The grumpy thread

[meggersdog]

Fatha_meggersdog went into hospital to have some teeth removed just over three weeks ago.We are not that close, although we only live a few miles apart, but I generally go and see him once every couple of months.So yesterday I learn not from his wife( my stepmum) but his sister, my aunt that he didn't have the teeth removed as he has throat cancer.They have operated but he has been there for the last three weeks and nobody bothered to tell me.

I went to see him today and my stepmum was "ooh, I was too upset to phone you" yet she had told her own sons.She told my aunt on Wednesday who said "don't you think meggersdog should know ?".Anyway my aunt told me yesterday that he was still in hospital but even she didn't know what ward.

Nobody wants to tell me anything.

I asked the nurses on duty what's wrong and at first they don't know.Yeah right, he's been here three weeks.Then it's ask your mother.I explain she's my stepmum but is too upset to talk.Then it's ask the doctor tomorrow.Then ask your mother,again.Yeah you'd better ask your mother.I almost asked for a ouija board as my mother has been gone 14 years but thought better of it.Then finally I get well you will have to ask your dad's permission for us to tell you what's really wrong with him.Ok then, he has a tube up his nose feeding him and another tube in his throat collecting blood.When he does speak it's a faint whisper but has to clear his throat first.Sounds like a snotty nose ten year old boy with a very bad cold who's never used a hanky before.Suppose he could nod or shake his head but I am his  own flesh and  blood I should be allowed to know how bad it really is.

[Bobthebeard]

Needed a tow bar for the Honda Accord so did some ringing round for prices... Varied massively. Honda dealers quoted £800! Finally settled on a local company that supply/fit the (Witter) tow bar at your home or work. £360.

Turns out that they actually fit the tow bars for the main dealers also. Main dealers pay them well under £360, take 90 days to pay the fitters and charge the full £800 for anyone silly enough to use them. The guy told me this in confidence so no main dealers named. Grumpy!

[wuvvum]

One of the few constructive things I managed to do today was to remove the towbar from the red 200 - 'twas a 15-minute job, and won't be much more than that to refit, even by a mong like me.  Pre-CANBus electrics FTW.  Shame the car I was going to fit it to is as rotten as a fucking pear...

 

Meggersdog, sorry to hear about the situation with your dad.  Families can be weird.

[twosmoke300]

  On 25/05/2015 at 23:20, Bobthebeard said:

Needed a tow bar for the Honda Accord so did some ringing round for prices... Varied massively. Honda dealers quoted £800! Finally settled on a local company that supply/fit the (Witter) tow bar at your home or work. £360.

Turns out that they actually fit the tow bars for the main dealers also. Main dealers pay them well under £360, take 90 days to pay the fitters and charge the full £800 for anyone silly enough to use them. The guy told me this in confidence so no main dealers named. Grumpy!

When I worked as a Honda tech we certainly fitted plenty of towbars . The Honda bars are much better quality than the aftermarket ones with extra braces etc . No nasty scotch locks either .

When the towbar boys used to come and fit one for a customer they were brutal . Never used to drill holes just beat a spike through . No paint or waxoyl either .

[STUNO]

  On 25/05/2015 at 18:53, STUNO said:

 Car up on ramps and I crawl underneath while wife turns ignition on so I can twat the starter motor. She didn't apply brakes so car rolls back nearly crushing me In the process. Fucking great day.

 

Who put the car up on the ramps ?

 

Ok you are almost forgiven.

[bub2006]

It was a twattish move on my part and it could have been a lot worse!

[320touring]

Woop. Got to head to Aviemore at lunchtime today for a work conference.

 

Won't be back until tomorrow late PM.

 

Ob the train:(

[ruffgeezer]

Missed out on the 306 cabrio. Bollocks!

[dugong]

Can you set up a Facebook account just to view work related stuff?

 

I'm really losing the plot with social media. It seems to demand an awful lot but give very little back in return.

[trigger]

  On 26/05/2015 at 07:29, bub2006 said:

It was a twattish move on my part and it could have been a lot worse!

 

Last week my mate was putting his XR3i onto axle stands when the car slipped on the jack crashing him against his garage door breaking his collar bones and 3 ribs so think yourself lucky!

[oldcars]

  On 25/05/2015 at 12:40, saucedoctor said:

Bang on the money, Cort. I had the car looked at this morning, and the chap has just been in touch to say that the bar is bent. He also said that X Types are "very strong cars, and you'd need to hit one pretty damned hard to damage the shell". Subject to the insurance, fixxoration will be about £450 all in. Bonus: the body shop has a wanked-out Chevrolet thing as an courtesy car. I'd like that for a day or two!

That is why i love this forum, where else would you hear this

[MrDuke]

  On 26/05/2015 at 13:02, dugong said:

Can you set up a Facebook account just to view work related stuff?

 

Yes. Just be prepared to spend lots of time finding the 'un-check' options which will prevent you receiving tonnes of toss.

[Negative Creep]

Boss called us all together to give us the good news we'd all received a bonus - except I didn't get one because she failed me on an assessment for something she never provided any evidence for. Needless to say, I am not happy.

