The grumpy thread

[pogweasel]

You either buy unpopular shite, or you pay extra for stuff people want.

Pretty much it.

But you are paying at all points in the spectrum now.

 

For me this is a total pisser as it means that due to sheer economics I can't play the game any more as much as I would like to. I think there's probably alot of bitter, frustrated guys just like me out there.

 

Here's the logic>

I paid £536 for my current BMW. It is lovely. But I don't use it all that much. I paid £2,750 for my OH's Galaxy. Now both these cars are pretty reliable. The Galaxy is massive, and very good on fuel. The BMW is super nice to drive, and remarkably un-rusty.

Say I wanted to get shot of my car and buy [for instance] a Mk2 Cortina. Now that is goint to cost 5 times the value of the BMW. Pretty much the same price of the Galaxy. But you can't use it all the time. You need to keep it shut away for high-days & holidays. Therefore from a financial view, not a sound way to spend money. The derived pleasure does not exceed the the derived practicality or efficiency of a new car.

If you are a young single bod with no ties this is no bother. If you have a domestic situation it is all the bother in the world...

 

Previously you could play a bit and make a quid and be happy.

 

Best case in point is a Mk1 Astra. I bought it locally of an old chap for £100. I gave it a jolly good clean-up, and some new wheels/tyres. I tooled about in it for a few weeks until I was bored. Then I sold it to Also_Mike of this parish, who happily gave me £350 and didn't feel hard done buy. Everyone happy, no-one has spent alot, no-one loses out. Not even Mrs_Pog, as I have only spent a hundred quid.

 

Try to do the dame now, not possible.

Paying (say) £500 to buy that same car, add the bits, have the fun, sell with a mark-up for maybe £700.... ok the margin is similar, but that's alot more gas bills, council tax or BBQ products to be having a flutter with.

 

Even worse, buying an MoT'd Marina for £90, driving about, selling through a comedic ebay listing for £160, thought I did alright there, you couldn't even get an unroadworthy, burned-out, piano-damaged ex-TG Marina for £160 now, let alone £90...

 

I'm saddened by having to "opt out" of it all, but nothing I can do!

[warren t claim]

But is this guy a proper, tax paying dealer covered by the sale of goods act or just a chancer?

Do you mean "Is this guy going to give a 6 month no quibble guarantee on a 40 year old car in return for his profit?". If so, I think you'll find they're all either very expensive, or "chancers".

 

I am so glad I've got out of the car trade.

I'm not against making a profit as long as it's legal and above board. I think most of us here have bought cars to sell on. Supposing this guy has his Cortina marked up at £1500 when we all know he paid £995 for it. Very few people who turn up to look at it are going to offer the full asking price and he will know that. Maybe he will take £1300 for it which doesn't leave much margin for profit after the travelling and transportation costs let alone his advertising fees. I really can't see him spending money on servicing and getting it tested for that money. IIRC that particular car had been standing for a while so no doubt the tyres are well perished. Can you imagine him paying out £25 a corner just to make the thing safe to drive home in? I can't. There is a world of difference between what he's doing and one of us tarting up an old nail from the local banger auction but that's another story.

[retrogeezer]

Supposing this guy has his Cortina marked up at £1500 when we all know he paid £995 for it. Very few people who turn up to look at it are going to offer the full asking price and he will know that. Maybe he will take £1300

It's not up for £1500...thats just the auction start price. Always a bit of a shame when someone that genuinely wants the car for themselves misses the bargain. Someone else that really wants one will buy it but at an over the odds price.

[Rocket88]

This endless whinging about people having the brass neck to actually sell cars for a profit hacks me off. Someone sees something on ebay which is a bargain [or looks it] buys it unseen, and then re-sells it at a profit.......on the other hand, he buys it, half way home it explodes in a flurry of bent con rods and papier mache inner wings, he loses his outlay. You win some etc.etc.

Anyone who has the speed of thought to snap up a bargain, and manages to turn a goodly profit on it has nothing but admiration from me.

