View Full Version : Gripe of the day - What is yours?
Adam Ef
02-09-19, 06:32 AM
This is the third time something like this has happened in the last few weeks. Each time I had someone else wanting it too that I got in touch with and said sorry, it's gone now. When it fell through each time, I then got back to the next person wanting it and said the original buyer has dropped out, so it's yours if you want it and they'd already found something else. The same yesterday. I had someone else about to set off to come and get it but this guy got it first so I told them not to make the journey.
What a horrible situation - I have always hated it when my financial necessities fight against my ethics; why does taking the high moral ground always prove expensive?
So your choices are (with my own personal, inherent bias):
1) refuse to give back the deposit and carry on. (and avoid looking into mirrors) :(
2) see if you can get your deposit back on your new bike and start over. (if you could it would solve the problem) :)
3) get some kind of short term bridging loan and hope your bike sells. (risky). :pale:
My conscience would push me one way and my bank balance another.
______________
on a totally random, unconnected note. You spelt dilemma as dilemna - what's weird about that is I used to do so, too but that spelling has never been taught anywhere and has never been an alternative spelling yet crops up frequently in English and nobody is sure why.
https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/dilemma-or-dilemna
DarrenSV650S
02-09-19, 07:54 AM
I walked in to a patio door yesterday and my nose and lip are swollen to hell
garynortheast
02-09-19, 08:31 PM
i walked in to a patio door yesterday and my nose and lip are swollen to hell
Ouch!!
maviczap
03-09-19, 07:36 PM
Someone trolling my Facebook marketplace sales ads.
Had a seal driver set, and a vacuum brake bleeder for sale. No interest when I first listed them at the beginning of the week.
Saturday evening I had 10 plus requests if they were still for sale. One 'guy' said he'd buy the brake bleeder, so had it ready for pick up on Sunday. I deleted the ads as I could see I was being trolled by someone creating fake user accounts.
Came home today, to find the brake bleeder hadn't been collected, so yet another fake account.
Can only think of two people outside my household who would do this.
Adam Ef
03-09-19, 08:34 PM
I had a very weird similar thing with a Gumtree ad for my Tracer. One guy swore he wanted it, with extras fitted back on, engine bars, exhaust etc. Wanted to be round that day. Then couldn't make it. Arranged another day. No show. Then I was away a couple of days and he got in touch saying he'd got one from a dealer for almost the same price but with Nitron shock, custom dyno ecu tune, every bit of bling under the sun and dealer six month warranty. Sounded very unrealistic but there you go. So he no longer wanted mine. By that point I'd held if for a week for him and put other people off seeing it.
I got back to two other really keen buyers and they'd bought elsewhere so I'd lost the sale twice more.
Original guy then got in touch a few days later and said his friend wanted it and he would contact me. I pointed out that I was now deifnitely doing it on a first come basis as I'd lost two sales waiting for him.
He flew off the handle sending me all sorts of really abusive messages saying I was a moral-less seller and it had been promised to him. Loads of really over the top and abusive crap in a few messages.He accused me of betraying him because I wanted to sell to someone who wanted more mods than him so would pay more. I don't know where he got that idea from. I think he also messaged me in disguise on eBay and then set me loads more abuse on Gumtree saying I shouldn't be advertising is elsewhere or talking to others about selling it to them.
I dont know why I bothered replying at this point but I did correcting all his assumptions. I'd lost all other interested buyers at this point and said if his friend still wanted it in the spec that I'd rebuilt up for him then he was wlecome to it. He provided his friends number. No reply to text. Then two days later a reply saying "wrong number".
Then zero contact or replies to the original guy on Gumtree. By this time it had been two weeks and a lot of wasted time and other buyers lost.
I then started to realise that somehting odd had been going on and I had possibly been strung along to mess up my sale? I'd never had anything like this before and have no idea what someone would get out of doing it? Possibly they do it for fun? Or they're very bored?
Either way this experience and several other problem timewasters led to this being the worst ever experience I've had selling a bike or car. Next time I'll seriously be looking to trade with a dealer.
Or they have their own to sell and are blocking your sale so they can sell their own.
Adam Ef
04-09-19, 06:01 AM
Or they have their own to sell and are blocking your sale so they can sell their own.
This did cross my my... but not until a couple of weeks in. If that was their intention it worked well.
Adam Ef
04-09-19, 06:04 AM
Too many gripes recently. Bennett's have taken payment for a policy I already cancelled. Apparently they take payment at least two days early and it was already going through when I cancelled!? I cancelled because they sent me a quote for £630 up from my usual £180! So I am now out of pocket for £630 until they refund it, which can take them two to three weeks to sort at their end! That's our family food budget gone for the next month then. Thanks Bennett's!!
shiftin_gear98
04-09-19, 06:51 AM
Chin up Adam, hopefully it's all just a temporary cluster **** and then it'll be smooth sailing.
garynortheast
04-09-19, 01:26 PM
Blimey Adam, seems like it never rains but pours! Hope it all resolves ASAP, it all sounds a bit stressful. :(
R1ffR4ff
06-09-19, 02:50 PM
Too many gripes recently. Bennett's have taken payment for a policy I already cancelled. Apparently they take payment at least two days early and it was already going through when I cancelled!? I cancelled because they sent me a quote for £630 up from my usual £180! So I am now out of pocket for £630 until they refund it, which can take them two to three weeks to sort at their end! That's our family food budget gone for the next month then. Thanks Bennett's!!
That SUX.I've been fortunate that I've not had this happen as the first thing I do when I take out any insurance is ring them and make sure,"Auto-Renewal" is off and get a confirmation of it.These Barstewards are all about ripping people off,not protecting them!
Also you have my sympathies on the sales things.At some point I'll be selling some parts on eBay for my from my old Hondas.You got any tips to avoid this C*ap happening as I've never sold anything on eBay?
maviczap
09-09-19, 07:06 PM
FFS it's pitch black here at 8 o'clock.
