The grumpy thread

[BorniteIdentity]

  On 26/02/2024 at 17:40, rattlecan said:

My other ayf’s nephew went to football training last night at a club not too far from us. Some total twat there didn’t bother to lock the barrier gate in the open position. Nephew drives in with two other mates in his car (so 3 up, as it turns out luckily so). Wind blows gate closed as he’s driving through. They were all ok, but it’s a wonder one of them wasn’t killed let alone injured

Expand  

I can’t for the life of me work this out. It looks like it’s pierced the car, rather than swinging into it. 

That’s definitely a near miss. Goodness me. 

[Pieman]

  On 26/02/2024 at 17:40, rattlecan said:

My other ayf’s nephew went to football training last night at a club not too far from us. Some total twat there didn’t bother to lock the barrier gate in the open position. Nephew drives in with two other mates in his car (so 3 up, as it turns out luckily so). Wind blows gate closed as he’s driving through. They were all ok, but it’s a wonder one of them wasn’t killed let alone injured

Expand  

It's been a while since I have seen something that has genuinely shocked me.  HOW THE FUCK are they not dead??

[High Jetter]

  On 26/02/2024 at 18:23, BorniteIdentity said:

I can’t for the life of me work this out. It looks like it’s pierced the car, rather than swinging into it. 

Expand  

I guess the gate swung as the car approached with little or no time for driver reaction, hence going through the windscreen? They were lucky - passenger seat empty?

[rattlecan]

  On 26/02/2024 at 17:57, Dick Longbridge said:

Has the gate... gone through the car? How the hell wasn't one of them decapitated? Scary shiz right there. 

Expand  

Yes it’s obviously swung open from its fully open position as he’s approached & it’s a miracle it hasn’t hit one of them tbh. It’s like mm perfect in their favour. Madness 

[rattlecan]

  On 26/02/2024 at 19:14, High Jetter said:

I guess the gate swung as the car approached with little or no time for driver reaction, hence going through the windscreen? They were lucky - passenger seat empty?

Expand  

No, two up front one in back. I rekon if the guy in the back was sat behind the driver he’d be dead.

Groundsman instantly said he was speeding. Then they all watched the cctv & it was clear he wasn’t 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

  On 26/02/2024 at 19:19, rattlecan said:

No, two up front one in back. I rekon if the guy in the back was sat behind the driver he’d be dead

Expand  

Bloody hell. That's beyond lucky. I'm not a religious fella but I think I'd be nodding towards the skies for a brief moment after that just as a quick acknowledgement that everyone survived unscathed. 

 

[drum]

  On 25/02/2024 at 21:54, Sheefag said:

They've got form apparently:-

https://www.reviews.co.uk/company-reviews/store/servicing-stop

https://forum.rac.co.uk/threads/15767-Servicing-stop-is-a-scam!!!!!!!!!

https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/servicingstop.co.uk

 

Expand  

Dirty bastards. Can't believe they've been getting away with this for years.

[Wibble]

  On 26/02/2024 at 19:18, rattlecan said:

Yes it’s obviously swung open from its fully open position as he’s approached & it’s a miracle it hasn’t hit one of them tbh. It’s like mm perfect in their favour. Madness 

Expand  

That is seriously fucking frightening. I hope he is pursuing the club for damages and just glad they are all ok.

[LightBulbFun]

  On 26/02/2024 at 19:19, rattlecan said:

No, two up front one in back. I rekon if the guy in the back was sat behind the driver he’d be dead.

Groundsman instantly said he was speeding. Then they all watched the cctv & it was clear he wasn’t 

Expand  

I hope the CCTV was immediately saved and a copy given so it can be used as evidence, if nothing else for the insurance claim!  

I wonder if they can claim directly off the grounds insurance to avoid having to go through the cars insurance?

 

I mean I dont think it would be fair for the driver if he had to claim against his own insurance especially if it counted as him at fault for crashing the car since no other party was directly involved, but I dont know exactly how it works when the accident is caused by not another car if you follow?

[Wibble]

The club’s public liability policy should deal with this. Could go through his car insurance but they would definitely pursue recovery from the club I would hope. 