[HillmanImp]

  On 26/05/2015 at 13:30, trigger said:

Last week my mate was putting his XR3i onto axle stands when the car slipped on the jack crashing him against his garage door breaking his collar bones and 3 ribs so think yourself lucky!

 

The drive here slopes on a very slight angle to the side so jacking up and lowering the car is always a bit risky as the jack rolls slightly sometimes (or doesn't roll the way you want it to). This can make the axle stands tip over making the car leap a couple of feet towards you quite suddenly if you are not paying attention. There is often a few bits of lowering and lifting until I am confident that the car is settled securely and even then when I am underneath I still put a couple of jacks under to catch the weight for a few seconds longer should owt happen.

[JohnDeere]

This morning I drove across central London three times before 10am. 19 mpg, 6 mph, endless mongs on motorbikes and bikes trying to get themselves killed at every opportunity. And all for the bargain* admission price of £11.50.

[Sloth in a bowl]

  On 25/05/2015 at 15:52, wuvvum said:

It really is not turning out to be a very good weekend on the car front.  This morning's task was to check over the cars that are due for MOT (i.e. most of them) for any obvious fails. 

 

I put my screwdriver through both outer sills of the Rover of Doom (nearside about a 30cm section, but right under the front seatbelt mounts; offside at various points all the way along).  The red Rover wasn't so bad - a few weak sections on one side - but still a fail.  The blue Mondeo has broken a front spring.  The Forester's exhaust has started blowing again, and it needs a front tyre (legal tread, but perished to feck).  The Kia has a badly misted headlight lens.  I didn't find anything obvious on the Perodua, but doubtless MOT man will spot something.

 

There will probably be lots of "for sale" posts from me over the next few weeks and months.  The only cars that are safe at the moment are the Toyota, Innocenti and R6 - the others can all fuck off as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

Re the Kia headlight lens:

if it's a plastic one that's misted on the outside then get some brasso and a bit of elbow grease on it, sorted mine out a treat.

If it's misted on the inside then drill a small (3/4mm) hole into the base of it to let water/vapour out.

[EssDeeWon]

  On 25/05/2015 at 20:21, meggersdog said:

Fatha_meggersdog went into hospital to have some teeth removed just over three weeks ago.We are not that close, although we only live a few miles apart, but I generally go and see him once every couple of months.So yesterday I learn not from his wife( my stepmum) but his sister, my aunt that he didn't have the teeth removed as he has throat cancer.They have operated but he has been there for the last three weeks and nobody bothered to tell me.

I went to see him today and my stepmum was "ooh, I was too upset to phone you" yet she had told her own sons.She told my aunt on Wednesday who said "don't you think meggersdog should know ?".Anyway my aunt told me yesterday that he was still in hospital but even she didn't know what ward.

Nobody wants to tell me anything.

I asked the nurses on duty what's wrong and at first they don't know.Yeah right, he's been here three weeks.Then it's ask your mother.I explain she's my stepmum but is too upset to talk.Then it's ask the doctor tomorrow.Then ask your mother,again.Yeah you'd better ask your mother.I almost asked for a ouija board as my mother has been gone 14 years but thought better of it.Then finally I get well you will have to ask your dad's permission for us to tell you what's really wrong with him.Ok then, he has a tube up his nose feeding him and another tube in his throat collecting blood.When he does speak it's a faint whisper but has to clear his throat first.Sounds like a snotty nose ten year old boy with a very bad cold who's never used a hanky before.Suppose he could nod or shake his head but I am his  own flesh and  blood I should be allowed to know how bad it really is.

 

Tell your Stepmum to stop being so fuckin selfish and tell you what is going on!? It sounds like she is being a typical awkward stepmum, and after 3 weeks of not even telling you? That sounds proper twattish on her part if im completely honest.

 

Remind her blood is thicker than water. 

[Cavcraft]

My mate's 2010 Berlingo 1.6 diesel taxi has shit itself and lunched it's engine. Quotes so far are £5000 (five thousand quid!) I assume that's for a new one, £3,000 for a second hand one and £2,000 for a reconditioned one. He says all those prices are without the fitting charges on top.

[wuvvum]

  On 26/05/2015 at 20:04, Sloth in a bowl said:

Re the Kia headlight lens:

if it's a plastic one that's misted on the outside then get some brasso and a bit of elbow grease on it, sorted mine out a treat.

If it's misted on the inside then drill a small (3/4mm) hole into the base of it to let water/vapour out.

I had a go at it with T cut at the weekend - it's now a lot better than it was.

[chaseracer]

  On 27/05/2015 at 17:28, Cavcraft said:

My mate's 2010 Berlingo 1.6 diesel taxi has shit itself and lunched it's engine. Quotes so far are £5000 (five thousand quid!) I assume that's for a new one, £3,000 for a second hand one and £2,000 for a reconditioned one. He says all those prices are without the fitting charges on top.

 

Ouch.  Still, plenty of n/asp 1.7 XUDs about... 

 

[outlaw118]

Had a powercut in and around the area of Outlaw_Towers at about 11am this morning. No idea how long etc, but i've come home from work and the clock on the oven and the alarm clock are both flashing. No worries.

