What annoyed you today?

[Gaz]

On 06/11/2023 at 21:52, Gaz said:

Problem with our solar panels.

 

Over a week later and it's still not fixed.  System provider (Givenergy) wants to blame storm Ciaran, while the system installer (Envo energy) wants to blame an update by Givenergy (system was last updated three weeks before the fault).  I don't care, I just want it working, reliably.

 

We've been sent a feedback questionnaire today.  I've provided factually accurate feedback 🤬

 

G

Edited 15 November, 2023 by Gaz

[mac11irl]

i had a slightly soft tyre which i pumped, figuring inhad a slow puncture as it had softened over the last 4 days.

drove to Cork, spent 4 hrs at a site meeting that felt like it would never end and then when time to leave copped thetyre was gone down again... 3days and 19 hrs faster than last time and a lot more.

no big deal ill change it and get it checked. 

found the nail, right in the corner of the side wall, so that a new tyre. 

more annoying though is that the o discovered after pulling off the wheel the entire inside bead of tread is gone while all the rest of the tyre is still perfect, and the other side rear tyre is worn the same way! 

 

i only got it tracked 3 months ago when i got fresh fronts fitted and it went through NCT 6/7 weeks ago with almost perfect results (headlight focus needed to be corrected). 

perturbing... but will need to get it checked.

[J.R.]

Is the tracking checked as part of the NCT?

 

It is done to a not precision degree here in France, as you drive onto the vehicle lift you drive over 2 plates which are free to rotate in the horizontal plane, that gives a reading of ripage (scrub) the test limits are quite wide and it wont tell you the precise toe in or toe out but you would know if its going to prematurely wear tyres.

 

I have my own Dunlop old school optical tracking gauges as I have never trusted garages, in 47 years of motoring I have yet to see a single mechanic or tyre fitter check the zero setting of their guages before using them, it takes seconds and you dont need the vehicle to do so, if not done every time then you cannot trust the readings.

Edited 15 November, 2023 by J.R.

[mac11irl]

im really not sure the extent of the tracking test tbh, im wondering is it a camber issue though, rather than a toe. 

i seem to recall there being a lot of discussion a few yrs back in the mk2 octy section about rear wheel camber settings not being what one would normally expect.. 

have to go digging when i get a chance

[Colin170CR]

3 hours ago, mac11irl said:

i had a slightly soft tyre which i pumped, figuring inhad a slow puncture as it had softened over the last 4 days.

drove to Cork, spent 4 hrs at a site meeting that felt like it would never end and then when time to leave copped thetyre was gone down again... 3days and 19 hrs faster than last time and a lot more.

no big deal ill change it and get it checked. 

found the nail, right in the corner of the side wall, so that a new tyre. 

more annoying though is that the o discovered after pulling off the wheel the entire inside bead of tread is gone while all the rest of the tyre is still perfect, and the other side rear tyre is worn the same way! 

 

i only got it tracked 3 months ago when i got fresh fronts fitted and it went through NCT 6/7 weeks ago with almost perfect results (headlight focus needed to be corrected). 

perturbing... but will need to get it checked.

I had a similar situation a few years ago on my Superb. Slow puncture on the rear revealed the inside tyre wall was down to the canvas while the outside was still showing 3-4mm of tread. I got a 4 wheel alignment & rear camber check & adjustment. Probably been that way from the factory. Since the adjustment tyre wear has been OK. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

Yous have all just reminded me I've got four wheels that can require tracking on this bloomin' Vectra. I think this requires cider to deal with.

[J.R.]

12 hours ago, mac11irl said:

im wondering is it a camber issue though, rather than a toe. 

i seem to recall there being a lot of discussion a few yrs back in the mk2 octy section about rear wheel camber settings not being what one would normally expect.. 

 

Its an issue if the vehicle is  frequently laden or has sagging rear springs, or indeed has been lowered.

[Graham Butcher]

24 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Its an issue if the vehicle is  frequently laden or has sagging rear springs, or indeed has been lowered.

I can see how being frequently laden would do it, but why would lowering the car do it?

[PetrolDave]

5 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

I can see how being frequently laden would do it, but why would lowering the car do it?