Not doing my mood any good, especially after only about 6 hours sleep
garynortheast
09-09-19, 10:39 PM
FFS it's pitch black here at 8 o'clock.
Not doing my mood any good, especially after only about 6 hours sleep
Know partly how you feel Mav. I struggle with the dark mornings and evenings over the back end and start of the year. Doesn't help my bouts of depression at all, you have my sympathy here.
maviczap
10-09-19, 11:38 AM
Know partly how you feel Mav. I struggle with the dark mornings and evenings over the back end and start of the year. Doesn't help my bouts of depression at all, you have my sympathy here.
Much better nights sleep, feel almost normal
how can they say its Scottish beer when its brewed in England........
how can they say its Scottish beer when its brewed in England........
The same way that Carlsberg is Danish, even though it's brewed in Northampton.
Chris_SVS
15-09-19, 02:37 PM
Wasp getting inside my jacket this morning, only got me once which is once too much :-?
SV650rules
15-09-19, 02:41 PM
Wasp getting inside my jacket this morning, only got me once which is once too much :-?
Nasty, noticed this years wasp are very small by us, not much bigger than a hoverfly.. wonder why ? How do those little black flies keep getting into your helmet, are they special ninja flies ?
R1ffR4ff
15-09-19, 02:46 PM
Nasty, noticed this years wasp are very small by us, not much bigger than a hoverfly.. wonder why ? How do those little black flies keep getting into your helmet, are they special ninja flies ?
I've had a few get into my Lid but luckily it's a,"Flip" lid so they get blown out when I lift it :smt028
https://i.imgur.com/iCR7IgC.jpg
Chris_SVS
15-09-19, 03:20 PM
Nasty, noticed this years wasp are very small by us, not much bigger than a hoverfly.. wonder why ? How do those little black flies keep getting into your helmet, are they special ninja flies ?
Somehow killed a few flies with the inside of my visor :confused::confused::confused:
SV650rules
15-09-19, 05:05 PM
I've had a few get into my Lid but luckily it's a,"Flip" lid so they get blown out when I lift it :smt028
If they are crawling up inside visor I flip my visor up fully and 99% of the time they blow out, but sometimes their little ninja feet stick to visor and when it comes back down they are still there, then open visor halfway to try to dislodge then with a finger - all very distracting while the bike is moving, but if you stop to do it they seem to disappear and come back when you move off again.
Think they are called thunder flies, a type of thrip...
andrewsmith
15-09-19, 09:42 PM
how can they say its Scottish beer when its brewed in England........Or moretti is Italian and its brewed in Edinburgh
Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk
I suppose they can argue that the beer is brewed to the original recipe. Mind you simple things like the taste of the local water supply will alter it.
Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
R1ffR4ff
19-09-19, 11:09 AM
If they are crawling up inside visor I flip my visor up fully and 99% of the time they blow out, but sometimes their little ninja feet stick to visor and when it comes back down they are still there, then open visor halfway to try to dislodge then with a finger - all very distracting while the bike is moving, but if you stop to do it they seem to disappear and come back when you move off again.
Think they are called thunder flies, a type of thrip...
I'll take them all day long compared with the Pheasant that FUBAR'd my Last lid and nearly took my head off :smt026 :smt076
maviczap
19-09-19, 01:12 PM
I suppose they can argue that the beer is brewed to the original recipe. Mind you simple things like the taste of the local water supply will alter it.
Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
Maybe, but I'm sure that they use additives in our beer, that they either wouldn't or can't use in their own countries.
I can't drink UK larger now, as I always get a headache the next day, even after one or two pints. I don't suffer with foreign larger.
I don't suffer if I drink bitter now
My Kawasaki H1F experience continues to be a nightmare. The bike was returned 10 days ago to have a new kickstart spring fitted which requires the engine to be removed and cases split. They ran it for a few days to confirm it was running ok but on the scheduled return delivery date (Wed 18th) the centre exhaust split on a seam (and they are like rocking horse excreta). There's a beaten up one on ebay now complete with acid stains and dents for £86, another in the US for considerably more but in no better condition.
Last week, David Higgs (owner of Higgspeed expansion chambers) was involved in a bad car crash - I was going to order a set of spannies, but I'm holding off for now as buyer's remorse is setting in. Teething troubles? I hope so. I bought the bike in Feb, it was supposed to be finished by end of May (held up by exhaust problems), finally got it in late August but have only ridden it for 35 miles. :( My 13th bike is definitely proving unlucky.
Maybe I need to look for bike #14? :)
Grant66
20-09-19, 12:57 PM
Another moan about chuffing insurance companies.
CAROL NASH- so there is no doubt about which particular bunch of scammers I'm venting about.
Despite opting out of their "auto renew", they sent me a letter telling me they would renew my policy for the price of a gold toilet unless I phoned them on their cost a small fortune 0333 number.
Found an 0800 number & used that, apparently despite what the letter said they weren't going to renew the policy & the letter was a mistake...
Anyway discussed the premium & got it down to a reasonable amount & as I was due to move house a few weeks later discussed what the premium would be at the new address & they agreed to waive the change of address charge if I changed the address within a month of the policy starting.
So rang to change the address & was told the premium would increase by over £700, which is nearly 4 times what I'm currently paying (no other circumstance changed, same job, same cover, still stored in a garage). The only way would be to cancel the policy (for a fee) and take out a new one for 12 months. Chuffing scammers.
Had a look on comparison sites & the policy from Carol Nash for the new address is less than one from the old one. So I'm guessing this is the only way they can scam some more money from the "customer" or should that be sucker.
I should have told them to "go forth and multiply" when I received confirmation of their sharp practice "auto renew" letter. Lesson learnt.