[Spottedlaurel]

  On 26/02/2024 at 17:40, rattlecan said:

My other ayf’s nephew went to football training last night at a club not too far from us. Some total twat there didn’t bother to lock the barrier gate in the open position. Nephew drives in with two other mates in his car (so 3 up, as it turns out luckily so). Wind blows gate closed as he’s driving through. They were all ok, but it’s a wonder one of them wasn’t killed let alone injured

Expand  

That is really not good. There was a young lad killed at a B&Q in Norwich when a similar thing happened, and a quick search reveals similar incidents. Please get them to do something about it ASAP.

[richardmorris]

  On 26/02/2024 at 20:58, Wibble said:

The club’s public liability policy should deal with this. Could go through his car insurance but they would definitely pursue recovery from the club I would hope. 

Expand  

Certainly someone was negligent in not securing the gate. And it’s only a second or two that it’s just the car that’s dead. 

[rattlecan]

  On 26/02/2024 at 20:49, LightBulbFun said:

I hope the CCTV was immediately saved and a copy given so it can be used as evidence, if nothing else for the insurance claim!  

I wonder if they can claim directly off the grounds insurance to avoid having to go through the cars insurance?

 

I mean I dont think it would be fair for the driver if he had to claim against his own insurance especially if it counted as him at fault for crashing the car since no other party was directly involved, but I dont know exactly how it works when the accident is caused by not another car if you follow?

Expand  

Not too sure what’s happening re. Insurance etc. but his Dad has taken him to the car auction today to get him a new motor 😀

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 21/02/2024 at 17:42, drum said:

Some scamming bams in Glasgow have ripped off a friend of my daughter's. 

They phoned him up telling him the mileage etc of his car and how it needed a service. This would be £145 including collecting and dropping off. 

He's at uni on a visa and a bit naive, so thought this was normal practice in this country.

They wouldn't return his car until they paid this bill.

The invoice letter head is for a garage in Enfield London, who are no doubt oblivious to their name being used.

Dirty bastards

Expand  

This is a really shit situation. It's servicing stop. A bunch of absolute shitehawks. I have plenty of information about how they operate, I've seen it first hand, I would absolutely support any efforts to have them put out of business. 

The garage in Enfield is the head office of servicing stop. 

Servicing stop take a booking from the customer for a ridiculously cheap service. Typically £100-150. 

Servicing stop then book the car in with a garage nearby to the customer and ask them to collect and deliver it

Servicing stop ask the garage for a list of additional work.. if the garage refuse, then they will make it up as they go along and sell whatever they can anyway. 

Servicing stop will then phone the customer up at some point throughout the day and sell all of the above additional work. They will use scare tactics

  On 21/02/2024 at 17:58, horriblemercedes said:

Wtf is lifetime fuel treatment? 

Expand  

Crap marketing. Customer pays £85 (+vat!?) For a single fuel treatment, and then every service they book with them in the future they get one included. What gets put in the tank? 

A bottle of redex or similar. I'm being dead serious. 

Obviously 90% of customers probably never use the company again, so they've paid £100 for a lifetime subscription of fuel additives if you like when it's only 1 bottle on 1 service. 

They also do exactly the same thing with engine flush. 

  On 21/02/2024 at 18:06, Popsicle said:

Scamming bastards - did they pay for it with a credit or debit card? They may have some comeback with a section 75 claim.

Expand  

As much as I would encourage this, their response will be "we gained authority from the customer to carry out to the works at the quoted price" 

We have done work for servicing stop in the past and I know exactly how they operate. A customer got stung to a similar degree as above, we confronted servicing stop about it and the above was their response

  On 21/02/2024 at 18:13, drum said:

Not sure. I've told my daughter to tell him to get onto his bank and try and recover the money. Robbing scumbags need their collar felt.

Expand  

They are absolute scum and I would encourage whatever recourse may be possible.

  On 21/02/2024 at 20:27, EyesWeldedShut said:

Maybe one of these things that (30 years ago) were being punted as the 'cure' to running your old car on unleaded.
Surprised to see they are still available?
https://www.spitfirefuelcatalyst.co.uk/products/fuel-catalyst#:~:text=Contact-,Fuel Catalyst,-This will allow

Expand  

See above as I wrote to horriblemercedes..

  On 21/02/2024 at 21:17, richardmorris said:

The £100 labour doesn’t seem unreasonable so are they going to try and claim that the other consumable prices are fair? What the hell is a fluid top up charge when they have charged a fortune for anti freeze and brake fluid? Charges for changing oil filter but no actual charge for the filter? I’d be contacting the garage in Enfield who may be able to take some action?

