The grumpy thread

[Dead_E23]

Given that the standards required for an MOT are not exactly high, it's a bit alarming that a third of them fail.

Having said that, I had a quick look online to see if there's a difference in the accident rate in the US between the 15 states that require vehicle inspections and the 35 that don't.  According to this paper, it's not clear cut (also see here).   Anyone who's a fan of 'Watch Wes Work' on YouTube might find that surprising considering the absolute shitheaps that roll into his non-inspection state Illinois workshop, nearly all exhibiting galloping structural rust and almost none a working handbrake.

[cobblers]

  On 28/04/2022 at 15:41, meggersdog said:

JJ from Classic car weekly phoned this morning asking my opinion on these proposed two year MoTs.

I run an independent MoT station just doing mots no repairs. I told him if it comes in I'm locking the doors and walking away. No nuns or kittens were killed during the extension but you were only supposed to use your vehicle for essential journeys then. Like many self employed I applied for and got a grant to help, there won't be a grant for the year with no work this time though.

Looking at the figures one in three cars failed an MoT last month. Averaged across the country 24% of those failed on brakes, 33% failed on suspension ( no surprise there given the condition of our roads) and 22% on tyres. If this two year thing comes in then it needs to be more involved, removing wheels undertrays and such to inspect properly. This will take longer and because it is more involved then should cost more. Where is the saving for the average motorist ?

If I shut up shop my five figure income tax bill will go and my two members of staff will be signing on.......... Well thought out Mr government man.

 

Expand  

100%. Basically if they go to a two year MOT, they're saying that for the next ten years you'll have zero work every other year.

 

Other than doing a random lottery, if they give every car an extra years MOT now, then next year almost nobody (bar 3 year old cars) will need an MOT. Many thousands of businesses would be forced to shut because they have literally nothing to do. The year after, when everyone now does need an MOT, there wouldn't be anywhere near enough stations to keep up with demand. Everyone would charge top whack and the gov would end up having to issue extensions etc to cope with the backlog. The remaining repair garages would be absolutely overrun with work, pumping up their prices etc.

So in saving people £40 (that 99% of drivers couldn't care less about) one year, they'll put thousands out of work and cause an absolute shitshow the year after, costing everyone MORE in the long run.

Absolutely typical - As usual, it's a completely ill conceived token gesture of a "policy" by a government who have no interest in governing, nor the faintest ability to do so even if they tried. Complete unworkable bollocks time and time again, it makes me so angry I want to grab someone and shake them so hard their fucking eyes pop out.

If the gov do insist on 24 month MOTs, the only way to do this without causing serious short sharp industry shock is to introduce it to cars on a rolling basis as they reach their first MOT. Which doesn't help the potless fuckers that the overpaid brainstorming shithead chucking shit ideas at a wall thought it might.

[sierraman]

The people making these decisions properly don’t even know anything about the MOT process or the statistics. They make decisions that the know nothing about because most of them haven’t lived a normal life like most people.

[meggersdog]

  On 28/04/2022 at 16:58, Dead_E23 said:

Given that the standards required for an MOT are not exactly high, it's a bit alarming that a third of them fail.

Expand  

It's not as scary as it looks . There are a lot of failures for lights which mostly get rectified at the station. Bulbs out , headlamp adjustment or headlight bulbs incorrectly fitted. Another very common failure easily rectified is a vehicle presented with an empty washer bottle or split wipers. We keep and fit  a lot of bulbs and wipers at our station .

[Dyslexic Viking]

  On 28/04/2022 at 09:39, 5speedracer said:

I suspect the average Norwegian or German might have a different perception of car maintenance than the average Brit though!

Expand  

Most people here no longer maintain their cars. Is mostly the older generation that takes care of things. The average car here is now 11 years old and cars older than 20 years are almost gone.

[Dead_E23]

I guess a lot of the suspension fails will be broken springs too.  One of the front springs on my Mondeo sounds like the end has come off but it doesn't seem to affect how it works. Still a fail when it gets spotted though.

[angle]

  On 28/04/2022 at 11:58, artdjones said:

The Japanese test prescribes the replacement of many parts, even when completely unworn, and the costs of that are so high that 6 or 8 year old cars are no longer worth putting through the test, and are sold for use elsewhere. I don't think that's a safety thing, just a way to keep the local production lines moving.

Expand  

Is that right? Agree on the costs bit, but I thought that was mostly a function of the test fee (about £300 IIRC, and as test centres are government run, if you go through a garage they'll charge on top) plus the fact that you have to pay your next two years road tax and compulsory insurance at the same time, which is another £3-400 again. Assuming you might need a bit of work to get through that means not much change from £1k, but I didn't think the Shaken itself was that much stricter than our mot, although I know you can fail on an oil leak. 

