Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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sally_in_wales
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I may have just killed my carHeaded off after lunch to go to the pictures, a bit of a day-off treat. Half way there and there is an almighty bang and the universe fills up with smoke. Pulled over to the side, popped the bonnet, and the oil cap had blown clean of and everything was covered in oil. Got it tidied up, checked there was enough oil to get moving again, and managed to limp with much grinding and stalling into a nearby industrial area and called the RAC (only got cover last week, reckoned we might need it for the elderly van, didnt think we'd need it for my nice reliable low mileage no frills Skoda  )
Anyway, turns out that something has exploded, sucking all the water and oil in through the engine and the RAC man managed the most teeth sucking and head shaking I've ever seen a mechanic do.
Got towed back to find our usual garage aren't up to sorting it out, but on the plus side we have now been pointed to a little backyard garage run by an older chap a few streets away who apparently specialises in bizarre engine faliures and who seemed positively delighted to be offered a challenge ("Never known a Skoda do that in all my years...etc etc"), so at least the work is going very locally.
Poo! Somewhat less than happy really, though it could have been much worse I suppose, at least we didnt go bang in a way that endangered anyone or anything beyond our bank balance.
Going to have a restorative cup of tea then try to turn Gareths compost heap of a car into something driveable til we know the verdict on mine(we were about to scrap it, glad we hadn't)
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tahir
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Cup of tea is absolutely the right course of action, glad you're thinking clearly.
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dpack
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and biscuits
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sally_in_wales
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AND I never got to see Pirates of the Carribean I was looking forward to a quick Captain Sparrow fix.
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gingerwelly
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| sally_in_wales wrote: | | AND I never got to see Pirates of the Carribean I was looking forward to a quick Captain Sparrow fix. |
don't worry its not great , i fell asleep,its the first film i have ever felt like walking out of ... (Captin Sparrow is the only good thing about it, )... hope your car gets better !
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sally_in_wales
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| gingerwelly wrote: | | sally_in_wales wrote: | | AND I never got to see Pirates of the Carribean I was looking forward to a quick Captain Sparrow fix. |
don't worry its not great , i fell asleep,its the first film i have ever felt like walking out of ... (Captin Sparrow is the only good thing about it, )... hope your car gets better ! |
What a shame, the first one was a hoot even if it was Disney, whom I usually boycott on the grounds of mangling perfectly good fairy stories, I was looking forward to this one
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Silas
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Re: I may have just killed my car | sally_in_wales wrote: | Headed off after lunch to go to the pictures, a bit of a day-off treat. Half way there and there is an almighty bang and the universe fills up with smoke. Pulled over to the side, popped the bonnet, and the oil cap had blown clean of and everything was covered in oil. Got it tidied up, checked there was enough oil to get moving again, and managed to limp with much grinding and stalling into a nearby industrial area and called the RAC (only got cover last week, reckoned we might need it for the elderly van, didnt think we'd need it for my nice reliable low mileage no frills Skoda )
Anyway, turns out that something has exploded, sucking all the water and oil in through the engine and the RAC man managed the most teeth sucking and head shaking I've ever seen a mechanic do.
Got towed back to find our usual garage aren't up to sorting it out, but on the plus side we have now been pointed to a little backyard garage run by an older chap a few streets away who apparently specialises in bizarre engine faliures and who seemed positively delighted to be offered a challenge ("Never known a Skoda do that in all my years...etc etc"), so at least the work is going very locally.
Poo! Somewhat less than happy really, though it could have been much worse I suppose, at least we didnt go bang in a way that endangered anyone or anything beyond our bank balance.
Going to have a restorative cup of tea then try to turn Gareths compost heap of a car into something driveable til we know the verdict on mine(we were about to scrap it, glad we hadn't) |
If only everything in life was as reliable as a volkswagon ( big joke!)
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sally_in_wales
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Now the VW I don't mind tinkering with, at least I can see what most of the pieces are meant to do, and I have a vague philosophy that if I can get at it I can probably fix it, Modern cars are way too complicated/shrinkwrapped and all you can ever do is check the oil and water without needing a mechanic. I prefer an engine that can have a spanner wielded at it in an emergency 
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dougal
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Sally, modern Skodas are VW's, or if you prefer it SEATs. Same company. Same engines, same parts, though sometimes different prices...
The Skoda does sound serious (expensive).
Re the wet Micra. Apart from replacing the glass, consider removing the carpets - they hold the damp. And maximise every opportunity to blast warm air through the car to dry it out.
One of my brothers had a mini, years ago. It had a damp problem. He took out the carpets and sealed the floor with glassfibre. Result - it filled up with water, and there was an impressive tidal wave on applying the brakes... Its important to let the water out, with the minimum of fuss. (He actually had a perished rubber seal around the windscreen letting the water in.)
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sally_in_wales
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with you now, thought my recent purchase of an elderly but nicely 'mechanical' VW van was being poked at gently
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wellington womble
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Oh dear, Sally - I think that's at least a gin and fizz. I absolutely hate it when stuff goes wrong with my car - I don't really like having one at all, and positively loathe spending money on it!
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oddballdave
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| dougal wrote: | Re the wet Micra. Apart from replacing the glass, consider removing the carpets - they hold the damp. And maximise every opportunity to blast warm air through the car to dry it out.
One of my brothers had a mini, years ago. It had a damp problem. He took out the carpets and sealed the floor with glassfibre. Result - it filled up with water, and there was an impressive tidal wave on applying the brakes... Its important to let the water out, with the minimum of fuss. (He actually had a perished rubber seal around the windscreen letting the water in.) |
When my old Maestro had a swimming pool on the floor I drilled a few holes in the floor pan on both sides of the car. Parked overnight on a hill with the holes downward and let the car empty itself.
Worked for 18 months until the head gasket failed.
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