The grumpy thread

3,526 · February 13, 2018

A dealer level fault code reader costs thousands of pounds to buy and further thousands to update

Tens of thousands. A "mechanic's toolbox" Snap-On Solus Pro thing is several thousands. Place next door spent £35000 on Dealer level stuff - plus annual updates.

February 13, 2018

Talking of diagnostics, a young lad at work has some new Seat thing. It puts the EML on for low tyre pressures, you'd think you'd get a message on the widescreen tv nailed to the dash ffs.

35,652 · February 13, 2018

Tens of thousands. A "mechanic's toolbox" Snap-On Solus Pro thing is several thousands. Place next door spent £35000 on Dealer level stuff - plus annual updates.

But they’ll plug it into my car for free right?

3,598 · February 13, 2018

FTFY

My grump? Work.
Even though I posted in the "I love my job thread" a few days ago, I take that back.

Basically, I work as a 2nd-line network technician. I'm still on the same pay grade I was on when I worked on service desk in 2013-2014.
Half of the people on service desk are now on the next pay grade up, but I am not. I keep getting obstacles put in my way.
All the while, I'm getting more responsibilities and expectations piled on my shoulders. I'm expected to be running a project to replace wireless access points in various buildings. I've had that expectation ramped up to a building a week. I'm also doing work on the resiliency of the network, and keeping on top of support calls. Meanwhile the people on service desk who escalate calls up to me are getting paid more than me,

I'm this close to just handing in my resignation once I'm back from my holiday and looking for contract work. I'd rather be on the dole than doing this. At least the stress level / financial compensation would be more closely matched.

Oh yes, I'm also getting hassled to do a training course on IT security. Apparently it's mandatory for all of IT Services staff. You'd think I'd know the basics of IT security, being a fucking network technician! I'm just going to leave it as long as I can and see what manglement say.

Been there done that got the t-shirt and the bruises. DO what YOU need to do to further and better your career. IT Can be a funny game - hence started my own business. I'm fucking sick of putting plans together for thousand and hundered thousand pound projects for the boss to undermine and do it his way -not necessarily wrong but not whats best! One I can think of is a major security risk. But what can I say huh?

February 13, 2018

^^^ That.

I'm stuck in almost the same position as Supernaut but in 3rd line & getting paid 2nd line. The other day was slightly* stressful & I told the boss to fuck off as he's taken the piss long enough pretending he'll get me regraded. From now on they get what they paid for.

27,387 · February 13, 2018

Already put in an application at a company an ex-colleague and good friend of mine works at (I was his best man at his wedding in Alberta back in July).

It's down near Durham, but fuck it. It's 1st-line but paying about the same as what I'm on now, and property in that area is mega cheap!

February 13, 2018

There is probably a reason it's so cheap...

3,598 · February 13, 2018

The north east is where i first started as a Network Manager in a school in Darlington, Not too bad an area to be honest - Durham is not bad at all... some nice views! Fairly quiet too. My neck of the woods in that area.

I put a plan together for a full Ubiqiti CCTV system for a company, £10,000 budget... All plans went in and it was an awesome build spec. 20-odd cams across multiple sites geographically. What does the boss deicde... "Oh we will use these cams and use a built in NAS app on a local NAS to manage it all" I have in front of me 2 cheap ebay POE cams and a QNAP NAS. Holy shit. The Ubqitii build was 'THE' Bollocks.

Oh for fucks sake. Where is that resignation letter?

Waiting to hear back about another position somewhere else.

27,387 · February 13, 2018

*shrug*

Mate has a brand-new spacious 3 bed house in a quiet little development that he paid £105k for. The area seems nice from the several times I've visited.

Things at work are getting fun* The management structure has been re-shuffled AGAIN so now it's me > my line manager > head of IT.

Head of IT is demanding that we deploy 66 wireless access points across 11 blocks of student accommodation before I go on holiday next Monday.

FRO.

