What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[DaveMcT]

My brother chipped the potting compound out of a Honda 400 ignition control module to find the output transistors were seriously below spec for the back emf voltages they were seeing. Bigger components and it was working again. As for cost/time efficiency - he was a student at the time.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Went out to Falkirk yesterday to accompany or youngest boy and his wife to arrange to purchase and have installed a gas fire for their living room. This is the "icing" on the recent extension they've had built to the rear of their house and we wanted to use a company called "Firestorm" who made a really lovely job of doing one for us. However they are based in Falkirk which means traveling across roughly half of Edinburgh where we saw no queues you could call a queue at any petrol station and all seemed to be open. Then, due to Mrs J's dodgy map reading - always an entertainment - we went up over the new Forth Bridge instead of turning left just before it. It's a mightily impressive bridge. Then we ran along the shores of the firth to the Kincardine bridge and across back to the southern shore of the firth. The Kincardine bridge was built in the 1930's and although now no-longer able to swing open is a very interesting structure with many of it's original features still visible - like the street lighting for instance - At the time it was built I think it was the longest bridge in Scotland? Anyway, on we went and soon we were in Falkirk. We returned to Edinburgh along the southern route, mostly on the motorway but came back through Edinburgh via Sighthill so a different route. We saw one petrol station all coned off and one with tape on pumps but there was a car filling up at one of the pumps. Nowhere did we see queues. So seems there is a wee problem up here but looks like you can find fuel quite easily, just maybe a lottery if it's at your usual petrol station. I filled up on Monday knowing we had childminding (roughly a 30 mile round journey) on Tuesday and then the trip out to Falkirk yesterday. I went to Morrisons on Ferry road, my usual "watering hole" and the pumps were busy, I had to wait for the car in front to move, but there was nothing you could have called a queue. So, thank goodness, we don't seem to have anything like the problems you chaps down south are having. I can't help feeling that if the news and media had resisted "bigging it up" there probably would have been little disruption except very locally?

 

[StevenRB45]

Mazdas back.. Good and bad news.

It cost me nothing...yay.

They've also done nothing...Boo.

Whine may be a wheelbearing starting to go but it's not far enough gone that they want to start replacing things as apparently it's not immediately obvious. So been told keep using it's alreet. When it gets worse bring it back...

The knock, Oh boy, well all they can see is the manicat is starting to deteriorate with age. This is a huge bit of metal on the back the engine running back into the transmission tunnel. Replacing it also requires two sensors replaced as well. Let's just say the quote for replacing that runs to 60% of what it's worth.

I think it's officially now a beater, I've said for long time I've said if it died tomorrow it doesn't owe me any money..if I start lashing money at it it's going to, the condition of the floors etc doesn't warrant keeping it mechanically A1. Think we'll be settling for "moves and is legal" from this point out.

We shall see how long she lasts..or it might be getting we buy any car'd .

 

[DaveMcT]

The knock, Oh boy, well all they can see is the manicat is starting to deteriorate with age. This is a huge bit of metal on the back the engine running back into the transmission tunnel. Replacing it also requires two sensors replaced as well. Let's just say the quote for replacing that runs to 60% of what it's worth.

Can you get a used catalyst/manicat off eBay or have the old one welded? Probably a different issue (different car) - but mine snapped off at the weld where the stainless pipe exits the catalyst chamber. I took it off the car, had it welded and all has been well. The welder says he does them all the time. Can yours be welded?
I also made up a much stronger bracket to support the pipe so it should be good for the life of the car.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

My oldest boy had a Skoda Fabia Scout diesel a few years ago. It had the 1.6CR diesel engine which I thought was a poor engine, previously he'd had a Fabia with the 1.9 PD which had been very good.

Anyway, the Scout fractured it's cat pipe and we were quoted "silly" amounts of money to replace it. Our local VAG indy removed the Cat, welded it and refitted it for a fraction of the price. He then ran the car for nearly another year before selling it because it was developing EGR problems and he was just fed up with it. Shortly afterwards I did a search of Scouts for sale to see if I could find out what had happened to it and it turned up for sale in a garage near Newcastle - So presumably the cat was still going strong?

