The grumpy thread

[barefoot]

The radio in the t2 switched itself on and flattened the leisure battery. The Ctek appeared to recondition it, but it's subsequently died again. Obviously the clever fucking radio is heading to the bin and will be replaced by something with a proper clicky on/ off switch, but can I just replace the lead acid battery with a lithium version, or will rewiring and expense become involved? Anyone want a  poxy mechless JVC? radio?

[outlaw118]

A brief grump (There's lots more, but I'll do a fleet update at some point) but a cautionary tale for everyone.....

 

SWMBO has recently signed up for Peoples Postcode Lottery - outlaw_junior does it, and whilst he hasn't won any cash, he's had a few knick-knacks sent to him, so Madam decided that the £12pm wouldn't hurt. We used the "main" email account to set up, as she can't/won't use her own. 

Got a "welcome" email from them, nothing suss there.

A couple of days later, we/I got an email about a £100k scratchcard opportunity, fill in this survey to win etc. Got another 2, last one 31/12/24 saying last opportunity blah blah. So, at a loose end, I completed the survey, just standard stuff, nothing to identify myself....and fuck me, I've won a scratchcard, just pay postage of £1.99, which I did. The payment debited 2/1/25, in favour of "budget shop Limassol".

Checked my bank yesterday evening, the cheeky cunts have put through a £25 charge. I rang the bank, and they've stopped it, rang Postcode Lottery, and it's a scam that they're aware of.

Fucksticks, I thought I was clever enough not to fall for this type of thing, but clearly my remaining brain cells had shut down that day.

Be careful kids.

[DavieW]

20 minutes ago, outlaw118 said:

A brief grump (There's lots more, but I'll do a fleet update at some point) but a cautionary tale for everyone.....

 

SWMBO has recently signed up for Peoples Postcode Lottery - outlaw_junior does it, and whilst he hasn't won any cash, he's had a few knick-knacks sent to him, so Madam decided that the £12pm wouldn't hurt. We used the "main" email account to set up, as she can't/won't use her own. 

Got a "welcome" email from them, nothing suss there.

A couple of days later, we/I got an email about a £100k scratchcard opportunity, fill in this survey to win etc. Got another 2, last one 31/12/24 saying last opportunity blah blah. So, at a loose end, I completed the survey, just standard stuff, nothing to identify myself....and fuck me, I've won a scratchcard, just pay postage of £1.99, which I did. The payment debited 2/1/25, in favour of "budget shop Limassol".

Checked my bank yesterday evening, the cheeky cunts have put through a £25 charge. I rang the bank, and they've stopped it, rang Postcode Lottery, and it's a scam that they're aware of.

Fucksticks, I thought I was clever enough not to fall for this type of thing, but clearly my remaining brain cells had shut down that day.

Be careful kids.

I've done the Postcode Lottery for a few years with no problems but the last month or so I've been getting scam emails allegedly from them. All been blocked.  

[Westbay]

I keep getting one supposed to be from Boots saying I've won a bottle of Chanel No. 5, only have to pay postage ... 🙂

[DVee8]

1 hour ago, Westbay said:

I keep getting one supposed to be from Boots saying I've won a bottle of Chanel No. 5, only have to pay postage ... 🙂

Same here, I haven't bought anything from Boots for years, so I don't open them.

[Lord Sterling]

Arse. This morning I went to move the Vectra, it started but won't idle. Thinking it was low on petrol, I walked in the cold with a can to fill up with a bit of petrol, nope, not having it, same as. So I popped out for a small blast to see if the issue would clear itself and go and put more petrol in it. Still, same issue, I disconnect the battery but again, same issue occurs. 

Still, not too bothered as I have the Jag to use this week instead. Annoyingly, I was going to take the Vectra for tracking, but that will have to wait, again.

I tend to get a lot of this "wanting to get a job done but being put off by other things for absolutely ages" recently 😠

[beko1987]

2 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

Arse. This morning I went to move the Vectra, it started but won't idle. Thinking it was low on petrol, I walked in the cold with a can to fill up with a bit of petrol, nope, not having it, same as. So I popped out for a small blast to see if the issue would clear itself and go and put more petrol in it. Still, same issue, I disconnect the battery but again, same issue occurs. 

Still, not too bothered as I have the Jag to use this week instead. Annoyingly, I was going to take the Vectra for tracking, but that will have to wait, again.

