The grumpy thread

[louiepj]

As I sat in the other half's Renault Grand Scenic to move it earlier it went donk/boing from the rear.
Guess I'm replacing a rear spring tomorrow .

[MikeR]

just went away for a boys weekend at the static , my son packed all the vids he wanted to watch , laptop and his external dvd drive .....

all went well untill he used the dvd drive , which despite being bought a year back has seen very little use , well it worked for half an episode of South Park and went tits up !!...

he was gutted , so tried the drive on my old Linux lappy and still the same tits up mode , even with other DVDs ..

same DVDs worked in the laptop drive ...

so he pinched my laptop to watch South Park !!

[wuvvum]

4 hours ago, louiepj said:

As I sat in the other half's Renault Grand Scenic to move it earlier it went donk/boing from the rear.
Guess I'm replacing a rear spring tomorrow .

Piece of piss on those though to be fair.  Unlike, say, the front spring on a Rover 75.

[MikeR]

Can't help some people ?, request on FB for some hard to get  roof tiles , I have a pile of them identifying as a bug house in my garden ..so I posted back a picture , but as they are not a certain brand ... It went quiet ! , I can wait another 20 years for them to shift .

Old tiles match in as well and don't stick out like a sore thumb .

[Zelandeth]

Chronic fatigue can get in the sea.  

Laundry list of things I'd wanted to get done over the weekend.  Body and brain had other ideas, ended up spending a significant portion of it sitting like a vegetable staring into the middle distance.

Did manage to get some stuff done at least, but I'm seriously hacked off by the amount of time that was wasted.  

Of course I have to contend with the cheerful thought each time I have a flare up that this is something which is only going to get progressively worse as I get older.

[Rust Collector]

21 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

For fuck sake, this is like the 4th car I’ve got stuck on the front lawn this year

One of these days I’ll learn my bloody lesson.

Problem resolved. I waited until all the neighbours closed their curtains and then dragged it out with a tow rope and my 4x4 😅

[Low Horatio gearbox]

Its definitly Monday.

(TL/DR: its Monday automated phone and foreign  call centres are shit)

The oldest is Ill and at home  so I need to cancel an appt at the bank. I mean I could drag him with me or t leave him behind but I try and be a half decent parent most of the time.  So I will phone them.... no branch no just a generic 0333 number .  I  call  and it's an automated service so after 5 minutes I get nowhere.. great.

Take 2 and i use my patented mash the keypad which usually results in getting a human. Which I do..  and get an human! Alas he need sacct  Nos,  sort codes detail and such OFC they are a non UK call centre so after the 3rd attempt   of  phonetically  giving  out the branch name (its wels sho let's add another layer if complexity) ... I give up.

 Sorry not sorry if the branch had a humber I could have done this in 2 minutes not 20 - and actually succeeded. Instead I just gave up and became the cunt  customer who didnt arrive or call to say sorry. I tried... really..

 

11 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Chronic fatigue can get in the sea.  

Laundry list of things I'd wanted to get done over the weekend.  Body and brain had other ideas, ended up spending a significant portion of it sitting like a vegetable staring into the middle distance.

Did manage to get some stuff done at least, but I'm seriously hacked off by the amount of time that was wasted.  

Of course I have to contend with the cheerful thought each time I have a flare up that this is something which is only going to get progressively worse as I get older.

I hear you, it can get in the sea. I did a small crazy golf thing last Friday with the family and Sat and Sunday were write offs for me for doing pretty much anything.   CFS and chronic pain can do one, raises metaphorically dosette box to you.

[Zelandeth]

56 minutes ago, Low Horatio gearbox said:

Its definitly Monday.

(TL/DR: its Monday automated phone and foreign  call centres are shit)

The oldest is Ill and at home  so I need to cancel an appt at the bank. I mean I could drag him with it leave him behind but I try and be a half decent parent most of the time.  So I will phone them.... no branch no just a generic 0333 number .  I  call  and it's an automated service so after 5 minutes I get nowhere.. great.

Take 2 and infuse my patented mash the keypad which usually results in gettig a human. Which I do..  and get an human! Alas he ned scout  NOS sort codes detail and such OFC they are n a non UK call centre so after the 3rd attempt   of  phonetically  giving  out the branch name...... I give up.

 Sorry not sorry if the branch had a humber I could have done this I  2 minutes not 20 - and actually jot succeeded. Instead I just gave up and became the county  customer who didnt arrive or call to say sorry. I tried... really..

 

I hear you, it can get in the sea. I did a small crazy golf thing last Friday with the family and Sat and Sunday were write offs for me for doing pretty much anything.   CFS and chronic pain can do one, raises metaphorically dosette box to you.

