The grumpy thread

[MikeR]

FFS the price increases on pc memory bits ..

just checked on a ssd drive I bought 6 months ago , gone from 12.99 to 49.99 !!!!

Bloody AI nonsense ...

[Pieman]

Watching some old Top Gear and a Lexus SC430 appears.  This reminded me that a few weeks ago I spotted a house with about three of them, plus something else unusual, parked outside, and I made a mental note to look it up on Google Streetview to see how long they'd been there, as I was driving somewhere and couldn't stop to get pics.

Can I still remember where I saw them?  Can I fuck.

[richardmorris]

Ok Amazon, which is it? Because I’m home and no one has been.

 

 

[richardmorris]

47 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Ok Amazon, which is it? Because I’m home and no one has been.

 

 

Lightbulbs, not the end of the world. But mixed messages…

[Remspoor]

Tech is crap.

 

[Barry Cade]

Went doon on the ice this morning. Was hardly awake and walking oot to the Transit to start my day, next thing me flask is skittling across the road, and I'm flat out on the pavement. Got up, looked around to see if anyone was laughing at me, and dusted myself off. 🤕

Been feeling iffy all day, flashy lights in my vision and a bit dizzy. Fitted a Touareg bar in a blizzard and now hame. Don't remember hitting my head, but I'll ask Mrs Cade when she gets home if I'm gonna die or not.

Bollocks.

[Pieman]

Trying to follow a court case involving someone I used to work for (I can't give any further details yet).  It's been moved back so many times now, by the time they actually do anything everyone involved will probably be dead.

[MrGTI6]

On 05/01/2026 at 19:22, UltraWomble said:

Signed up to that Testi app 

Is that similar to Grinder?

[comfortablynumb]

39 minutes ago, Pieman said:

Trying to follow a court case involving someone I used to work for (I can't give any further details yet).  It's been moved back so many times now, by the time they actually do anything everyone involved will probably be dead.

Seems to be par for the course, MK1 son was a witness for a violence case, involving the police, court case got moved half a dozen times, and then dropped.

Bastard got away with it 🤬

[Wibble]

Yeti is fixed, wallet is broken:

 

[UltraWomble]

Fuck a doodle doo.

[iainrcz]

We've come on shift and there are machines down because they've been run that fast in the week they're miles ahead of the production schedule. All the finished material is just sat in our storage area till it gets shipped. Which will be next week.

Absolute fucking whoppers.

[artdjones]

16 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Yeti is fixed, wallet is broken:

 

The clockspring probably costs VAG a fraction of what they charge for it.

[Jazoli]

3 minutes ago, artdjones said:

The clockspring probably costs VAG a fraction of what they charge for it.

It probably does, but as I said on a previous post they have these massive shiney showrooms to pay for that are demanded by the manufacturers.

[Wibble]

5 minutes ago, artdjones said:

The clockspring probably costs VAG a fraction of what they charge for it.

I suspect we are paying for all the free ones they had to replace for their US customers.

[artdjones]

Just now, Jazoli said:

It probably does, but as I said on a previous post they have these massive shiney showrooms to pay for that are demanded by the manufacturers.

I think VAG are making a lot more margin on this kind of stuff than the dealers are.

[High Jetter]

45 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Yeti is fixed, wallet is broken:

 

Ouch! Part cost more than the labour! You're not having a good start to 2026, hope things improve rapidly for you.

[UltraWomble]

32 minutes ago, Wibble said:

I suspect we are paying for all the free ones they had to replace for their US customers.

There are firms that fix the clockspring for VAG stuff and supposedly the repair is better than the un repaired item.
Certainly we had ours done from a firm in Manchester while we waited & that was a few years ago now. Its been OK so far

Edit - 2023 - Oldham.

 

[New POD]

32 minutes ago, artdjones said:

The clockspring probably costs VAG a fraction of what they charge for it.

Having worked at Lucas Automotive in Burnley during tge introduction of the 1996 clio column switch assembly, I'm pretty sure it was 10% of the Dealer price to actually make.  Then there's transport and storage and duty and middle men including the car maker and the dealer network.  Its where the money is made. 

Which is typical in the automotive OE world.

