Things I Don't Like

[jmurray01]

I'm not one of "those" people who go on about wastage of plastic et cetera, but the amount of unnecessary plastic used in the "MEGA PACK" of multivitamins from Home Bargains is just ridiculous!

In case you can't tell, it is only 1/4 full (if that) of tablets.  In their defense they state it has 150 tablets and I'm sure it does, which is still a good deal, but the bottle could have been HALF the size!

[jmurray01]

On 9/30/2019 at 8:44 AM, TomsFocus said:

It's mainly to give you more room in the cabin.  Conventional handbrake lever has to be mounted in the middle and takes up a lot of unnecessary space...where a tiny button can be mounted anywhere and takes up no space at all.  I dare say the motors will wear out later in the cars life, but I've had to replace no end of snapped cables on the old 306s which was a right pain without a ramp so I'm not against electronic handbrakes myself...not that I've had one yet!  

Well my problem with the EPB is that when it fails it usually does so with the parking brake ENGAGED, meaning that you are stranded and unable to move if it goes completely.  If you're in the driveway at home that is a minor-moderate inconvenience, but imagine if you had parked somewhere or God forbid in traffic and it decided to give up the ghost.

A snapped cable will not stop you from driving anywhere, quite the opposite in fact...

If the EPB had a fail safe whereby it wouldn't engage at the point of failure or could be disengaged manually I wouldn't have such a problem with it, but as it stands I do.

I'm not a fan of the foot operated parking brakes, but even one of those would be preferable and wouldn't encroach on cabin space. 

[FatHead1979]

1 hour ago, zain611 said:

I used compressed air on the sides and it sadly hasn't helped. Might look at getting a new one later. 

Managed to get around it. Found a spare mouse and that manages to work now. Able to select things. 

If you didn't live so far away I could fix that!  (I work in IT and used to refurb laptops before flogging them on fleabay).  The touchpad mechanism on most laptops is fairly easy to replace (if you know what you're doing) but I does mean disassembling the laptop to get at it, which is beyond the skillset of the average user.  Incidentally what brand and model is it?

[FatHead1979]

5 minutes ago, jmurray01 said:

Well my problem with the EPB is that when it fails it usually does so with the parking brake ENGAGED, meaning that you are stranded and unable to move if it goes completely.  If you're in the driveway at home that is a minor-moderate inconvenience, but imagine if you had parked somewhere or God forbid in traffic and it decided to give up the ghost.

A snapped cable will not stop you from driving anywhere, quite the opposite in fact...

If the EPB had a fail safe whereby it wouldn't engage at the point of failure or could be disengaged manually I wouldn't have such a problem with it, but as it stands I do.

I'm not a fan of the foot operated parking brakes, but even one of those would be preferable and wouldn't encroach on cabin space. 

The MK1 Vauxhall Insignia was infamous for the EB sticking on.  A woman who lived across the road couldn't get hers to shift one morning (motability car) so 2 blokes from Reg Vardy came and pretty much burnt the clutch out trying to get it to play ball, the poor car was only 2 weeks old!

[jmurray01]

3 minutes ago, 1979Damian said:

The MK1 Vauxhall Insignia was infamous for the EB sticking on.  A woman who lived across the road couldn't get hers to shift one morning (motability car) so 2 blokes from Reg Vardy came and pretty much burnt the clutch out trying to get it to play ball, the poor car was only 2 weeks old!

Oh well, I'm glad it isn't just a Volkswagen problem then!!

[zain611]

4 minutes ago, 1979Damian said:

If you didn't live so far away I could fix that!  (I work in IT and used to refurb laptops before flogging them on fleabay).  The touchpad mechanism on most laptops is fairly easy to replace (if you know what you're doing) but I does mean disassembling the laptop to get at it, which is beyond the skillset of the average user.  Incidentally what brand and model is it?

I live in greater London so could see 😅. I went to the IT help desk in the uni today and they were no help saying saying it's not the unis computer and that I'd need to take it to curry's to get it fixed. Happy at least I found a way of getting it working. 

[TomsFocus]

12 hours ago, jmurray01 said:

A snapped cable will not stop you from driving anywhere, quite the opposite in fact...

Well, that's not quite true...trying to do a steep hill start on a small, cold petrol engine with cars up your backside without a handbrake is certainly interesting!  I wished I had 3 feet that day!  