 

[Rocinante]

Found some fuel yesterday, with only a short wait, although 5p/l more expensive than usual. But cheap and unavailable is not that useful.

Tank was nearly empty, as last time I filled was end of October. (This is the work car, used 2 days/week) Got to about £20, and then noticed a sign, very high up on each pump, well higher than I could reach (if I tried), stating 'max £30'. Managed to stop the pump at £30.01, so I tried. Just under 3/4 tank, so it'll do for a few weeks.

Afterwards, several thoughts have crossed my mind.
1. The pump did not cut off at £30, so are they cutting pumps off if the kiosk operator notices, or just leaving it to honesty and fairness? (That'll work well.)
2. What can they do if I just filled up. They can't demand I give it back.
3. Restricting quantity means I have to refill sooner. That creates more visits, so longer queues. It does not encourage less use, only multiple visits to several filling stations. I doubt people will be using their vehicles more at these times, so actual use is similar to before, we are just creating queues. We're British, we love a good queue. Would a minimum quantity work better?

Then another thought.
4. Why not a tiered pricing structure.
Up to 15 litres, charged at £5/lit
Up to 25 litres, charged at £2.50/lit
Over 25 litres charged at standard price.
Normal price for motorcycles.

Would that force us back to 'normal'?

I imagine used Nissan Leaf prices have risen.

On an implementation basis, the minimum charge would work best, say £30 minimum charge regardless of quantity taken ?
As you say the maximum of £30 encourages people to go regularly taking small quantities, keeping their tanks topped up, lengthening queues, and making the problem worse.

Practically, limiting the fuel people take is also difficult, so people can also take as much as they want and you can't take it back out their car, but a minimum charge means if they are topping their tanks up with 5l, you can still charge them £30. People are then encouraged to use at least £30 worth of fuel before returning to the petrol station, bringing people back in to more normal usage.

Your system encourages a similar thing, but technically a lot more difficult to implement, as the pumps are not set up to do tiered pricing.

Apologies if I'm subverting the thread.

 

[DaveMcT]

My car (with 35 litre tank) starts screaming blue murder about the tank being empty at little over 25 litres used.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

say £30 minimum charge regardless of quantity taken ?
As you say the maximum of £30 encourages people to go regularly taking small quantities, keeping their tanks topped up, lengthening queues, and making the problem worse.

On both of my cars £30 isn’t even half a tank, so I’d need to go to two different fuel stations to get anywhere near a full tank or I’d have to go and fill up every time the fuel gauge reaches about half a tank, so lots of unnecessary trips to the pump, when normally I might only go once every couple of weeks or less sometimes.

 

[StevenRB45]

My car (with 35 litre tank) starts screaming blue murder about the tank being empty at little over 25 litres used.

Mine is similar 55 litre tank...I once ran it 40 miles with literally every read out showing that apparently I was running on magic. Filled it up, fitted in 44 litres.

Think my favourites fuel gauge would be the Citroën with it's rising panic function. Bong, excuse me I'm low on fuel...20 miles later.. Bong, you might not have heard me but I'm starting to get worried please refuel at your earliest convenience. 30 miles later BONG!!! Fuel critical refuel at next garage or I'm going to tell your mam! Like a lot of things in that car...it was designed for idiots.

Going back to the manicat situation...need to have a think. I don't need to be regularly spending money on a car of no historical significance that since it's mot in July has done 800 miles. While it was cheap and no bother it made sense having it. But the facts of situation are we have another car that can do 98% of the same stuff, is under warranty, has brand new brakes, 4k old tyres and is cheaper to run.

Less sentimental value obviously, but makes sense to actually sack it off while it has 10 months mot and is freshly serviced.

 

[varesecrazy]

My fatherin law lives opposite the village garage..
He went to fill his car..as he is doing a big trip next week

Pulls onto forecourt.. waits as a bloke finishes putting unleaded into his car and wanders in to pay

Father.in.law moves forward to get his fuel

The pump displays the last customer bought

ONE POUND 82PENCE of unleaded..

