The grumpy thread

2,647 · May 11

There was a mystery squeak from the brakes on the passenger side of my Forester, I could barely hear it was stupidly high pitched so it was a bit beyond my ears but it was really annoying Mrs MDH and her bat like hearing!

I stripped the brake and couldn't see anything obvious but did notice the pads was a bit seized into the carrier. Getting the pads out of the carrier resulted in this.....

Looks okay doesn't it?......

Errr no! the pad had come un bonded from its backing FFS! They are not that old , have lots of meat left on them and I don't buy mystery brands when it comes to brake parts . Bloody annoying, that's the car off the road until I can sort some pads, hopefully get some tomorrow from a local factors.

2,983 · May 12

Went to pick up oil for the Mini from the boot of the 307CC. There's a puddle of oil and a sizeable puddle of coolant under it. Open the hood, the coolant bottle is empty. Filled back with water, filed under send off to a shop as I really really really don't even want to know what's wrong THIS time.

I saw an odd temperature creep on Mini yesterday, but it settled, and I didn't see anything obviously amiss. Dropped it off at a specialist's place for head tightening, valve adjustments and a few more niggles. I just got a call - there's a coolant leak on one of the radiator hoses.

Why can't my cars keep the liquids in FFS?

3,735 · May 12

Saturday evening I went to our Tesco Local in the village for petrol.

At the next pump I noticed a white car with no-one at it. I assumed they'd gone into the shop to pay. Nope, a woman with her arms full of shopping wandered across the road and loaded the stuff into her car. Cheeky mare had gone into the Premier shop across the road for her stuff and left her car at the pump.

Best (worst) of it was, the self entitled cow was driving a Tesla so had never used the pump at all.

1,248 · May 12

For fuck's sake. I've got a 3/4" bar with me and only 1/2" sockets. Those bastard valve caps can fuck right off.

62,755 · May 12

One of the valves on the Rover has a metal cap on it - it'd always been fine but then last time I tried to check the tyre pressures it wouldn't undo. In the end I squirted penetrating oil down the threads and got a 10mm spanner on it while holding the valve body with pliers as close to the cap as possible - it came off with no damage done but it's getting fucked off and replaced with a plastic one. Lots of corrosion on the valve threads.

1,248 · May 12

47 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

One of the valves on the Rover has a metal cap on it - it'd always been fine but then last time I tried to check the tyre pressures it wouldn't undo. In the end I squirted penetrating oil down the threads and got a 10mm spanner on it while holding the valve body with pliers as close to the cap as possible - it came off with no damage done but it's getting fucked off and replaced with a plastic one. Lots of corrosion on the valve threads.

I wish I'd done that. Not to worry, I was able to borrow a 1/2" bar and get the car to Malvern Tyres who put a new valve in the loose wheel for nothing. They'll be getting a great review.

20,830 · May 14

So I thought I'd put my Ronals on the Up!. The standard wheels have been kerbed many times. The Ronals aren't perfect anymore by a long shot but I figured if both sets are a bit tatty I may as well still have the shiny of the Ronals.

Also VAG really can't do plastic chrome. The Škoda centre caps all do this too.

I got all the stuff out in the drive ready. The Ronals were right at the back of the garage and had to be carried carefully down the side of the Triumph.

I even got as far as fitting one wheel...

When I noticed the state of one of the tyres. I know it's quite common to have cracking in the grooves.

But not sidewalls like this.

They are only dated 12 19 too. And you can see some particularly deep cracks above the date code. There are plenty of these all over the things so I obviously I can't use those and had to put them all back in the garage. All four are Avons so I won't be buying those again.

I took them off the green Favorit about six months and I didn't notice all the cracks then and they have been stored a dark dry garage since.

Just out of curiosity I had a look at the rears on the Triumph, Yokohama Bluearths, and they are from 2011 and still perfect so I am really not impressed.

So we are back to square one for now.

