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What's made you grumpy today?
Waiting for a response, but will certainly go this route if they start stalling.
Good news is, looks like paintwork only, no dents, scratches not too deep.
Bad news is... I don't do paintwork.
Good news is, looks like paintwork only, no dents, scratches not too deep.
Bad news is... I don't do paintwork.
As I am a bit more ambulatory daily, I backed the mower and the Ural out of the garage to take advantage of the sunshine. The Ural has a bum fog light and I wanted to find out why. I swapped plugs and the bum light changed. So, I have a wiring problem and not a bum light. I did see a bit of corrosion at the connection of one fog light, so I decided, What the hell, I'll replace the crummy crimp bullet connectors with weatherproof plugs. Get that done, plug the lights back in and turn them on. Same problem. Okay, something farther back in the harness. I unplug both ends of the harness and start ringing wires. Can't find a problem. I plug everything back together and, yee haa, both fog lights are working. I start putting things back together and one fog light starts flashing. Aw, crap! Dig into the harness and find loose crimp in a ground wire. Okay, I'll solder this one. Check everything again and it's all good. I route the harness back where it belongs and zip tie everything back into place. Turn the lights back on and,,,SUNUVA...only one fog light comes on.
Said 'screw it' and put all the tools back for the day. Then I ordered 10' of 4 conductor cable. Going to make a new harness tomorrow or Friday.
Said 'screw it' and put all the tools back for the day. Then I ordered 10' of 4 conductor cable. Going to make a new harness tomorrow or Friday.
I did the new harness yesterday afternoon after a grocery run with Mrs.Cheest. I used four conductor cable with a four pole weather proof plug at the lights, crimped and soldered connections on the ground and power wires, and sealed the ground connections with silicon grease. Both lights work and with clean connections burn brighter. One more thing off my list.
Oxford traffic this morning.
Oxford administration dislike traffic, so over the years has pushed internal traffic out to the 'ring road'. Mixing local and through traffic always brings slow traffic and jams at peak times, anywhere. A year or so ago, they also cut off all the rat runs, creating 'low traffic neighbourhoods'. So more traffic on the few arterial roads, slower progress, all bus tiimetables re-jigged.
Then a major bridge/roundabout is deteriorating, so needs urgent major work. So we have single lane in both directions on the A34 N/S, bringing long queues. As a result a lot of local traffic has migrated to the East side, to find cleverly, next to the MINI factory, we have single lane working each way there too. Pure genius.
So busy and slow has been 'enhanced' today. One collision, outside the police station on the Cowley road, has blocked one side of the road. Outgoing traffic, stopping at the lights, are failing to leave space for incoming to pass the obstruction. The incoming queue has reached the ring road, clogged the roundabout, because there also, people are not leaving gaps for other traffic to flow. The resultant queues up the slip roads has stopped the ring road traffic for over a mile in each direction. Internal routes are also almost stationary.
Despite this I did make the dentist on time, and made my escape.
Oxford administration dislike traffic, so over the years has pushed internal traffic out to the 'ring road'. Mixing local and through traffic always brings slow traffic and jams at peak times, anywhere. A year or so ago, they also cut off all the rat runs, creating 'low traffic neighbourhoods'. So more traffic on the few arterial roads, slower progress, all bus tiimetables re-jigged.
Then a major bridge/roundabout is deteriorating, so needs urgent major work. So we have single lane in both directions on the A34 N/S, bringing long queues. As a result a lot of local traffic has migrated to the East side, to find cleverly, next to the MINI factory, we have single lane working each way there too. Pure genius.
So busy and slow has been 'enhanced' today. One collision, outside the police station on the Cowley road, has blocked one side of the road. Outgoing traffic, stopping at the lights, are failing to leave space for incoming to pass the obstruction. The incoming queue has reached the ring road, clogged the roundabout, because there also, people are not leaving gaps for other traffic to flow. The resultant queues up the slip roads has stopped the ring road traffic for over a mile in each direction. Internal routes are also almost stationary.
Despite this I did make the dentist on time, and made my escape.
Just got the estimate for paint repair on Panda damaged by delivery driver. £500 (£600 including VAT) to repaint wing & bumper.
169 55-plate 1.2 Dynamic insurance valuation is.... £575.
Admittedly paint has gone up a lot recently, so that's probably nearly £100 of that.
Had a Panda wing and bumper painted 2 years ago for half of that.
Oh well, not my problem, I guess.
169 55-plate 1.2 Dynamic insurance valuation is.... £575.
Admittedly paint has gone up a lot recently, so that's probably nearly £100 of that.
