What's made you grumpy today?

[StevenRB45]

When I was a yoof and constantly getting stopped by the police because my cars always looked knackered one policeman checked my tyre pressures. Apparently it was one of those occasional crackdowns they do.

When I had my Red mk1 punto I had a period of getting stopped pretty much every damn week.

At the time I was very much "Harrassment!!" not that I was daft enough to give plod lip but looking back I can see why they stopped me. Car looked like it had been gutted by a hollow charge..it was entirely legit if anything in better nick than cars half it's age as I was under it most weeks fixing something or it was in the garage but looked like a shed.

Will always remember the look of disappointment on one particular police man's face when he went to check for bald tyres to find 4 new Michelins, then having exhausted that angle decided that perhaps I'd been drinking so went to pick up the bottle on the passenger seat, tried the handle but no central locking so he couldn't actually open it...or the boot. Was a particularly fun stop that one, to quote I'd been stopped for "putting two wheels in a white box" this particular white box was worn off the road was it had been painted against the flow of the road so if you followed the smooth line round the corner you clipped it and everyone did. Also having a car "that leaned when it went round corners". They got the breathalyser out and everything, trying to trip me up to the point where I yawned he said "what you tired for?" I said "well it is late" then he shot back with "is it?" to which given it was 1:30 in the morning the only answer that seemed to fit was "yes"

As it was I the bottle was coke so I unlocked the door for him as there was no point hiding cos I knew I was sober and the car was right. Wished them a nice evening and better luck next time..


But it started getting annoying after a while getting a fix it ticket for a blown rear bulb so it needed to get inspected when I'd offered to change it road side (had packs of spares in fact I still do cos that car blew bulbs for fun). Every once in a while I'll get some tools out and find a 15 year old spare bulb for a punto lying around.

I know exactly why I was getting stopped though...**** looking car, being driven with vigour on the roads in the early hours, driving back from somewhere quite well known for drugs and drinking.

 

[Paddynabs]

Car insurance time. It's gone up again!
I'm a 46 year man ffs. I should be paying nothing!

Been on all the websites and can't find it cheaper. It should be going down this year as I bet there has been no crashes since February.

 

[dave]

Car insurance time. It's gone up again!
I'm a 46 year man ffs. I should be paying nothing!

Been on all the websites and can't find it cheaper. It should be going down this year as I bet there has been no crashes since February.

admirial gave £25 back for lack of people claiming during lockdown they said.
They have just put £25 on my renewal :chin:

when you get to 50 is the next age for reduction, because people over 50 less likely to stop when they hit a parked car so less claims

 

[SB1500]

All this talk during the week about alloys and I foolishly made my first and only chip on them by being too close to a kerb at a roundabout ... grumpy isn’t the word.

 

[StevenRB45]

Have a none turbo C3 today as it's time for year 3 service and MOT.

How do people live like this? I've not missed a gear in years...First thing I did miss 3rd..twice. That and the clutch bites much higher than the turbo one so keep pulling away at 4k rpm. I suppose at least I'm not going to stall it...

It also has built in Nav...which is annoying because the car defaults to it and requires you to select android auto. No Citroen I do not want to use your crap tom tom thank you, this is why we didn't bother paying for it on our car.

Of course the crowning turd, 42mpg which is what the turbo gets if you thrash it but getting that driving normally.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Renewal for house insurance came in - big well known provider - substantially more than last year. Went on Compare the Market and turned up a quote - with another big name provider - substantially less than the quote for identical cover. Last night rang up the old provider to tell them we wouldn't be renewing with them and I'm cancelling the standing order. Why didn't you contact us, said the voice on the 'phone. We'd have done a much cheaper quote for you. Please can you tell me how I was supposed to know that? Anyway, if they can't be "honest" enough to offer me their best deal at renewal time then I don't see how they can expect me to remain loyal to them. So, directly as a consequence of their attempted deception, they've lost this customer.

Ps. got Baby Oleg meerkat too, which has delighted Mrs J who will give it to the new baby!

 

[SB1500]

Have a none turbo C3 today as it's time for year 3 service and MOT.

How do people live like this? I've not missed a gear in years...First thing I did miss 3rd..twice. That and the clutch bites much higher than the turbo one so keep pulling away at 4k rpm. I suppose at least I'm not going to stall it...

It also has built in Nav...which is annoying because the car defaults to it and requires you to select android auto. No Citroen I do not want to use your crap tom tom thank you, this is why we didn't bother paying for it on our car.