I tend to get a lot of this "wanting to get a job done but being put off by other things for absolutely ages" recently 😠

Not suddenly shit a coil pack or something? 

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, beko1987 said:

Not suddenly shit a coil pack or something? 

Nope, found out the issue, it's the MAF sensor, which for some reason has decided to go on strike. I've just had some advice from my go to Vectra advisor based in West Brom advised to check the easy stuff first. MAF and a coolant temp sensor. Turns out to be the MAF, I unplugged it and it ran fine. So now need one of those asap.

[beko1987]

15 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Nope, found out the issue, it's the MAF sensor, which for some reason has decided to go on strike. I've just had some advice from my go to Vectra advisor based in West Brom advised to check the easy stuff first. MAF and a coolant temp sensor. Turns out to be the MAF, I unplugged it and it ran fine. So now need one of those asap.

Ah that's good* then! I had the maf die on the Xsara in the summer and it gave me no boost which was annoying and almost dangerous when it first happened and I didn't realise 😂

I unplugged mine too, then a good used one got fitted and it's been fine since

[Zelandeth]

After something has been in storage for several years is the *ideal* time to discover that it contained a hidden alkaline memory backup battery.

This looks like it will be fun to sort!

 

[chadders]

On 04/01/2025 at 09:23, barefoot said:

The radio in the t2 switched itself on and flattened the leisure battery. The Ctek appeared to recondition it, but it's subsequently died again. Obviously the clever fucking radio is heading to the bin and will be replaced by something with a proper clicky on/ off switch, but can I just replace the lead acid battery with a lithium version, or will rewiring and expense become involved? Anyone want a  poxy mechless JVC? radio?

If it was flat CTEKs don't work properly in my experience.

You need an old fashioned charger to kick off the process.

I had this with my leisure battery and it's still OK a couple of years later

[barefoot]

Ta, tried that. An hour on the old charger followed by a recondition from the built in Ctek resulted in a green light, but a normal charge a week later showed me a red dot. As did another attempt at a recon. I suppose I could try the old skool charger again. What's to lose?

[chadders]

1 hour ago, barefoot said:

Ta, tried that. An hour on the old charger followed by a recondition from the built in Ctek resulted in a green light, but a normal charge a week later showed me a red dot. As did another attempt at a recon. I suppose I could try the old skool charger again. What's to lose?

I reckon one more time is worth it, especially if getting the leisure battery out is best done by a weight lifting octopus. I hope that you have better luck than I did finding one. Try getting it fully charged on the old school charger and only use the CTEK when it needs recharging again.

[Zelandeth]

Yep...even after cleaning up the obvious carnage, replacing the two IC sockets which had dissolved, it's precisely as grumpy as I expected.

One power up it did show Er12 instead...which isn't an error code that's listed in the manual... they're 0-6 with or without the decimal point lit.  So yeah, we have problems.

[paulplom]

16 hours ago, barefoot said:

Ta, tried that. An hour on the old charger followed by a recondition from the built in Ctek resulted in a green light, but a normal charge a week later showed me a red dot. As did another attempt at a recon. I suppose I could try the old skool charger again. What's to lose?

I've connected two batteries together when recharging with a ctek. It fools it into thinking the dead battery isn't too flat. 

[cobblers]

We've got some allotments behind our house and there's a few people with chickens. Chickens attract rats like nowt else, and the loft of our house is absolutely riddled with them. I've tried poisons, traps, blocking the holes up etc and finally seem to be on top of it as best I can. It's a 300 year old stables conversion so I'm never gonna get it totally vermin proof.

My van failed the MOT the other day on neither side repeater working.

Popped them out to change the bulbs, and look at this!

Fucking bastard vermin!!! What winds me up more than owt is that I drive the van every day - it's not as though it's been stood for months to allow them to make a home etc.

I think I'm going to have to go fucking nuclear and get about ten million of every type of trap and put them everywhere.

 

What also rubbed me up the wrong way is that the people on the allotments with the chickens were moaning that we're building a summer house because it'll spoil their view! Fuck off!!!

 

[artdjones]

1 minute ago, cobblers said:

We've got some allotments behind our house and there's a few people with chickens. Chickens attract rats like nowt else, and the loft of our house is absolutely riddled with them. I've tried poisons, traps, blocking the holes up etc and finally seem to be on top of it as best I can. It's a 300 year old stables conversion so I'm never gonna get it totally vermin proof.