If you want it BUY IT! The "i'll have to think about it" brigade piss me off, and they're the ones who inevitably start whining when the thing gets sold before they've "thought about it"

[retrogeezer]

Hey, I'm not whinging about someone making a profit! I just think it's a shame it didn't go to someone that really wanted it at a bargain price.

 

It obviously wasn't meant to be and something else will come along I'm sure.

[trigger]

I'd just like to add the dealer lives about 5 miles away from the seller where as I was about 40 miles away, hence the reason why I didn't get there in time, I didn't even get chance to say I'd think about it.

 

I don't give a toss the bloke bought to sell on, I'd imagine most people would of done the same, look at the doctor on eBay, he's always doing it, I just find it disappointing when I wanted it for myself.

 

As. I've said before, something else will come up.

[cobblers]

After I spend MONTHS and hundreds of pounds chasing an annoying intermittent misfire around the excuse of an engine management system, I finally get it just about fixed.

I get round to painting the car and settle down to the (usually short lived) feeling of "car is about sorted" and then in the space of 25 miles the gearbox goes from having a little whine (the kind of noise you aren't sure whether its just "what they do") to sounding like the diff on a transit pickup 500kg overweight full of iron gates and washing machines being driven by men with no teeth or bank accounts. It's fucked.

[Rocket88]

Sorry chaps, reading my last post again makes me realise it was a bit strong.apologies.........

[Jon]

Bloody AccuRead!

 

Was in my kitchen whipping up a tasty batch of stew when I hear a fumbling outside. The AccuRead meter reader's trying in vain to read my gas meter, despite the fact that the Imp's parked alongside it, with less than a 2 inch gap between them. He hadn't thought to knock on the door and had assumed the car wouldn't move "because it's so old". Despite it being taxed. I don't park like that to annoy them, it's the only way to leave access for next door to get their wheelybin out to be emptied (joys of terraced housing).

 

Last year my Imp got its wheelarch chipped from the door flapping after being left open by accuRead. Called British Gas and AccuRead sent out a rep who essentially said (nicely) nothing could be proven and that my car posed a fire hazard, should I have a gas leak. Nice one. Have called them again to see what excuse they can muster up.

 

I'm all for someone doing their job but not at the expense of my paintwork. He most likely leant all over the car too, just to get to the box, as I have to park really close. Oh yeah, and I'd already sent my meter reading off days ago, paid the bill online and got a British Gas bill through the post this morning. Nice one AccuRead.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Don't worry, these new wireless smart meters will see them all out of a job over the next decade.

 

Or you could do what I did, and use your car to make the meter more accessible.

[Jon]

^^ Nice one Peter, that's cheered me up!^^

 

I know it's only a trivial matter but it annoys me that it happens every time the meter's read. Can't say I get overly annoyed at much but I must have exceeded myself this time, judging by the look on the bloke's face and his profuse apologies! Didn't know I had it in me. Must've been that aggressive knock on the window to catch his attention.

 

Tune in for more examples of how to act peeved over other small issues!

[Pillock]

Where do they stand on the legalities of coming onto your property to read the meter? I presume if they can't read it, due to large amounts of razor wire and the threat of an angry ex-circus bear with a chain just long enough to reach the meter, they just pop you out a card to submit your own reading? If so I'd just make the box obviously unopenable, like gaffer tape all round it.

 

As for the fire risk, that's bollocks. What about my ma, who has a freezer rammed up against her meter considering it's inside the flipping house.... but never gets a word of complaint from meter-ready-man. And mine used to be at the back of the plate cupboard, reading it involved emptying the cupboard and then being double-jointed.

[Cavcraft]

Volkswagen:

 

How about fitting a pollen filter to a Passat which you cleverly get to exit under the driver's seat? That way when the bog roll quality filter seal fucks up you can turn the rear floor into a fucking swimming pool.

 

However that's probably not quite enough in the 'clever ideas' department so maybe make an interior heater out of a 1970's paper lamp shade so the cunting thing packs up every twenty twatting yards before expiring altogether because the bushes are made out of cheese?

[chaseracer]

Sorry chaps, reading my last post again makes me realise it was a bit strong.apologies.........

