Good Morning Good Night and General Chat.

[TimR]

Just remember that the wheels go round and round 

[Fish]

Depending on which customer I'd be working for that day/week I would have to catch at least the bus and a train into London then walk from there, with the same for the return home. During this pandemic I decided to get on two wheels and now refuse to use public transport.

 

I've always hated the underground and since 7/7 I avoided as much as possible.

 

OK the initial and annual costs of owning a car and bike (road tax and insurance) aside, it's still so much cheaper than public transport into central London.

 

I've always been warry of getting on a bike, as I've been a progressive driver shall I say and was worried I'd be as bad on a bike. Being a little ol' 125 isn't that bad at the moment, but I know I'll have to restrain myself if/when I get something bigger.

[Mr Fro]

4 hours ago, James in Brum said:

I like public transport. It frustrates me that it is cheaper to take a private vehicle, excluding cost of owning one. Thing is when you have to already own one it is cheaper to drive than take public transport. 

Have you tried catching a bus in Denmark?

 

It's cheaper to go everywhere by taxi!

[Steve_M]

Last year we (mostly my good lady) dug out a pond in the hope that it would be good for wildlife in the garden. We particularly hoped for frogs. 
 

we have frogspawn, so that’s a start.

[rennie]

Good Evening  I'm in my least favourite place again 

 

Sue's daughters arranged for our Sunday lunch to be delivered today for Mother's day 

 

Very nice but making me even less inclined to be here! 

[rennie]

Good Morning 

[dynax]

Good morning didn't go out yesterday but I am today for shopping

[husoi]

Top of the morning to you all  

 

Great day today, sunny, light to moderate breeze, 3c with a max forecast of 9.

 

Yesterday had some "essential shopping" but unfortunately didn't took the bike  got the missus some leather trousers for £25  

Today going to pick a bargain again, a full leather set + waterproof set for £140  

 

That will complete my requirements for the year. 

Now just need to jet my jab and go on holidays down south 

[Steve_M]

Good morning. Or perhaps not for us. The bloody central heating has packed in. Again.
 

It’s never really worked well since we moved in. We’ve had all new pipework and radiators fitted, but retained the boiler as it’s still under guarantee. We discovered last week that our problems with the heating were caused by the boiler, so we called out Worcester-Bosch to fix it. New pump, heat exchanger and air bleed valve later and the heating seemed to be working. For two days.

 

time for another phone call. 

[Tiggie]

I doubt this will be the problem so don't bother trying but I'll share my boiler woes from probably ten years ago now.

 

Combi boiler packed in around November so during the time you want it on. We had that British gas monthly payment scheme so called them out. 

 

Guy turned up next day, spent five minutes and said it was the PCB, he would order one and it'd take 5 days.

 

Part came to house in 2 days, called but was told it'd still be on the 5th day before someone could come fit it. I wanted to do it myself but was persuaded not to by better half.

 

Different Guy came out, fitted it, still not working. He said it was the thermistors that needed replacing and said too many plumbers just think they need to change PCB without checking them.

 

Once again part was ordered and it would be five days. 

 

When the plumber came (different one again) and fitted the new thermistors it still wouldn't fire up properly. He said he wasn't sure of the problem and will get someone to call me later.

 

Got a call to say they will send out someone to have a proper look at it, in yes you guessed it, 5 days!! My wife took kids and went to stay with her mum as she couldn't cope anymore ( I think our youngest was around 3 so not good for her either) 

 

I got fed up so decided to pull the thing apart myself and look. I knew the issue was that it was only partially igniting and then it would go out. After a lot of checking and experimenting I noticed that the igniting wire (piezoelectric type) was quite low down. I got a pair of long nose pliers and pulled it up a bit and voila it fired up perfectly!!!

 

In fact it performed faultlessly for another five years until we moved house.

 

I've always wondered if the guy that was supposed to come would of discovered the problem or ordered more new parts.

[Steve_M]

2 minutes ago, Tiggie said:

I doubt this will be the problem so don't bother trying but I'll share my boiler woes from probably ten years ago now.

 

Combi boiler packed in around November so during the time you want it on. We had that British gas monthly payment scheme so called them out. 

 

Guy turned up next day, spent five minutes and said it was the PCB, he would order one and it'd take 5 days.

 

Part came to house in 2 days, called but was told it'd still be on the 5th day before someone could come fit it. I wanted to do it myself but was persuaded not to by better half.

 

Different Guy came out, fitted it, still not working. He said it was the thermistors that needed replacing and said too many plumbers just think they need to change PCB without checking them.

 

Once again part was ordered and it would be five days. 

 

When the plumber came (different one again) and fitted the new thermistors it still wouldn't fire up properly. He said he wasn't sure of the problem and will get someone to call me later.

