What's made you smile today?

[jimboy]

I have a confession to make and I deserve all and sundry thrown at me I’ve put diesel, a small amount, in my beloved Coupe :bang: what a complete idiot. I’ve always thought to myself that it would be impossible for me to do this, and anyone doing so are very stupid.

I have no real excuse other than not having my Coupe out for a while, a bit excited I went to the only garage in Inverness that’s sells V POWER. In my excitement after waving another motorist past, I grabbed the pump which was indeed V POWER, but diesel which obviously I didn’t notice. Now if anyone is familiar with the Coupe, they can throw up the odd thing now and again. I thought that the petrol filler part had stuck because the spout wasn’t going in.

Like a fool I persisted dribbling in diesel. I have no sense of smell either. Then I saw the diesel sign aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!! For F sake. Bloody hell, :bang: I then filled up with petrol to a full tank. How could I be so stupid. Back home after a spirited drive, making good time all seems well. I know it’s not too bad diesel into petrol and it was a small amount, all the same :bang:

 

[DaveMcT]

Iv'e ben caught out by Shell's posh diesel that looks like their posh petrol. It was only the fat nozzle that shook me into not pressing the trigger. I then had to go around and rejoin the queue at the back.

It should be ok. Probably no worse that putting cheap French 87 octane in your car. Avoid slogging the engine and top up with high octane stuff like Tesco 99 as soon as you've made some space.

 

[portland_bill]

As long as it is only a small amount, it should dilute well, and may cause a bit of power loss. If it hiccups a little, keep topping up to dilute more.

Here's a thought. Does it mix and stay mixed? If it separates, does the petrol go to the top or the bottom? If the diesel sinks, if you leave it too long, you'll suck pure diesel and go nowhere.

Choices.
1. Run it daily, sometimes several runs, until the tank is nearly empty, or empty it and carry a can.
2. Leave it for a week and try to syphon off the diesel. If the diesel sinks, could use the pump to push it through, taking a hose into a bucket. Or a syphon pump into the fuel sender hole. Syphon pump can be used to remove from the top or bottom. Hopefully the sender is in the top, not on the side.

Go drive it, all day, enjoy yourself. Take a picnic, head for the hills. If you think you can get away with it without being spoken to by the constabulary.

 

[SB1500]

Fitted the new wipers at lunchtime. A quick wipe of bug and tar remover on the glass, if that can't remove streaks then it's a matter of scratched glass (sadly).


Whoever recommended the two cheap wiper websites, that's what I used and had all three wipers sent out very fast for £28. Can't beat that Thanks!!!

 

[Dave lee]

My Surname is on the Pontins banned list. Probably due to my brother Bruce going there years ago and kicking off.

 

[Paddynabs]

My Surname is on the Pontins banned list. Probably due to my brother Bruce going there years ago and kicking off.

Mrs Nabs is Irish so I've been having fun with this all night. It hasn't got boring yet. Not for me anyway...

 

[Cheest]

My wife of 47 years asked me today, "Why does it take so long for you to do a bakery run when you take that damned Ural?"

My response. "Interesting that it's only a 3 mile ride to the bakery, but it's a 25 mile ride back home."

 

[portland_bill]

My wife of 47 years asked me today, "Why does it take so long for you to do a bakery run when you take that damned Ural?"

My response. "Interesting that it's only a 3 mile ride to the bakery, but it's a 25 mile ride back home."

Does this one have drive to the sidecar wheel? I know this was an option years ago.

 

[SB1500]

My Surname is on the Pontins banned list. Probably due to my brother Bruce going there years ago and kicking off.

I don't support discrimination just by someones name or nationality, but I can sympathise with Pontins in having to deal with 'the gypsy community'.


I live in Northern Ireland, and my only two experiences of them are:


1. Coming into a supermarket I worked at asking for change from notes which were fake, and then grabbing money and running off ito a black A4 with dark windows and a part covered but visibly south-Ireland reg plate

2. Being on the ferry to Liverpool and having them argue with the reception staff because they refused to exchange their euros (having checked and assumably saw they were fake) into pounds.


They are intimidating bullies in my opinion, I can't imagine anybody could have a good holiday with them and their kids lurking about to be honest.


But I don't know how people / companies / society can find a suitable way past it

 

[Cheest]

Does this one have drive to the sidecar wheel? I know this was an option years ago.

Yes. The 2wd is a double edged sword that can prevent you from getting stuck or get you stuck even worse. Ask me how I know.

To quote Professor Farnsworth, Good news, everybody. IMZ now offers the 2wd option to countries that require hacks mounted on the left side of the bike. You know who you are. IMZ(Irbit Motor Works)just requires your bank account number, an option on your first born, and the loose change found in your couch cushions. In other words, it's expensive, but the Aussies seem to like it.