Thanks for the head up Grant. I changed to Carol Nash for the first time this year. I always argue for a lower premium when I get the reminder letter, but this year Hastings refused to budge.
Yesterday, there was an accident outside our village and the police closed the road, the A140 main road between Ipswich and Norwich heading to Norwich. The trouble is, the only alternate roads are single carriageway unclassified roads that wind between high hedges. Ferkin idiots driving way too fast and one only just managed to stop before ploughing into me on the bike. It's not an A road for fux sake, drive slowly.
Yesterday, there was an accident outside our village and the police closed the road, the A140 main road between Ipswich and Norwich heading to Norwich. The trouble is, the only alternate roads are single carriageway unclassified roads that wind between high hedges. Ferkin idiots driving way too fast and one only just managed to stop before ploughing into me on the bike. It's not an A road for fux sake, drive slowly.Same around here in Shropshire. Drivers have no concept that there might be a bloody great tractor or truck around the next blind bend.
It might be me but i don't recall roads being closed as frequently in the past. You never used to hear of motorways being closed in my youth.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
The A140 is a dead straight former Roman road where a car hit a pedestrial at 11:00AM breaking an arm and leg. How the feck? And why was the road closed for four hours.
Adam Ef
21-09-19, 06:21 AM
How the feck?
Driver probably staring at their phone. I'd say one in ten people I pass on my commute into Bristol is driving and using a phone at the same time.. that's my gripe for the day.. and every day. The total lack of respect people have for the lives around them driving a few tonnes of metal along and not having a care about looking ahead because they can't tear themselves away from their phones / texting / social media etc.
Highly likely Adam. Back in March a young girl was killed when she drove into a tree on the same stretch of road; no other car involved. Police checked her phone and found that she was texting at the time. Same again back in November. It's dead straight road too.
My Kawasaki H1F experience continues to be a nightmare. The bike was returned 10 days ago to have a new kickstart spring fitted which requires the engine to be removed and cases split. They ran it for a few days to confirm it was running ok but on the scheduled return delivery date (Wed 18th) the centre exhaust split on a seam (and they are like rocking horse excreta). There's a beaten up one on ebay now complete with acid stains and dents for £86, another in the US for considerably more but in no better condition.
Last week, David Higgs (owner of Higgspeed expansion chambers) was involved in a bad car crash - I was going to order a set of spannies, but I'm holding off for now as buyer's remorse is setting in. Teething troubles? I hope so. I bought the bike in Feb, it was supposed to be finished by end of May (held up by exhaust problems), finally got it in late August but have only ridden it for 35 miles. :( My 13th bike is definitely proving unlucky.
Maybe I need to look for bike #14? :)
Would love another decent stroker someday, so I'm still jealous (well sort of). Put 20k miles on my 350LC back in the eighties without too many issues. Had to split the cases on that to replace the crank, but that was my fault for lagging the radiator so it would warm up properly through town in winter, then forgetting all about it when heading on a run to Scarborough :rolleyes: .
Apart from a leaking water pump, the only real issue the bike itself threw up (I.e. not caused by a incompetent teenage owner) was this:
https://i.imgur.com/MqEni6i.jpg
For the benefit of anyone less aware of 2 stroke piston design, the ring ends have to be located by a peg to keep them away from the ports in the cylinder wall - the picture shows why you really don't want any of your piston ring retaining pegs to fall out :) . I actually ran my LC for a few hundred miles like that, eventually giving it a rebore and new pistons when I had the motor apart after (stupidly) blowing the crank. It was 100% reliable after that - I ran it for another 15k before buying the inevitable CBR600.
I have asked Neil at Triplesworkshop if he will consider buying the bike back from me. I cannot make up my mind if I'm overreacting or maybe expecting too much. It's a 45 year old bike, I paid Triplesworkshop £8500 for a refurbished H1F. I thought I'd get a bike that I could ride but in 2 months I've only been able to ride it twice and each time with issues/defects requiring the ride to be cut short.
This one bike has leaked more than all my previous 12 bikes combined and I've never owned a bike that failed without actually being ridden (until now).
It may be a mental thing; it's my 13th bike and it seems jinxed although I'm not usually superstitious, I do have a tendency to let my problems roll down hill gathering momentum and significance beyond what is actually happening.
On delivery the rev counter had failed, the seat latch stay was missing, seat trim was missing and the fuel cap needed a "knack" to open it. Neil told me these issues up front, he also warned me that the bike needed some miles on it to iron out the issues. Even now it's only done 150 miles since its first rebuild and it's been stripped down with the cases apart to fit the new kickstart spring since then.
H1F -
1) wire fell off coil (refitted)
2) oil pump leaking. (hose reterminated)
3) battery overcharging (I replaced reg/rec - this is a known triple fault and I asked them to check it before delivery - apparently they didn't)
4) H1E service bulletin not correctly implemented (engine ground - I fixed it)
5) many oil leaks; oil pump, oil tank, crankcase valves
6) fuel tap leaking (required new tap)
7) fuel hoses leaking (I bought some hose and fixed that)
8 ) gear lever fouling alternator cover (I adjusted that)
9) kickstart spring failed (now replaced)
10) oil pump leaking again (it's now been replaced)
11) centre exhaust has split (but they're old/unavailable)
12) it's smoking heavily and I think the gearbox oil level has dropped (if true it's a sign of the right hand crank seal having failed) Neil says it's not smoking heavily and the pump was faulty so I'm uncertain about this. He went on to say that the middle cylinder was under-oiling, so I shudder to think how much smoke it'll make now. (Don't tell Greta Thurnberg).
I don't currently have the bike (again), Neil has offered to sell it for me and put it on his stand at Stafford but hasn't the funds to buy it back.
Am I overreacting; are these teething problems and they will be sorted or have I bought a boat anchor and I need to walk away?
