The grumpy thread

[IronStar]

7 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

MrsDC messaged to say she came out at lunchtime to find the Avensis has a flat tyre - and the wheel simply will not come off the hub.

Wheelnuts off fine, but the damn thing won't budge. 

She's kicked it, she's hauled at it, she's driven it up and down the car park with the nuts loosened and still no joy. 

Heading over myself to see if I can sort anything - next stop is likely to be a can of TyreWeld and banjaxing a six month old tyre. 

That's not even the main grump, it's that it WON'T STOP RAINING 🌧

Bring a hefty pipe or piece of wood, or breaker bar, or something, and whack it on the rear. Will fly right off. 

[wuvvum]

Just had two bits of bad news.  Spoke to my parents on the phone and my aunt (mum's sister) has been formally diagnosed with dementia.  We had our suspicions but were hoping it might be something else, but scans show definite vascular (frontal lobe) dementia and suspected Alzheimers-type dementia too.  It's more advanced than we thought - the doctors reckon she's been using her intelligence to mask her declining faculties (she read chemistry at Cambridge so she's pretty bright).  I feel bad for my uncle, who's pushing 80 and has already had a minor stroke, but also for my mum, who's already been through the same thing with my grandma and is now going to have to go through it again.

I've also just had a text from my landlady to say that her husband (who is a fantastic bloke and did most of the maintenance on the house himself, even into his mid 70s) has been diagnosed with liver and gall bladder cancer and has been in hospital for the past two weeks.  Reading between the lines of the text I got the impression the prognosis isn't great.

Getting old can FRO.

[High Jetter]

41 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Getting old can FRO.

The problem is that as we ourselves get older, those we are related to and associate with are often ahead of us on the path, so it seems to become more frequent.

[camryv6]

5 hours ago, myglaren said:

Looks like time for a new phone, USB connection is very flaky now.

Have a Motorola, possibly a G2, £110 about five years ago.  Similar ones from about sixty quid now.

I have no need of anything posh and certainly don't want to pay Apple prices and wouldn't have one at any price.

As long as it does texts, has a camera and plays downloaded music that's all I need.  Hate making or taking calls and usually don't.

Have you tried a new charging lead, i believe they make the lead sacrificial  to save the port ?

[myglaren]

14 hours ago, camryv6 said:

Have you tried a new charging lead, i believe they make the lead sacrificial  to save the port ?

Yes.   Usually use one tied to the laptop to transfer files as the Bluetooth is hopeless.  The original lead and charger is no better.

[artdjones]

15 hours ago, High Jetter said:

The problem is that as we ourselves get older, those we are related to and associate with are often ahead of us on the path, so it seems to become more frequent.

Caring for your parents used to be 45 year olds caring for 75 year olds. Now it's often people 60 plus with their own health issues caring for 85-95 year olds. Life expectancy has increased, but the quality of life in those extra years isn't great.

Sorry to be so gloomy, I'm sick of staring out of the window at a grey sky.

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, myglaren said:

Yes.   Usually use one tied to the laptop to transfer files as the Bluetooth is hopeless.  The original lead and charger is no better.

Charging port isn't just full of pocket lint is it?  I've usually found I need to take a dental pick and dig a bunch out of the socket on mine every couple of years.  The amount of crap that comes out is often ridiculous.

[Datsuncog]

21 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

MrsDC messaged to say she came out at lunchtime to find the Avensis has a flat tyre - and the wheel simply will not come off the hub.

Wheelnuts off fine, but the damn thing won't budge. 

She's kicked it, she's hauled at it, she's driven it up and down the car park with the nuts loosened and still no joy. 

Heading over myself to see if I can sort anything - next stop is likely to be a can of TyreWeld and banjaxing a six month old tyre. 

That's not even the main grump, it's that it WON'T STOP RAINING 🌧

 

21 hours ago, IronStar said:

Bring a hefty pipe or piece of wood, or breaker bar, or something, and whack it on the rear. Will fly right off. 

Sadly, even a 1.5m steel crowbar wasn't enough to lever off the reluctant rear wheel. And I had a good go at it.

It just seems to be completely stuck where the hub meets the wheel centre.

The tyres were all replaced last summer, so the wheel has been off in the past six months - yet now it seems completely jammed on. We had the same issue with the rear wheels on the Yaris, although in that case a hefty donkey kick to the tyrewall was enough to knock it free.

This time, with the tyre completely flat, kicking at it just made the rubber flex without transmitting enough force to shock the steel rim off. Kicking the rim just hurt my foot.

I'm a delicate flower, me.

With night falling fast and the rain getting heavier, I elected to just try and inflate the tyre enough to get it home.

MrsDC reckoned that tyre had looked a little soft a few days ago, but thought she was just imagining it. So I was hopeful that it was only a slow puncture, which could manage the 10 or so miles home.

Never fear, my rubbishy little Draper mini-compressor was on hand.

Except, when we went to plug it in to the 12V socket in the Avensis, while removing the satnav plug the tip fell off and bridged the contacts, popping the 10A fuse for the radio and cigarette lighter.

