What's made you smile today?

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I've been chivying my youngest boy for some time now to do something about replacing his front tyres which are very borderline illegal!

Anyway, he rang me to say he's done it so I was asking what he bought. Michelins Dad he said. I had to sit down with the shock of that because he's always pleading poverty but it turns out his friend, who works in a tyre store and runs the same car he does, got a staff bargain price on a complete set of premium tyres. His old set, which were the Michelins, were worn out on the fronts but the rears were still 6mm on one and just under 6mm on the other. He let my boy have the two good ones for the price of swapping them over! What a bargain, what a good friend and what a lucky lad my boy is!

 

[puntofan01]

If they can get that for it...Good luck to them.

https://www.jccarcentre.co.uk/used-mazda-3-newcastle-upon-tyne-northumberland-3887701

The top looks lovely to be fair, it's the underside that's scary.

The 3k profit should cover the manicat it's going to need within the warranty period...and the wheelbearing...and the new steering wheel to remedy the cancel button on the cruise only working 95% of the time. Otherwise known as just enough for it for it to occasionally scare you when someone pulls out on the motorway and the cruise doesn't cancel.

Oh and the new BCM/getting the old one taken apart to solve the intermittent interior lights (note only 2 of 3 are on). Oh and the occasionally leaky rear light seals..

Obviously it's an old car...perfection would be unrealistic but at 5k for a 10 year old car you'd hope they'd have a go! I imagine they'll have done nothing to be fair..these photos were taken one hour after I'd left it, all they've done is put tyre black on.

Christ!! I can only assume they're unaware that any potential buyers can see its MOT history, so all the advisories for rust are there for all to see...

 

[StevenRB45]

Christ!! I can only assume they're unaware that any potential buyers can see its MOT history, so all the advisories for rust are there for all to see...

They know you can...given they did it in front of me when I took it in. But the question is how many people do?

Certainly makes colourful reading....

 

[puntofan01]

They know you can...given they did it in front of me when I took it in. But the question is how many people do?

Certainly makes colourful reading....

View attachment 220867

That is quite alarming! Do you reckon it'll live for many more years?

 

[StevenRB45]

That is quite alarming! Do you reckon it'll live for many more years?

It was solid enough but clearly that state of affairs won't last forever without remedial work.

They seem to have a natural life span of 14-16 years, at one point they reach an mot where welding is required and if that coincides with needing brakes, tyres etc then at that kind of age most people decide enough is enough. Bit of a shame as the drive train lasts forever but all cars have their faults.

Mine was nowhere near that point but crucially for me in getting rid of it the rear arches were starting to show a bit (I cleaned off the orange streaks prior to sale) also the join on to the rear bumper was starting to show signs of orange as well. Neither of those things affected it mechanically but if you want to try and sell it for a decent price then it's best it doesn't look like a rust bucket which given another winter standing would have been a lot harder to make presentable.

Hopefully the garage selling will address the rear arches and clean up the underside, I was never going to but given how much they are asking you would hope so.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Six warehouse guys from a new Amazon distribution centre, all stood around outside Sainsbury's, all holding their packs of sushi for lunch.

Is this actually choice, or peer pressure?

Definitely peer pressure.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Six warehouse guys from a new Amazon distribution centre, all stood around outside Sainsbury's, all holding their packs of sushi for lunch.

Is this actually choice, or peer pressure?

Definitely peer pressure. Or should that be pier pressure.

 

[varesecrazy]

Want to get a decent distance with an electric car?

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE..!!

in a past sense..

One for now.. and another for @3 hours time

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Want to get a decent distance with an electric car?

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE..!!

in a past sense..

One for now.. and another for @3 hours time

That looks like it would make for an "interesting" drive?

 

[portland_bill]

That looks like it would make for an "interesting" drive?

Very high risk of "tail wagging dog" I think.

 

[StevenRB45]

Want to get a decent distance with an electric car?

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE..!!

in a past sense..

One for now.. and another for @3 hours time

See if it was electric he should be flat towing it...that way you're charging one with regen while discharging the other :yum:

Perpetual motion for all!!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Every year, for my birthday, my older boy buys me a car related treat. This has, so far, always been either a DVD/Blu ray disc or a book, and a medium size bar of Cadbury's Bournville dark chocolate. I eat the chocolate, half a square at a time, letting it very slowly dissolve in my mouth as I read the book or watch the film. I get enormous pleasure from this.

This year he has bought me Tom Bower's book "No Angel - the secret life of Bernie Ecclestone". Anyone who has worked in the motor trade, especially if you've put some time in on car sales, and especially if you've worked or are interested in motor sport, really should read this book, I'm finding it hard to put down!

I think the best DVD he bought me was the one about Bruce McLaren. It's a wonderful film - hour and a half long so something to get your teeth into - which had me in tears in places and thrilled in others. You must watch it if you ever get the chance.

Here's a pic of the two together:

 

[Cheest]

I got tired of getting cold cocked by low hanging branches while mowing the lawn, so Mrs. Cheest and I pruned trees today. Four Crab apples trees, two maples, and two Hack berry trees. Our other apple trees need it, too, but they are fruit bearing, so that happens next spring.