Had a Panda wing and bumper painted 2 years ago for half of that.
Oh well, not my problem, I guess.
If it goes through insurance they will probably try to write it off.
A friend of mine had an issue recently and had to fight insurance company as they put it in a category that although repairable they try to write off as after a certain age. His was 2012 I think.
It wasn't actually the category it was a suffix they put after, determined by age not condition.
Yep, if it goes through insurance it's toast. Hoping they just cut a cheque and leave it at that, but time will tell.
Would struggle to find similar at that money as it's a good one (no sill rot, beam good, cleans up nice) and there's a lot of c**p about at that sort of money, so will fight a write off.
Would struggle to find similar at that money as it's a good one (no sill rot, beam good, cleans up nice) and there's a lot of c**p about at that sort of money, so will fight a write off.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Duracell batteries.
Am I the only one??
I have just finished sending them a rant. This time AGAIN, a new pack from Tesco's with a leaker. This is the third pack on the trot with this.
These batteries have become rubbish and are to be avoided if you dont want your battery powered things to be ruined. I have lost all our battery powered standby lights to leaking Duracell batteries now and severa;l torches. It really annoys me as these clown say their battereis dont leak an claim they work longer than others. THEY DONT. I have become aware that they fail early sometimes withing days of forst use. SO I check the voltage and find that in most packs there are battereis with little charge. So you put theseinto say a torch and the weak ones wreck the good ones. VOltages I gave taken recently on 1.v v batteries vary in a new pack from 1.2, which is duff, to 1.61 which is frankly silly in a battery and to me unheard of before most are 1.51 when new. All sorts of size are affected by being USELESS and making me more P***** off is how much more difficult it is to contact Duracell to give them a slice of my mind. I ma so cross about the lastest 2 packs having leakers I am going to report them to Trading Standards. These things are not cheap and they make bold and frankly ridiculous claims about their products so Advertising Standards are going to get it as well.
My Rolson battery inspection light 9Bloody good tool by the way) came with some unknown brand batteries included and they lasted far longer (50 times longer by the way) than the Duracells that replaced them.
I for one will never buy Duracell anything ever again. They are are over priced and under delivering products that people need to expose. Haas anyone else noticed that this once good brand are now abject rubbish.
I must add that after sending them pics of the large number of their batteries in teh house, and the leakers and the upto date in this case unused packaging, I did add that they had better not send me any more of their crap batterieis as " gesture". I certainly dont want anything they make near me ever again. I reckon that the cost of the duff batteries and the damaged battery equipment have cost me well over £50 since Christmas!
I do however recommend Energiser Lithium. I had a weather station outside for 5 years, when it failed, the batteries still had 1.5v showing. They have been in my battery razor and are just beginning to fade after a further 2 years. I have a second pair from teh original pack till showing and looking sound. These although more expensive do what the maker claims they do.
Duracell please note and then get stuffed! Thats about £150 a year of sales yu will not be getting ever agin from me.
Foot note: Batteries in Smoke and CO alarms are a viktal safety feature so make your selection carefully and if you fit Duracell be aware that these things leak. I could post you the reasons they sent me but why the hell should I new batteries should not leak.
SIgned Edward Marow, Harriet Bean, Peter Kale and various other well known consumer champions.
Am I the only one??
I have just finished sending them a rant. This time AGAIN, a new pack from Tesco's with a leaker. This is the third pack on the trot with this.
These batteries have become rubbish and are to be avoided if you dont want your battery powered things to be ruined. I have lost all our battery powered standby lights to leaking Duracell batteries now and severa;l torches. It really annoys me as these clown say their battereis dont leak an claim they work longer than others. THEY DONT. I have become aware that they fail early sometimes withing days of forst use. SO I check the voltage and find that in most packs there are battereis with little charge. So you put theseinto say a torch and the weak ones wreck the good ones. VOltages I gave taken recently on 1.v v batteries vary in a new pack from 1.2, which is duff, to 1.61 which is frankly silly in a battery and to me unheard of before most are 1.51 when new. All sorts of size are affected by being USELESS and making me more P***** off is how much more difficult it is to contact Duracell to give them a slice of my mind. I ma so cross about the lastest 2 packs having leakers I am going to report them to Trading Standards. These things are not cheap and they make bold and frankly ridiculous claims about their products so Advertising Standards are going to get it as well.
My Rolson battery inspection light 9Bloody good tool by the way) came with some unknown brand batteries included and they lasted far longer (50 times longer by the way) than the Duracells that replaced them.