My van failed the MOT the other day on neither side repeater working.

Popped them out to change the bulbs, and look at this!

Fucking bastard vermin!!! What winds me up more than owt is that I drive the van every day - it's not as though it's been stood for months to allow them to make a home etc.

I think I'm going to have to go fucking nuclear and get about ten million of every type of trap and put them everywhere.

 

What also rubbed me up the wrong way is that the people on the allotments with the chickens were moaning that we're building a summer house because it'll spoil their view! Fuck off!!!

 

Sounds like you need to do something that will attract plenty of foxes to your area.

[hairnet]

wanted to listen to something that had someone on it (had been watching another video)

but it was autoalex (whoever the fuck that is)

lasted 10 secs

[artdjones]

13 hours ago, hairnet said:

wanted to listen to something that had someone on it (had been watching another video)

but it was autoalex (whoever the fuck that is)

lasted 10 secs

Yes, and you probably had to listen to 15 seconds of an ad for pile cream first.

[beko1987]

I saw this bastard on my engine bay last weekend. I thought it was dead and went to get a bag to put it in and when I got back it was gone. 

I don't know if it had just run in and up JUST as I happened to need screenwash, or if it was there the 15 miles from mine to mums (I ran out of screenwash driving over). 

It prompted me to give the car a fucking good hoover the next day and found 0 traces of anything and I had a good look in the engine bay and found no nest, although i'd like to put a pressure washer over it to be sure but fuck that currently. 

Bastard things, now I'll be mindful of the indicators. I put my hand right up  behind the dash to check incase that's where my airbag light came from and there was a big mouse nest up there. In hindsight it was probably a stupid thing to do as if there was a massive nest... I see them run across the patio too between the gardens so their about 

[Westbay]

14 hours ago, cobblers said:

We've got some allotments behind our house and there's a few people with chickens. Chickens attract rats like nowt else, and the loft of our house is absolutely riddled with them. I've tried poisons, traps, blocking the holes up etc and finally seem to be on top of it as best I can. It's a 300 year old stables conversion so I'm never gonna get it totally vermin proof.

My van failed the MOT the other day on neither side repeater working.

Popped them out to change the bulbs, and look at this!

Fucking bastard vermin!!! What winds me up more than owt is that I drive the van every day - it's not as though it's been stood for months to allow them to make a home etc.

I think I'm going to have to go fucking nuclear and get about ten million of every type of trap and put them everywhere.

 

What also rubbed me up the wrong way is that the people on the allotments with the chickens were moaning that we're building a summer house because it'll spoil their view! Fuck off!!!

 

Put a complaint in to the Council on health grounds ...

[motorpunk]

Covid. Have been stuck in bed for days and feel like shite. Fuck this.

[sierraman]

15 hours ago, cobblers said:

We've got some allotments behind our house and there's a few people with chickens. Chickens attract rats like nowt else, and the loft of our house is absolutely riddled with them. I've tried poisons, traps, blocking the holes up etc and finally seem to be on top of it as best I can. It's a 300 year old stables conversion so I'm never gonna get it totally vermin proof.

My van failed the MOT the other day on neither side repeater working.

Popped them out to change the bulbs, and look at this!

Fucking bastard vermin!!! What winds me up more than owt is that I drive the van every day - it's not as though it's been stood for months to allow them to make a home etc.

I think I'm going to have to go fucking nuclear and get about ten million of every type of trap and put them everywhere.

 

What also rubbed me up the wrong way is that the people on the allotments with the chickens were moaning that we're building a summer house because it'll spoil their view! Fuck off!!!

 

I’ve had allotments for nearly 20 years, chickens have invariably caused problems. I’ve known people keeping cockrells there, often people will just decide to get chickens without considering either the welfare or how it might annoy others. More annoying is people inconsiderately having fires, I know of people that have one every week burning crap from home. This is pretty easily dealt with by issuing notice to quit if they continue to do it after warnings. 
 

That said you’ll get rats regardless, they are attracted to go under sheds, greenhouses etc. But the benefits of having an allotment behind out weigh this as they’re an asset to the community. 