DarrenSV650S
21-09-19, 01:18 PM
I can't believe you still have it. I would have returned it and asked for a refund after those first problems became apparent. Especially for that price!
Sir Trev
21-09-19, 02:27 PM
If you had agreed to buy a fully reconditioned bike then I would have rejected it by now. Getting your cash back from a reasonably small shop is another matter. If they sell it for you will the next owner chase you for it being faulty when they try to ride it? Stating it is sold as seen may lower any offer price you get, likewise being honest about the current issues. If you go down the Stafford stand route and don't get back what you paid you might suggest the shop makes up the difference if they cannot simply buy it from you now.
Adam Ef
21-09-19, 08:37 PM
Was it sold as working and rideable? If it was then it is "Not fit for purpose" and if it a professional business that sold it to you then they should take it back or fix it within the first six months. I went through this a while ago with a car that we got that had loads of problems. Ended up at small claims court to get back loads spent on a 2 year old car (second hand to us) that went wrong a lot within the first few months we had it.
I feel the need to defend Neil and Triplesworkshop. I asked him about a warranty when I paid the deposit and he said no, but he would take care of any problem that occurred providing it wasn't caused by abuse or negligence. True to his word, at no point has he quibbled about any point I've raised. I decided to buy a triple from him because in the UK triple forums he is recommended without reservation.
Neil was concerned about the delays since the bike was supposed to be delivered in late May but he had a lot of problems with the exhausts and the chrome platers (who damaged the exhausts and have a 6 week lead time), I didn't put (much) pressure on him but obviously I was eager to get the bike and he stressed there would be minor problems because he hadn't had chance to run the bike as much as he normally would.
When the second batch of problems hit - centred around the kickstart he was just leaving for the US to see Rick Brett (RB used to run the triples museum in Nottingham till he married an American and moved to Michigan). Rick now runs a triple museum in the US and is the epicentre of second hand triple parts and complete bikes. My bike came via Rick. Neil's US visit caused a 10 day delay, he does have an assistant but I requested that Neil the owner does the work (there are two Neils).
Looking back at my post I think I was all bent out of shape because the summer's over and I still don't have the bike plus I'm inherently impatient. I spoke to Neil and I told him to keep the bike until he's confident it's rock solid, deliver it back to me and if I can ride it 3 times without any issues I'll keep it, otherwise we'll talk about selling it. It now has a bodged centre exhaust so the bike can be ridden but a better exhaust will be fitted once the container of parts arrive from the US. Assuming I keep the bike I've decided to go for Higgspeed expansion chambers anyway:
https://i.ibb.co/RQ3TF5Q/Higgs-low-pipes.png
I still think it's a beautiful looking bike and I find it hard to be dispassionate about it. Incidentally, when I bored my friends at Willingham Woods, they all agreed with the sentiments here: I'm nuts and I should get rid of it. They (and you) are probably correct but I know if I do, I'll be hankering after another one next year; it's a curse caused by riding one of these things 40 years ago.
https://i.ibb.co/rt2VPCV/H1Fc1.png
Was it sold as working and rideable? If it was then it is "Not fit for purpose"
I'm not convinced the H1 was ever " fit for purpose" based on what the Used Motorcycle Guide used to say about them ;)
On the plus side Seeker, it sounds like you have a very good arrangement with the supplier and with modern oils / tyres / spark plugs / CDI units I would have thought there is plenty of scope for an H1 in 2019 to be better than new.
Back in the 80's , the A5 sized "Used Motorcycle Guide" was my bible for navigating the used bike minefield.
In a pre- internet era when even jap bikes could be rather less bulletproof the UMG was an immense help in deciding what to spend my (then) generally meagre budget on.
Their assessment of the H1 making it crystal clear that ownership of said machine was not to be entered into lightly:
"Early versions had wild power and frightening handling. KH version still dubious but a little slower and safer. Clutch, main bearings, seals, CDI and spark plugs all wear out rapidly. Okay for the odd crazed outing but forget it for everyday use...........H1B has points and carbs that need setting every 300 miles.........engine rattles even when rebored (every 15000 miles)"
(Used Motorcycle Guide Sept/Oct 1992)
It's not for nothing that Kawa 500/750 triples have a fearsome reputation.
Stick with it, you've got my respect at least :D
Sir Trev
22-09-19, 06:21 PM
I remember those UMG's. They said said to steer clear of the GSX250E after 30k miles but mine kept going to well over twice that without any engine issues. Won't go into the electrical ones...
Sir Trev
22-09-19, 06:29 PM
My gripe de jour is washing machines. Or more especially the way ours was plumbed in by the builders who added our extension 12 years ago. The machine is now over 25 years old and when the sockets tripped this morning for the second time I eventually worked out that the poor old thing was absolutely red hot to the touch on it's second load of the day, despite being set to 40 degrees. Seems the thermostat has gone south. So once it had cooled a bit I managed to extricate it from the recess only to find... no drain. Seems the builders simply hooked the flexi waste pipe directly to the trap spigot under the nearby sink via an extension flexi pipe routed under the cupboards. Will have to fit a better solution at a more suitable height as well as play Russian Roulette with a new machine. Bet it doesn't last 25 years like the old one!
Will have to fit a better solution at a more suitable height as well as play Russian Roulette with a new machine. Bet it doesn't last 25 years like the old one!
When my 4 year old Bosch required new drum bearings, I had a chat with the repair guy. He told me that if it not for the insurance paying for the bearing replacement, he would have recommended that I bought a new machine.
He said modern machines are not built to last because the customer refuses to pay the price that would entail hence the use of inferior materials. He went on to say the only machine that is still well made is a Miele and they are typically twice the price of a regular machine.
Sir Trev
23-09-19, 06:22 PM
Try three times! Several Miele's are are well over £1,400 as they're basically commercial machines packed a little differently. The Samsung one we plumped for is just over a third of that price.