It's the fact that it's so bloody erratic that grinds my gears the most.  I know that if I over push myself I'll pay for it afterwards, that to some extent I can just live with as you can to some extent at least plan for it.

It's the times when your body just decides for no particular reason to wake up feeling like you'd just sat down from running the London Marathon three times over for apparently no good reason that are really annoying.  Sometimes it will clear up after a few hours, other times it's days.  There's no rhyme nor reason to it.

Coupled with chronic sleep problems it's a fun combo.

It wasn't something I suffered really too much from until last May when I caught COVID, ever since then it's ramped up by several orders of magnitude though.  Likewise the migraines I used to get once every three or four months have now increased to every week or two.

Why it really irks me when I hear people shrugging off COVID as nothing more than a bad cold.  Yeah, great for you if that was your experience.  However plenty of the rest of us weren't so lucky, how about you have a care for us...

[Matty]

On 2/26/2023 at 11:12 AM, Matty said:

Just put appeal in now. I wouldn't mind but when I have to go in the truck instead of the car it has a 14ft bed on it. So I park across 2 spaces and buy 2 fucking tickets! 

Appeal upheld so no fine. Grand bunch of lads Bury Council and NSL parking. Won't hear a word said against them 😆

[Low Horatio gearbox]

@Zelandeth

Roll up roll up... will you wake up feeling like shit.. that "I feel like I drove a am  old truck with no PS and power brakes all day yesterday tired" or maybe not  maybe who knows.   Yay.   (Lol we  know it's going to be knackered way more the not)  Or the waking up feeling, well "normal"- those are bonus days  and you know you'll pay for it tommorrow or the day after. 

[Ghosty]

Admiral web chat, want to know where my settlement offer is, been waiting almost 4 weeks.

Web chat guy : can't help you with that, transferring you. 

Second web chat guy: we aim to settle all claims within 21 days. 

Me: it's been 26 and I need the car gone. When are you offering?

Second: sorry to hear that, I'll speed that up for you.

 

Schedules a fucking callback. 

 

Useless. 

[Ghosty]

Admiral called back, confirmed the car is a Cat B and told me the independent assessor hasn't responded to them yet. 

I know they either lost or didn't receive some of the photos I sent to Admiral so something is amiss. 

[andyberg]

Well back from holiday last Friday, popped into my son's garage to collect the MG. Boss said he hasn't had a chance to look at it yet! Only had it a week! Asked my son last night if it's been looked at yet, he said no. Today still no news. I will go into the garage tomorrow myself to see what is occurring. I get the feeling though that because I am the apprentice's dad the boss thinks I won't kick up a fuss?

[gm]

“this service has been delayed by the train crew being delayed by disruption”  

thankyou for your helpful help  

i have two connections to make today, this one is already 20 mins late - i guess i’m buggered 

[Shirley Knott]

Massive fucking grump here 

Stuck the wife's ropey MK4 Golf on for handbrake cables at our local tyre spot today as one snapped last week and I can't face spending the weekend underneath it (I was feeling lazy). Call comes in within half an hour to say they wouldn't do it without also replacing discs and pads as it wouldn't be 'safe to drive' without. Sigh ... The discs ARE on their last legs, but still have some life left in them.

I begrudgingly said get a price and call me back.... Another call within 15 minutes to say a rear brake line had miraculously burst as they pulled it into the workshop???

The bill for all this? £369. From what I can see the discs/pads/cables and line come in at £70 for me to buy as a punter, so they must be charging me circa £100 an hour 😑

I'm basically in a situation whereby the cars undrivable due to the incredibly  suspicious exploding rear line, so there's little choice other than to pay.

FML.

Back to fixing my own stuff from here on in I think.

 

[EyesWeldedShut]

34 minutes ago, gm said:

“this service has been delayed by the train crew being delayed by disruption”  

thankyou for your helpful help  

i have two connections to make today, this one is already 20 mins late - i guess i’m buggered 

Wife was plotting a Mother's Day trip down to the West Country to see her mum + her own two sprogs - train strikes on the Thurs & Sat plus disruption either side so she's stuck here with me.
Now should that be on the grumpy or the happy thread?

[Pieman]

/\ That same weekend I am going to Germany for work, having been given a provisional flight time by my boss I tried to sort getting to the airport by train.  They announced a train strike for that day about an hour after I did so. 🙄

[EyesWeldedShut]

[jakebullet]

Skools must be on strike. Have a basic program:

10 screech "Gi-oooooooorRRRRRR"
20 delay(random(10))
30 screech "For FUCKS sake"
40 increase volume
50 delay(random(5))
60 goto 10

[Zelandeth]

That's three times today at a retail counters in three separate motor factors I have had to ask in my head "Are you actually that clueless, or do you really just not want my business because you'll need to process a parts order?"

 

It is utterly fscking depressing.

