The grumpy thread

[CreepingJesus]

^In stock, not "I'll order them, they'll be a couple of days".

I asked for a dust cap and two bulbs. Now I remember why I stay clear of dealers!

[Pete-M]

Legal requirement for manufacturers to supply parts is only something silly like ten years, so the likes of Renault aren't going to bother stocking them for longer than that if they can help it.

 

A '99 Megane is 12 years old this year, so get stockpiling while you can.

 

This is why old Renaults etc get very rare, very quickly. Mercedes / VW / BMW / Jaguar / Volvo and a few others keep a supply of parts for their older stuff, but the majority of manufacturers don't give a toss once your car is 10 years old as they'd much rather it died and you bought a new one.

[ashmicro]

The Mercedes-Benz main dealer in Belfast seems to have a massive stock of older parts. One of my sister's neighbours broke the indicator and headlamp on his Bobby Ewing SL, and they had them in stock.

 

Jaguar dealers seem well stocked too, and you get discount of 50% or more off some parts if your Jaaaaaag is more than 5 years old. The new boot vent and drain kit for my S Type was £1.89

[trigger]

Woke up at 1pm yesterday, I've done a 12 hour night shift last night, went to bed at 8am this morning then had to be up at 10.30am for a doctors appointments so that they take a load of blood out of me, No wonder i started to feel queasy when i saw (and heard) it all coming out of me.

 

Oh and on another note the 2007 plate Merc 4x4 thing what parks in the way of the entrance of our road every day got keyed along the whole side in the time it took me to go to the doctors and back this morning, strangely after my PITA neighbour told me how something bad was going to happen to it soon...

[Pete-M]

The Mercedes-Benz main dealer in Belfast seems to have a massive stock of older parts. One of my sister's neighbours broke the indicator and headlamp on his Bobby Ewing SL, and they had them in stock.

 

Jaguar dealers seem well stocked too, and you get discount of 50% or more off some parts if your Jaaaaaag is more than 5 years old. The new boot vent and drain kit for my S Type was £1.89

 

Aye, Mercedes are pretty legendary for their old parts stock. They'll get you anything you want for anything they've built, if you've got the coin.

 

Jag aren't bad either... although the clock for mine is £185+ vat (because it's shared with the Vanquish...)

[Guest]

Had mixed results getting parts for my fleet.

 

The Volvos seem mixed. Ironically it's easier to get [service] and [body] parts for the Amazon than it is for the 480. The only really expensive bits on the former are the front wings and brake discs. With the rotors the high price is down to the fact that one company in Sweden still makes them, and they tend to charge whatever the hell they deem appropriate. Almost everything else - seals, door skins, floor pan pressings, rear axle parts, major bits - I can get from a specialist down South. Although a certain Suffolk company pissed me off royally by refusing an exchange on a front crank oil seal and charging me full whack for its replacement. They refused to send the original back when I kicked off too.

 

Service parts for the 480 are do-able - I can walk into Rybrook in Warrington or GSF and get them off the shelf. Most of the other bits I'm down to the scrapyards. I must ring that place recommended to me for the tail light clusters.

 

Consumables on the 305 are hit and miss. The main dealer Peugeot computer doesn't list it, strangely enough. Body panels are unobtainium unless I start on the wire via Leboncoin, eBay.fr, or that lunatic in Yorkshire.

 

Ebay is a lifeline for me, if I'm honest. Got some utter bargains for the 480 from there. Pads and discs (all Delphi \ Mintex) all round for £60 delivered.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I think Ford are pretty good, too. TBH, I can't see the downside to keeping a decent parts supply- you can farm the manufacturing out to small engineering firms and have zero production costs, your image is improved both in terms of customer care and reliability ("carmaker XYZ are so confident in the quality of their products that they support them for 25 years"), and you could even make a bit of money out of it!

 

Of course, I fully expect that the idiots who ran Renault into the ground before it merged with Nissan didn't have the common sense/business acumen to realise the above!

[M'coli]

I've been knocked back for a job I really wanted - granted, it was a year's student placement but I'm middle-aged and changing career - what I am grumpy about is the feedback. It's not the fact that I lack recent programming experience, nor other weak areas like statistics or owt, no, they weren't commented on. Things like not being impressed by my reasons given for moving jobs historically (never been sacked, never walked out of a job without notice, changed jobs because I wanted to try something new or had hit the limit of my qualifications at the time) and stuff like that. I am now depressed as fuck because these are things that I can't change because they're in the past.