Adam Ef
24-09-19, 05:17 PM
Note for anyone doing a coolant change on a VFR. Do it at the same time as an oil change. I did my oil and filter change just before. One of the coolant drain bolts is just above the oil filter and you don't have a hope of getting a socket in there with the oil filter in place. Meaning you have to use a 10mm spanner, locating it in a very small space and turning it by about a 16th of a turn, removing the spanner, relocating the bolt with the spanner.. turn a 16th of a turn again etc etc. All this upside down trying to see what you're doing and it will probably (did) start chucking with rain in the middle of the process. This needs to be done twice too if you're flushing the system. Double jointed wrists and fingers to fit around the header pipes helps too.
maviczap
24-09-19, 05:21 PM
Why is it when you find something you're looking for at the right price and you've committed to purchasing it, does something similar come along at a lower price!!!
Adam Ef
24-09-19, 05:32 PM
Why is it when you find something you're looking for at the right price and you've committed to purchasing it, does something similar come along at a lower price!!!
eBay voucher code?
Luckypants
24-09-19, 06:13 PM
Note for anyone doing a coolant change on a VFR. Do it at the same time as an oil change. I did my oil and filter change just before. One of the coolant drain bolts is just above the oil filter and you don't have a hope of getting a socket in there with the oil filter in place. Meaning you have to use a 10mm spanner, locating it in a very small space and turning it by about a 16th of a turn, removing the spanner, relocating the bolt with the spanner.. turn a 16th of a turn again etc etc. All this upside down trying to see what you're doing and it will probably (did) start chucking with rain in the middle of the process. This needs to be done twice too if you're flushing the system. Double jointed wrists and fingers to fit around the header pipes helps too.
Ratchet spanner....
Note for anyone doing a coolant change on a VFR. Do it at the same time as an oil change. I did my oil and filter change just before. One of the coolant drain bolts is just above the oil filter and you don't have a hope of getting a socket in there with the oil filter in place. Meaning you have to use a 10mm spanner, locating it in a very small space and turning it by about a 16th of a turn, removing the spanner, relocating the bolt with the spanner.. turn a 16th of a turn again etc etc. All this upside down trying to see what you're doing and it will probably (did) start chucking with rain in the middle of the process. This needs to be done twice too if you're flushing the system. Double jointed wrists and fingers to fit around the header pipes helps too.[emoji3] been there too. Some people don't bother removing that small coolant drain plug.
Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
Adam Ef
24-09-19, 06:33 PM
Ratchet spanner....
Mine wouldn't quite get purchase on the bolt as it's very slightly recessed. So I had to use the non ratcheting end.
Adam Ef
24-09-19, 06:37 PM
[emoji3] Some people don't bother removing that small coolant drain plug.
Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk
Considering how little came out of it I can understand why.
Sir Trev
24-09-19, 06:47 PM
Why is it when you find something you're looking for at the right price and you've committed to purchasing it, does something similar come along at a lower price!!!
Nearly had that with a car I ended up not buying. Something in my head said, no, it's more than you set out to pay even if it is within budget. My inner accountant I suppose (to go with the outer one I am in reality).
Being asked a specific question, giving a definitive answer, and then being told .... 'oh yeah, I knew that'
Then why the f**k did you ask me in the first place?
maviczap
24-09-19, 08:27 PM
Nearly had that with a car I ended up not buying. Something in my head said, no, it's more than you set out to pay even if it is within budget. My inner accountant I suppose (to go with the outer one I am in reality).
Yep I dodged committing myself to something that would have been suitable, but again something in me said no, so I opted to haggle and got what I wanted, but then this other option came up up, which was cheaper. I still think what I've got is great, but I still hate paying over the odds.
Sir Trev
25-09-19, 07:01 PM
We all hate that Mav. I have agreed to buy a new(er) car now, same model but without all the useless options the over-priced one had, and I'm quite happy, even though I could probably have gotten a better colour one slightly cheaper if I had waited.
My issue today is I have to go to Coventry tomorrow in my current car that has a mystery intermittent coolant leak. Was hoping to put as few miles on it as possible before chopping it in but noooooooo.... "Do I have to go in person?" "Yes" said my manager. "Blast".
Adam Ef
26-09-19, 09:57 AM
* Motorcycle designers obsession with locating block connectors in tiny little crevices on bikes with wires so short that you can't pull them out or get any pliers, small screwdrivers to undo them or hands anywhere near them, resulting in scraping fingers into stupid places taking an hour skinning knuckles to do a job that should take a few seconds.
* My inability to hold anything without dropping it into the drakest recesses of the engine today.
* The sun / rain... oh look it's sunny... wheel the bike out of the garage, take fairings off... get bike into state where it can't be moved again without half an hour of reassembly, myself into difficult position... struggle with block connectors for far too long (see above) and a big black cloud comes over the glorious sunshine and soaks me and bike. Get everything back inside as fast (so.. slowly) as I can. Half hour later... sun comes out.. lets try again... repeat....
aaargh.
R1ffR4ff
26-09-19, 10:02 AM
* Motorcycle designers obsession with locating block connectors in tiny little crevices on bikes with wires so short that you can't pull them out or get any pliers, small screwdrivers to undo them or hands anywhere near them, resulting in scraping fingers into stupid places taking an hour skinning knuckles to do a job that should take a few seconds.
* My inability to hold anything without dropping it into the drakest recesses of the engine today.
* The sun / rain... oh look it's sunny... wheel the bike out of the garage, take fairings off... get bike into state where it can't be moved again without half an hour of reassembly, myself into difficult position... struggle with block connectors for far too long (see above) and a big black cloud comes over the glorious sunshine and soaks me and bike. Get everything back inside as fast (so.. slowly) as I can. Half hour later... sun comes out.. lets try again... repeat....
aaargh.