Of course the crowning turd, 42mpg which is what the turbo gets if you thrash it but getting that driving normally.

Though I'm used to it and it is 'fine', last week when I drove the Panda Pop 1.2 in the family (just to feel the difference) I much preferred the Fiat's clutch over the DS. I think it was you who put it this way on here a while back "the DS has a biting point on the cluthc somewhere near the headliner" - or something, and it's true!


I assume the C3 probably even now has the same gearbox as the DS, or some variation of it?

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Though I'm used to it and it is 'fine', last week when I drove the Panda Pop 1.2 in the family (just to feel the difference) I much preferred the Fiat's clutch over the DS. I think it was you who put it this way on here a while back "the DS has a biting point on the cluthc somewhere near the headliner" - or something, and it's true!


I assume the C3 probably even now has the same gearbox as the DS, or some variation of it?

Come back in a years time and do the same again, it’s likely that you’re more comfortable with the panda after years of driving a Panda making the DS feel slightly more alien, after driving and having gotten very much used to the DS after a year it would be interesting to see if your views stay the same.

As time goes by the feel of a clutch becomes largely unnoticed unless there is something really wrong with it

 

[StevenRB45]

As Andy says it comes with familiarity mainly.

PSA clutches do bite high, though so they can be more tiring in traffic than just moving moving your left foot a small amount. For some reason I never did figure out it always made 3 toes on my left foot go numb after about 20 minutes as well which didn't help my relationship with the DS3 either.

Theoretically both C3s have the same gearbox, ours being an early, none GPF, 110 has a 5 speed which is shared with base model DS3s and C3s. Except it has insane ratios for a petrol when paired with the turbo..5th pulls 2600rpm at 70. An old school supermini would pull more like 3500-3600. There's either adjustment or ours has worn differently as clutch bites half way up and although long the gearbox isn't notchy which the courtesy car was so odd one.

Later cars have a GPF, some extra goodies and a 6 speed that would also be shared with the DS3. They are slower and heavier than the older 5 speed models though.

You get used to things. Portland Bill on here had a hell of job with an 82 C3, in reality I don't like the lack of power but could live it because unlike him (or more likely his students) I know what to do to mitigate the body roll and front to back pitching you get in a C3 if driven with vigour because I've driven one for 3 years. Still can't imagine a worse driving school car though as the set up makes it difficult even as an experienced driver to drive smoothly.

While I could live with 82, the engine would probably pop given to travel at the speeds I'm used to as a cruise I was absolutely razzing it along.

 

[varesecrazy]

View attachment 212727

All this talk during the week about alloys and I foolishly made my first and only chip on them by being too close to a kerb at a roundabout ... grumpy isn’t the word.

Ouch..

Got the dealer involved with replacements under warranty yet?

On the brightside..
Still got 96 years before that tires useby sticker

 

[varesecrazy]

My grumble..

Time for tyres before the winter..

Bought a cheaper brand ..all B rated march 19
£42 each..all in they have been fine.. covered @10k so far

Back on the same supermarket site:

Theyve gone up £2.. but still the only B ratings at that price point

Book them..
at the 'confirm' point

We recommend 'Kormoran' european.. better this that..etc - more money and all C's

Sales pitch..or what..


Anyway I stick with what Ive been happy with..
Ordered.. paid.. booked fitting.. 0.5 mile from work

4 hours later..
Text message :

Out of stock.. we recommend 'more money.. more C's'..

Sounding like a stitch.up


Im meaning to get some more Contis for my Twinair.. before Winter.Brexit.Covid
Push prices too silly..

looks like its going to be hard work

 

[DaveMcT]

I use a local independent tyres supplier. He recommended General Tyres. The prices were good, tyre noise is low and they've done really well.

 

[puntofan01]

Fiat basically stripped the later punto of luxuries they even took away the EVO led tail lights after 2015. You won’t get a later model punto that has as good a spec at the DS



you’re comparing apples to oranges to some extent, the panda is a non turbo petrol and the citroen a turbo diesel so they will have very different driving characteristics. If you drive on the turbo you will get much better performance but if you’re used to non turbo petrol cars then you won’t be used to using the turbo.

Also if you bought the DS on finance then you’re going to cost yourself a fortune to change it so quickly

I remember looking on autotrader a few years ago to see what sort of spec the very late Puntos had, and I saw quite a few with the same, if not higher spec as my Grande.

 

[SB1500]

"Parking Assistance System Faulty"


*Click* 'SERVICE' light comes on....

