The grumpy thread

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, drum said:

I don't think they'll have lifted the bonnet. 

I’d agree. Only a surcharge for oil but no charge for the actual oil. Given £50-70 is a normal garage price, I would have expected £200 given their other charges.

1 hour labour is low although £100 /hr is probably on the low side of normal these days , certainly at a main dealer.

Other items are ridiculous especially brake fluid and antifreeze suggesting they had no idea how much would be needed.

[Spiny Norman]

I'm just not getting what's happened here, are we missing part of the story maybe?

Mr. A.N. Other car owner gets phone call out the blue from someone they claim not to know who says 'We're coming to collect your car for a service' ? Might it be the car's legal owners, maybe a leasing company wanting to ensure their property is being correctly looked after? (I've never leased a car, might this happen? ) How could a third party know not only the reg of the car but the mileage too?
It all sounds a bit weird to me...

[drum]

12 minutes ago, Spiny Norman said:

I'm just not getting what's happened here, are we missing part of the story maybe?

Mr. A.N. Other car owner gets phone call out the blue from someone they claim not to know who says 'We're coming to collect your car for a service' ? Might it be the car's legal owners, maybe a leasing company wanting to ensure their property is being correctly looked after? (I've never leased a car, might this happen? ) How could a third party know not only the reg of the car but the mileage too?
It all sounds a bit weird to me...

Mileage got from mot history maybe? Possibly the garage he bought it from a couple of months ago? Young foreign student, ripe for some exploitation. 

Or could be scammers who phone 50 randoms per day hoping one bites and have no intention of servicing the car. 

I suggested he contacts the London based garage that supposedly serviced his car in Glasgow to see if they know anything about it.

Whatever, a young lad is severely out of pocket.

[Zelandeth]

15 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

I had a similar grump, well I suppose it's not really a grump but here goes 

Needed a VVT solenoid for a Nissan Note for a customer. Unfortunately they are £550 from the dealer and nobody makes/stocks them aftermarket

"Genuine" units available on eBay, there were 2 main options. One offering 2 day delivery for £230, and the other offering 2-4 day delivery for £185. The customer just wanted the car back asap after we got fucked about by a supplier who gave us an incorrect aftermarket part. 

Ordered the £230 one which arrived the next day around 11am. I ordered it the day before at around 3pm, so that is excellent for eBay standards. It was sent by special delivery. We were very happy with it arriving so quickly, so no complaints there. Money well spent, it was worth the extra. 

But what was in the box? An invoice from the £185 seller, with standard delivery selected. 

I'm assuming it must be the same seller, or 2 sellers affiliated with each other who just gouges the price by £45 for the privilege of next day delivery. 

If the £230 seller had simply ordered the £185 one and paid them extra for next day delivery then fair play to them, but the invoice that was in the box stated otherwise!

It's clever of them, but a bit scummy in my opinion if they are affiliated with each other and are simply gouging the price for anyone who's desperate for the part and can't run the chance of having to indeed wait a couple of extra days as indicated on the advert. 

I can't think of any other explanation for the cheaper seller sending it by next day delivery out of nowhere

And yes, £185, £230 and £550 are all fucking insane prices for a VVT solenoid!! That's typical Nissan parts pricing for you. 

Ford/BMW/Mini/Peugeot/Hyundai etc are usually anywhere between £50-100 for the same part!

 

A week and a day later this just arrived in my inbox...

Yeah, sure...You definitely didn't forget about it for a week then realise you only had one on the shelf.  Nope...

Order cancelled.  Thankfully I've got it sorted now as a local member of the owner's club had a spare gasket set on the shelf they didn't need.

12 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

I'm just not getting what's happened here, are we missing part of the story maybe?

Mr. A.N. Other car owner gets phone call out the blue from someone they claim not to know who says 'We're coming to collect your car for a service' ? Might it be the car's legal owners, maybe a leasing company wanting to ensure their property is being correctly looked after? (I've never leased a car, might this happen? ) How could a third party know not only the reg of the car but the mileage too?
It all sounds a bit weird to me...

Sounds to me like a similar ruse to the folks who phone you up claiming to be from Microsoft telling you that there's a problem with your computer.  They phone 500 people at random and if one of them takes the bait they're quids in. 