I have no love for Block connectors.
you got me thinking about the Patchy rain thing/no room in garage and found this,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3x4M-Blue-Outdoor-Car-Canopy-Portable-Cover-Gazebo-Garage-Shelter-Carport-Tent/254160820564?hash=item3b2d2a5954:g:A7wAAOSw4d5ch4T 1
Pretty cool and cheap methinks :smt106
Adam Ef
26-09-19, 10:07 AM
I've been thinking about similar. Possibly going even further and building some sort of lean to off the side of our house.
R1ffR4ff
26-09-19, 10:11 AM
I've been thinking about similar. Possibly going even further and building some sort of lean to off the side of our house.
I always have a look on YT to give me ideas,
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cheap+lean+to
my garage roof has started leaking. I think this may push me over the edge to get a new garage, this one is over 25 years old, prefab concrete (with cracks) and an asbestos roof. If I get a slightly bigger one I'll have room for 3 bikes :)
shiftin_gear98
26-09-19, 01:51 PM
Make it even bigger and fit 4.
Grant66
26-09-19, 05:02 PM
Another moan about chuffing insurance companies.
CAROL NASH- so there is no doubt about which particular bunch of scammers I'm venting about.
Despite opting out of their "auto renew", they sent me a letter telling me they would renew my policy for the price of a gold toilet unless I phoned them on their cost a small fortune 0333 number.
Found an 0800 number & used that, apparently despite what the letter said they weren't going to renew the policy & the letter was a mistake...
Anyway discussed the premium & got it down to a reasonable amount & as I was due to move house a few weeks later discussed what the premium would be at the new address & they agreed to waive the change of address charge if I changed the address within a month of the policy starting.
So rang to change the address & was told the premium would increase by over £700, which is nearly 4 times what I'm currently paying (no other circumstance changed, same job, same cover, still stored in a garage). The only way would be to cancel the policy (for a fee) and take out a new one for 12 months. Chuffing scammers.
Had a look on comparison sites & the policy from Carol Nash for the new address is less than one from the old one. So I'm guessing this is the only way they can scam some more money from the "customer" or should that be sucker.
I should have told them to "go forth and multiply" when I received confirmation of their sharp practice "auto renew" letter. Lesson learnt.Update on this.
After having to ring them back (because they didn't bother) I raised a complaint.
Got a phone call this morning, basically the complaints department agreed with me that they have acted improperly.
They have swallowed the full cost of changing the address and I have a full 12 month's insurance with all the extras.
So right result in the end, but it did take 2 and a half hours of my time to get a simple task completed.
Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
chris8886
30-09-19, 07:42 PM
Got VERY wet on the way home from work tonight. Might be time for some new trousers I think, although it was so extreme I think I might give them another chance first....
maviczap
04-10-19, 03:50 PM
Having traveled by efficient, clean and punctual Finnish railways, I'm now back on overcrowded and ghastly UK trains.
I had to catch the later one as the earlier one was canceled. Eldest daughter is waiting for her train, which is also delayed.
Plenty of track, just crap rolling stock
Adam Ef
05-10-19, 11:42 PM
Decided to do the quick swap over on the headlights today on the Striple. Just 4 bolts to undo and then fit new bracket with 4 bolts refitted. Only problem was that two of the bolts were about 2mm too long to unscrew without removing the forks... so that quick job became slightly longer!
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48849884112_0025c5c6c8_z.jpg
garynortheast
07-10-19, 08:54 AM
People who don't pay their effing bills. When you're self employed with a very small income, £300 can make an enormous difference.
Luckypants
07-10-19, 09:15 AM
People who don't pay their effing bills. When you're self employed with a very small income, £300 can make an enormous difference.Totally get what you mean, my step-son has exactly this problem. Being young makes it worse I think, people feel like they can take the **** because of it. Interestingly, you are both in the same line of work.....
Adam Ef
07-10-19, 07:36 PM
People who don't pay their effing bills. When you're self employed with a very small income, £300 can make an enormous difference.
I used to work for someone who repeatedly forgot every month to put my invoice on the desk of the person who paid them. If it wasn't on their desk by a certain date then it didn't get paid until the end of the next month. So if I'd done the work at the beginning of that month then it would be two months until I got paid. They never used to realise how difficult it made things for me as they were all on wages. Have that happen with a few people and expenses going out and you can go under fairly quickly as a small self employed sole trader.
Sir Trev
07-10-19, 08:31 PM
This is why I always work through an agency - it makes me more expensive to the client but the agency has to pay me regardless of when the client pays them. Not surprisingly I only work for well known and well established agencies as some colleagues have been burned by the minnows. Absolutely sucks and it almost makes me want to go back to being salaried.... but not quite!
Grant66
11-10-19, 11:39 AM
Daughter took her car back to ford due to it running cool. Looked like a buggered thermostat to me (warms up in traffic, runs cold when moving).
They told her that there was nothing wrong with it as it has a new type of coolant which keeps it running cool. WFT? :confused:
She said that she thought it sounded like b0110cks but wasn't confident enough to call him out on it. Amazing the BS some garages use when they are avoiding fixing something under warranty.
It's booked in again next week, so I'l going to have to go with her this time :rambo:
SV650rules
11-10-19, 01:02 PM
Daughter took her car back to ford due to it running cool. Looked like a buggered thermostat to me (warms up in traffic, runs cold when moving).
They told her that there was nothing wrong with it as it has a new type of coolant which keeps it running cool. WFT? :confused:
She said that she thought it sounded like b0110cks but wasn't confident enough to call him out on it. Amazing the BS some garages use when they are avoiding fixing something under warranty.
It's booked in again next week, so I'l going to have to go with her this time :rambo:
When garages are dealing with women they seem to think they can get away with anything. My wife in the past has taken her car to get a couple of new tyres only to be told the brake pads need replacing, I had only done them about 6 months before and when I had a look there was a good 6mm of pad left.