[Datsuncog]

The last time I tried to buy parts from a motor factor, back in December, they just told me straight I'd be better off going online and looking for the bits myself.

It was an alternator and inlet manifold gasket set for a 2005 Yaris, so nothing wildly obscure or ancient.

Ultimately I did get the necessary bits via eBay, and while I appreciated their honesty and all, I'm not sure how that was much good for their business (or me - I ideally needed the bits within 48hrs, not a week).

Or maybe they do ok these days selling £30 wiper blades, £120 batteries and £20 bottles of polish, and can't be arsed with the hassle of obtaining actual parts anymore. I dunno.

[Zelandeth]

47 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

The last time I tried to buy parts from a motor factor, back in December, they just told me straight I'd be better off going online and looking for the bits myself.

It was an alternator and inlet manifold gasket set for a 2005 Yaris, so nothing wildly obscure or ancient.

Ultimately I did get the necessary bits via eBay, and while I appreciated their honesty and all, I'm not sure how that was much good for their business (or me - I ideally needed the bits within 48hrs, not a week).

Or maybe they do ok these days selling £30 wiper blades, £120 batteries and £20 bottles of polish, and can't be arsed with the hassle of obtaining actual parts anymore. I dunno.

I was after fuel hose.  

The last one I tried was the best...they flat out denied that ethanol proof fuel line even existed anywhere on the market.

I was after Gates Barricade line - and they are a Gates stockist.  

Excuse me while I go find a wall to bash my head against.

I have now given in and just ordered it from an online supplier (or rather the website of a brick and mortar outlet on the opposite side of the country) as I've now wasted nearly a week and have visited eight or nine actual outlets, none of whom could supply suitable line.  Including a fluid transfer specialist in addition to the actual motor factors.  What they gave me it turned out wasn't ethanol safe.

The other one which made me laugh was the place who handed me a roll of R6 rated (so not ethanol safe) line in a Pearl retail pack...complete with work drive hose clips already on the hose, not even proper fuel line clamps.  Then proceeded to proclaim that it was good quality stuff and he uses it on his own car.  If Pearl stuff has got to the point of being considered good quality I think we should just all give up and run for the hills.

For something that is so safety critical, the fact it's so bloody difficult to get hold of the right stuff is absolutely baffling.

It's not surprising we keep seeing pictures of classic cars having gone up in flames and being told to check our fuel lines...yeah, fine and good, but if you can't get the right bloody line checking them ain't going to do much good.

[MiniMinorMk3]

7 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

I was after fuel hose.  

 

For something that is so safety critical, the fact it's so bloody difficult to get hold of the right stuff is absolutely baffling.

 

Demon Tweeks is were I go to get fuel line.

Fuel Hose - Hose, Fittings, Adaptors & Accessories - Fuel & Oil System - Engine - Motorsport (demon-tweeks.com)

[Angrydicky]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

I was after fuel hose.  

The last one I tried was the best...they flat out denied that ethanol proof fuel line even existed anywhere on the market.

I was after Gates Barricade line - and they are a Gates stockist.  

Excuse me while I go find a wall to bash my head against.

I have now given in and just ordered it from an online supplier (or rather the website of a brick and mortar outlet on the opposite side of the country) as I've now wasted nearly a week and have visited eight or nine actual outlets, none of whom could supply suitable line.  Including a fluid transfer specialist in addition to the actual motor factors.  What they gave me it turned out wasn't ethanol safe.

The other one which made me laugh was the place who handed me a roll of R6 rated (so not ethanol safe) line in a Pearl retail pack...complete with work drive hose clips already on the hose, not even proper fuel line clamps.  Then proceeded to proclaim that it was good quality stuff and he uses it on his own car.  If Pearl stuff has got to the point of being considered good quality I think we should just all give up and run for the hills.

For something that is so safety critical, the fact it's so bloody difficult to get hold of the right stuff is absolutely baffling.

It's not surprising we keep seeing pictures of classic cars having gone up in flames and being told to check our fuel lines...yeah, fine and good, but if you can't get the right bloody line checking them ain't going to do much good.

I don’t know why you mess around. 
Next day, or 2-3 day carriage is available on most stuff nowadays.

I would have tried one or two local motor factors if I needed it same day, otherwise it’s ordered from the internet.

Growing up in Southend where I had three or four excellent old-fashioned motor factors packed with old stock parts, tools, paints, consumables and so on, Lincolnshire is pretty barren for the motor factors.

There’s three in Boston that I’ve found. One has a shop behind the counter but you can’t actually go and browse in it, you have to tell them what you want and they will fetch it for you.

The other two have a counter and shelves with their stock in a sort of warehouse behind which again, you’re not allowed to go into. One of which was ECP, and they were by far the most helpful.