No, you make a valid point.

 

A few years back, I rescued a French-registered 2CV van that was about to go to the scrapper because the owner was emigrating and didn't pull his finger out quick enough. I made him a cheeky offer and we settled on something slightly less cheeky but still very cheap. Into the garage with a view to tarting it up and selling it on.

 

I showed the pictures to a mate whose missus wanted a van; she saw it and bought it for three times what I'd paid five days earlier. I kept the spares that had come with it. She restored it, used it for a couple of years, then moved it on for three times what she'd paid.

 

I bought an XM with the proceeds (later also sold for a profit); the van provided work for a restoration company, and was later used to market another firm. Everybody happy

[Father Ted]

Don't worry, these new wireless smart meters will see them all out of a job over the next decade.

I wonder - we had one of these:

For about 8 years, then one day the gas board came to read it and discovered the battery had died.

Then they discovered that this meant the memory was wiped, which meant they had to "guestimate" my meter reading. Then they discovered that they couldnt get batteries for it any more, then they took it out an put one of these back in.

 

I thought meters were supposed to be replaced every 10 years anyway? Im still on my original Norweb Federation Electricity meter from 16 years ago.

[Polystratus]

 

I thought meters were supposed to be replaced every 10 years anyway? Im still on my original Norweb Federation Electricity meter from 16 years ago.

Depends - most domestic meters have a 20 year certification period, its non-domestic meters that usually have a 10 year one. We still have 1974 English Electric one.

[Gompo]

Sorry - I dont want to start the arguement again Trigger, but I cant really believe you called that dealer a cunt just for buying that Cortina! I know you're annoyed but as others have said you cant expect a potential bargain 'classic' Ford to hang about. Atleast he paid the asking price.

 

It's not exactly a million miles from buying a Mk1 Golf from France and selling it over here. Yes it was a lot closer to him but £500 mark up isnt that much.

[Father Ted]

We still have 1974 English Electric one.

Autoshite does Elecky Meters.

 

Nearly tax exempt yours is!

[barrett]

Hi xbollox. Try Garrets scrap yard in Nantwich. I know the 929 estate that Count Pandamonium had got weighed in there. Nothing to do with me but I know the fella that weighed it in

From the RR stacklight thread... I thought it was a right solid old bus

[seth]

Filler.

 

Or more to the point the act of filling. Its just an arse! Finally got around to tidying up the welded repairs I did to the Hillman's front wings last year. It just seems to take so freakin' long and I never seem to have enough time to get to a stage where I consider it finished before having to put some paint on in case of rain. Just put some top coat on, in the half dark. I'll see what it all looks like tomorrow

[Rocket88]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Try the "clingfilm sculpture" method. Mix approx how much you'll need, transfer to clingfilm, and bosh it on. Mould to shape..............

[trigger]

Gompo - I don't think i did call him a cunt did i? I was just pee'd that i had a chance of buying a car that i've always wanted at a price that mean't i could afford to respray it (something that it needs) only to lose out to someone trying to make some tax free profit from it.

 

Don't give a toss now anyway, got my eye on a Volvo Amazon now instead.

 

And yes, i thought the same thing about that Golf as well.

[boobydoo]

 

Nice little Renault 9 bought at auction on July 10th for £530.

 

Hey presto! It appears on ebay a week later with a reserve no doubt higher than £530. Claims his daughter doesnt like it...might be an idea to take her with you next time then.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1987-RENAULT-9-BO ... 45f4203643

[ashmicro]

^^^^^^ Another mong who doesn't know what "full MOT means". In this case, it runs out in November.

[seth]

^^^^^^ Another mong who doesn't know what "full MOT means". In this case, it runs out in November.

Not it doesn't. The tax runs out in November. Seems like a genuine-ish enough sale to me even if the bloke is 0 rated. Why bother making aup a story about a daughter not liking it? Its not the sort of car he's suddenly going to turn a massive profit on (like Triggers Cortina)

[Marshall]

 

As for the fire risk, that's bollocks. What about my ma, who has a freezer rammed up against her meter considering it's inside the flipping house.... but never gets a word of complaint from meter-ready-man. And mine used to be at the back of the plate cupboard, reading it involved emptying the cupboard and then being double-jointed.