Sadly there will always be folks out there who just don't know better and will be lured into this.  Just in this case it's a likely non-existent "garage" which has whisked the car away and refused to release it back to the owner until they paid a vastly inflated invoice, I'd wager without even opening the bonnet.

I'd be surprised if the vehicle details given over the phone during the initial conversation were any more detailed than "your car" to be honest.  They were just fishing for someone who wouldn't immediately hang up on them and would fall for it.

[horriblemercedes]

1 minute ago, Zelandeth said:

A week and a day later this just arrived in my inbox...

Yeah, sure...You definitely didn't forget about it for a week then realise you only had one on the shelf.  Nope...

Order cancelled.  Thankfully I've got it sorted now as a local member of the owner's club had a spare gasket set on the shelf they didn't need.

Sounds to me like a similar ruse to the folks who phone you up claiming to be from Microsoft telling you that there's a problem with your computer.  They phone 500 people at random and if one of them takes the bait they're quids in. 

Sadly there will always be folks out there who just don't know better and will be lured into this.  Just in this case it's a likely non-existent "garage" which has whisked the car away and refused to release it back to the owner until they paid a vastly inflated invoice, I'd wager without even opening the bonnet.

I'd be surprised if the vehicle details given over the phone during the initial conversation were any more detailed than "your car" to be honest.  They were just fishing for someone who wouldn't immediately hang up on them and would fall for it.

I guess this only works if they have people around the country to collect the car. What are the chances that the person you call is local?

 

Then again, I guess that for £800, it's easy enough to drive to Glasgow to hide someone's car for a day or two

[High Jetter]

Android updates. I don't have many 'apps' that I've installed on my Moto G82 but recently updates are getting more frequent. 20 updated yesterday morning and by the evening another 17 were ready - that's gone up to 20 today.

[loserone]

I fail to see how this is a bad thing.  

[horriblemercedes]

2 minutes ago, loserone said:

I fail to see how this is a bad thing.  

I was thinking that - I'm more alarmed when updates stop!

[loserone]

Just now, horriblemercedes said:

I was thinking that - I'm more alarmed when updates stop!

And with a Moto, you're pretty much at their whim for the length of ongoing support.

[horriblemercedes]

Just now, loserone said:

And with a Moto, you're pretty much at their whim for the length of ongoing support.

This is app updates though....but yes. One of my main criteria when choosing my last phone was how long it would be supported with updates. Ended up with a Pixel

[Yoss]

DPfuckingD. I realise that's not a new grump. 

Got an email from them this morning saying my Favorit starter motor would be delivered between 13.30 and 14.30 today. I got home at 13.20 but Mrs Yoss had been in for some time already.

At 14.24 whilst I am literally looking out of the window I get an update saying sorry we missed you, your package will now be delivered to the local shop, we will let you know when it is there. An hour later I get the email to say it has arrived. So off I trot to the shop and it's not there. Try again tomorrow says the shopkeeper. 

Then to add insult to injury, whilst I am in the shop I get an email from eBay telling me my packet has just been delivered! No it fucking hasn't! I wave this at the shopkeeper but it's not his fault and he can't magic it out of thin air.

No idea what happens when it's not there tomorrow. I will have tell eBay, and the sender, it hasn't arrived even though they are telling me it has.

With Yodel going to the wall DPD will become the undisputed shittiest of all the shitty couriers. Evri/Hermes works really well round here. I think a lot of it is down to the individual staff but our Hermes lady is brilliant.

[3VOM]

Forgot to give update, clamp removed early next day. Thinking of getting "Private Property" signs but, to use the American legal phrase, that "assumes facts not in evidence" (i.e. clampers can read and will check and understand notices).

[rattlecan]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

DPfuckingD. I realise that's not a new grump. 

Got an email from them this morning saying my Favorit starter motor would be delivered between 13.30 and 14.30 today. I got home at 13.20 but Mrs Yoss had been in for some time already.

At 14.24 whilst I am literally looking out of the window I get an update saying sorry we missed you, your package will now be delivered to the local shop, we will let you know when it is there. An hour later I get the email to say it has arrived. So off I trot to the shop and it's not there. Try again tomorrow says the shopkeeper. 

Then to add insult to injury, whilst I am in the shop I get an email from eBay telling me my packet has just been delivered! No it fucking hasn't! I wave this at the shopkeeper but it's not his fault and he can't magic it out of thin air.