3,384 · February 13, 2018

I was stuck in the same position, 3rd line network and infrastructure engineer for a fairly large company. 7 years working my ass off but never getting (what I considered to be) a fair deal or any recognition in return. So I knuckled down and got my CCNP and CCDP so I had some qualifications to back up the experience, left and went to work somewhere else. Now I am rewarded handsomely for my efforts, but more than that, I get pretty much free-reign to do things how I see fit, because my opinion is valued and my recommendations are followed - That's just luck of the drawer having a really great IT director though.

Unfortunately it has been my experience that working your way up in a company rarely ever works (never in my case) the only time you're in a position of negotiating power is the day they offer you the job. If you want to move up, you have to change jobs.

24,462 · February 13, 2018

Diagnostic Fees are the automotive equivalent of admin charges - ie money for basically fuck all.

Oh fuck off !

3,384 · February 13, 2018

15,584 · February 13, 2018

Supernaut - you can play the 'here is my notice letter, bye' card once in any job I reckon. There will be 2 outcomes

1. they say ok thanks and you leave

2. they beg you to stay and you give them your demands money wise, I suggest backed up by evidence from a selection of job sites where you can say 'look, here is what people doing what I'm doing within 20 miles of my home address are being paid. Beat that, or I'm gone'

This works a maximum of ONCE. If you play the card and win, don't expect a payrise for a long time, because you've forced their hand and a lot of management people don't like that. If you are demanding more money, take the median local rate for your skillset and add 10-20% because you can't play this card again, if questioned the rationale is that you are a known quantity which they don't get if they go to the market and employ someone new. They also have to pay recruitment fees and whatnot I suspect so keeping existing staff is always cheaper than paying market rate plus recruitment costs, interview time etc etc. If you play the card and lose, they say 'OK m8 cya l8r' you must leave. If you come grovelling back to them asking for your job back, you've been a bit rash, etc etc then you will never get a payrise ever again because they know you are full of shit.

I work in lower middle management in an IT co, I've tried this trick in the past and sometimes I've won and sometimes I've lost but what I have learned is you need to really sure of your position and have a plan B in case it doesn't go your way. And yes that plan can be the dole, but then what do you say at your next interview when the interviewer says 'and why did you leave your last job?' - answering 'because they were fascists who didn't pay me enough' makes you sound like a petulant, entitled prick. I've heard it in interviews and they get crossed off the list immediately, no matter how good their skills because no-one wants to manage that person. I'm not suggesting you would, but be aware.

I don't want to sound like a sanctimonious dick, but you've been unhappy with your pay for the role you are in for a long while. Maybe now is the time to play with fire - just do it with your eyes open. the above is my experience, this may or may not be useful.

3,598 · February 13, 2018

I was stuck in the same position, 3rd line network and infrastructure engineer for a fairly large company. 7 years working my ass off but never getting (what I considered to be) a fair deal or any recognition in return. So I knuckled down and got my CCNP and CCDP so I had some qualifications to back up the experience, left and went to work somewhere else. Now I am rewarded handsomely for my efforts, but more than that, I get pretty much free-reign to do things how I see fit, because my opinion is valued and my recommendations are followed - That's just luck of the drawer having a really great IT director though.

Unfortunately it has been my experience that working your way up in a company rarely ever works (never in my case) the only time you're in a position of negotiating power is the day they offer you the job. If you want to move up, you have to change jobs.

I've done those Quals and then some Novell, Nortel, Linux, MS you name it. Have spent thousands over the years. and unfortunately there is no way to work up at the company I am at as there is only 4 of us, and 2 of those are bosses relations lol. When boss found out I opened up my own company he was worried as its doing the same thing I do here as thats what I do best, I manage IT for Businesses. He's already said when I leave, I'll still be needed as there are things here that I've put in place that he has no clue about. Nice to be needed but for the wrong reasons. I am also the main keyholder for the premises and am primary contact for alarm company etc. I am also her for 8/8:15 AM, rest of them stroll in at 9:15 usually. That does take the piss. If I am late as I was when my child was born I was docked days holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christ... though... My wages are low!!!!