Water is probably the best coolant there is ( does corrode without additives though ), has a high specific heat, so wondering what they use to make engine run cooler - mercury or sodium ?
dirtydog
11-10-19, 11:51 PM
People who don't pay their effing bills. When you're self employed with a very small income, £300 can make an enormous difference.
It's terrible sometimes waiting for people to pay, I was about £1600out of pocket in August after I paid a couple of subcontractors soon as they finished a job for me as well as a load of materials. Took the landlord almost 3 weeks to pay me!
Not so much a gripe, more a sigh of resignation. The concrete slab for the new garage was laid yesterday and I think the foxes have walked over every square foot. I'm covered against all concrete problems except animal tracks.
SV650rules
12-10-19, 06:49 PM
Not so much a gripe, more a sigh of resignation. The concrete slab for the new garage was laid yesterday and I think the foxes have walked over every square foot. I'm covered against all concrete problems except animal tracks.
Is that why builders call it footings.....
the trend in new clothing which is made for furkin stick insect like people. i cant get my arms into any tops, coats and hoodies these days until they get to silly big sizes which are too long. i'm lucky to get my forearms into some hoodies and coats at even way larger size... its not my fault i have muscle... lol
Sir Trev
15-10-19, 06:51 PM
Lady Poppy and The Monkey bought me a top from, well, TopMan for Chrimbo and I found the same. Took it back (they kept the receipt) and I had a heck of a job to find a replacement that was not straining the seams across the shoulders. Just like you Bibbs I had to go up a size which means the waist is a bit too big. No way am I an extra large!
dirtydog
17-10-19, 03:53 PM
Driving 2 hours to look at a van for sale only to get there and the guy to sell it to someone else whilst you’re checking it over
maviczap
22-10-19, 08:03 AM
My appointment for having the flu jab have been cancelled twice now, once with Boots and now with Lloyds pharmacies.
Can't even be blamed on Brexit yet
Both haven't had delivery from the manufacturer
R1ffR4ff
22-10-19, 09:26 AM
My appointment for having the flu jab have been cancelled twice now, once with Boots and now with Lloyds pharmacies.
Can't even be blamed on Brexit yet
Both haven't had delivery from the manufacturer
That's bad news.I wouldn't hang about M8,
https://www.lovemoney.com/news/18079/cheapest-flu-jab-vaccine-uk-season-cost
maviczap
22-10-19, 09:31 AM
Luckily my employer pays me back if I have it done, so cost isn't the issue here.
Even if I did have to pay, I'd still have it, it's worth it for reducing the chance of getting ill.
Why my employer doesn't set it up so we get the jab done at work to those who want it is beyond me.
Adam Ef
23-10-19, 09:53 AM
Trying to avoid dwelling on gripes at the moment, but...
Yodel couriers! I ordered an attachment for our pressure washer last week to unblock a drain in kind of an emergency but not too urgent situation at home (can't get through our front door due to backed up drain flood, could be worse I know).
Yodel were meant to have delivered it by the end of last week. Tracking stalled last Thursday. It's been saying out for delivery every day. The text shows it's in Bristol, but the map on their site shows it as Barnstaple! The only way to contact Yodel is via webchat, which is constantly disabled on their site as it's too busy apparently. It's been that way for the last few days. The other help pages lead you round in circles. Short of going to find a depot there's no way I can talk to anyone about it.
Meanwhile the non urgent flood is now getting to looking like it will be in our front door soon and being drains, is not too pleasant. If I'd known it would get to this I'd probably have got Dynorod round on our insurance, but I didn't foresee such incompetence from a large courier. I'm now banging my head against a wall trying to sort it.
And a different delivery... people who force you to pay top cost first class postage on parcels buying things from them and then take four days to post it!! Then when they arrive another four days later they have cheap postage on them, much less than they forced you to pay! Aargh!
I need to get outside today!
i must be lucky. i pretty much always get parcels fast so never pay for express. the quickest i have had is 8hrs (48hr) from Manchester... i shizz you not.. i was gobsmacked.
my postie is superb.. if packages are dodgey or split he always puts it in another bag for me.
mind you Edinburgh is the main hub for flight freight/sorting and Kirkcaldy is main sorting office.
maviczap
24-10-19, 05:53 PM
My appointment for having the flu jab have been cancelled twice now, once with Boots and now with Lloyds pharmacies.
Can't even be blamed on Brexit yet
Both haven't had delivery from the manufacturer
See smile of the day, but now my arm hurts
dirtydog
24-10-19, 06:30 PM
eBay sellers. :smt099
Adam Ef
31-10-19, 08:40 PM
Went to roll the VFR out of the garage this morning to get to work and it felt very heavy to roll forwards. Checked back tyre as it was looking a bit flat and found part of someones smashed mirror lodged in the tread. It's a Michelin Road 5 that I fitted a month ago. Approximately 800 miles on it. I tried a mushroom plug to get me to work and back but it didn't seal it. The punture is a slit from the shard of mirror rather than a round hole. Now investing in proper repair patches, vulcanising solution, inner sealer, buffing solution, tools etc in an attempt to not lose a very new tyre. Costing about £40 in bits to get kitted out to do proper puncture repairs. Damn.
+ Note to self : Always check bike is ok before going to the trouble of getting everything packed up ready for a bike commute and and winter kit on etc.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48992582631_f0fced8a11_c.jpg
dirtydog
01-11-19, 11:50 PM
eBay sellers and buyers are doing my head in at the moment
Sold some stuff that's collection only, no contact from winning bidder until I opened a case and he messaged me to arrange collection. Never showed up and has no response to my messages.
Won an auction for a van which the seller said was no longer available but the truth was it didn't go for as much as he wanted.