Lowering changes the suspension geometry (in much the same way as being laden does).

[Graham Butcher]

18 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Lowering changes the suspension geometry (in much the same way as being laden does).

Oh, I'd have thought that the geometry would be altered to suit the lower settings.

[J.R.]

26 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

Lowering changes the suspension geometry (in much the same way as being laden does).

 

Indeed, in exactly the same way, the camber change is identical.

[PetrolDave]

2 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

Oh, I'd have thought that the geometry would be altered to suit the lower settings.

That requires the tracking etc. to be checked after the lowering, which is not often done, especially if the lowering is done by a driveway mechanic.

[Graham Butcher]

14 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

That requires the tracking etc. to be checked after the lowering, which is not often done, especially if the lowering is done by a driveway mechanic.

Thanks, that confirmed precisely what I thought, after all the Greenline models are already lowered from the factory and there is no way that they would be able to market a car that was going to rip the guts out of the tyres, or compromise the handling. 

 

When you take out insurance on a car, one of the key questions you have to answer is, has the car been modified at all, and I would expect lowering the suspension would need to be declared, surely?

[Ootohere]

There were Greenlines that were lower than a standard model but maybe not than a vRS or MonteCarlo.

The springs were not shorter, it was the Tyre Circumference / Total Diameter that less, and the under floor covering had the clearance as less.

The clue was in the ground to roof height from the official figures from the manufacturers. (Skoda)

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, Graham Butcher said:

When you take out insurance on a car, one of the key questions you have to answer is, has the car been modified at all, and I would expect lowering the suspension would need to be declared, surely?

 

Who are you asking this question? And how could they answer on behalf of undefined and unknown people who might have lowered their vehicles?

 

These vehicles self lower all on their own and soon end up dragging their ar5e like a dog with worms when carrying rear seat passengers, luggage or loads.

[kodiaqsportline]

What annoyed me today? A certain Michael Matheson, the Scottish health secy who's position is now untenable. He didn't realise he'd racked up an £11k data bill on the parliamenty ipad he took on holiday. That I can accept, we all make mistakes. I'm sure we've all be victim of an oversight of sorts - £8800 in a single day however is a pretty big one.

 

He originally said the ipad was only used for parliamentary business but now says he didn't realise his sons had used it to live stream football.  Of course such devices used for parliamentary work should be securely protected, but I'll even accept that he didn't realise his sons may have overseen any protection without his knowledge.

 

There are two things tho I can't accept.

 

1: He knew he racked up an £11k bill but would have us believe he never questioned it if all he was doing was parliamentary work?  Typical SNP accounting. But far more serious...

 

2:  He said that he only realised last week that his sons had been watching football on the Ipad but didn't say anything as he wanted to protect his family? And then says any parent would understand his position as he's first and foremost a father.

 

Really? If I wanted to protect my family given the same circumstances, I'd have held my hands up and said yes, it was me who was watching football, and nobody would have been any wiser. I'd have taken it on the chin, I may have had to resign but that's it. Nobody in my family would have been brought in to it.

 

Bull**** he was trying to protect his sons, he was trying to protect himself.  What a rat, using your family as some sort of sympathy vote to save your career? What a disgusting man.

 

 

 

Edited 16 November, 2023 by kodiaqsportline

[Paws4Thot]

15 minutes ago, kodiaqsportline said:

I may have had to resign but that's it

I agree that this has now become a resignation matter.

[Graham Butcher]

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

 

Who are you asking this question? And how could they answer on behalf of undefined and unknown people who might have lowered their vehicles?

 

These vehicles self lower all on their own and soon end up dragging their ar5e like a dog with worms when carrying rear seat passengers, luggage or loads.

It's an open question, maybe more like thinking out aloud. At the end of it all, if it was a second-hand car, then, yes I accept that it might not be obvious that it has been modified, but it still remains a fact that the insurance company still always ask that question. Some mods are self-evident like slamming it to the deck, spoilers and other body kits or a V8 crammed under the bonnet!

 

I wonder what the outcome would be if the owner said NO and then subsequently was involved in a serious RTA and the car was examined and discovered that it was modified, would they weasel their way out of honouring the policy?