27,387 · February 13, 2018

They've been aware that I've been applying for other jobs for a while.

My direct line manager is on my side and giving me good references. The problem with the pay lies in HR and the management above my line manager.

I don't even want to stay any more. A payrise won't change that either. I'm just going to keep applying and applying and hopefully one will stick soon.

February 13, 2018

They've been aware that I've been applying for other jobs for a while.

My direct line manager is on my side and giving me good references. The problem with the pay lies in HR and the management above my line manager.

I don't even want to stay any more. A payrise won't change that either. I'm just going to keep applying and applying and hopefully one will stick soon.

Snap, even if I was offered what I should be getting it wouldn't stop me from applying elsewhere to escape this hell hole.

9,030 · February 13, 2018

Talking of diagnostics, a young lad at work has some new Seat thing. It puts the EML on for low tyre pressures, you'd think you'd get a message on the widescreen tv nailed to the dash ffs.

TPMSs and EMLs are separate, fam.

If my Leon detects a drop in tyre pressure it does indeed tell me on the widescreen tv nailed to the dash ffs.

It's normally talking absolute shit, but it does warn me. That it's crying wolf, the fucking mard.

35,652 · February 13, 2018

Supernaut - if you get that job I was considering a BTL in that part of the world if you need a half decent cheap rental whilst you find your feet....

31,926 · February 13, 2018

Already put in an application at a company an ex-colleague and good friend of mine works at (I was his best man at his wedding in Alberta back in July).

It's down near Durham, but fuck it. It's 1st-line but paying about the same as what I'm on now, and property in that area is mega cheap!

PM me if you want a second opinion of the place, I've either worked at or with people who used to run most of the desks round here. If you're any good there's 5-6 places who will be more than happy to take you on.

Edited to add: Just leave. Sounds like you've been stuck there for a while, you'll feel loads better being somewhere else.

3,384 · February 13, 2018

I've done those Quals and then some Novell, Nortel, Linux, MS you name it. Have spent thousands over the years. and unfortunately there is no way to work up at the company I am at as there is only 4 of us, and 2 of those are bosses relations lol. When boss found out I opened up my own company he was worried as its doing the same thing I do here as thats what I do best, I manage IT for Businesses. He's already said when I leave, I'll still be needed as there are things here that I've put in place that he has no clue about. Nice to be needed but for the wrong reasons. I am also the main keyholder for the premises and am primary contact for alarm company etc. I am also her for 8/8:15 AM, rest of them stroll in at 9:15 usually. That does take the piss. If I am late as I was when my child was born I was docked days holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christ... though... My wages are low!!!!

The last company paid for all the exams before I left lol - although I need to re-certify this year, the new company also pays for that sort of thing though. I would say, based on the jobs I get e-mailed as a result of still having my CV registered with various recruitment websites, my current wage is probably about right for 3rd line infrastructure. The next step up would be contracting, which is probably the route i'd go if anything happened here, there is good earning potential if you can budget and be prepared for downtime between contracts, lack of sick\holiday pay, pension etc.

Some people play the handing their notice in lottery, but stanky has really hit the nail on the head with his post above. You get to play it once and once only and if it doesn't work you have to follow through and leave. Its high stakes poker and you really need an actual job offer in place to back it up. In honesty, if you have to put a gun to their head to get more money is it really a long term prospect? You're just kicking the can a bit further down the road.

22,830 · February 13, 2018

Fun police. I won’t go into a long rant as I’ll get beaten up.

Just a shame that moderation on here has become so utterly pedantic. Does it seriously matter if someone starts a thread on an unusual car? As an ex-boss always said, before doing a job, question who you’re doing it for, why you’re doing it, and whether it actually needs doing in the first place.