Was winning on another one, messaged the seller some questions that he kind of answered, won the auction but seller was being a bit weird about giving me his address etc to collect and insisting on a bank transfer instead of cash on collection which started ringing alarm bells for me. A bit more checking and it turns out the van had been written off
Won another van on eBay auction last night, have messaged the seller this morning and this evening trying to arrange collection and getting no reply from him.
How's your week? My car failed its MOT on brakes (£200 - Toyota main dealer), my a/c doesn't work because the condenser has a leak (£560 Toyota main dealer - I won't bother, you can get an aftermarket condenser for £100 but I never use the a/c and the car is 10 years old). My c/heating has a leak and, although it was repaired, it looks like the system need to be repiped (pipes are buried at the moment) because the hall carpet/underlay is damp/wet and the wetness pattern follows the pipe track. Quote pending. My dormer roof is going to be re-felted since it's 20 years old (£750). My road tax reminder for the SV has just arrived £91 (has it gone up, I thought it was £80 ish?). I wasn't expecting big bills this month so I bought a dehumidifier (£250). The electrician who wired up my garage had quoted "about £240" but on the second day he was talking about keeping the cost down to £420. I pointed out his quote and I begrudgingly (and generously, I thought) gave him £300. He did point out that my electric shower is not protected by which time I'd got my fingers in my ears going: "la-la-la, I can't hear you". (He's going to quote me).
Adam Ef
06-11-19, 12:16 PM
Similar. I keep feeling like I earn money, but every time I get home from work more has gone out than I've brought in.
Rubbish time of year too. It doesn't help my mood that the roads keep nearly drying out and then it rains again just to spoil the thought of having any fun going for a ride to escape the everyday crap.
chris8886
06-11-19, 08:48 PM
Took a shoulder shot to my defib and ribs whilst playing hockey on Saturday, bloody painful on Sunday and still is. Then had to play squash last night to qualify in the work tournament going on and today the pain is even worse and every single bump in the road whilst on the bike is horrible, makes me realise actually how uneven the M1 is. Even standing up and sitting down is agony!
Sir Trev
07-11-19, 07:13 PM
Sounds horrible Chris, and I know what you all mean about the money drain at this time of year. Lady Poppy's car needs four new tyres (two are near the wear limit and the rears have plugs in them, lose the odd psi or three at random every week, and are the original fitments so close on six years old. The Michelin Cross Climate replacements will be just over £500.
My gripe today though is director level slave drivers. My department is grossly understaffed and the guy that does the budget models is on holiday (I do hope he comes back afterwards!). Director: "I need the EU Exit project budget re-phased for the new exit deadline". Me: "I don't know where the detail files are that it links to without Grant helping me and it's month end so I'm already maxed out time-wise." Dir: "Just do it by tomorrow lunchtime!". Really? You don't pay me enough for this. If they want me back after my contract expires at Chrimbo they're going to find I've become a lot more expensive.
Luckypants
08-11-19, 11:14 AM
Did you not just give him your (deliberately exorbitant) overtime rate and ask him to authorise the extra time to meet his deadline?:compcrash:
maviczap
08-11-19, 09:11 PM
Why oh why did I buy a saloon car. Even with fold down seats it's so impractical because the rest shelf is fixed, that I struggle to fit anything sizeable in the back. That's the trouble of previously owning a Satire, which could swallow an elephant
Why oh why did I buy a saloon car. Even with fold down seats it's so impractical because the rest shelf is fixed, that I struggle to fit anything sizeable in the back. That's the trouble of previously owning a Satire, which could swallow an elephantI had an Austin Montego years ago. Nice big boot but tiny boot lid. Anything large had to be taken to bits to get it in.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
maviczap
08-11-19, 10:11 PM
Yep Saab has a huge boot, but a high lip and low speaker shelf which isn't removable, so restricts what you could do. Then the rear window would limit the access too.
I can fit a push bike in with the wheels off and the seats down.
I could do that in the zafira, with all our luggage in the back and still see out the rear window.
Sir Trev
08-11-19, 11:05 PM
Did you not just give him your (deliberately exorbitant) overtime rate and ask him to authorise the extra time to meet his deadline?:compcrash:
It's a her and I'm paid by the day so not an option unfortunately. She insisted on having the unfinished file this morning and then complained to my boss that it wasn't the number she wanted... Give me strength.
Why oh why did I buy a saloon car. Even with fold down seats it's so impractical because the rest shelf is fixed, that I struggle to fit anything sizeable in the back. That's the trouble of previously owning a Satire, which could swallow an elephant
I love my Focus estate for the flexibility. It may look like a wardrobe on its side but it I can get so much in it if needed. And the new 8-speed slush-box auto Ford now uses instead of their hated Powershift is so nice. No more manual cars for me!
DarrenSV650S
09-11-19, 10:24 PM
My big ol' plasma just went pop :(
I tried throwing more coal in the back but she's having none of it
Sir Trev
10-11-19, 12:15 PM
Good excuse for an upgrade Daz. Plasma is so last decade. Apparently.
Have a chat with Bibs about what to get next. You may not be able to understand much of the technical comments he will come out with* if he gets excited but as long as you get a make and model you'll be grand.
*Bibster - we all appreciate your knowledge of all things electronic and please don't think I'm being rude. I really cannot follow half of the acronyms or specs you sometimes use. Sorry for being a techno-numpty...
Chris_SVS
10-11-19, 01:50 PM
DKLGbykrP54
SV650rules
10-11-19, 07:02 PM
Good excuse for an upgrade Daz. Plasma is so last decade. Apparently.
Nothing wrong with plasma, we have one of the last Panasonic Viera and with 800Hz refresh rate and blacks that really are black, and a 180 degree viewing angle, and every input you could want including satellite and optical fibre.. I love it the only tech to get near is probably Oled ( both are emissive technology,whereas LCD is backlit and has lots of tiny electronic shutters to let light through when required.
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