3,735 · May 14

42 minutes ago, Yoss said:

So I thought I'd put my Ronals on the Up!. The standard wheels have been kerbed many times. The Ronals aren't perfect anymore by a long shot but I figured if both sets are a bit tatty I may as well still have the shiny of the Ronals.

Also VAG really can't do plastic chrome. The Škoda centre caps all do this too.

I got all the stuff out in the drive ready. The Ronals were right at the back of the garage and had to be carried carefully down the side of the Triumph.

I even got as far as fitting one wheel...

When I noticed the state of one of the tyres. I know it's quite common to have cracking in the grooves.

But not sidewalls like this.

They are only dated 12 19 too. And you can see some particularly deep cracks above the date code. There are plenty of these all over the things so I obviously I can't use those and had to put them all back in the garage. All four are Avons so I won't be buying those again.

I took them off the green Favorit about six months and I didn't notice all the cracks then and they have been stored a dark dry garage since.

Just out of curiosity I had a look at the rears on the Triumph, Yokohama Bluearths, and they are from 2011 and still perfect so I am really not impressed.

So we are back to square one for now.

Ronals are brilliant and look cool on the Up.

10,005 · May 14

Had an email this morning to say they've found some rust behind a sill cover on the 156, which I knew about but I've agreed with them to remove it entirely and check both sides and behind the arch liners.

This was already a very expensive garage trip so now it's even more so.

And it still needs new tyres!!

4,684 · May 14

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

So I thought I'd put my Ronals on the Up!. The standard wheels have been kerbed many times. The Ronals aren't perfect anymore by a long shot but I figured if both sets are a bit tatty I may as well still have the shiny of the Ronals.

Also VAG really can't do plastic chrome. The Škoda centre caps all do this too.

I got all the stuff out in the drive ready. The Ronals were right at the back of the garage and had to be carried carefully down the side of the Triumph.

I even got as far as fitting one wheel...

When I noticed the state of one of the tyres. I know it's quite common to have cracking in the grooves.

But not sidewalls like this.

They are only dated 12 19 too. And you can see some particularly deep cracks above the date code. There are plenty of these all over the things so I obviously I can't use those and had to put them all back in the garage. All four are Avons so I won't be buying those again.

I took them off the green Favorit about six months and I didn't notice all the cracks then and they have been stored a dark dry garage since.

Just out of curiosity I had a look at the rears on the Triumph, Yokohama Bluearths, and they are from 2011 and still perfect so I am really not impressed.

So we are back to square one for now.

The Up! looks sweet AF on the Ronal's, piss poor from the Avon's though.

Perishing tread does seem to be the modern day scourge of most tyres once they get a few years old.

20,830 · May 14

I guess I just wait until I needed new tyres anyway then put them on the Ronals instead of the original wheels. Can't really justify four new tyres at the moment though.

May 14

Nothing constructive to add other than Ronal Turbos = best wheel ever

20,830 · May 14

6 hours ago, DavieW said:

Ronals are brilliant and look cool on the Up.

5 hours ago, Popsicle said:

The Up! looks sweet AF on the Ronal's, piss poor from the Avon's though.

Perishing tread does seem to be the modern day scourge of most tyres once they get a few years old.

1 hour ago, Gaffer said:

Nothing constructive to add other than Ronal Turbos = best wheel ever

You're all making me wish I had at least put two wheels on one side for a photo op.

42,440 · May 14

10 hours ago, Yoss said:

All four are Avons so I won't be buying those again.

I made the mistake of treating one of my Lagunas plus MrsDC's Yaris to full sets of Avons all round when a local tyre place had them on offer some years back - and they were all cracking and perished within 18 months.

We complained to the garage and then to Avon themselves but got nowhere.

Pity, as before that I always had them pegged as a decent enough brand - sad that they clearly haven't improved matters since...

15,583 · May 14

12 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I made the mistake of treating one of my Lagunas plus MrsDC's Yaris to full sets of Avons all round when a local tyre place had them on offer some years back - and they were all cracking and perished within 18 months.

We complained to the garage and then to Avon themselves but got nowhere.