I always had a lot of time and respect for that approach to work - I still worked damn hard, but found I could pace the workload better.

I reckon it could be applied elsewhere, too.

27,083 · February 13, 2018

Ive had to lose my work Sprinter van for the week. My apprentice is doing his end of training review and practical assessments at our company training centre in Thatcham so I've given him the Sprinter and all my tools so he can do that. In return I've got his van for the week just as transport...

What a sinful sack of utter shit it is!

It's a 2017 Fiat Doblo. It really is a dreadful piece of shit in every way.

My back aches like fuck now as the seats are abysmal, they adjust but not in any way that helps. If you adjust the seat height to anything other than its lowest setting it means you can't see anything but the ground out of the non adjustable blind spot mirrors. Clever design there Fiat!

If it rains the water all pisses straight off the windscreen, down the drivers door window and means you can't see anything in that door mirror.

The radio keeps turning it's volume up and down at random.

Steering is truly atrocious. It's very unstable at speed and seems to wonder around a lot.

Suspension is rock hard, anything you drive over, no matter how tiny it may be, sends a shock through the whole van like you've just hit something like a curb stone. There's no travel in the suspension at all.

It's got a shitty seat cover on its driver seat which slips and slides from one side to the other. This then obscures the seat belt plug so to belt up you've got to repeatedly keep straightening the seat cover. It also makes your arse sweat!

The engine is utterly gutless. Dangerously so infact. You pull out, and try to accelerate and it just creeps along despite your foot being on the floor.

The brakes are either on or off. Nothing in between making gentle braking impossible. You press the brake and nothing happens so you press it a tiny bit harder and it throws you through the windscreen!

Pedal box is terrible. Even wearing my soft trainers you can't help but press the clutch and brake at the same time with one foot, or as you try to press the clutch your foot gets caught on the stupid little foot rest thing next to the pedal.

It's got to be one of the absolute worst things I've ever driven, and I've driven some serious shit before now. The only thing worse was the 53 reg Corsa van I had when I first got this job years ago. That thing was wank in every way but it's got stiff competition for that with this Fiat heap of shit! It's also reminded me of what it's like to drive a front drive car, god its fucking awful.

Whoever designed and built these things is a cunt with a complete hatred for their fellow man. Why would you inflict such a thing on another human being!?

Roll on Friday and I can have my lovely big Sprinter back!

131,105 · February 13, 2018

It’s ‘Nest lay’ always has been, always will be.

131,105 · February 13, 2018

Oh aye, here’s a(nother) moan, though. I spent about 20-25 minutes cleaning the headlights on my Puma with toothpaste yesterday.

Now I can see another three candle’s worth of hedgerow on the left, and that’s about it. If you ever want to smoke one of these cars off, just come out at night down some unlit roads on your 1930’s bicycle and enjoy your victory.

17,516 · February 13, 2018

On the pronunciation of words thing.. Americanisms really do get up my nose, the worse one being "Schedule."

Shed-yule. Not sked-yule. Aarrgh!

28,491 · February 13, 2018

It’s ‘Nest lay’ always has been, always will be.

No it wasn't , seems from watching old telly ads it changed in the early 80's to Nest-lay , although there isn't any consistency as I found one b&w where they sing it at the end. It must be your tender years, or something.

16,454 · February 13, 2018

It’s ‘Nest lay’ always has been, always will be.

Was Nessells when I was a kid, and Renolt, nugget was pink and white with nuts in.

5,965 · February 13, 2018

Easy to lose the tongue in cheek vibe through the written word, but it's Autoshite lore that a few suggestions should be ridiculously over the top.

This needs making into a sign

9,030 · February 13, 2018

gr9 advice

*Adds to job strategies directory*

17,069 · February 13, 2018

Was Nessells when I was a kid, and Renolt, nugget was pink and white with nuts in.

Noo-Gar in my house (but still say nugget under my breath)

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