[Wack]

Double bubble 

Went to costco , you can now get £50 worth of E5 in a smart car

On the way out , met a roadman 

Walking back from taking the trolley back some twat drives at speed towards me , I carried on walking , just said slow down a bit , it's a car park 

Said roadman gets out , "come back here , I'll finish the job" 

What, really , that's your attitude , just slow down , he gobs off a bit more so I tell him to fuck off, his final words were , just get back in your smart car , as I was getting back in my smart car

Tosser 

[RoverFolkUs]

Focus #2

Set to replacing the PAS pump and pipes today. 

Was all going well, took an hour to strip it all down and remove the old lot, great.

Then it turned to an absolute shitshow 

I'm still frustrated and stroppy so will string a more coherent description of events together later on 

Cars can get in the fucking sea. Ho hum

[mitsisigma01]

  On 29/04/2022 at 17:27, RoverFolkUs said:

Focus #2

Set to replacing the PAS pump and pipes today. 

Was all going well, took an hour to strip it all down and remove the old lot, great.

Then it turned to an absolute shitshow 

I'm still frustrated and stroppy so will string a more coherent description of events together later on 

Cars can get in the fucking sea. Ho hum

Expand  

Take all your stress out on your one then pop round and do mine , thanks 

😬😬

[artdjones]

I was working on my brother in law's motorhome this week and needed to check all the connections for the rear light, which are under the sink at the back. Except someone bolted a safe to the floor right in front of them, for which no combination was available.

Can I say that I hate everything about working on coach-built motorhomes?

[artdjones]

  On 28/04/2022 at 18:26, angle said:

Is that right? Agree on the costs bit, but I thought that was mostly a function of the test fee (about £300 IIRC, and as test centres are government run, if you go through a garage they'll charge on top) plus the fact that you have to pay your next two years road tax and compulsory insurance at the same time, which is another £3-400 again. Assuming you might need a bit of work to get through that means not much change from £1k, but I didn't think the Shaken itself was that much stricter than our mot, although I know you can fail on an oil leak. 

Expand  

I looked it up, it seems to be more lenient than it used to be. 25 years ago Ireland was flooded with 6 or 8 year old JDM stuff, not much high performance but grey porridge Corollas with extra wing mirrors and other paraphernalia.I never understood why the Japanese don't fit fog lamps, don't they have fog?

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 29/04/2022 at 17:43, mitsisigma01 said:

Take all your stress out on your one then pop round and do mine , thanks 

😬😬

Expand  

Don't 😭

Thing is it's not the car's fault, it's the poxy fucking stupid fucking twat of a pipe setup that's pissed me off. 

I know pattern parts have a tendency to be shit, but 3 hours worth of fuckery modifying the shit out of something because they weren't capable of manufacturing it properly in the first place to resemble OEM specifications is what's really annoying 

First the rack input/output clamp was on backwards so had to cut that off and flip it. I'm not fully confident if it's going to seal but can only tell once it's all back together

The union bracket was welded on 90° left to where it should be 🤦 - heated that up and fiddled about with it until it resembled the old one. Again, not certain it's going to seal but will have to see.

By the end of this I'd simply run out of energy/enthusiasm to deal with the stretchy Aux belts so I've just fucked the whole lot off and will worry about it after the weekend

Though knowing me I'll probably have a stab at it before then and become more frustrated. Because I'm an obstinate git who doesn't like to admit defeat...

TLDR; focuses are all twats and I never want to fuck around with their PAS system or any pattern parts ever again

[Split_Pin]

I offered a 1 year old,  mint condition,  quality grey platform bed and aloe vera mattress on Marketplace for free, because, without wanting to shout too much about it, I'm charitable sort of cunt.

As you can see I burst my arse dismantling it for them and humfing the mattress down my awkwardly shaped staircase. The rest of it is leaning against the wall at the bottom.

She was supposed to come at 7.

It's now 25 to 8, I think it's safe to say I've been patched.

 

I have not replied again, but, fuck off and die,  Susanna.

[Supernaut]

Might want to blank out your address, there @Split_Pin

[Datsuncog]

  On 29/04/2022 at 18:40, Supernaut said:

Might want to blank out your address, there @Split_Pin

Expand  

I think it might be a subtle hint that one of us might nip round and take it, to save him the arseache of having to hump it all back up the stairs again?

Had this sort of shit an unfortunate number of times while trying to shift stuff on Freecycle earlier in the year.

A user rating function might help weed out those grabby-hands chancers who say 'yes' to everything offered but never bother their hole to show up - but it's not a magic bullet...

[Split_Pin]

  On 29/04/2022 at 18:40, Supernaut said:

Might want to blank out your address, there @Split_Pin

Expand  

Ah, yes, cheers, in a fit of unbridled vile hatred for Susanna, I forgot....

