Modern life is rubbish

A non wargaming post.

The car started making a squealing noise when I was parking it and/or backing out. And the brakes were squeaking too. It's funny sometimes how the less you drive a car the more problems you get. Up and down the M6 daily for months and nary a problem, a few months of pottering about and I start getting issues.

So I took it round to the local garage in the village to have it looked at. Turns out the alternator was jammed and the squealing was the belt running less than smoothly.

So I approved the repair then walked down to pick up the car at 5pm.  All fixed. Except. ..

Whilst doing the work they noticed that one of the rear shock absorbers was leaking. And one of the front tyres was worn flat on the inside.

Six months old that tyre is. They don't do tyres and it's too late to have the shock done today.

So next day down to the tyre supplier to discuss why a tyre with only 10,000 miles on it has worn so badly.

Oh  It's your tracking mate,  innit?  And you need that shock doing and your springs. .....

So that's how I'm spending my morning.

Comments

  1. I feel your pain!...sorry to hear of your troubles and yes modern life is sometimes at best rubbish. Keep going...

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    Replies
    1. Well, back on the road now, and my ride is smoooooth....

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  2. Sometimes, when it rains, it pours! I once visited a tire shop to have a flat repaired only to walk away with four new brakes! Of course, the claim was that the brakes were almost completed used up.

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    1. Yup, that's the way it goes.

      I suppose with most of us as long as the car runs we don't notice minor niggles. I couldn't see the tyre wear at all from when the car was parked normally.

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  3. Plus ca Change !
    I suppose it depends upobn how much you individually know about cars - It your tracking is off then the tyres/tyre will wear asymetrically and duff shocks- and potholes can have a drastic effect- been there seen that .
    Doen't stop it being pain inthe ...
    though

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    Replies
    1. I'm not ignorant but I regard cars as a way of getting about, not a way of life.

      This'll make you laugh tho'. They put it up on jacks to spin the wheels and came back and told me the wheels were really stiff and I had a serious problem.

      They then came back shortly afterwards and apologised 'cos they hadn't realised the car was an automatic.

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  4. It's not a Renault Esapce by any chance?

    ....arrrgghh!

    This evoked the proverbial suckign in of breath through teeth by every single garage mechanic we've tried...

    ...anecdotal tales of doom and woe inevitably followed.

    And it doesn't even have a cup holder!

    *&"*&^% French!!!

    PS My wife is French so I'm allowed to say that.

    I think?

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    Replies
    1. No. It's a classical VW Golf, the really reliable one.

      Hence the annoyance.

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  5. Ack, my sympathies. Mine just had its MOT, and both the rear shocks had gone. The guy at the garage and I commiserated about the existence of speed bumps. There's a country road I take to see a friend, and the route has at least twenty of the blasted things.

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    1. Our problem here is mini-roundabouts. And speed bumps.

      I have to go round 4 mini roundabouts just to get off the housing estate. Wears the outside of the tyres rotten.

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  6. My sympathies as well! I share your pain. One consolation is that bicycles and horses are not much better!!

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    1. I think bicycles are less expensive. My brother and his wife have a horse and I shudder to think what that costs them.

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    2. I go through two sets of tires annually on my bicycle. Of course, the bicycle tires see more miles than did your car tire.

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    3. How many miles a day do you do?

      Those tyres had about 10,000 miles on them.

      Delete

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