I ran three tanks of 2 stroke and two tanks of chain lube through the 22" McCulloch. Anything over one inch thick went into the wood pile. Anything under that is going to be run through the chipper next weekend.

Stick a fork in us, we are done.

 

[portland_bill]

I got tired of getting cold cocked by low hanging branches while mowing the lawn, so Mrs. Cheest and I pruned trees today. Four Crab apples trees, two maples, and two Hack berry trees. Our other apple trees need it, too, but they are fruit bearing, so that happens next spring.

I ran three tanks of 2 stroke and two tanks of chain lube through the 22" McCulloch. Anything over one inch thick went into the wood pile. Anything under that is going to be run through the chipper next weekend.

Stick a fork in us, we are done.

The destructive force of a chainsaw is somehow very satisfying, as long as it is not you that is being chopped up.
Then, a chipper, is even better, feeding stuff in, getting small bits out, when finished there is always a sense of disappointment that there is no more to do.

Always the mischievous thought of getting a large chipper and disposing of the neighbours, and thier yapping dogs. Sadly, would need a very large chipper, and industrial lifting equipment for one pair of neighbours.:devil:

 

[The Panda Nut]

Want to get a decent distance with an electric car?

I'VE SEEN THE FUTURE..!!

in a past sense..

One for now.. and another for @3 hours time

Yep, I'm sorry this is all I can see. When they fit at least a micro engine that will get you to home or at least to a charger, or indeed a micro-engined charger to stop this scenario I will be hugely more interested.

 

[jimboy]

Recently I put my bicycle in for repair, there were several things required attention and some parts needed changing. Was in for over a week, during which time I had a phone call asking if I did a lot of low gear work on the bike as the rear cassette small cogs were very worn, the chain was stretched quite a lot. Indeed hilly country round my parts, so lots of low gear hill work. Pedals were creaking and worn, crank bearing also.

It’s back in my hands and like a new bike, smooth gear action and a different ride all together. There was a time I would’ve tackled this myself but, I just thought nah, leave it for someone else who does this for a living.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

My neighbour from two doors up the street has just bought a small BMW i3 electric car. Haven't had a chance to really look at it yet, although I did sit in it a couple of days ago. I noticed the very skinny but large diameter tyres in particular - expensive to replace I would guess? He tells me it has a wee IC engine under the boot floor which saves him from getting completely stuck?

He's got various health problems so is still pretty much isolating and isn't inviting me out for a drive at any time soon although he says he'd love to.

 

[portland_bill]

My neighbour from two doors up the street has just bought a small BMW i3 electric car. Haven't had a chance to really look at it yet, although I did sit in it a couple of days ago. I noticed the very skinny but large diameter tyres in particular - expensive to replace I would guess? He tells me it has a wee IC engine under the boot floor which saves him from getting completely stuck?

He's got various health problems so is still pretty much isolating and isn't inviting me out for a drive at any time soon although he says he'd love to.

Some were full electric, some, like your neighbour's, have what is called a 'range extender' engine, just as a generator, with I think no direct connection to the wheels. I don't think they did a full hybrid with the engine doing any driving. Strange things.

 

[StevenRB45]

Been a hard few weeks (again) Won't go into full specifics but as a flavour of how it's been going: sold my car last Monday waited 40 minutes for the once every 2 hours bus to mine, to discover it didn't take cards. Teeing myself up for a further 4.5 mile cross country walk having already walked 2 to get to the bus stop in Vans.

But feeling fit enough to go for a run today now so off I went into the fog. Very much a grim trudge for first 8k, pace was OK but not enjoyable. As I reached the last section before I head out of the woods and back towards home I crested a hill to find the Sun had burned off the mist.

Immediately felt better...little things n'that.

Had all refunds and payments through for Mazda as well odd to run into the street and not be met by its gurning bumper..also odd not to be always keeping money back for the next car bill but I'm sure there'll be something needs paying shortly.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Daughter in law's been on the phone. She's decided her elderly 2008 Jazz has had it's day. Probably not a bad call as I've done two brake calipers in the last year and the Honda indy did another. One of the antiroll bar links needed done for it's last MOT and it broke a front spring last year - Steven tells me they usually do the rear ones so that was slightly unusual? needed a back box just before the MOT as well, just seems to be a continuous "dribble". Oh, also she's scraped it on all four corners so it looks very "tatty" and it's going to need tyres soon.

So, Grandad, as you mostly look after the car, what do you think I should buy? I know she likes the practicality of the jazz but they do hold their price very well and dealers seem to ask a premium for them. I like the looks of the Suzuki Swift or Ignis with the dual injector 1.2 - don't want the direct injection turboed Boosterjet thank you. Also like the looks of the Hyundai i10 and maybe i20. I'm a little put off the smallest VAG offerings after the problems my daughter has had with her Citigo's gearbox but also the MPI engine is pretty sluggish and I don't want to go direct injection.

That's as far as I've got so far. Anyone else want to make suggestions? I have an acquired and deep seated suspicion of French cars though. - Oh, got to be 4 door for the kids.

PS We're not looking "new" cars here folks, probably around 2015 or so.