Expand  

£100 labour refers to the initial total service that was booked. A "full service" which includes labour, the oil and the filter. 

The way they work is that they hook the customer in with a cheap full service. Then once the garage have picked the car up, they phone the customer and pressure sell the additional items. 

I can speak from a garage point of view here- 

They pay the garage just £7 for the fuel treatment which they charge £85 for (+vat)

They pay the garage about £30 for the brake fluid change which they charge £165 for above(!) 

We do not see a single penny from the fluid too up charge or environmental charge. They are both complete SCAM additional surcharges! They do NOT contribute to fluid top ups or environmental disposal. 

  On 22/02/2024 at 00:31, Metal Guru said:

I’d agree. Only a surcharge for oil but no charge for the actual oil. Given £50-70 is a normal garage price, I would have expected £200 given their other charges.

1 hour labour is low although £100 /hr is probably on the low side of normal these days , certainly at a main dealer.

Other items are ridiculous especially brake fluid and antifreeze suggesting they had no idea how much would be needed.

Expand  

Oil in included in the £100. They then pay the garage £3/litre for oil surcharge. The customer still pays £24.99 even if their car only takes 3 litres ... Oil is capped at £7/litre, which means it's virtually impossible for the garage to use the correct oil in some cases. 

  On 22/02/2024 at 00:41, Spiny Norman said:

I'm just not getting what's happened here, are we missing part of the story maybe?

Mr. A.N. Other car owner gets phone call out the blue from someone they claim not to know who says 'We're coming to collect your car for a service' ? Might it be the car's legal owners, maybe a leasing company wanting to ensure their property is being correctly looked after? (I've never leased a car, might this happen? ) How could a third party know not only the reg of the car but the mileage too?
It all sounds a bit weird to me...

Expand  

It's not out of the blue. They have booked a service with servicing stop who are a middle man. 

Servicing stop are the shitehawks based in Enfield, they are merely a call centre. 

The garage is an innocent entity. They get booked to collect the car, service it, and deliver it. Servicing stop does all the pressure selling at extortionate figures, instructs the garage to do said extra work, pays them peanuts for doing it, and blackmails the customer into paying before they get the car back. 

  On 22/02/2024 at 01:03, drum said:

Mileage got from mot history maybe? Possibly the garage he bought it from a couple of months ago? Young foreign student, ripe for some exploitation. 

Or could be scammers who phone 50 randoms per day hoping one bites and have no intention of servicing the car. 

I suggested he contacts the London based garage that supposedly serviced his car in Glasgow to see if they know anything about it.

Whatever, a young lad is severely out of pocket.

Expand  

It's crafty that they pose as a garage because they are not, they are a call centre. 

The garage will be based near the customer and will be completely innocent in all of this

[jakebullet]

Ma wants to go to the building society to "update these books". I try to avoid it by printing current balance from the website, but no, they NEED booking up to date.

Gets to the counter, can you update these please? At this point idiot sister phones up to tell the latest story of there was this horse, and it did a really big shit, so Ma fucks off to listen to the cool story while I stand there with pass books.

The dot matrix printer starts screaming. The queue of old biddies who want to open an ISA starts growing behind me. Scream scream. Oh, the book is now full, I'll just get a new one from the back. Queue tuts and starts waving sticks. Print print print. Oh, I need another book.

Done! Er, she wants these other 2 accounts doing also. Biddies are now out the door, but other cashier is busy doing fuck all behind her position closed sign. It felt just like the time I got dragged to bingo, only without the collective muttering of cunt when someone won.

15 minutes later got out of there without getting lynched for Ma to say oh! it's the same as what you printed out. Yes, you've not earned an extra 5 billion pounds interest in a morning. 

[Spiny Norman]

Don't know if grumpy is quite the right word but I was trying to get an idea of transport costs to get that CRV up to Glasgow when I noticed on his Instagram page @worldofceri is no longer taking bookings.
Hate to be that guy but UOKHUN?

[LightBulbFun]

  On 27/02/2024 at 01:24, Spiny Norman said:

Don't know if grumpy is quite the right word but I was trying to get an idea of transport costs to get that CRV up to Glasgow when I noticed on his Instagram page @worldofceri is no longer taking bookings.
Hate to be that guy but UOKHUN?