No idea what happens when it's not there tomorrow. I will have tell eBay, and the sender, it hasn't arrived even though they are telling me it has.

With Yodel going to the wall DPD will become the undisputed shittiest of all the shitty couriers. Evri/Hermes works really well round here. I think a lot of it is down to the individual staff but our Hermes lady is brilliant.

DPD are generally one of the best I find. Fuckin Yodel & Evri are the pits. Terrible set up both of them & I’ve used them both to deliver stuff from my business & receive stuff from them. 
We have the same guy from Evri, he’s done it for a few yrs. I have loads of stuff sent to my business, which is an industrial unit on an industrial estate. Although he knows categorically the business hours are 9-5 he continually insists on turning up at like 7pm to deliver stuff. I’ve even collared him & said do NOT fuckin turn up after 5pm. Still does it 🤦🏼‍♂️

[maxxo]

regarding couriers etc and posting goods

so long as it's not huge and after a huge faff i still feel  bad about with a PC i send with Evri last year

i use the Post office/Royal Mail

not the cheapest but not had a single issue so far and easy enough to walk down to the post office

[richardmorris]

43 minutes ago, rattlecan said:

DPD are generally one of the best I find. Fuckin Yodel & Evri are the pits. Terrible set up both of them & I’ve used them both to deliver stuff from my business & receive stuff from them. 
We have the same guy from Evri, he’s done it for a few yrs. I have loads of stuff sent to my business, which is an industrial unit on an industrial estate. Although he knows categorically the business hours are 9-5 he continually insists on turning up at like 7pm to deliver stuff. I’ve even collared him & said do NOT fuckin turn up after 5pm. Still does it 🤦🏼‍♂️

I have all the delivery apps on the phone with what three words, delivery times, alternate addresses and authorisation where to leave packages if out. None work.

[Yoss]

12 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

I have all the delivery apps on the phone with what three words, delivery times, alternate addresses and authorisation where to leave packages if out. None work.

We have a thing on our PDAs (I'm Royal Mail by the way, if there's anybody new here, so I'll admit I may have a vested interest in slagging off the other delivery companies) that is supposed to tell us if somebody has requested a neighbour to leave stuff with. When I scan a packet a blue box with 'delivery information' written in it pops up at the bottom of the screen if somebody has requested it. They don't come up often, only about three or four times a day. I assume it's something a customer can fill in online like you did.

Thing is every time I press it it comes up with the same address, 11 Basing House. I have about 750 addresses on my delivery, most of which are a long way from Basing House. The first time I had it was coincidentally for another flat in Basing House so it didn't seem an unreasonable request but when I knocked on the blokes door he knew nothing about it and refused to take it. I still click on it every time I get one just to see if it ever changes but so far it hasn't.

I blame Fujitsu.

[richardmorris]

22 minutes ago, Yoss said:

We have a thing on our PDAs (I'm Royal Mail by the way, if there's anybody new here, so I'll admit I may have a vested interest in slagging off the other delivery companies) that is supposed to tell us if somebody has requested a neighbour to leave stuff with. When I scan a packet a blue box with 'delivery information' written in it pops up at the bottom of the screen if somebody has requested it. They don't come up often, only about three or four times a day. I assume it's something a customer can fill in online like you did.

Thing is every time I press it it comes up with the same address, 11 Basing House. I have about 750 addresses on my delivery, most of which are a long way from Basing House. The first time I had it was coincidentally for another flat in Basing House so it didn't seem an unreasonable request but when I knocked on the blokes door he knew nothing about it and refused to take it. I still click on it every time I get one just to see if it ever changes but so far it hasn't.

I blame Fujitsu.

I didn’t actually mean to include Royal Mail / parcel force into my moan.  Of all I think they’re the most human in knowing what to do and making alternative arrangements.

Yodel have been useless recently and lost two cases of wine ( well not lost, they’re at their depot, but the replacement cases arrived), .

DHL  is very good. But dhl local ( used to be business post ?) are awful. 

fed ex good, but their customs / import hub is useless.

ups are ok, but use drivers who can’t read English.

evri are hit and miss depending on the driver.

But even when using the apps and saying where you are to the cubic metre, and telling them exactly where to leave things ( with authorisation) I still get, sorry you were out messages.