I for one will never buy Duracell anything ever again. They are are over priced and under delivering products that people need to expose. Haas anyone else noticed that this once good brand are now abject rubbish.
I must add that after sending them pics of the large number of their batteries in teh house, and the leakers and the upto date in this case unused packaging, I did add that they had better not send me any more of their crap batterieis as " gesture". I certainly dont want anything they make near me ever again. I reckon that the cost of the duff batteries and the damaged battery equipment have cost me well over £50 since Christmas!
I do however recommend Energiser Lithium. I had a weather station outside for 5 years, when it failed, the batteries still had 1.5v showing. They have been in my battery razor and are just beginning to fade after a further 2 years. I have a second pair from teh original pack till showing and looking sound. These although more expensive do what the maker claims they do.
Duracell please note and then get stuffed! Thats about £150 a year of sales yu will not be getting ever agin from me.
Foot note: Batteries in Smoke and CO alarms are a viktal safety feature so make your selection carefully and if you fit Duracell be aware that these things leak. I could post you the reasons they sent me but why the hell should I new batteries should not leak.
SIgned Edward Marow, Harriet Bean, Peter Kale and various other well known consumer champions.
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Yup, they always advertise as better than, but don’t compare like-for-like, I can recommend Energiser Lithium, expensive but so good I have to order online as, whenever local outlets get them in, they’re gone!
£150 a year !!! Jeez!
I have started buying Lithium rechargeable batteries on amazon. Made by a company called HIXON They are really expensive for AA batteries, but they actually output 1.5v like normal AA batteries and not the 1.2v of most rechargeable. They are stupidly engergy dense and last a really long time.
A pack of 4 is about £25 but at the rate you buy batteries you could have 6 packs for that so 24 batteries ? that will last for ever and be rechargeable.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
That 150 includes a ruined inspection lamp and 2 torches plus one of the standby lights. These things are sold often in packs of 8 and they are maybe £8 a pack or more. I have another battery LED flood light light that takes 4 AA size and its power greedy so they dont last long. Really useful fro work under flooboards... (Daughters, dont you just luvem) I must have 20 in the used battery box already this year but I think there are duds which when fitted with others take half a pack out in quick fashion.
I think about 10 years ago they started adding recycled battery material to the mix and I bet the proportiion of recycled material keps rising. Maybe this is whats underlying the issue. 10 years ago Duracell made good batteries that wereworth the money and I have used them almost exclusively but its now now worth it so I shall have a good look at your suggestion. Our kitchen clock likes eating batteries. One each 3 months. 40 years ago the clock would only need 1 each year. Thats progres.
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I left home at 9am this morning to drive to family on the outskirts of Liverpool, it was horrible weather & as I got to the top of Reigate Hill onto the slip road to join the M25 which is about 15 minutes from home I was greeted by a familiar beep, looked at the dash & yet again i have airbag failure & fuel cut off unavailable 
with both lights on the dash, the issue can wait until I come home, I'll ring the company to see what the guarantee is on the refurb of the module, only difference is this time I haven't lost the seatbelt buzzers
with both lights on the dash, the issue can wait until I come home, I'll ring the company to see what the guarantee is on the refurb of the module, only difference is this time I haven't lost the seatbelt buzzers
That's annoying, sounds like the next 200 miles was acceptable thoughI left home at 9am this morning to drive to family on the outskirts of Liverpool, it was horrible weather & as I got to the top of Reigate Hill onto the slip road to join the M25 which is about 15 minutes from home I was greeted by a familiar beep, looked at the dash & yet again i have airbag failure & fuel cut off unavailable
TBH, I've had an easy life with the last 15 to 20 years electrically
But I now own an Alfa again..
It was ok apart from the traffic, be prepared now you have possession of an Alfa againThat's annoying, sounds like the next 200 miles was acceptable though
TBH, I've had an easy life with the last 15 to 20 years electrically
But I now own an Alfa again..
Interesting.
We use a lot of AA batteries, and have mostly bought large packs of Duracell. Recently got a bit miffed with a few gentle leakers, but only slight damage to the items.
Pack now is Energizer, significantly cheaper than Duracell, and pleased so far.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Interesting. I suspect they have a problem. Their car key batteries we used in our kitchen scales also leaked and wrecked the scales. Ive cordially invited them to send me a postage label so they can have every last one back. I dont expect anything as I have also sent a case to trading standards complaining about their sub standard products and blatently misleading advertising. I shall be trying other brands. Energiser must be better. They certainly last well, I have some in my box of batteries bought well over 8 years ago. They dont leak. Ill never used that size again so really ought to get rid.
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