Pity, as before that I always had them pegged as a decent enough brand - sad that they clearly haven't improved matters since...

I hear their cosmetics aren't that great either, rings a bell tho

😀

2,983 · May 15

Is there a reasonable explanation why my parcel is sitting in the middle of nowhere in Germany for 10 days straight, DHL?
They got it there within 10 hours of receipt, and it’s now just sitting there with no tracking updates. It’s not even a tiny parcel, it’s a box of Eibach Pro Kit weighing 10 kilos, so it’s not like you can easily lose it.
What the hell?

1,660 · May 15

10 hours ago, High Jetter said:

I hear their cosmetics aren't that great either, rings a bell tho

😀

Maybe if you applied their skin cream to their tyres they age better.

27,328 · May 15

1 hour ago, Surface Rust said:

Maybe if you applied their skin cream to their tyres they age better.

Avon ~~Skin~~ Tyres so Soft

16,817 · May 15

I've been dicked out of a whole six cheeses

4,684 · May 15

3 hours ago, IronStar said:

Is there a reasonable explanation why my parcel is sitting in the middle of nowhere in Germany for 10 days straight, DHL?
They got it there within 10 hours of receipt, and it’s now just sitting there with no tracking updates. It’s not even a tiny parcel, it’s a box of Eibach Pro Kit weighing 10 kilos, so it’s not like you can easily lose it.
What the hell?

DHL = Deliver Hours Late

4,684 · May 15

1 hour ago, reb said:

I've been dicked out of a whole six cheeses

We recently had Warburtons Fruity Teacakes replaced by Tunnocks Teacakes.

16,817 · May 15

2 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

We recently had Warburtons Fruity Teacakes replaced by Tunnocks Teacakes.

That's a pretty good upgrade, honestly

4,684 · May 15

2 minutes ago, reb said:

That's a pretty good upgrade, honestly

Not for a diabetic 🤣

4,684 · May 15

Local press are reporting an accident on the A50 island at Sudbury this morning.

Old car on its roof, no other details, what does the AS mind think it is?

20,912 · May 15

Triumph Spitfire.

Looks nasty.

2,629 · May 15

I'd agree.

Hopefully the occupant got out, neighbours son died in similar circumstances 🤞

Edit- does look like the passenger door is open, so ..

Edited May 15 by comfortablynumb
Additional

4,684 · May 15

I thought Spitfire, but I'm not very good identifying cars, particularly upside down ones.

Hopefully no deaths or injuries. No real details other than the road was closed for a few hours. It's all opened again now, so I would assume no fatalities?

It's a notorious island for accidents.

12,986 · May 15

4 hours ago, IronStar said:

Is there a reasonable explanation why my parcel is sitting in the middle of nowhere in Germany for 10 days straight, DHL?
They got it there within 10 hours of receipt, and it’s now just sitting there with no tracking updates. It’s not even a tiny parcel, it’s a box of Eibach Pro Kit weighing 10 kilos, so it’s not like you can easily lose it.
What the hell?

Everything seems to have gone haywire in courier land for the last few weeks.I had an order coming on DHL that got picked, but not notified to DHL Poland for several days. Then it was notified and on tracking but not picked up for several more days. So something ordered on 21st April got to Ireland on the 10th May.

The whole point of internet commerce was cheaper prices with fast delivery. But it only works when there are cheap reliable courier services. Since Covid, couriers are much more expensive, also less reliable. So it's no point buying a lot of stuff from websites any more. Because you are paying 25-50% on top of the price of the goods for carriage, and delivery times are edging up to those quoted in small ads in magazines in the 60s and 70s. "Allow 28 days."

9,697 · May 15

Something to do with the fact they've just got into bed with Evri perhaps?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwywd2wzxp2o

28,475 · May 15

Is it just that someone has just been sold my number or has anyone else had a massive increase in spam text messages today? They started arriving at about 1am today and there's been at least a couple every hour since. About 70% of them not even in English. French and German being the only ones I could actually recognise.

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