Queueing for queueing's sake

Ive managed to get my £25 a weeks unleaded locally.. but no Diesel around for days

 

[varesecrazy]

BIG occasion last week

My 1st proper car work in 4 years.. and my 1st twinair oil change

In the 3 weeks prior I had found most of my kit..

Discovered I couldnt undo the undertray screws

So had to sort a better philips screwdriver.. then couldnt buy the correct oil ( Early twinairs used a different grade)

Courier took a week to perform a 48 hour delivery of 'close enough' Castrol

Seller of the service parts failed miserably too

At least the part of me actually doing the job went ok

No mess..no leaks

But did see a row of Staples on the bottom of front bumper..

The car obviously had a rubber AirDam at some point.. will have to check 8 years of photos to see when it was 'lost'

Car has got me back to South Wales at least..and in the comfort of
'FIAT with Cruise luxury'

 

[puntofan01]

Mine is similar 55 litre tank...I once ran it 40 miles with literally every read out showing that apparently I was running on magic. Filled it up, fitted in 44 litres.

Think my favourites fuel gauge would be the Citroën with it's rising panic function. Bong, excuse me I'm low on fuel...20 miles later.. Bong, you might not have heard me but I'm starting to get worried please refuel at your earliest convenience. 30 miles later BONG!!! Fuel critical refuel at next garage or I'm going to tell your mam! Like a lot of things in that car...it was designed for idiots.

Going back to the manicat situation...need to have a think. I don't need to be regularly spending money on a car of no historical significance that since it's mot in July has done 800 miles. While it was cheap and no bother it made sense having it. But the facts of situation are we have another car that can do 98% of the same stuff, is under warranty, has brand new brakes, 4k old tyres and is cheaper to run.

Less sentimental value obviously, but makes sense to actually sack it off while it has 10 months mot and is freshly serviced.

I must admit, I'm very surprised that a regularly maintained Mazda could be in such poor health at just 10 years old.

 

[StevenRB45]

I must admit, I'm very surprised that a regularly maintained Mazda could be in such poor health at just 10 years old.

It would say it's not in poor health, if I was the sort to turn the radio up when I hear a noise it's in rude health.

Starts everytime, if I wanted to drive to the other end of the country tomorrow it would make it with ease.

It's just old and needing a few a bits and pieces, the only reason I'm considering getting rid is I have no need of it so spending money keeping it spot on makes no financial sense. It's done 90k miles at flat out, last Fiat I had blew it's guts out at 68k...the Swift was worn out by 75k..for car I've had 90k is doing well.

I'm sure if I shopped around I could take it to a local exhaust shop and they'd weld the manicat back up, and the wheel bearing is just one of those things. Oddly enough on my cars it's always the front left one...I.e. the one you lean on at rounderbouts.

 

[puntofan01]

Fair enough.

 

[StevenRB45]

One of those things...

Having spent far too long in my younger days keeping cars alive that didn't want to live as I couldn't afford anything better, I've got a reasonable sense of when something is going to start costing money.

Last year my "this is going to start costing money" sense was telling me that now might be a good time to move it on. If I had it would have left me with a perfect reliability record.

But I decided I'd risk it for a biscuit and buy out my wife's car (which she loves but due to the arrival of our son couldn't afford to keep) instead of replacing mine which seemed like it would be ok. Risk hasn't really paid off, given if anything I'm paying two sets of car bills (just paid 280 quid for the brake pads on the Citroën, 400 odd for a major service/mot on mine and 170 quid for tax).

Between them they are covering 6-8k miles a year...and she works nights, I work days and don't commute using the cars at different times. So it's basically chucking money at an ornamental item if I look at it objectively. Subjectively I don't want not have my own car...and it has a sentimental value with the length of time I've had it/life events it has been present for.

Hence my going back and forth...