 

Got a call to say they will send out someone to have a proper look at it, in yes you guessed it, 5 days!! My wife took kids and went to stay with her mum as she couldn't cope anymore ( I think our youngest was around 3 so not good for her either) 

 

I got fed up so decided to pull the thing apart myself and look. I knew the issue was that it was only partially igniting and then it would go out. After a lot of checking and experimenting I noticed that the igniting wire (piezoelectric type) was quite low down. I got a pair of long nose pliers and pulled it up a bit and voila it fired up perfectly!!!

 

In fact it performed faultlessly for another five years until we moved house.

 

I've always wondered if the guy that was supposed to come would of discovered the problem or ordered more new parts.

The rate we’re going every significant component in the boiler will have been replaced, so we’ll have a the equivalent of a new boiler in an old casing.
 

I’ve just called Worcester-Bosch and they’ll be out tomorrow.

[Mr Fro]

Buy BMW they said, it'll be the best car in the universe - performance, handling, unrivalled build quality... now with it's arse scraping the floor!

 

 

Apparently the air bags tend to go every 5 years. Guess how old it is now.

 

Oh, this is the one that had the ceramic coating by the way - f*cking spotless innit. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by Mr Fro

[Ian Frog]

48 minutes ago, Mr Fro said:

Buy BMW they said, it'll be the best car in the universe - performance, handling, unrivalled build quality... now with it's arse scraping the floor!

 

 

Apparently the air bags tend to go every 5 years. Guess how old it is now.

 

Oh, this is the one that had the ceramic coating by the way - f*cking spotless innit. 

Mercedes can do that trick! 

Admittedly it required the help of a pothole but it took out the front spring as well! 

[Steve_M]

4 minutes ago, Ian Frog said:

Mercedes can do that trick! 

Admittedly it required the help of a pothole but it took out the front spring as well! 

Fords seem to better at breaking their front springs. We’re replaced them on our Focus and on our previous car, a Mondeo. 

[Ian Frog]

I think the drivers side at the front looked very sad for itself !

[Mickly]

22 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

Fords seem to better at breaking their front springs. We’re replaced them on our Focus and on our previous car, a Mondeo. 

My Mums Fugly ( Ford Fusion ) broke a front spring at the weekend, she didn’t notice until reversing off the drive & it made a nasty noise, so she doesn’t know where, when or why it happened.

[Tiggie]

Happened to me years ago in my old Corsa. I sat in the car and the noise of it breaking was so loud I thought someone had chucked a brick out of a window onto the roof 

 

any comments about me being too fat as the reason for the breakage will be dealt with via my keyboard mod powers 

[JRH]

49 minutes ago, Steve_M said:

Fords seem to better at breaking their front springs. We’re replaced them on our Focus and on our previous car, a Mondeo. 

Not had a spring go on my fords (2 Mondeo both over 10 years old when sold) but OH fiat Punto had a front spring go. Car was about 8 year old.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I think springs on all makes of car are prone to failure. The replacements rarely seen to fail though, so I reckon OEM springs are made to a price.

 

A friend works for a major IT company and their fleet rules are you can anything you want so long as it's not German. They've had endless trouble with all German makes. The build quality isn't a patch on older German manufacturing.

[Tiggie]

I think it's due to where all the metal is usually sourced from nowadays. It's not a patch on the quality of yesteryear

 

Same with tools 

 

 

[Bender]

41 minutes ago, Tiggie said:

I think it's due to where all the metal is usually sourced from nowadays. It's not a patch on the quality of yesteryear

 

Same with tools 

 

 

It's probably just down to cost, save 10 euros on a car then make 200,000 cars, every one wants cheap stuff and great quality, I'm sure the suppliers are guilty of it too.

 

[S-Westerly]

There's a book called "Poorly Made in China" which explains an awful lot. Even things made in Europe often have components made elsewhere,  not necessarily in China. 

[Stu]

Can we stop talking about cars!! My Volvo had to be towed home from work last night!! 

 

I blame @Bender and @Mr Fro for not warning me before I bought it!! 

 

First time I have been let down by a car  

 

[Bender]

55 minutes ago, Stu said:

Can we stop talking about cars!! My Volvo had to be towed home from work last night!! 

 

I blame @Bender and @Mr Fro for not warning me before I bought it!! 

 

First time I have been let down by a car  

 

What's broke, has it turned into disco? 

[Stu]

Just now, Bender said:

What's broke, has it turned into disco? 

 

Shagged starter which drew a lot of amps and popped the 150 amp fuse that comes off the battery!! 

 

The funny thing is I knew the starter was on the way out so I ordered a new one!