 

[richardmorris]

Following on from above, I am grumpy as I spent two hours this afternoon trying to please natwest for a business ownership review.

my watch went off three times to alert me that my anxiety levels were unusually high.

well, yes. If it had said at the start what information would be needed then we could have collated it before hand.

as it was I had to go hunting for sic code ( which was correct but the computer said no so chose another related which was accepted but Is not on the vat certificate) vat registration, registered office, proof of trading address, proof of shareholdings, turnover, suppliers and customers (which surely is none of their business?).

plus printing, scanning, signing a doc about shareholding which they then did not directly ask for, but I sent anyway as the company structure which was asked for. I wish I could bill them as it took two hours and an anxiety attack. And I know they are going to say that the sic code I entered and the sic code on the vat registration don’t match.

( analysis and testing worked but isn’t the real code. But other research and testing didn’t work  despite being shown in the gov list of sic codes and on the bloody certificate).

[EyesWeldedShut]

Solar panel inverter finally died today after eight years of neglect. £417 for a new one which is about half of what the original cost back in 2016. 
So, is that half grumpy?

[Yoss]

35 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

I didn’t actually mean to include Royal Mail / parcel force into my moan.  Of all I think they’re the most human in knowing what to do and making alternative arrangements.

I'd like to think that's just common sense. And of course it helps the longer you've been doing the same delivery as you start to get to know who is normally in and friendly. Most courier drivers don't have that advantage. We are also now encouraged to leave packets somewhere 'safe' but it is at our discretion. Which doesn't mean on a visible doorstep in the rain. I will consider dropping stuff over a non see through gate if it is soft (ie obviously clothing) and in a sealed plastic wrapper but not if it's in a cardboard box and says fragile glass.

I seem to be stating the bleeding obvious but you'd be surprised what I find out and about. One of them dropped a model railway loco over our gate which is steel latticework so completely see through. Then they didn't leave a note. The dog found it before I did and he loves destroying cardboard boxes. Fortunately I managed to get it off him before any damage was done but it was a close thing.

[myglaren]

Have to say that I have no complaints about deliveries here, regardless of whom.

But RM is very good as the two posties, man and wife, live directly opposite me and even know to bring post for my daughter here if it won't fit through her letterbox.

[SunnySouth]

On 21/02/2024 at 21:13, maxxo said:

this was incredibly sad to see

went down to Middlesbrough to go to toby carvery with my grandparents

came upon this, literally moments after it happened

lovely E reg 3 series E114 KUP if i recall, seen it a fair few times before

literally they were getting out of the cars as i approached

i'd sadly say it's dead

That’s a fucking shame

Always wrong to make assumptions, but the damage suggests it might have been killed by its owner? 😕

[alcyonecorporation]

Trafford clowncil owe me a wheel, tyre and possibly a bottom arm  after this fucking monster blew a tyre out on my Seat: 





A 50mph/NSL road,  by the way. 

[GrumpiusMaximus]

On 21/02/2024 at 09:48, mercedade said:

Baffling attitude - but horses for courses innit? I'm not going to take a job in a place that treats an interview as a deliberately hostile encounter.

And the times when I'm sat on the other side of the table, I'm hoping that every candidate I interview gives the best possible account of themselves. If they employ successful strategies to get there, gives me the information I need and gives a good account of themselves, what's the issue? 

If they sit there reading drone-like and not engaging with the panel, they've not used their preparation appropriately.

If they bluster in, give vague, unstructured answers and replace competence with confidence, I'll come to the same conclusion.

I would have no issue with somebody reading from notes.  Interviews are an imperfect and contrived process but you can usually tell fairly quickly if you want to hire somebody or not.

When we interviewed in my last job (as it turned out - for my replacement as I left shortly after) we had all decided within a minute that we wanted to hire her. 

On the other hand, there was one chap that was utterly hopeless.  To the point where the senior interviewer on the panel ended up giving them the model answers we had in mind to the questions.  It was an absolute car crash and incredibly awkward.  Sad really because on paper the chap was well-qualified but he completely missed the point of our questions in quite spectacular fashion.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

2 hours ago, Yoss said:

I'd like to think that's just common sense. And of course it helps the longer you've been doing the same delivery as you start to get to know who is normally in and friendly. Most courier drivers don't have that advantage.

