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

[bugsymike]

Suppose you can't blame them for trying but I feel very sorry for those, probably the majority, who have no idea of the cost of these sort of things. I renewed the blades on Wife's sister's Vauxhall Agila - including the slightly unusual rear blade - for around £20 with bosch products from the local factor Motor Parts Direct. (not a group with any presence up here - we were visiting her down in deepest Devon) They were in an appalling state with most of the actual blade missing! she'd have just paid whatever the garage charged next time she was passing. Although she didn't realize they needed doing - a small miracle the screen wasn't damaged.

It's MPD, Napa and GSF mostly for car spares down here these days.
None of them really know me now I am retired, as all to young, but to the Napa guys I remind them that before they were Napa, they were Mill Autoquip, before that it was Autoguip which was started by a guy called Tony Ellis who bought the first trade outlet from a a guy called Sid Taylor in the very early 70s and that I had been trading with him since around 1969 when he had a lady who could mix paint, reline brake shoes and had a good line in Anglo Saxon swear words, but knew her job 100% and got on well with the trade.
Strangely enough the only guy who recognises me was the other day when I went into a Builders Merchants plumbing division for some cistern valves called out as I walked in the door "Mike the motor mechanic", he used to work for Wadham Kennings in Newton Abbot in the stores there.

 

[StevenRB45]

Suppose you can't blame them for trying but I feel very sorry for those, probably the majority, who have no idea of the cost of these sort of things.

I suppose it falls under "paying for convenience" which I can't really mock people too hard given I'm paying them twice what it costs online to update the sat nav. Although unlike wipers which are a 2 minute job the Sat nav is a bit of a side quest.

So far, I've created an account on the Toyota e-store and logged into that account from the car using my phone as a WiFi bridge and also via 5g tethering. This failed as the car is so out of date the Toyota e-store refuses to connect to it as a security risk. Unfortunately this means I also can't connect it to the e-store to download an update that would allow me to connect to it.

I then downloaded said firmware update to the same memory stick I used for the Citroën firmware update. With difficulty as I'm not allowed to plug USBs into the work laptop and my personal one is so ancient that using it can be a challenge.

Dutifully trotted to the car plugged it in...it didn't acknowledge the existence of the memory stick because the system needs an old and reasonably idiosyncratic format.

Spat my dummy out at that point..I could persevere however I may need to buy a new laptop, memory stick or car and god knows which but given they will do it I will happily pay them to **** about with it and either declare it broken in which case warranty should cover the infotainment or update the damn thing.

 

[porta]

I suppose it falls under "paying for convenience" which I can't really mock people too hard given I'm paying them twice what it costs online to update the sat nav. Although unlike wipers which are a 2 minute job the Sat nav is a bit of a side quest.

So far, I've created an account on the Toyota e-store and logged into that account from the car using my phone as a WiFi bridge and also via 5g tethering. This failed as the car is so out of date the Toyota e-store refuses to connect to it as a security risk. Unfortunately this means I also can't connect it to the e-store to download an update that would allow me to connect to it.

I then downloaded said firmware update to the same memory stick I used for the Citroën firmware update. With difficulty as I'm not allowed to plug USBs into the work laptop and my personal one is so ancient that using it can be a challenge.

Dutifully trotted to the car plugged it in...it didn't acknowledge the existence of the memory stick because the system needs an old and reasonably idiosyncratic format.

Spat my dummy out at that point..I could persevere however I may need to buy a new laptop, memory stick or car and god knows which but given they will do it I will happily pay them to **** about with it and either declare it broken in which case warranty should cover the infotainment or update the damn thing.

Got bored trying to update the U-Connect on wife’s Renegade, as Fiat can’t be arsed with old tech, and having to register at Mopar online, to at least get it to update the last, it took four attempts to recognise the vin, then told me what I already knew ‘no longer supported’…so why the bloody hell is it still accessible on the website?!?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

It's MPD, Napa and GSF mostly for car spares down here these days.
None of them really know me now I am retired, as all to young, but to the Napa guys I remind them that before they were Napa, they were Mill Autoquip, before that it was Autoguip which was started by a guy called Tony Ellis who bought the first trade outlet from a a guy called Sid Taylor in the very early 70s and that I had been trading with him since around 1969 when he had a lady who could mix paint, reline brake shoes and had a good line in Anglo Saxon swear words, but knew her job 100% and got on well with the trade.
Strangely enough the only guy who recognises me was the other day when I went into a Builders Merchants plumbing division for some cistern valves called out as I walked in the door "Mike the motor mechanic", he used to work for Wadham Kennings in Newton Abbot in the stores there.

NAPA are a big noise up here now. They've come from "nowhere" in a very few years by buying out some quite big groups including my local SRS. Euro car parts too but their nearest branch is too far away for me to be useful except when they've got something the other's haven't. Dingbro is very much in evidence but they are very strictly trade only.

Like you Mike, my face is not so well known now and the guy's behind the front desk are young and some of them don't know me. Have to say though the prices NAPA, previously SRS, give me are still very good.

 

[StevenRB45]

Got bored trying to update the U-Connect on wife’s Renegade, as Fiat can’t be arsed with old tech, and having to register at Mopar online, to at least get it to update the last, it took four attempts to recognise the vin, then told me what I already knew ‘no longer supported’…so why the bloody hell is it still accessible on the website?!?

This is at least still supported and you can get maps updated up to a month ago...but due to the Firmware needing an update it's like nutting a wall.

 

[StevenRB45]

MOT day, started well with them saying my key for the sat nav had not arrived. Good going for something available digitally...anywho.

We have the cursed object..

It's erm an experience..it is apparently efficient with 60% of my admittedly traffic ridden commute as I was late in after the drop off in EV mode and 60mpg. But otherwise...hmm I was thinking next car would be a hybrid but this would make me think twice.

1mm too much throttle to strike up the very audible 3 cylinder with a lurch...also turns the engine on and off like a toddler with a light switch. Also regen is foxed by downhill motorway hills, if you keep a steady throttle..it speeds, lift off and regen kicks in with a lurch. Combined with the electric handbrake the whole experience is kinda like one of those fun fair cars or maybe a rage buggy.

Quite nippy though, although it should be as it makes the C3 and Auris feel like they were hewn from solid. Panels if tapped have a hollow ring, interior is made of low grade plastic, reversing camera is of worse quality than the one in the Auris and C3, the trim for the boot handle creaks when you touch it and the door is too light so if you drop it to shut it bounces.

 

[bugsymike]

Just had the usual telephone call from "Microsoft", I asked the lady if her family know she lies for a living, to which she replied "Yes they do!" as I pressed the block on my phone.
My question is with all the powers of the internet and phone service providers is it really beyond the wit of them to protect their customers from scammers?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Just had the usual telephone call from "Microsoft", I asked the lady if her family know she lies for a living, to which she replied "Yes they do!" as I pressed the block on my phone.
My question is with all the powers of the internet and phone service providers is it really beyond the wit of them to protect their customers from scammers?

I feel sure there's a great deal could be done but it would cost them money so they don't do it. I really do think an awful lot of the on line stuff, to do with financial stuff especially, quite simply isn't fit for purpose. It all needs a very big shake up and I'm fed up with the way it facilitates all these criminals.