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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 3, 2020 18:39:05 GMT
And I'm like "Rover". Isn't it. More that it's 15 years old now. The rusted sill and the ABS light I knew about (and posted about here last week), there's nearly always a bush or bearing that needs doing on the steering and suspension, partly because it has a heavy diesel engine and partly because my boat is down a heavily rutted farm track. I didn't know about the exhaust bracket but then I don't make a habit of crawling underneath it. The handbrake needs adjustment because it had new handbrake shoes last year and these have now bedded in. The front tyre was a bit of a surprise as the (admittedly dirt-cheap Chinese) tyre is only three years old at most and appeared to have plenty of tread, being on the inside edge I guess the camber or caster is out of kilter. I'll ask them when it's done. With a full engine service the estimate is a total of £440 and I said I'd be happy if I saw change from £500, I'd rather not have to pay it but then many folks pay £200+ per month for leased cars which they will never own, and this is the first expense apart from diesel and VED since the MOT last year so I'm happy.
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Post by ianali on Dec 3, 2020 18:44:28 GMT
And I'm like "Rover". Isn't it. More that it's 15 years old now. The rusted sill and the ABS light I knew about (and posted about here last week), there's nearly always a bush or bearing that needs doing on the steering and suspension, partly because it has a heavy diesel engine and partly because my boat is down a heavily rutted farm track. I didn't know about the exhaust bracket but then I don't make a habit of crawling underneath it. The handbrake needs adjustment because it had new handbrake shoes last year and these have now bedded in. The front tyre was a bit of a surprise as the (admittedly dirt-cheap Chinese) tyre is only three years old at most and appeared to have plenty of tread, being on the inside edge I guess the camber or castor is out of kilter. I'll ask them when it's done. With a full engine service the estimate is a total of £440 and I said I'd be happy if I saw change from £500, I'd rather not have to pay it but then many folks pay £200+ per month for leased cars which they will never own, and this is the first expense apart from diesel and VED since the MOT last year so I'm happy. If you get all that work carried out for under £500 I’d say that’s a good price. I hate MOT time.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 3, 2020 18:51:10 GMT
More that it's 15 years old now. The rusted sill and the ABS light I knew about (and posted about here last week), there's nearly always a bush or bearing that needs doing on the steering and suspension, partly because it has a heavy diesel engine and partly because my boat is down a heavily rutted farm track. I didn't know about the exhaust bracket but then I don't make a habit of crawling underneath it. The handbrake needs adjustment because it had new handbrake shoes last year and these have now bedded in. The front tyre was a bit of a surprise as the (admittedly dirt-cheap Chinese) tyre is only three years old at most and appeared to have plenty of tread, being on the inside edge I guess the camber or castor is out of kilter. I'll ask them when it's done. With a full engine service the estimate is a total of £440 and I said I'd be happy if I saw change from £500, I'd rather not have to pay it but then many folks pay £200+ per month for leased cars which they will never own, and this is the first expense apart from diesel and VED since the MOT last year so I'm happy. If you get all that work carried out for under £500 I’d say that’s a good price. I hate MOT time. If it's any help to anyone I've used Kennan Motors on the Bayton Road Industrial Estate at Bedworth for the MOT since I've lived on the boat, they were personally recommended to me and I'd personally recommend them to others.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 3, 2020 19:30:15 GMT
More that it's 15 years old now. When a car is 12 years old, that's it. it all starts to drop off. Shock absorbers - shocked to death! Springs - bounced about to death. Rubber parts - hardened and full of micro-fractures. Plastics - hardened and fragile. Petrol lines all gummed up. Metal bearings worn to dried peas (unless, like me, you change your oil every 3000 miles). Tyres, exhaust pipe pieces, EGR valve, alternator, catalytic converter, front-wheel-drive bearings, heater fan, electronic ignition - the list is endless. That's why I got rid of my car at the age of 16 years at 350,000km (drove 295,000 of those myself) before it became too costly to repair continuously. My car is still viable as everyday transport and I anticipate keeping it for the next five years, when I start to receive the State Pension and will no longer need it to get to work. I've only owned two other cars since the year 2000, a Ford Sierra 2.0l GSI and a Rover Sterling, both are now owned by restorers, and I expect the 75 to go the same way. The biggest expense most car owners face is depreciation and this does not feature in my car budgeting.