[fairkens]

17 hours ago, cobblers said:

We've got some allotments behind our house and there's a few people with chickens. Chickens attract rats like nowt else, and the loft of our house is absolutely riddled with them. I've tried poisons, traps, blocking the holes up etc and finally seem to be on top of it as best I can. It's a 300 year old stables conversion so I'm never gonna get it totally vermin proof.

My van failed the MOT the other day on neither side repeater working.

Popped them out to change the bulbs, and look at this!

Fucking bastard vermin!!! What winds me up more than owt is that I drive the van every day - it's not as though it's been stood for months to allow them to make a home etc.

I think I'm going to have to go fucking nuclear and get about ten million of every type of trap and put them everywhere.

 

What also rubbed me up the wrong way is that the people on the allotments with the chickens were moaning that we're building a summer house because it'll spoil their view! Fuck off!!!

 

For a while bait the traps but don't set them. Rats don't like change so you need to get them used to the traps before you set them. Otherwise it's pointless

[comfortablynumb]

Had chickens and rats, got rid of chickens, still got rats.

Dogs help, but if you're buying poison get the one dose stuff, most others are useless IMHO 

[gm]

after a day of unsuccessful Bini fettling, I nipped along to lidls to pick up a pizza

which went well

fortunately, @DVee8 rescue services were super efficient and arrived within 5 mins  

unsure as to wether you can tow an automatic, we thought fuck it and did anyway

from breakdown  back to base in under 15 mins, must be some sort of record.

cranking the engine produced a stinky puddle of diesel under the rear end - fuel line or filter ? 

will find out tomorrow, its -4oC out there just now

mega thanks to @DVee8 for towing me home (again) beers are on me next time !

[gm]

it occurs to me that I've been towed home 3 times from within a 1 mile radius of where I live - I wonder if there's some sort of Bermuda Triangle sort of thing going on ? (one mx5 timing belt, one volvo fuel line / filter and one other incident)

 

[DVee8]

7 hours ago, gm said:

it occurs to me that I've been towed home 3 times from within a 1 mile radius of where I live - I wonder if there's some sort of Bermuda Triangle , Waldridge Ring, sort of thing going on ? (one mx5 timing belt, one volvo fuel line / filter and one other incident)

 

Maybe. There was also one very flat tyre in Gateshead. I had a meeting yesterday from 2 to 3, so my phone was on silent. I'd forgotten to change it back, but something at around 8.40 told me to check my phone. 

Anyway, I hope you get it fixed today or the Suzi may have to come to the rescue.

Also I think you'll find the problem if you look at the above photo (last one), the Volvo's upside down, now I didn't leave you like that.

[Bren]

Been below freezing here. I can get into the BMW as normal - unlike the mondeo which has frozen locks. Two days running. Modern fords are wank.

[New POD]

So, in October Dad was told cancer on his voice box was in his lungs and he had 6 months to 2 years. 

Before Christmas he had 6 nights in hospital due to sodium levels being low, came home Christmas Eve.  

Roll on 2 weeks, he's not got long left. Marie Curie nurses and palitive care team and District nurse in and out of his house. 

Mum phoned me last night to say he hadn't eaten for nearly 2 days, and is very week. 

Well yes. When I last saw him (28th December) he looked pretty bad.  I've left them to it since then as one sister is around the corner (4 miles away) and my other sister flew in from the USA for a week, so I kept away (there's nothing I can really do at the moment..) 

Planned to visit this weekend. 

I'm fairly sure my emotions are normal because I've discussed them with my wife and a couple of trusted colleagues, but I have no wish to be part of a vigil holding his hand.  My last few words to him when he was able to get out of bed, were "Look Dad, try and smile. You are getting everything your own way for the first time in your life, and you have no pain. You have a view of Snowdon, and know everyone loves you, so less looking like someone's pissed on your chips"  

Christ he's even written the order of service for his funeral chosen the hymns and readings and had mum get all his suits and shirts out and chosen which ones go with the tie he wants to wear......I think the tie is important as he's had a tracheotomy fitted for 2 years, and before that it was rare that he didn't have a tie on.

But based on mum's call last night I'm feeling like I just wish he'd die and get it over with. Before I visit on Saturday would be good (or more convenient)for me. I'm grumpy because this makes me seem like a twat. 

My views on death are very simple. Inevitable for all of us. Likelyhood of it happening follows the reliability bathtub curve. When it's my time make it quick.