Expand  

Oh! thats worrying, the Facebook page says the same https://www.facebook.com/walsgrave.co

I hope that business has been wound up because of a positive thing in life, like a really good job offer to be a driver for someone else or something like that, and that I hope its not because of something bad thats happened! that would really suck

but yeah otherwise I hope everything is going alright over there, I look forward to pictures from the Archives if nothing else

[beko1987]

  On 25/02/2024 at 23:19, High Jetter said:

My phone connects seamlessly to my Kenwood stereo so I can answer calls. It is annoying when someone texts when they know I'm driving as I can read it on my watch, but have to park to reply. It did take a while to set up, tbf.

Expand  

My daughter doesn't know what a phone call is, the concept is alien to her... Whatsapp/Snapchat calls, the norm. 

Which is fucking annoying when I'm driving to pick her up, using my phone as a sat nav going somewhere I've never been before and she calls me via WhatsApp, my pioneer only does BT for normal voice calls! Had to wait for her to stop spam calling me as I drove, ring her normally and tell her off 😡

She can't use the fucking thing without it being on speakerphone, kids today, I blame the parents 🙄

Audio calls are fucking beautiful though, it's got parrot built in. The dab broke years ago but it's perfect on all other inputs, getting on a bit now

[NigeT]

After an effortless 430 miles yesterday the CLK encountered this on the A217, roads in Surrey getting to African levels of shitness these days. Transmission instantly started slipping and (sounded like) drivetrain clunking ensued before I limped back final couple of miles to my olds. After leaving to cool down clunking now seems to have subsided but trans isn't shifting quite right. Bought ATF and new trans filter & gasket arriving tomorrow, fluid is light brown so maybe change will improve things, will be interesting to see in pan. No trans codes at all flagged on obd. Odds of getting compensation from the turnips at Reigate and Banstead council? Imagine extremely low. Replacing a 722.6 on driveway could be up there with Ferrari clutch for pain in the arse factor. 

[jakebullet]

Just got back from taking Ma to 6 monthly eye check at hospital. Man is now describing her as having advanced glaucoma, and says she has macular degeneration. (Didn't have last time).

Sounds like fucking fucked, big time. 

[hairnet]

dealing with phone companies

had replacement sim and on the sleeve it comes in ring this number

if its a replace for a exsisting sim youre already set

err no

rang the number and press this press that and no actually choice of activate sim

gave up on that and tried the online chat assistant who after going thru security and shizz ' what is imei number on back of sim

this was written on the sheet that came with card

no sir thats not the right number

err apart from the account number thats the only 19 digit number details i have

he then said youve been sent the wrong sim - which was garbage cos when ordering it there were only 2 choices lost and stolen or new customer - which as i was logged in for that they knew who i was [/ronnie]

after checking the back of the sim card (difficult) it was the same number as on the sheet

he pointed me at one of their shops - which is trafford centre now - fuck that

but having gone thru the steps of reinserting the sim again (4th time)

it now seems to be working (cant put it in wrong else the drawer thing wont shut innit)

i fucking hate technology

least i dont have to trafford centre now

aaaaaaarggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[High Jetter]

Fucksticks!

[Datsuncog]

Ouch.

You need to get yourself some...

[Split_Pin]

  On 27/02/2024 at 10:36, NigeT said:

After an effortless 430 miles yesterday the CLK encountered this on the A217, roads in Surrey getting to African levels of shitness these days. Transmission instantly started slipping and (sounded like) drivetrain clunking ensued before I limped back final couple of miles to my olds. After leaving to cool down clunking now seems to have subsided but trans isn't shifting quite right. Bought ATF and new trans filter & gasket arriving tomorrow, fluid is light brown so maybe change will improve things, will be interesting to see in pan. No trans codes at all flagged on obd. Odds of getting compensation from the turnips at Reigate and Banstead council? Imagine extremely low. Replacing a 722.6 on driveway could be up there with Ferrari clutch for pain in the arse factor. 

Expand  

A long shot but to these boxes have external solenoids? I wonder if one has taken a hit from another nearby part shaking as you hit that pothole? Seems unlikely on a RWD that a shock through the driven wheel would transmit all the way through to the transmission to nacker it?

[NigeT]

  On 28/02/2024 at 10:27, Split_Pin said:

A long shot but to these boxes have external solenoids? I wonder if one has taken a hit from another nearby part shaking as you hit that pothole? Seems unlikely on a RWD that a shock through the driven wheel would transmit all the way through to the transmission to nacker it?