I’d love to find a traditional motor factor with a decent shop I can browse within a 20 or so mile radius of home. Best I’ve found so far is Spilsby but they still have the majority of stuff out the back and not much in the shop itself!

[sheffcortinacentre]

5 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

The last time I tried to buy parts from a motor factor, back in December, they just told me straight I'd be better off going online and looking for the bits myself.

It was an alternator and inlet manifold gasket set for a 2005 Yaris, so nothing wildly obscure or ancient.

Ultimately I did get the necessary bits via eBay, and while I appreciated their honesty and all, I'm not sure how that was much good for their business (or me - I ideally needed the bits within 48hrs, not a week).

Or maybe they do ok these days selling £30 wiper blades, £120 batteries and £20 bottles of polish, and can't be arsed with the hassle of obtaining actual parts anymore. I dunno.

You answered your own question 

[sheffcortinacentre]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

I don’t know why you mess around. 
Next day, or 2-3 day carriage is available on most stuff nowadays.

I would have tried one or two local motor factors if I needed it same day, otherwise it’s ordered from the internet.

Growing up in Southend where I had three or four excellent old-fashioned motor factors packed with old stock parts, tools, paints, consumables and so on, Lincolnshire is pretty barren for the motor factors.

There’s three in Boston that I’ve found. One has a shop behind the counter but you can’t actually go and browse in it, you have to tell them what you want and they will fetch it for you.

The other two have a counter and shelves with their stock in a sort of warehouse behind which again, you’re not allowed to go into. One of which was ECP, and they were by far the most helpful.

I’d love to find a traditional motor factor with a decent shop I can browse within a 20 or so mile radius of home. Best I’ve found so far is Spilsby but they still have the majority of stuff out the back and not much in the shop itself!

. they're banned under Darwinism 

[RoverFolkUs]

9 hours ago, Shirley Knott said:

Massive fucking grump here 

Stuck the wife's ropey MK4 Golf on for handbrake cables at our local tyre spot today as one snapped last week and I can't face spending the weekend underneath it (I was feeling lazy). Call comes in within half an hour to say they wouldn't do it without also replacing discs and pads as it wouldn't be 'safe to drive' without. Sigh ... The discs ARE on their last legs, but still have some life left in them.

I begrudgingly said get a price and call me back.... Another call within 15 minutes to say a rear brake line had miraculously burst as they pulled it into the workshop???

The bill for all this? £369. From what I can see the discs/pads/cables and line come in at £70 for me to buy as a punter, so they must be charging me circa £100 an hour 😑

I'm basically in a situation whereby the cars undrivable due to the incredibly  suspicious exploding rear line, so there's little choice other than to pay.

FML.

Back to fixing my own stuff from here on in I think.

 

Where are you getting discs, pads, handbrake cables from for £70? 

£369 sounds quite reasonable to me, admittedly the burst brake pipe sounds dubious 

£180-220 for discs and pads easily (to be done properly with half decent parts) - not just a pad slap with lashings of copper slip

Brake cables can be a bitch to do on VAG of that era because they will probably be seized into the guide tubes and break off, therefore needing new tubes as well as stripping out the rear half of the interior including the carpet.. 

Let's say a remaining £150-190 for the brake cables and replacing a brake line, also sounds ok. 

The option of just doing it yourself was there 🤷 sorry but it's hard to complain in that scenario!

[Datsuncog]

32 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

You answered your own question 

Yeah, probably did.

Stupid of me to try keeping local businesses going, really.

But if their core demographic mainly wants to buy spray bottles of Poorboy's World alloy wheel cleaner at £HFM?, then I guess they need to follow the money.

It'll be internet retailers only from here on in, whether I want it or not.

[Jazoli]

21 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Where are you getting discs, pads, handbrake cables from for £70? 

£369 sounds quite reasonable to me, admittedly the burst brake pipe sounds dubious 

£180-220 for discs and pads easily (to be done properly with half decent parts) - not just a pad slap with lashings of copper slip

Brake cables can be a bitch to do on VAG of that era because they will probably be seized into the guide tubes and break off, therefore needing new tubes as well as stripping out the rear half of the interior including the carpet.. 

Let's say a remaining £150-190 for the brake cables and replacing a brake line, also sounds ok. 

The option of just doing it yourself was there 🤷 sorry but it's hard to complain in that scenario!

I'd agree, the price quoted is quite fair to be honest, take it to Kwik fit and see what they quote, I bet it'll start with a 5.

[Ghosty]

2 hours ago, Angrydicky said:

I’d love to find a traditional motor factor with a decent shop I can browse within a 20 or so mile radius of home. Best I’ve found so far is Spilsby but they still have the majority of stuff out the back and not much in the shop itself

Have you asked Ruffgeezer? He's out that way.