[messerschmitt owner]

I've been knocked back for a job I really wanted - granted, it was a year's student placement but I'm middle-aged and changing career - what I am grumpy about is the feedback. It's not the fact that I lack recent programming experience, nor other weak areas like statistics or owt, no, they weren't commented on. Things like not being impressed by my reasons given for moving jobs historically (never been sacked, never walked out of a job without notice, changed jobs because I wanted to try something new or had hit the limit of my qualifications at the time) and stuff like that. I am now depressed as fuck because these are things that I can't change because they're in the past.

I see youngsters here all the time in job interviews - I'd suggest lying next time!

[Negative Creep]

Following on from my last post, my proposed transfer has now been cancelled, and ive been put on the worst department with no help or support at all.

 

I have now officailly had enough of being messed around and being treated like an idiot for £200 a week. Tomorrow im calling in sick and try to find something else asap

[meggersdog]

All this talk of main dealer parts supply reminds me of an incident back in 1987.I was working at a small village garage between Peterborough and Stamford.The boss asked to go to the Ford main dealer in Stamford (Jessop's at the time) for a dealer only part.Can't remember exactly what the part was but it was for a Mk5 Cortina.The parts manager told me they didn't stock parts for cars no longer in production.Would take a week to order it aswell.I remember saying to him " are you trying to tell me Cortina's are not popular cars,that there's no call for parts for them ?".T.C.Harrison's in Peterborough had the part on the shelf.Jessop's soon became another branch of T.C.H.

[Guest]

If you want high-quality parts service, try owning a Daihatsu Charmant. They can't get anything, even service parts. All part of the fun.

[Negative Creep]

On the subject of parts, i asked at the local dealer how much a can of spray paint would be for me car - £27+vat!!

 

So i went to Halfords, the didnt have it on the shelf so needed to be made up. £14.99 and no trade discount!!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

You can get a 400ml custom-mixed one from most decent paint factors for about £12 (The halfords one will be 250ml, of which 98% will be solvent)

[cobblers]

On the subject of parts, i asked at the local dealer how much a can of spray paint would be for me car - £27+vat!!

 

So i went to Halfords, the didnt have it on the shelf so needed to be made up. £14.99 and no trade discount!!

 

 

Those halfords custom cans are loads better than the normal ones they sell, its cellulose paint instead of the acrylic toss they have on the shelf. Have a crack on a bit of scrap first, because the nozzles take some getting used to (but are also much better)

They cover in one coat, vs about five for the off the shelf reds which are laughably poor.

 

 

I used to mix those halfords cans and there is 250ml of paint that gets pumped into them (Well, its weighed in, usually about 225 grams). They cover about 2-3 times the area an off the shelf can will.

 

But yeah the local paint factors are £10 and are probably mixed by someone trained, and they can put 2k paint in an aerosol which is bloody good stuff and a dream to use, but once you press the dot to let the hardener in you've got to use all the tin in a few days or it goes solid.

 

The paint place won't be open at 4pm on sunday which can count for a lot!

[M'coli]

+1 for Halfords mixed paints, they are very good.

[Pete-M]

You can get a 400ml custom-mixed one from most decent paint factors for about £12 (The halfords one will be 250ml, of which 98% will be solvent)

 

Is the correct answer.

[ashmicro]

Can you still get what us old fellows call "coach paint"? I did my whole R^ Metro GTa with it (from a compressor and spraygun) and it looked amazing, finish like glass. And I'm crap at spraying.

[Timewaster]

All this talk of dealer parts - What IS the matter with you lot?!

 

[cobblers]

Ebay part worn tyres. I need some cheap tyres sooner rather than later, but I am very poor. I really need 195/45/14s (or wider) but I'll take what I can get - picked up a pair of 185/50/14s for £30 posted for one end.

 

Spotted on camskill, "sonar" 175/50/14s for 31 quid each plus a fiver post for a pair. I thought that's not a lot for new, they will be WELL CHEAP half fucked which will be enough to get me by for a year or so until I get round to applying for an actual job and perhaps actually getting one.

 

 

Got ebay up for part worns - same tyre, but with 6mm tread and some repairs - £48 posted each. BARGAIN HUNT!

[Negative Creep]

+1 for Halfords mixed paints, they are very good.

 

 

They are indeed, although very reliant on who you get to mix it, as its all manual. I refused to do it as cellulose gives me headaches. Ive used about a third of a can so far respraying my wing mirrors

[myglaren]

Got pulled by the plod yesterday, having left work early due to the excess of deodorant all my colleagues appear to need, breathing became a major problem.