Right, never mind. New fuse needed.

After grubbing round inside the fusebox in the engine bay, we eventually twigged that the combined radio/ cig fuse was in fact located in a second fusebox, down in the driver footwell.

Access = suboptimal.

While bent over in the footwell with rain running down my arsecrack, trying to balance a torch on the seat to see what the hell was happening, our only spare 10A mini-fuse dropped into the gap below the fusebox and disappeared down into the wing cavity somewhere.

 

Well, fuck.

So the cars were swapped round in the parking bays so that the Corolla's 12V socket was close enough to power the compressor, and after about 15 minutes of frantic chattering, the tyre was up to about 30PSI.

That'll do. 

Despite the actions of two other road users on the way home requiring emergency stop manoeuvres (an old duffer in a C class who pulled out of his driveway in a NSL zone and promptly stopped right across the road, totally oblivious to the Avensis bearing down on him, and an equally unobservant pedestrian with a hood up who just wandered diagonally across the road in a 40mph zone, without even glancing behind them to check for oncoming traffic) we made it home safely, if somewhat drenched and chilled.

I'll be taking the Avensis down to a local tyre place at lunchtime and see if they can repair the tyre - and, naturally, get the damn thing off.

Probably a dab of copper grease around the hub where it meets the wheel centre might be worth trying, to avoid a repeat of these shenanigans...

[Tenmil Socket]

I wasn’t sure where to put this so it’s going here. Anyway, I think it was last year that someone on this forum mentioned people saying ‘obviously’ within a sentence without the need to do so. Now I tend to notice it more and it is really peeing me off 😆

I think footballers are using it now instead of ‘errr’?

[Datsuncog]

Incessant rain can just get knotted. This is essentially the forecast for the next fortnight. 

[alcyonecorporation]

WHY HAS NO-ONE SUGGESTED HAMMERING A LARGER SOCKET OVER IT? 

THEY COST 20P AND CAN BE FOUND IN THE HANDBRAKES OF 405S

THIS FORUM: NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE 

[myglaren]

56 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Charging port isn't just full of pocket lint is it?  I've usually found I need to take a dental pick and dig a bunch out of the socket on mine every couple of years.  The amount of crap that comes out is often ridiculous.

Doesn't appear to be.  I'll have a poke with an antistatic screwdriver.

[loserone]

On 09/02/2026 at 01:23, sheffcortinacentre said:

Use a piece of UV resistant perspex my racer side windows have been in 8 years with no yellowing & it's out in all weathers 

Please tell me this is in daily use on the road

[Tickman]

43 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

 

Sadly, even a 1.5m steel crowbar wasn't enough to lever off the reluctant rear wheel. And I had a good go at it.

It just seems to be completely stuck where the hub meets the wheel centre.

The tyres were all replaced last summer, so the wheel has been off in the past six months - yet now it seems completely jammed on. We had the same issue with the rear wheels on the Yaris, although in that case a hefty donkey kick to the tyrewall was enough to knock it free.

This time, with the tyre completely flat, kicking at it just made the rubber flex without transmitting enough force to shock the steel rim off. Kicking the rim just hurt my foot.

I'm a delicate flower, me.

With night falling fast and the rain getting heavier, I elected to just try and inflate the tyre enough to get it home.

MrsDC reckoned that tyre had looked a little soft a few days ago, but thought she was just imagining it. So I was hopeful that it was only a slow puncture, which could manage the 10 or so miles home.

Never fear, my rubbishy little Draper mini-compressor was on hand.

Except, when we went to plug it in to the 12V socket in the Avensis, while removing the satnav plug the tip fell off and bridged the contacts, popping the 10A fuse for the radio and cigarette lighter.

Right, never mind. New fuse needed.

After grubbing round inside the fusebox in the engine bay, we eventually twigged that the combined radio/ cig fuse was in fact located in a second fusebox, down in the driver footwell.

Access = suboptimal.

While bent over in the footwell with rain running down my arsecrack, trying to balance a torch on the seat to see what the hell was happening, our only spare 10A mini-fuse dropped into the gap below the fusebox and disappeared down into the wing cavity somewhere.

 

Well, fuck.

So the cars were swapped round in the parking bays so that the Corolla's 12V socket was close enough power the compressor, and after about 15 minutes of frantic running, the tyre was up to about 30PSI.

Despite the actions of two other road users on the way home requiring emergency stop manoeuvres (an old duffer in a C class who pulled out of his driveway in a NSL zone and promptly stopped right across the road, totally oblivious to the Avensis bearing down on him, and an equally unobservant pedestrian with a hood up who just wandered diagonally across the road in a 40mph zone, without even glancing behind them to check for oncoming traffic) we made it home safely, if somewhat drenched and chilled.

I'll be taking the Avensis down to a local tyre place at lunchtime and see if they can repair the tyre - and, naturally, get the damn thing off.

Probably a dab of copper grease around the hub where it meets the wheel centre might be worth trying, to avoid a repeat of these shenanigans...

This is what I did in the past with the same issue, worked perfectly.