[Ootohere]

It is not a question of weaselling out of anything if they can show you made a false declaration.

Loss adjusters can catch out the not so bright that post about mods on forums, or buy their tuning box or remap, lowering springs etc on their Credit card.

 

There is nothing wrong with giving honest answers and if there are claims giving honest answers then there is less chance of the systems the call handlers have detecting they migh have a little fibber on the line. 

[Graham Butcher]

11 minutes ago, Rooted said:

It is not a question of weaselling out of anything if they can show you made a false declaration.

Loss adjusters can catch out the not so bright that post about mods on forums, or buy their tuning box or remap, lowering springs etc on their Credit card.

 

There is nothing wrong with giving honest answers and if there are claims giving honest answers then there is less chance of the systems the call handlers have detecting they migh have a little fibber on the line. 

All very true, but I was asking a "what if" question, in the case of someone buying a 2nd hand car and declaring it as not modified, but it was in reality, but they were not aware of it? Would it be a case of them washing their hands of any claims, in other words, is it like the situation when somebody buys a car, and it turns out to be a stolen car, the buyer losses out as the police will seize the car

Edited 16 November, 2023 by Graham Butcher

[Ootohere]

Not washing their hands.  Maybe asking you if you want to withdraw your claim.

 

They will have to cover 3rd party claims as your insurer and then maybe sue you to pay their losses. 

 

But then that is all 'What if'.      We are all honest are we not, snd not stupid.   But stupid people. or those that could not care and that might pretend they do not know standard from modified, or a ringer / clone, stolen, etc might be caught out. 

[Graham Butcher]

1 minute ago, Rooted said:

Not washing their hands.  Maybe asking you if you want to withdraw your claim.

 

They will have to cover 3rd party claims as your insurer and then maybe sue you to pay their losses. 

 

But then that is all 'What if'.      We are all honest are we not, snd not stupid.   But stupid people. or those that could not care and that might pretend they do not know standard from modified, or a ringer / clone, stolen, etc might be caught out. 

Yes, it is the honest I was referring to, who answered the questions to the best of their ability. The person knowingly buys a car and then modifies it without informing their insurance company is being dishonest and IMV deserves to have their policy voided and or as you said, sued to recover the costs.

[BTandSid]

5 hours ago, kodiaqsportline said:

What annoyed me today? A certain Michael Matheson, the Scottish health secy who's position is now untenable. He didn't realise he'd racked up an £11k data bill on the parliamenty ipad he took on holiday. That I can accept, we all make mistakes. I'm sure we've all be victim of an oversight of sorts - £8800 in a single day however is a pretty big one.

 

He originally said the ipad was only used for parliamentary business but now says he didn't realise his sons had used it to live stream football.  Of course such devices used for parliamentary work should be securely protected, but I'll even accept that he didn't realise his sons may have overseen any protection without his knowledge.

 

There are two things tho I can't accept.

 

1: He knew he racked up an £11k bill but would have us believe he never questioned it if all he was doing was parliamentary work?  Typical SNP accounting. But far more serious...

 

2:  He said that he only realised last week that his sons had been watching football on the Ipad but didn't say anything as he wanted to protect his family? And then says any parent would understand his position as he's first and foremost a father.

 

Really? If I wanted to protect my family given the same circumstances, I'd have held my hands up and said yes, it was me who was watching football, and nobody would have been any wiser. I'd have taken it on the chin, I may have had to resign but that's it. Nobody in my family would have been brought in to it.

 

Bull**** he was trying to protect his sons, he was trying to protect himself.  What a rat, using your family as some sort of sympathy vote to save your career? What a disgusting man.

 

 

 

And I don’t believe there’s even been any offer to make good the expense? 

[Paws4Thot]

28 minutes ago, BTandSid said:

And I don’t believe there’s even been any offer to make good the expense? 

Apart from the cheque that Michael Matheson MSP has actually written you mean?

[Graham Butcher]

18 minutes ago, Paws4Thot said:

Apart from the cheque that Michael Matheson MSP has actually written you mean?

deleted as I clicked quote rather than reply🙄

Edited 17 November, 2023 by Graham Butcher