Anyway, buggered off home and as I came off the dual carriageway I dropped in behind a police car. Followed him (slowly) down the off-ramp and around the roundabout and in the direction that I was headed.

He drove more and more slowly and eventually stopped allowing me to pass him, then came after me and after I turned off at the next roundabout flashed the light bar.

 

Pulled in and he came to the car and asked what I wanted?

Naturally I was perplexed, thinking it was he who wanted something.

 

He said that he thought that I was trying to attract his attention as I was flashing my headlights at him - then it dawned.

Since replacing the battery a couple of months ago - unnecessarily as it turned out - the auto-lights have had a mind or their own and come on when accelerating, negotiation roundabouts and various other random times. Never come on in the dark any more though.

He said "I've had two Citroens, I know what they are like"! and shoved off

[messerschmitt owner]

some toerags stole my scooter overnight - recovered it down the street complete with their waterproofs but they've buggered the ignition, the steering lock and the front panel is missing.

 

Insurance excess is probably more than the cost of the parts - so now looking for a Peugeot Vivacity breaker for the parts.

[tonedepear]

My dad's come off his bike and broken his pelvis, so he's holed up in a l'hopital in Colmar, and my mum's stuck in their motorhome. Being parents, they automatically refuse offers of help, such as me coming out and driving them back so they can be at home and recover in relative comfort, but I'm going to have to go all assertive and put my foot down somehow. I can't see my mum tending to him for however long it takes to un-fuck a broken pelvis in a motorhome, doing shopping and getting supplies on her bike. This time last year his appendix burst out there and that was bad enough.

[dollywobbler]

He said that he thought that I was trying to attract his attention as I was flashing my headlights at him - then it dawned.

Since replacing the battery a couple of months ago - unnecessarily as it turned out - the auto-lights have had a mind or their own and come on when accelerating, negotiation roundabouts and various other random times. Never come on in the dark any more though.

He said "I've had two Citroens, I know what they are like"! and shoved off

 

That's wonderful. Truly, the C5 is a proper Citroen.

[Cavcraft]

Sorry to hear that Tone, hope he gets mended soon.

 

Messerschmitt: try Deeside Motorcycle Breakers, Dock Road, Connahs Quay, Flintshire, they are scooter specialits or certainly were not too long ago. If they can't/won't post give me a shiout and I'll pick the bits up and send them off to you if wanted.

 

There is a Vivacity local to me on eBay for spares/repairs but but possibly too expensive just for a handful of parts...

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-PEUGEOT-VIVA ... 1c1c56b5d8

[messerschmitt owner]

Sorry to hear that Tone, hope he gets mended soon.

 

Messerschmitt: try Deeside Motorcycle Breakers, Dock Road, Connahs Quay, Flintshire, they are scooter specialits or certainly were not too long ago. If they can't/won't post give me a shiout and I'll pick the bits up and send them off to you if wanted.

 

There is a Vivacity local to me on eBay for spares/repairs but but possibly too expensive just for a handful of parts...

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-PEUGEOT-VIVA ... 1c1c56b5d8

Tone

 

sorry to hear about that too - at least the drive home could be comfortable.

 

Cavette, ta.

 

they busted the steering lock, knackered the ignition wiring and some of the panels so it's not looking great - nothing too major, just a major hassle to fix. The bike has sentimental value though as it was the mrs' first brand new vehicle. I reckon to get it right I'll need new column for the front, new mirrors, new front panel, new headlamp, plus ignition switch - it looks cheaper to buy a breaker than pay for the parts individually, thereby giving me a spare engine, wheels, brakes, etc, too. It was in for an MoT at the weekend and I'd just retaxed it so I guess I'll be claiming my £13 tax back instead ...

I saw the blue one - but ours is mint green so I'm now on the lookout for a green breaker from 98-02. Failing that, I'll drop it round the back of the house and go buy a tidy new scooter for £400 or so.

 

Annoyingly, not worth claiming on insurance - £100 excess plus it is supposed to be in the carport at night, not on the drive so they wouldn't pay out anyway.

[tonedepear]

Cheers gents. Good luck with scooter bits.

[garycox]

Lost a wheel trim off the Astra today (one that I've only just replaced...).

 

I hate it when that happens, makes the car look shit. They're suprisingly hard to find too.

[tonedepear]

I've been playing with the herald brakes today (see News 24), but cos it's lived basically ina field for the last year, every time I fucking touch anything, a MASSIVE FUCKING SPIDER comes out. I nearly expired taking one of the wheels off today, the spider was easily bigger than the brake drum, and it hid before I could kill it, so I know it's still there somewhere. I hate spiders, they shit me right up.