Expand  

They are part of the valve body that sits above the pan. Anecdotally yesterday I took mum´s Twingo for its MOT and garage was working on a Mercedes that had suffered both collapsed suspension and failed transmission immediately after driving over another glorious Surrey pothole. Solenoids will probably be my next port of call if fluid change doesn´t improve things. Could be that trans had got too hot after 430 mile drive with old ATF, ergo suddenly doing a wobbly. Interior of box has a number of circular clutch plates that wear over time which could also be an issue - tempted to try that Liqui Moly ATF additive which might help on the slippage front. At 174k this trans definitely has more life behind it than ahead but I want the car to at least get to moon mileage before I think of pensioning it off!

[hairnet]

wednesdays can go fuck themselves

and its nothing to do with the ticket in the grin thread

[RoverFolkUs]

Focus has decided that it's wipers want to go on the fritz I think. They've started malfunctioning on the intermittent setting.

This is a lot more annoying than you might think, I can't get them working properly no matter how much I adjust the intermittent speed setting on the stalk

They'll work fine on intermittent, then they'll switch themselves to speed 1 and keep going until they decide to either go back to intermittent, or a few sweeps on speed 2 then back to speed 1

The intermittent setting might then wipe every second, or wipe ever 5 seconds, no matter what I set the scroll wheel to

In a light mist of rain this is annoying because it just drags the blades across a nearly dry screen. 

It will seemingly behave itself if I switch them off and then reselect intermittent, then a minute or two later they start malfunctioning

Since they park ok I'm inclined to think it's not a motor fault. I don't know how I'm supposed to test it when it's so intermittent. Helpfully, the wipers automatically reduce frequency below 5mph or so anyway which is normal behaviour

I'm thinking it must be the switch itself that's playing up, a dodgy contact around the intermittent setting perhaps? But it seems to be absolutely fine when setting 1 or 2 is selected

I'm really hoping it's not the beginning of a BCM fault

[worldofceri]

  On 27/02/2024 at 01:24, Spiny Norman said:

UOKHUN?

Expand  

I'm calling it a day.  Not making ends meet any more, unfortunately.  I did send a message out to all my clients, including many on here that have used me regularly and/or recently - apologies if I missed anyone.  I'll still be on the forum (mostly lurking) and haven't discounted making a comeback at some point, but I just don't know yet - all the balls are very much up in the air at present.

[LightBulbFun]

  On 29/02/2024 at 05:56, worldofceri said:

I'm calling it a day.  Not making ends meet any more, unfortunately.  I did send a message out to all my clients, including many on here that have used me regularly and/or recently - apologies if I missed anyone.  I'll still be on the forum (mostly lurking) and haven't discounted making a comeback at some point, but I just don't know yet - all the balls are very much up in the air at present.

Expand  

sorry to hear the business became non-viable like that, I hope you are able get yourself into a better position before not too long  

thank you for your services to the Shite over the years

ill always be most grateful/thankful/appreciative  of how you where able to jump into action to help save the Harper Mk6, I still look back at that and think "fuck me that was manic" 

 

[artdjones]

  On 28/02/2024 at 19:18, RoverFolkUs said:

Focus has decided that it's wipers want to go on the fritz I think. They've started malfunctioning on the intermittent setting.

This is a lot more annoying than you might think, I can't get them working properly no matter how much I adjust the intermittent speed setting on the stalk

They'll work fine on intermittent, then they'll switch themselves to speed 1 and keep going until they decide to either go back to intermittent, or a few sweeps on speed 2 then back to speed 1

The intermittent setting might then wipe every second, or wipe ever 5 seconds, no matter what I set the scroll wheel to

In a light mist of rain this is annoying because it just drags the blades across a nearly dry screen. 

It will seemingly behave itself if I switch them off and then reselect intermittent, then a minute or two later they start malfunctioning

Since they park ok I'm inclined to think it's not a motor fault. I don't know how I'm supposed to test it when it's so intermittent. Helpfully, the wipers automatically reduce frequency below 5mph or so anyway which is normal behaviour

I'm thinking it must be the switch itself that's playing up, a dodgy contact around the intermittent setting perhaps? But it seems to be absolutely fine when setting 1 or 2 is selected

I'm really hoping it's not the beginning of a BCM fault

Expand  

It sounds like normal operation of the wipers on a car with auto setting.