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 29/04/2022 at 18:34, Split_Pin said:

I offered a 1 year old,  mint condition,  quality grey platform bed and aloe vera mattress on Marketplace for free, because, without wanting to shout too much about it, I'm charitable sort of cunt.

As you can see I burst my arse dismantling it for them and humfing the mattress down my awkwardly shaped staircase. The rest of it is leaning against the wall at the bottom.

She was supposed to come at 7.

It's now 25 to 8, I think it's safe to say I've been patched.

 

I have not replied again, but, fuck off and die,  Susanna.

Expand  

Double edged sword, alternative is you get them to take it apart and bring it downstairs but that runs the risk of them bashing a hole through the wall if they're wreckless

I hate marketplace, full of pricks who punish people for their kindness. No good deed goes unpunished...! 

[High Jetter]

  On 29/04/2022 at 18:40, Supernaut said:

Might want to blank out your address, there @Split_Pin

Expand  

It might be embedded 😀

[Tenmil Socket]

  On 24/04/2022 at 10:01, grogee said:

Minor gripes compared to the punctures, dieselled eyeballs and cunty neighbours....

I love watching the birds in the garden but this is the downside. I swear they've made it a sport to splatter a recently-cleaned car. 

Expand  

I feel your pain. I have a tree outside the house where the local wood pigeon crew decide to congregate and shit on my car 😣

 

[Split_Pin]

We are getting a skip week after next as we are having a thorough clear out. Unfortunately that's where it will be going.

There's folk out there that can't afford to furnish their home and it's chanty-wrastlers like Susanna that fuck up their chances of getting a hand with stuff like this.

[GMcD]

Susanna is probably the sort that would eventually arrive 5 hours late to pick it up in a Smart Fortwo.

[GMcD]

Welcome to the Bank holiday Weekend.

Every. Single. Time. 

[High Jetter]

  On 29/04/2022 at 22:07, Gerrymcd said:

Susanna is probably the sort that would eventually arrive 5 hours late to pick it up in a Smart Fortwo.

Expand  

Bra-less and in shorts? I know the type 

[Metal Guru]

  On 28/04/2022 at 09:39, 5speedracer said:

I suspect the average Norwegian or German might have a different perception of car maintenance than the average Brit though!

Expand  

I agree. U.K. is full of chancers who just don’t give a shit.

[chodweaver]

  On 29/04/2022 at 23:41, Metal Guru said:

I agree. U.K. is full of chancers who just don’t give a shit.

There's also the distinct intolerance of Das Polizei for any modding of cars by cretinous chavs, as evidenced by the convoy of British yoofs that fell foul of the German rules of the road a couple of years ago.

Meanwhile the UK traffic police are so underresourced, an untaxed, uninsured, barried Corsa with cut springs, bald tyres, illegal tints, inadvisable camber angles, unsilenced exhaust and decidedly non standard lighting can be driven around council estates at breakneck pace with impunity as long as they don't go near an ANPR camera. It's these end-of-life vehicles that represent a proportion of the problem, and the MOT is one of the checks and balances that get them sent over the bridge, when the cost of repair/rectification is too great for the potless owner. Giving the scrotes an extra year's grace period before they have to source another shitheap and start afresh is asking for trouble.

#middleclasssnobbery

[sierraman]

  On 29/04/2022 at 21:47, Split_Pin said:

We are getting a skip week after next as we are having a thorough clear out. Unfortunately that's where it will be going.

There's folk out there that can't afford to furnish their home and it's chanty-wrastlers like Susanna that fuck up their chances of getting a hand with stuff like this.

Expand  

I worked with a guy that used to go to the food banks, he had enough money to buy it at the supermarket but he just wanted it for free. That’s the mentality you are dealing with.

[myglaren]

  On 29/04/2022 at 21:47, Split_Pin said:

We are getting a skip week after next as we are having a thorough clear out. Unfortunately that's where it will be going.

There's folk out there that can't afford to furnish their home and it's chanty-wrastlers like Susanna that fuck up their chances of getting a hand with stuff like this.

Expand  

Could one of the local charities take it?

[Tenmil Socket]

  On 29/04/2022 at 21:40, Tenmil Socket said:

I feel your pain. I have a tree outside the house where the local wood pigeon crew decide to congregate and shit on my car 😣

 

Expand  

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

And finally C

 

A jet wash wouldn’t budge it so ended up using my bank card as a scraper 😆

[Angrydicky]

  On 30/04/2022 at 00:26, chodweaver said:

There's also the distinct intolerance of Das Polizei for any modding of cars by cretinous chavs, as evidenced by the convoy of British yoofs that fell foul of the German rules of the road a couple of years ago.
 

Expand  

That was funny as fuck. IIRC, they even tried crowdfunding their fines and the costs of getting the cars trailered back to the UK! 

https://www.thedrive.com/news/28082/several-modified-and-stance-cars-seized-by-german-police-en-route-to-worthersee-in-uk