could travel more than 20 feet without an FTP.

Fucking land rovers.

FTFY.

[horriblemercedes]

My mum has a rental 72 plate BMW 3 Series while her car is being repaired (a Hilux reversed into it in a supermarket car park) 

 

She and I went to the theatre this evening in the BMW. I was driving. I noticed it had a button for automatic high beam. I love that feature so thought I'd use it. 

 

It popped up a screen explaining how to pay to get it activated. I knew of this shittery but it's the first time I've seen it for myself 

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, Rust Collector said:

Today I drove the discovery 3 out.

I was mistaken in my confidence that it could traverse puddles without an FTP.

Fucking land rovers.

Ah, how big was said puddle?

[Rust Collector]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Ah, how big was said puddle?

A toddler in wellies wouldn’t have any trouble with it.

I’m sure theres a shitty connector somewhere on the car, and when water gets into it then all hell breaks loose. Hazards stuck on, gearbox in limp mode, temp gauge at max, speedo having a fit, doors locking and unlocking rhythmically, air suspension on bump stops at front and full extension at rear, handbrake fully applied and unable to be released by the switch… bastard of a machine.

limped it home and took the Lexus.

[hairnet]

3 hours ago, GeordieInExile said:

Yeah that's fine, we don't use the drive or need access to it anyway. Prick.

 

Contrary to the note she put through my door in response to the note I left asking her not to do it again, she cannot "park where she fucking likes" because she has a Blue Badge. Let's see what the council has to say about that, eh?

 

we have permit parking here cos of footy and its happened only once in 9 years

all the tyres down and if its not moved it gets tugged out the way - we moved it onto the main rd  where it was left blocking the road

 

[Gaffer]

2 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

A toddler in wellies wouldn’t have any trouble with it.

I’m sure theres a shitty connector somewhere on the car, and when water gets into it then all hell breaks loose. Hazards stuck on, gearbox in limp mode, temp gauge at max, speedo having a fit, doors locking and unlocking rhythmically, air suspension on bump stops at front and full extension at rear, handbrake fully applied and unable to be released by the switch… bastard of a machine.

limped it home and took the Lexus.

You’ve got water getting in a connector or wiring loom causing canbus failure - most common spots are the transfer case ecu behind the battery or the wiring looms in N/S front and rear arches 

[New POD]

1 hour ago, horriblemercedes said:

My mum has a rental 72 plate BMW 3 Series while her car is being repaired (a Hilux reversed into it in a supermarket car park) 

 

She and I went to the theatre this evening in the BMW. I was driving. I noticed it had a button for automatic high beam. I love that feature so thought I'd use it. 

 

It popped up a screen explaining how to pay to get it activated. I knew of this shittery but it's the first time I've seen it for myself 

I've got automatic high beam on my astra.  If I'd paid extra for it, I'd be gutted. It's far too sensitive. The reflections of my own lights on street signs turns it off. As do any street lighting, cars in the distance going both ways, and it takes what seems like an age to turn on again. 

[High Jetter]

1 minute ago, New POD said:

I've got automatic high beam on my astra.  If I'd paid extra for it, I'd be gutted. It's far too sensitive. The reflections of my own lights on street signs turns it off. As do any street lighting, cars in the distance going both ways, and it takes what seems like an age to turn on again. 

They're so slow to dim though! I'm getting dazzled more often now by modernz than slow dippers

[Rust Collector]

3 minutes ago, Gaffer said:

You’ve got water getting in a connector or wiring loom causing canbus failure - most common spots are the transfer case ecu behind the battery or the wiring looms in N/S front and rear arches 

I sorted the transfer case ECU when I got it, the body wiring was next on the hit list but it never gave me any grief between when I took it in and now so I had daftly assumed I wouldn’t have to fuck around in the wheel arches. That’s my job for tomorrow now…

Blows my mind that it’s so fragile. My similar age Mitsubishi has been used and abused and still doesn’t complain even if you dunk it up to the bonnet.