 

[DaveMcT]

If you sell the car, I suggest you get the cheapest hack you can just to maintain the insurance. Some years ago, I went to 100% motorbike while Mrs used the car. It suited me fine. But when work had me doing mostly motorway driving, the bike became a liability. I got myself a Fiat Panda only to find the insurance was HOW MUCH!!! The bike NCD does not transfer to cars.

 

[StevenRB45]

If you sell the car, I suggest you get the cheapest hack you can just to maintain the insurance. Some years ago, I went to 100% motorbike while Mrs used the car. It suited me fine. But when work had me doing mostly motorway driving, the bike became a liability. I got myself a Fiat Panda only to find the insurance was HOW MUCH!!! The bike NCD does not transfer to cars.

Got a plot for that, Mazda is insured on a single payment policy until February. If I cancel it was 180 quid policy I won't get a refund by the time I've paid 50 quid cancellation.

C3 is due mid this month, so swap that onto Mazda policy which moves that to February renewal and let current one lapse. We then have 2 years to reinsure something in my wife's name before the NCD is void so can just swap the policy holder every few years to keep both NCBs valid until we need 2.

All the details are worked out...just need to come to terms with selling the car

 

[portland_bill]

Arrived at traffic signals, second car in middle lane of 3, at end of urban dual-carriageway. While lights still red, a police car approached from behind, blues on and siren wailing, and slowed gently behind me. As it approached the van in lane 3 moved forward through the red light, to pause just far enough forward that the police car could get past. There was no other vcehicle behind him.
Police car, two occupants, sat behind me, staring at my car. I raised my left hand to the centre, and pointed to the right. Passenger woke up, alerted driver, and then the police car moved around me.
Half-way across the roundabout, it encountered a green signal, its lane empty, and paused, confusing everyone. We all sat, until it moved forward and away up the next stretch of dual-carriageway.
I'm thinking, inexperienced driver, and of course also inexperienced using the blues, but if using them, should have completed the basic course. If on training, the trainer needs a smack too, as his observation and planning was also rubbish.

 

[varesecrazy]

Driving home today there is a busy roundabout that tends to have queues around it..

As a got around it .. and peeled off left I was partially blinded by the low sun..
As I covered a few more metres ..I got into the shade of a bridge

Just to see the tired red Berlingo I had been following was now driving along a Cyclepath.. then veered across the road.. until the old fella driving it gathered it all back together

Thankfully avoiding anything in its path

 

[portland_bill]

Quite entertaining outside today, although all for the wrong reasons.
Our road is being tarred and gravelled, so the workforce have arrived, more legs than brain cells, and despite doing this every day, appear to be crap at it.

First activity, a road sweeper trundled slowly up and back down. All good so far.
Then 4 guys with shovels cam along, digging out the weeds and deposited mud where the water fails to drain, creating quite a mess. Then before the sweeper returned, three of their vans were driven along, effectively compressing much of the newly created mess into the surface. Then the sweeper trundled past, managing to pick up most, but not all of it. The sweeper missed the gutter right outside my house, because one of their vans opposite made the road narrow, so the sweeper had to move onto the footpath.

Then come the guys on thier knees, covering the manholes and drains. A rubbery sheet, held down with broad white tape, apparently much less sticky than any normal duct tape. Edges obviously not secure.
This was followed by two guys with high powered leaf blowers, moving the residual dust. Much of which is now over my windscreens. Inevitable to be some dust I suppose. Of course, the leaf blowers promptly removed several of the drain coverings. Man returned, obviously grumpy, and applied more tape around the edges, still ineffective, as one has lifted again within minutes. Their answer when it does not stick, is to apply ever more around the edges, effectively enlarging the area that will not be resurfaced. As I type this, one drain is becoming as big a normal manhole.

Now all quiet, but lorries with tar and gravel respectively are already at the end of the cul-de-sac, so they'll be advancing towards me soon.

I need to go out around midday. I bet they'll be right outside then, with only one way out of the road. Might need to move it early, and have a long walk.

More entertainment to follow no doubt.