Every time I slow to down for a junction and the car think I'm parking I've been getting this for the past few days.... Waited to see if it'd magically go away like usual (always dirt or something on the sensors from time to time).


Emailed the dealer last night saying about it, of course, the drive home and no errors to be seen........... This is my life now with the French electrics :bang: (Though I'm sure with the experience of fixing the Panda I'll be able to hopefully deal with owning a Citroen and the 'joys')


Question is, let the dealer look at it in their '6 month used car warranty' or deal with it myself? They're not a DS / Citroen dealership so I'm hesitant to let them butcher things like covers / bolts / etc. that they might not be able to fix in a way that I'd like them to (without damaging parts that they say 'dont matter') .... hmmm

 

[dave]

"Parking Assistance System Faulty"

usually dirty sensor on bumper

 

[SB1500]

usually dirty sensor on bumper

I'm thinking that tbh. worked fine today again at lunch time, but as I went to park at home, same error...

I can live with it, but I thought since it was giving the service light it was more than the dirt? But will continue to monitor

 

[portland_bill]

Door of the dishwasher seems to be leaking bits of 'toast'.
Looking at the parts list, there's an insulating pad inside the door, so I guess this has gone brittle and is breaking up. As well as the pad, there are two small rubber seals at the bottom corners.

A week ago, I went onto the manufacturer's website, found the spare parts, whole lot £27 including delivery. Both parts showing as 'in stock'. Ordered. So that was a week ago, not arrived yet. A phone call elicited that yes, both parts are in stock, in Germany, and can take up to two weeks to arrive.
I'm looking at a UK website, stating in stock. Surely anyone would assume that meant in stock in the UK. Misleading.
If they'd clearly stated held in Germany, allow 2 weeks, this would not be a problem. So why hide this. They were not coming any earlier from anywhere else, so be honest.

 

[StevenRB45]

I'm thinking that tbh. worked fine today again at lunch time, but as I went to park at home, same error...

I can live with it, but I thought since it was giving the service light it was more than the dirt? But will continue to monitor

Hmm, I'd think that was unlikely unfortunately.

Wife washes her cars on an annual basis and never seen that one.

If you've got a big mud splat over a sensor maybe...

Does it do it on wet days? Wondering if a sensor has a leak in the casing and it throws an error when wet. They are full canbus cars so will pick stuff like that up and put the service light on. It then dries out and goes away.

PSA has a two tier warning light system any small errors that can be safely ignored without risking immediate damage/danger trigger the "service" light.

It's the STOP! light you want to worry about, thats the pull over otherwise it's going to be even more expensive than it already is warning. Reserved for possible engine damage or major brake and steering faults.

We may need a PSA support group thread at point

 

[SB1500]

Hmm, I'd think that was unlikely unfortunately.

Wife washes her cars on an annual basis and never seen that one.

If you've got a big mud splat over a sensor maybe...

Does it do it on wet days? Wondering if a sensor has a leak in the casing and it throws an error when wet. They are full canbus cars so will pick stuff like that up and put the service light on. It then dries out and goes away.

PSA has a two tier warning light system any small errors that can be safely ignored without risking immediate damage/danger trigger the "service" light.

It's the STOP! light you want to worry about, thats the pull over otherwise it's going to be even more expensive than it already is warning. Reserved for possible engine damage or major brake and steering faults.

We may need a PSA support group thread at point

Guess I’d better get it checked out then!

Yeah, I’m feeling guilty about posting so much about a non-Fiat on the Fiat Forum! Don’t want to be ‘that guy’ lol

 

[StevenRB45]

My grumble..

Time for tyres before the winter..

Bought a cheaper brand ..all B rated march 19
£42 each..all in they have been fine.. covered @10k so far

Back on the same supermarket site:

Theyve gone up £2.. but still the only B ratings at that price point

Book them..
at the 'confirm' point

We recommend 'Kormoran' european.. better this that..etc - more money and all C's

Sales pitch..or what..


Anyway I stick with what Ive been happy with..
Ordered.. paid.. booked fitting.. 0.5 mile from work

4 hours later..
Text message :

Out of stock.. we recommend 'more money.. more C's'..

Sounding like a stitch.up


Im meaning to get some more Contis for my Twinair.. before Winter.Brexit.Covid
Push prices too silly..

looks like its going to be hard work

Tend to use Black circles or AA tyres, both seem reasonably competitive.

Got my Goodyear Allseasons for the C3 for 75 quid each including a mobile fitter from AA tyres. Black circles were up 85 quid and had to take it to a garage. That and black circles only had XL tyres available.