Isnt the gas isolation valve in the meter cupboard? What happens if there is a fire?

 

They may have a valid point.

[gearoil]

PIKEY KIDS.

 

Some sort of gathering for the underclass in Edinburgh at the moment, fucking transit pick ups and caravans everywhere.

 

We are in one of 7 units that share a large open yard. We have a beeper that goes off when someone comes in our warehouse door, stuck my head out the office door to see if its a courier or delivery but no - its a group or about 10 kids aged 6 - 16. The one who ventured in turns and scoots after seeing me, I say nowt and go back to my desk. They take it in turn to come in the door getting further inside, so again saying nowt walk into the warehouse and pull the shutter over to cries from them 'oh I'm so fuckin sorry...' Meh, kids, PITA they'll fuck off soon enough.

 

Fast forward about 10 mins and I'm out in the warehouse working, I can hear them outside fucking about then I hear the clicking of a ratchet strap being undone and CLANG!!! - I have about 8 cages of gas from BOC outside, the little turds are nicking the straps & the cylinders fall out, race out to see a lad of about 10 skillfully rolling the strap up and in my best fuck off voice tell him to put it down. Nip back inside to open the shutter and get the forklift out and they scarper. Cunts! Cylinders everywhere...

 

Not just that, they've gobbed all over the van windscreen, fag ends everywhere, a bottle of cheap piss cider, and some little fuck DECLAN BLYTH has seen fit to write his name all over the front of the building. And! the fucking big boss is coming up from down south on Monday, so guess what we'll be cleaning up tomorrow....

 

They must have been there 25mins tops. Twenty five fucking minutes! Destructive, vandal, pikey, gyppo cunts. No doubt now they've been inside, they can report back to the elders and I'll end up with the 3a.m call from the alarm people.

 

If I see any of them on the way home tonight I'm going to mount the pavement and, erm.... No need to thank me, just looking out for you all...

 

 

.

[trigger]

Just had a email in regards in a advert on pistonheads for me BMW I've forgotten about.

 

To whom it may concern, I am from Hong Kong. I am very interested in your BMW 1602. Due to my dad drove a exactly Mercedes when he was young.

Could you send me some additional information, as the following: - What is the mileage of the car?- How is the condition of the engine and the bottom of the car?- Is the painting of the car is original (stock) or repaint?- Is there any rust on the car?- Is there any leaking problem?- History of the car- Recent test result

Since I’m going to import the regarding car to Hong Kong, that will be cost me a lot on the shipping plus the import tax.I am really really interested in your car, would you please lower the price for me in this case? If anything, please feel free to contact me.I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks & best regards Justin Chan

 

What a load of old bollocks, Does this sound like spam?, Does to me and why would you discount a car because someone wants to export it?.

[AlsoMike]

would you discount a car because someone wants to export it?.

Same reason you'd knock some off because the lazy turd is coming a long way (within this country) to view your car. I had some twat try that when I was selling my Golf, like I should cover his fuel costs or something. NOBBER.

[dollywobbler]

Where do they stand on the legalities of coming onto your property to read the meter? I presume if they can't read it, due to large amounts of razor wire and the threat of an angry ex-circus bear with a chain just long enough to reach the meter, they just pop you out a card to submit your own reading? If so I'd just make the box obviously unopenable, like gaffer tape all round it.

 

As for the fire risk, that's bollocks. What about my ma, who has a freezer rammed up against her meter considering it's inside the flipping house.... but never gets a word of complaint from meter-ready-man. And mine used to be at the back of the plate cupboard, reading it involved emptying the cupboard and then being double-jointed.

I used to work for Transco, the gas people. Worked on a team where if necessary, we could apply for warrants to take down walls - in theory, a gas meter reader also makes a safety call about a meter's condition. Don't see how an electronic read-out is going to do this but then they've probably decided that it costs too much to send a man out and well, gas explosions aren't THAT common are they? (known as the Ford Pinto Effect)