 

But the main oven, which I used at 7am to heat up a pie (for breakfast, I R CLOSET NORTHERNER), now won't work.

 

Fuck and sticks.

 

Who can I sue?

[anonymous user]

^ I'd keep quiet about it, it was probably your oven that caused the powercut and you will end up being sued by everyone whose dialysis machine/hair-straighteners failed as a result

[angle]

I really do despair at the people I keep company with sometimes. About five years ago, having owned a variety of crappy small hatchbacks on tick, my friend got stitched up by an ex and ended up with a load of debt and a terrible credit rating. I inducted him into the way of the shite by persuading him to buy a slightly sheddy W124 coupe. He loved that car and was therefore a bit despondent when he killed it by crashing it into a badger 18 months later, even though he made £800 profit on the insurance payout.

 

He then inherited his dads old Zafira, which has had precisely zero maintenance ever and had lead to a semi-regular conversation of:

 

'Your engine management is still on. And have you done an oil change yet? You've done about 50,000 miles...'

 

'No, I can't afford it and I hate it anyway, I'm waiting for it to break so I can buy another Mercedes.'

 

So yesterday, it broke. Spectacularly, in a cloud of black smoke. I immediately text him a link to the E-class that's up for swaps on here. I get a reply of 'no, I fancy a new car, I went past the Ford garage and I can get a Mondeo estate for £1000 down and £300 a month.' Further investigation has revealed this spectacularly generous offer is for a 1.6 diesel.

 

AAARGH.

 

I've been spending the afternoon trying at least to persuade him that an Octavia vRS for a smaller deposit and £50 less a month would be a slightly better idea, but there's no sign I'm succeeding...

[Richard]

[Pillock]

  On 27/05/2015 at 18:11, outlaw118 said:

Had a powercut in and around the area of Outlaw_Towers at about 11am this morning. No idea how long etc, but i've come home from work and the clock on the oven and the alarm clock are both flashing. No worries.

 

But the main oven, which I used at 7am to heat up a pie (for breakfast, I R CLOSET MORTHERNER), now won't work.

 

Fuck and sticks.

 

Who can I sue?

 

Have you set the clock? Ovens don't tend to work unless you set the clock.

[chaseracer]

  On 27/05/2015 at 18:35, Pillock said:

Have you set the clock? Do you have a degree in quantum physics? Ovens don't tend to work unless you have a degree in quantum physics.

 

Let me help you with that.

 

[michael1703]

My oven would need to have the clock set or press the menu button twice after the power had been turned off

[Tayne]

My oven works and I've never set the clock.

[myglaren]

  On 25/05/2015 at 20:21, meggersdog said:

Fatha_meggersdog went into hospital to have some teeth removed just over three weeks ago.We are not that close, although we only live a few miles apart, but I generally go and see him once every couple of months.So yesterday I learn not from his wife( my stepmum) but his sister, my aunt that he didn't have the teeth removed as he has throat cancer.They have operated but he has been there for the last three weeks and nobody bothered to tell me.

I went to see him today and my stepmum was "ooh, I was too upset to phone you" yet she had told her own sons.She told my aunt on Wednesday who said "don't you think meggersdog should know ?".Anyway my aunt told me yesterday that he was still in hospital but even she didn't know what ward.

Nobody wants to tell me anything.

I asked the nurses on duty what's wrong and at first they don't know.Yeah right, he's been here three weeks.Then it's ask your mother.I explain she's my stepmum but is too upset to talk.Then it's ask the doctor tomorrow.Then ask your mother,again.Yeah you'd better ask your mother.I almost asked for a ouija board as my mother has been gone 14 years but thought better of it.Then finally I get well you will have to ask your dad's permission for us to tell you what's really wrong with him.Ok then, he has a tube up his nose feeding him and another tube in his throat collecting blood.When he does speak it's a faint whisper but has to clear his throat first.Sounds like a snotty nose ten year old boy with a very bad cold who's never used a hanky before.Suppose he could nod or shake his head but I am his  own flesh and  blood I should be allowed to know how bad it really is.

That is rather restrictive.  I accept that it is policy to limit the flow of information to those who need to know but my wife is in an hospice, not long left, but we have been given full disclosure and full reports of all the findings from x-ray, ct and mri scans, biopsies etc.

The hospital and hospice staff have been exemplary in both looking after her and keeping us (her family) informed.

We can come and go 24/7 and there is always at least one of us with her all the time.

 

The only person excluded is the bloke she has lived with the past 18 years as he is abusive and given to violence - they discovered three cracked vertebrae that are presumably down to him.

[Pillock]

 

  On 27/05/2015 at 19:17, chaseracer said:

Let me help you with that.

 

 

Tell me about it. I used to teach delivery drivers how to set oven clocks. It was easier to wire the thing in in the first place usually.

 

And then, THEN they introduced cookers with touchscreen controls. Gah. 

 

As long as it's not flashing 12:00 it'll usually heat up, on my Zanussi that's just whacking the clock button in the middle twice (because I'm weird and don't like leaving the cooker switch on, so it resets every day because putting a battery in to run the clock would be too simple)