 

[portland_bill]

But I don't know how people / companies / society can find a suitable way past it

Many years ago they would have been classed as outlaws, and have lived out in the wilds. Probably many would have been highwaymen. At those times, even petty criminals were often transported.

Now of course, every bit of land belongs to someone, so there's nowhere to 'cast them out to', and there is nowhere to transport them to either. Despite everyone not wanting them in their backyard, a civilised society is not willing to put them on a leaky boat and cast them adrift.

They seem to be fairly closed communities. Does anyone know if numbers are static, increasing or decreasing? Inbreeding may well have an effect sometime I suppose.

They're not all bad. There seems to be a few bad groups, and some good ones. There's a community or 'travellers' (Interesting term with their semi-permanent static homes)near here. I've taught several to drive, as few instructors will go near. Always clean, pay for each lesson at the start, polite, and easy to teach. And the majority of them fill a church in Swindon on Sunday mornings.

 

[jackwhoo]

Many years ago they would have been classed as outlaws, and have lived out in the wilds. Probably many would have been highwaymen. At those times, even petty criminals were often transported.

Now of course, every bit of land belongs to someone, so there's nowhere to 'cast them out to', and there is nowhere to transport them to either. Despite everyone not wanting them in their backyard, a civilised society is not willing to put them on a leaky boat and cast them adrift.

They seem to be fairly closed communities. Does anyone know if numbers are static, increasing or decreasing? Inbreeding may well have an effect sometime I suppose.

They're not all bad. There seems to be a few bad groups, and some good ones. There's a community or 'travellers' (Interesting term with their semi-permanent static homes)near here. I've taught several to drive, as few instructors will go near. Always clean, pay for each lesson at the start, polite, and easy to teach. And the majority of them fill a church in Swindon on Sunday mornings.

That is heartening to hear.

I try to be open minded and positive but have not had any positive experiences with the traveller community.

Many times I have politely said that I don't want my drive tarmaced , my hedges trimmed, upvc gutters sealed(upvc sealed?) , concrete roof tiles painted etc

And no the land rover is not for sale.
To receive in return threats and abuse.

I was out one day and a traveller called .The first thing he asked was is the boss in ? To which my partner replied "you are talking to her" . He then told my partner that I had agreed to sell him the land rover, fortunately my partner knew straight away it was a lie . My partner didnt have any problem getting rid of the traveller as they always appear afraid of women!

Supermarket two days ago a traveller family of 5 all shopping together . Mammy,daddy 3 children. Both adults wearing makes excellent- two kids running around not excellent- one very small child in very small trolley , dangerous if trolley tips over- store manager asks daddy to remove child from trolley "NO" in aggressive manner. What a shame.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Not one to regularly buy scratch cards, but bought 2 £1 ones yesterday (couldn't bring myself to spend more than £1 on a scratch card) and won a Tenner :woot:

 

[DaveMcT]

It could be you.

 

[SB1500]

Yes. The 2wd is a double edged sword that can prevent you from getting stuck or get you stuck even worse. Ask me how I know.

To quote Professor Farnsworth, Good news, everybody. IMZ now offers the 2wd option to countries that require hacks mounted on the left side of the bike. You know who you are. IMZ(Irbit Motor Works)just requires your bank account number, an option on your first born, and the loose change found in your couch cushions. In other words, it's expensive, but the Aussies seem to like it.

Quoting the greats of science there!!! I loved the episode where he (or the younger Farnsworth) was asked how the spaceship propulsion works, he said something about how much of a challenge it would be to move such a large vessel... so instead, he just made the jet on the back so powerful that the ship stayed still, but moved the galaxy around it because it was easier ... and how the idea came to him in a dream Made no sense, but gotta love Futurama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RtMMupdOC4

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Woke early this morning, around 5.30, as I've been tending to do of late - is it an age thing? - and then dozed for a while. Realized there was a "tinkling tools" noise out in the street so looked out the window to see our newly arrived neighbour, from the flats opposite, fiddling around with a jack on his Renault.

Went down stairs to put the kettle on for a cup of tea, then remembered it had burned out yesterday so had to put water in a pan. Pulled the living room curtains just to see him still struggling with the jack and notice the garden refuse bin had been emptied so decided to retrieve the bin and see if I could help him with his car. Turned out he had a puncture and couldn't figure out where to place the jack. I'm not a Renault man and the jacking point is not at all obvious being a sort of exaggerated "pimple" on the bottom of the sill, slightly different to any I've seen before. Anyway, I got him going with that, collected my bin and went back in to make the tea and take a cup - and ginger snap - up to Mrs J in bed.