This is why I love our postie, Mel.  During the week it's highly likely that I'll be in and she knows to wait a few seconds for me to answer the doorbell on my phone (I work in a garden office).  Before we had the video doorbell, I had a package that I wasn't able to answer for.  She tried neighbours and nobody else was in and then came back at the end of her round and tried again with a neighbour.

I was so surprised and in the end sent her a compliment on the Royal Mail website.  We had a chat about it and it turns out they actually read it to her, etc.  Her dedication to her work is second-to-none and I don't know how she keeps her spirits up given the shit that's constantly thrown at her.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, myglaren said:

Have to say that I have no complaints about deliveries here, regardless of whom.

But RM is very good as the two posties, man and wife, live directly opposite me and even know to bring post for my daughter here if it won't fit through her letterbox.

I'd agree. Our only issue in the last 10 years or so was part of a Boots order that never arrived by RM. Refunded.

[LightBulbFun]

6 hours ago, Yoss said:

(I'm Royal Mail by the way, if there's anybody new here, so I'll admit I may have a vested interest in slagging off the other delivery companies)

you know,  somehow it only just occurred to me that you work for a Company who's initials is RM and who's company colour is bright red

 

hmmmmmm that cant be a coincidence can it?  

[rattlecan]

9 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Following on from above, I am grumpy as I spent two hours this afternoon trying to please natwest for a business ownership review.

my watch went off three times to alert me that my anxiety levels were unusually high.

well, yes. If it had said at the start what information would be needed then we could have collated it before hand.

as it was I had to go hunting for sic code ( which was correct but the computer said no so chose another related which was accepted but Is not on the vat certificate) vat registration, registered office, proof of trading address, proof of shareholdings, turnover, suppliers and customers (which surely is none of their business?).

plus printing, scanning, signing a doc about shareholding which they then did not directly ask for, but I sent anyway as the company structure which was asked for. I wish I could bill them as it took two hours and an anxiety attack. And I know they are going to say that the sic code I entered and the sic code on the vat registration don’t match.

( analysis and testing worked but isn’t the real code. But other research and testing didn’t work  despite being shown in the gov list of sic codes and on the bloody certificate).

See that’s where you’ve gone wrong. A watch that tells you you’re having an anxiety attack, really? Who the fuck needs one of those in their life. One absolute dead cert is that that going off is going to do one thing & one thing only. Make it worse. These tech companies must be absolutely pissin themselves, inventing shit no one needs but still buys.

I was at the bar the other day & my mate bought a couple of drinks. He paid for them with a fuckin ring. I said wtf was that? Turns out it is an actual thing. Wankers.

You’re spot on with ‘Twats Nest’ though, I’ve banked with them for 40 yrs, the last 30 with a business account as well. They are shit, but I worked on the assumption, they all are, so just went with it

[Yoss]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

you know,  somehow it only just occurred to me that you work for a Company who's initials is RM and who's company colour is bright red

 

hmmmmmm that cant be a coincidence can it?  

There's more than that. When I first started we would get free travel on Southamptons buses as long as we were in uniform. Didn't have to show a pass or anything, just say hello to the driver as you got on.

Better than that, they even laid on special buses for us to get to work. I mean technically they were normal service buses but it was no coincidence that about five buses would arrive outside our office from all over the city about five minutes before our start time. And the fleet was almost 100% Atlantean at the time. The buses would often meet in the city centre and run in convoy down the High Street at 0530 waking all the residents up.

Of course we were both nationalised companies then. And Southampton only had one big delivery office right in the middle of the high street. A big old Victorian place that naturally got sold off and turned in to flats. Now we have two offices roughly split by the river Itchen.

Then the plan was to be dropped out on delivery in high top Sherpa death traps. Sideways facing flip up bench seats but no windows, or seat belts obviously, and lots of exposed metal seams. And sliding doors up front of course. Then you would catch a bus back to the office after your delivery. If you were late getting your delivery ready and missed the van then you would just get the bus both ways. Even if you were on nights just sorting you still got free buses.

That all ended within months of First Bus buying Southampton CityBus from the council, although it roughly coincided with us moving offices to Shirley and Bitterne and we all went back to bikes. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

Another extreme rain event now, water is everywhere and the water pump in the cellar has stopped working so the cellar is starting to flood. And the rear of the property has flood. And this in winter with 1 meter of snow on the ground.