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Post by quaysider on Dec 4, 2020 7:34:30 GMT
Stabby does make a valid point re. cars... for most of my life until savings got REALLY serious to get the boat, I "accepted" from my monthly salary I'd be paying circa 300 quid a month to have a decent car... quite often on a lease more latterly... which was money thrown away. OK so I convinced myself I NEEDED to know when I got in my car it would start so I wouldn't be late for work (either in the office or a clients) - (this before fairground land)... the reality was, that those buffoons I worked with would often have car problems (admittedly they were pooofs with very little common sense) and being "late" was just tolerated by the boss ergo, I was the idiot.
WHEN I realized an old banger off ebay would make me just as mobile (most of the time) as I was before but for less than a tenth of my previous annual running costs it was like an epiphany. It speeded up the boat fund enough to put a deposit down on a house at the same time.
Stabby worked this out before me. ONCE I stopped caring about public opinion of the IT guy turning up in an 18 year old whatever, it was brilliant.
BTW - it's COLD , WET and MISERABLE in Manchester again this morning... Need to go for a pump out later (well I Don't but I'm a week off and it's easier than lugging around the trim weights to balance us off again).
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Post by JohnV on Dec 4, 2020 7:49:02 GMT
In the car ownership game I suppose I'm lucky in that my passion was two wheels. The most expensive vehicle I ever owned (allowing for the value of the pound as this was in 1975) was a Laverda 750 motorbike. Cars always were, and presumably always will be just a tin box with a wheel at each corner, a cover to keep you dry and preferably a heater to keep you warm, that is capable of getting you from A to B. I gave up motorcycling in favour of boating in the 80's
All my cars/vans have been second hand, usually with quite high mileages and apart from the VW 412LE, gave sterling service and large mileages of cheap reliable motoring.
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Post by quaysider on Dec 4, 2020 8:21:06 GMT
I think I'll have a go this morning at commenting on every other thread to move it down the list - being mindful not to comment on those threads.
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Post by ianali on Dec 4, 2020 8:49:44 GMT
In the car ownership game I suppose I'm lucky in that my passion was two wheels. The most expensive vehicle I ever owned (allowing for the value of the pound as this was in 1975) was a Laverda 750 motorbike. Cars always were, and presumably always will be just a tin box with a wheel at each corner, a cover to keep you dry and preferably a heater to keep you warm, that is capable of getting you from A to B. I gave up motorcycling in favour of boating in the 80's All my cars/vans have been second hand, usually with quite high mileages and apart from the VW 412LE, gave sterling service and large mileages of cheap reliable motoring. laverda is the only make I’ve not owned that I’ve wanted. Almost brought a Jota a couple of years ago, but the owner wrote it off the day after he had accepted my offer to buy. ‘‘Twas a bike purchase that led to me buying our first boat. Went to see a bike that was for sale, it wasn’t as described, and with the money burning a hole in my pocket, we happened to stop off at a marina for a coffee on the way home. The rest as they say, is history.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 9:29:00 GMT
Well, a real manky, wet day today.
We went for a walk yesterday in the drizzle, but I really don't fancy it today.
We're both working this afternoon so a lazy morning looks favourite, and we'll get our exercise at work.
Lounging in a warm house with a fresh cuppa whilst the rain lashes the windows, has quite a soothing quality.
Rog
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Post by kris on Dec 4, 2020 11:49:28 GMT
Well, a real manky, wet day today. We went for a walk yesterday in the drizzle, but I really don't fancy it today. We're both working this afternoon so a lazy morning looks favourite, and we'll get our exercise at work. Lounging in a warm house with a fresh cuppa whilst the rain lashes the windows, has quite a soothing quality. Rog Okay don’t rub it in. Manky day is a bit of an understatement. Days like this are the reason I don’t like this time of year.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 4, 2020 15:44:14 GMT
Date tested 4 December 2020 PASS View test certificate Mileage 144,218 miles MOT test number 5034 2468 0158 Test location View test location Expiry date 14 December 2021
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 16:09:36 GMT
Time to celebrate, with cheap polish beer!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 16:09:49 GMT
If you can afford it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2020 16:29:34 GMT
I'm like "Buy it all before end of December" isn't it.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Dec 4, 2020 16:38:38 GMT
Time to celebrate, with cheap polish beer! Yes, Sam's here so a Chinese take-away from Brinklow House too.
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