Back downstairs and looking out the window I could see he was still toiling. Guessing he couldn't undo the wheel nuts I grabbed my breaker bar and a 17mm socket (guessed at the size) and went over to him. 17mm nuts they were and the breaker bar soon had the nuts slackened and the old wheel off. Nice "squeeky clean" spare at the ready, but, oh dear, he couldn't "wrestle" it onto the hub. "Let me help" I gallantly said. But no, it won't fit! The hole in the middle of the wheel is too small to go over the hub boss! Damn it, it's completely the wrong wheel, it's impossible to safely fit it!

On examining the flat tyre it had a very obvious screw right in the middle of the tread band and the tyre is only about half worn so is most likely repairable. Oh dear, I can't just leave the poor chap standing there like this so we heaved it into Becky's boot and took it down the road to a wee garage I know who does tyre repairs. Luckily he wasn't busy so did the repair and rebalance while we waited - £18.00p all in, which I thought was not too bad? - returned to home and, making sure he knew what he was doing, I left him to fit the wheel back on the car whilst I went back to reheat my cup of tea in the Micro wave.

He gave me a friendly grin and a nice wave as he then departed to work. I had initially asked if he had breakdown cover and it turns out he has basic cover but, as with so many, it only kicks in once the car is at least a quarter of a mile away from it's registered address. Breakdown companies must save a fortune with this clause?

So there we are. I've started the day with a nice "righteous" satisfied feeling to set me up for the day. He's only had that car for about 9 months and he's telling me and he bought it from a garage with a 6 month guarantee so he seemed reluctant to go back to them but I've told him I think he should ring them and see if they'll get a "proper" spare for him. It might well be that the garage didn't realize the spare wasn't "right" but I don't think it would be unreasonable to expect them to do something for him - maybe one from a scrappie?

 

[StevenRB45]

Always worth an ask, don't think technically they have to do anything especially when they've not seen it for 9 months so proving it was wrong when it left the premises is tough job. But at lot of smaller places live on people buying multiple cheaper cars from them over years and getting them fixed there so might be happy to do it for goodwill.

If the tyres the right size then he'd probably be able to pick up a single steel wheel used for less than 50 quid. Then get the tyre fitted and balanced, if it's a space saver there's plenty of those on ebay as well.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Always worth an ask, don't think technically they have to do anything especially when they've not seen it for 9 months so proving it was wrong when it left the premises is tough job. But at lot of smaller places live on people buying multiple cheaper cars from them over years and getting them fixed there so might be happy to do it for goodwill.

If the tyres the right size then he'd probably be able to pick up a single steel wheel used for less than 50 quid. Then get the tyre fitted and balanced, if it's a space saver there's plenty of those on ebay as well.

That's my take on it too Steven. Don't ask, won't get! but, as you say, after 9 months I think he'll be lucky if they oblige. The other big problem is that the car was bought in Glasgow before he moved through here to Edinburgh so may not be worth wasting half a tank of fuel going through there and back just to pick up a wheel. Personally I don't think he's even going to ask them.

The wheel/tyre was full size, definitely not a space saver, obviously never used and looked new and shiny. I'd take a bet it was one of those internet specials? Stupidly I didn't look to see if the tyre is the right size but it looked, at a glance, "right".

 

[StevenRB45]

On an unrelated note..



Now I had one of these in the 80s as a child..now my son has one.

Although unlike me, it doesn't look just like his dad's car as the steering wheel is modelled on an 80s Ford Escort it's also quaintly anachronistic.

With it's temperature gauge, physical fuel gauge, none digital odometer and lack of stereo controls.


Hasn't stopped him from diving into the drivers seat of the car at any opportunity though.

Keeps attempting to get in then kicking off when it's locked...because terrible 2s.

 

[jimboy]

On an unrelated note..

View attachment 216038

Now I had one of these in the 80s as a child..now my son has one.

Although unlike me, it doesn't look just like his dad's car as the steering wheel is modelled on an 80s Ford Escort it's also quaintly anachronistic.

With it's temperature gauge, physical fuel gauge, none digital odometer and lack of stereo controls.


Hasn't stopped him from diving into the drivers seat of the car at any opportunity though.

Keeps attempting to get in then kicking off when it's locked...because terrible 2s.

I had a similar thing back in the 60s My father was one of a very few who Had a car in our street. My toy steering wheel had a sucker which was stuck on to the passengers side complete with horn and I’m sure there was an indicator stalk, such a long time ago. I went with everywhere when he used his car. Happy times....