 

[horriblemercedes]

35 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I wasn’t sure where to put this so it’s going here. Anyway, I think it was last year that someone on this forum mentioned people saying ‘obviously’ within a sentence without the need to do so. Now I tend to notice it more and it is really peeing me off 😆

I think footballers are using it now instead of ‘errr’?

I notice it a lot too. Or saying "obviously" about something that's not obvious.

 

I spoke to someone last year who said "Obviously, I live in Stafford."

 

In context, this was in no way obvious at that time.

[Datsuncog]

17 minutes ago, Tickman said:

This is what I did in the past with the same issue, worked perfectly.

 

A towing strap is something I really ought to keep in the back - that's a good shout. 

Access last night wasn't the very best; the Avensis was parked up close to a thorn hedge and the works car park was pretty full.

By the time place emptied out, I was done with negotiating... 

Currently down at the tyre place; the rear had softened a bit since last night but wasn't completely flat, but the front offside was also looking a bit underinflated this morning. 

Wonder if there were some nails spilled on the road or something; let's see how this goes. 

[Datsuncog]

UPDATE: there is indeed a nail in the front tyre; it's currently under repair. 

The rear tyre apparently has nothing wrong with it - the tyre place reckon that the wheel itself is suddenly too rusty to hold pressure, and so will require a replacement rim. 

Now, I'm a bit surprised by this assertion, as this means it went from fully driveable (if maybe a bit soft) at 8am to completely flat by 1pm.

It's also been totally fine between being fitted last June and yesterday. 

I've asked them to throw the spare on the rear nearside for now, and I'll investigate further... 

[comfortablynumb]

I'd get them to pull the tyre off @Datsuncog and sort the rim out myself.

IME tyre shops aren't much cop at that sort of work anyway 😕 

[Datsuncog]

I've left it on for now - as the car's in daily use I'd sooner have a spare that's gradually losing air than no spare at all!

I'll get it fully inflated later and then spray a bit of soap solution around the bead, and see if I can see anything untoward.

The steel rims are pretty scruffy behind the plastic trims - but it seems to be pretty superficial surface rust.

I'm just a bit sceptical as the tyre went from apparently fine to completely pancake-flat within a four-hour window yesterday.

Yet when I used the compressor last night to reinflate it, and drove the same route home, it was still fine by lunchtime today - 18 hours later.

I'm starting to suspect that the gaggle of bored-looking kids with e-scooters on half-term who were hanging around the duckpond immediately behind the Avensis yesterday may have had some hand in it... 🤔

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I wasn’t sure where to put this so it’s going here. Anyway, I think it was last year that someone on this forum mentioned people saying ‘obviously’ within a sentence without the need to do so. Now I tend to notice it more and it is really peeing me off 😆

I think footballers are using it now instead of ‘errr’?

Sorry, I've mentioned it as it is one of my pet hates. Others have too, though, so at least I'm not alone in the dock. 😃

[barefoot]

32 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Sorry, I've mentioned it as it is one of my pet hates. Others have too, though, so at least I'm not alone in the dock. 😃

Obviously/ Basically 

[sheffcortinacentre]

12 hours ago, loserone said:

Please tell me this is in daily use on the road

It's a summer toy.is roadworthy 365 , has a puncture at mo. It's very solid , original sills,chassis rails ( two small repairs)  etc  no heater so not great this time of year. Was in retroford couple of years ago.

You can drive the car ( plus a load of other mk3's) in the 70s section of the online game GT legends ( who I supplied all the homologation specs too).

It's pretty much no compromise,if it doesn't make it stop, go or handle it doesn't need it,Must get round to weighing it sometime. Brief spec below.

No int exc bucket seat ,harness,cage, f/glass wings Ali skinned bonnet,boot,doors, plastic side windows ( only drivers slides up/down) others fixed, replica RS front spoiler ( daren't fit original as never seen another one) SCC rear spoiler,boot mounted tank & battery, 7.5x14 steels,4 wheel discs ( vented frt,solid rear) pas (cuz I'm old) 6 linked & turreted rear,3.44:1 LSD. All mods by me 

2.0 8v twink efi (V6 omega injectors) ,Volvo T5 turbo, MT75 5speed top speed 105 mph 0-60 dunno won't set off in wet unless controls feathered, will wheel spin in 1-2-3 off line if rudely provoked in dry.

 

[loserone]

Holy fuck.  

[Dan29]

That is obviously literally basically the best thing I have ever seen.

[loserone]

Please bring it to twixfest 😂

[sheffcortinacentre]

Oh forgot to say hopefully going on LPG for the higher octane & have a 2.3/ 8v ( franken engine for it in the wings) 

[sheffcortinacentre]

When & where as looking for some fresh events for this year. Best £800 I've ever spent building something ( any scratches,minor damage I don't have to give a shit) unlike the others  

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

21 minutes ago, Dan29 said:

That is obviously literally basically the best thing I have ever seen.

Shirley you meen literally obvious init.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

1 hour ago, barefoot said:

Obviously/ Basically 

Literally, innit...

[sheffcortinacentre]

Bangin🤗 bro.