[Wibble]

3 minutes ago, UltraWomble said:

There are firms that fix the clockspring for VAG stuff and supposedly the repair is better than the un repaired item.
Certainly we had ours done from a firm in Manchester while we waited & that was a few years ago now. Its been OK so far

I knew there was a possibility of repair but we needed it fixed asap because she needs it for work. She was told it shouldn’t be driven, so she hasn’t been in the office all week. I did offer to swap cars, I would have driven it happily but she says my Superb is too big and I wasn’t happy with her driving it with no airbag or horn, with the current weather.

[Wibble]

On a lighter note, I picked eldest son up from work earlier and he asked if Mum’s car was sorted. Told him yes and he asked how much. Told him that and he said, “I’ll pay”. Of course I said no but chuffed he offered. Told him he’ll need his money if he’s successful with his next venture. He has an initial interview and fitness assessment with Hampshire Fire & Rescue on the 22nd Jan, which is what he really wants to do but it’s not a full time position.( turns out 85% of HF&R aren’t!) That’s my birthday and I’m hoping my bad luck doesn’t rub off.

[DavieW]

Fridge/freezer has packed up. Engineer has ordered a new circuit board from Germany but it won't get here till mid week. Meanwhile all the freezer stuff has been binned including my stash of pigs-in- blankets ☹️ Chilled stuff is in a cool bag sitting on the decking 

[High Jetter]

59 minutes ago, Wibble said:

On a lighter note, I picked eldest son up from work earlier and he asked if Mum’s car was sorted. Told him yes and he asked how much. Told him that and he said, “I’ll pay”. Of course I said no but chuffed he offered. Told him he’ll need his money if he’s successful with his next venture. He has an initial interview and fitness assessment with Hampshire Fire & Rescue on the 22nd Jan, which is what he really wants to do but it’s not a full time position.( turns out 85% of HF&R aren’t!) That’s my birthday and I’m hoping my bad luck doesn’t rub off.

Wife's cousin's daughter has done that for a few years now, loves it!

[High Jetter]

18 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Wife's cousin's daughter has done that for a few years now, loves it!

And she's getting married in June, in a fancy barn with no accommodation nearby 200 odd miles from us 

[Wibble]

11 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

And she's getting married in June, in a fancy barn with no accommodation nearby 200 odd miles from us 

Under those circumstances, I’d just say you cant make it.

[Dan29]

3 hours ago, DavieW said:

Fridge/freezer has packed up. Engineer has ordered a new circuit board from Germany but it won't get here till mid week. Meanwhile all the freezer stuff has been binned including my stash of pigs-in- blankets ☹️ Chilled stuff is in a cool bag sitting on the decking 

I had this a few years ago and cooked absolutely everything - we ate every pizza, sausage and chicken nugget that was in the freezer. It was the worst/best day ever. 

[Sunny Jim]

On 08/01/2026 at 21:45, richardmorris said:

Lightbulbs, not the end of the world.

Sshh, don't let @LightBulbFun hear you say that!

[BorniteIdentity]

13 hours ago, Wibble said:

Yeti is fixed, wallet is broken:

 

Quite unclear here what the labour rate is.  Is it £218 or is it £120.  I suppose the answer is 'Yes'.

Anyway - it's fixed now.  If it's the only bill it presents you with this year then I'd call that a big win personally.

[MrGTI6]

 

15 hours ago, Wibble said:

Yeti is fixed, wallet is broken:

 

That's a nasty bill, particularly at this time of year. Alarming how a clock spring replacement can set you back considerably more than a wet belt replacement. Having owned VAG stuff in the past, I shouldn't be at all surprised.

Then again, things could always be worse. There are people out there who spend the same amount every 2 or 3 months to rent a BYD Funky Pigeon. 

 

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Quite unclear here what the labour rate is.  Is it £218 or is it £120.  I suppose the answer is 'Yes'.

I interpreted it as a £218 diagnostic fee and a £120 labour rate.

[High Jetter]

11 hours ago, Wibble said:

Under those circumstances, I’d just say you cant make it.

We're going, I've been told. I don't really mind, great people and it should be a fun couple of days.