[TomsFocus]

14 hours ago, zain611 said:

I used compressed air on the sides and it sadly hasn't helped. Might look at getting a new one later. 

Managed to get around it. Found a spare mouse and that manages to work now. Able to select things. 

I must've been quite lucky with my laptop, it's over 6 years old now and only needed a couple of batteries in that time.  Admittedly it is slow now and struggles to get anywhere near the performance of my budget smartphone, but that's technology in this modern age, the important thing is it still works despite all the crumbs, dust and anti-bac cleaner!  

[TomsFocus]

I don't like how cold it is today. 

 

[Lenny]

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

I don't like how cold it is today. 

 

Was cold last night; 

I was sleeping in the car kn the driveway two duvets a sleeping bag and a 3M beanie hat and still my legs got cold 

[zain611]

8 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

I must've been quite lucky with my laptop, it's over 6 years old now and only needed a couple of batteries in that time.  Admittedly it is slow now and struggles to get anywhere near the performance of my budget smartphone, but that's technology in this modern age, the important thing is it still works despite all the crumbs, dust and anti-bac cleaner!  

I luckily somehow sorted itself out. Makes me think though if I should change it. 

[jmurray01]

8 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Well, that's not quite true...trying to do a steep hill start on a small, cold petrol engine with cars up your backside without a handbrake is certainly interesting!  I wished I had 3 feet that day!  

Well literally speaking you'd move just in the wrong direction!

I'd still rather have that problem and know to avoid hills than be stuck in a Tesco car park in a strange place (hypothetically).

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, jmurray01 said:

Well literally speaking you'd move just in the wrong direction!

I'd still rather have that problem and know to avoid hills than be stuck in a Tesco car park in a strange place (hypothetically).

Well, I guess that's true! 

I can think of worse places to be stuck than Tesco car park tbh...at least they have food, water and toilets if it came to it.  Sad thing is, there are so many things that can go wrong even on the most basic cars to make them undriveable, just have to hope for the best!!  

I'd be interested to know how tight the EPB actually is...I bet you could still drive with it on...you need a new caliper by that point anyway so sod the pads haha!

 

[Turvey]

All this talk of handbrakes reminds me that I must get mine fixed! Been a snapped cable since about March! 

[jmurray01]

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Well, I guess that's true! 

I can think of worse places to be stuck than Tesco car park tbh...at least they have food, water and toilets if it came to it.  Sad thing is, there are so many things that can go wrong even on the most basic cars to make them undriveable, just have to hope for the best!!  

I'd be interested to know how tight the EPB actually is...I bet you could still drive with it on...you need a new caliper by that point anyway so sod the pads haha!

 

Oh no there's no way of driving with it on, without burning up your clutch and dragging the rear wheels.  At least not in my Passat, it holds very tight.

Tesco is kind of the best case scenario actually, there are a lot worse!

Hypothetically you could park somewhere rural in my area that gets no phone signal, then find yourself "anchored" and unable to drive anywhere with no way of communicating with the outside world.

As you say though many things in modern cars can cause such a situation of being stranded, but the EPB is something that is not required and just adds to that risk without justification.

[jmurray01]

1 hour ago, Turvey said:

All this talk of handbrakes reminds me that I must get mine fixed! Been a snapped cable since about March! 

Can't say I blame you, unless I'm parked on a hill I never apply it anyway and just park in gear.  My mother on the other hand would be lost without hers as she uses it all the time when parking and driving. 

[TomsFocus]

11 hours ago, jmurray01 said:

As you say though many things in modern cars can cause such a situation of being stranded, but the EPB is something that is not required and just adds to that risk without justification.

Not just modern cars...  So far, each time I've been stranded with an undriveable car, it was caused by old fashioned parts!  Split radiator hose that dumped all of the coolant and couldn't be reached with tape, de-lined drum shoe which locked the rear wheel absolutely solid and a snapped spring which went through the tyre in seconds...couldn't use the spare as it would've shredded that too.  

But I've also seen many more, seized front caliper, collapsed CV joint, snapped engine mount, split earth cable, snapped lower arm, blown diff...tbh the list is endless even on a really poverty, old car!   

With the locked drum, I honestly wished I'd just driven that the ~4 miles home and wrecked the tyre instead of the horrific experience I had with the RAC!  I've hated drum brakes ever since...but only because I've personally not had a locked caliper so far!  

12 hours ago, Turvey said:

All this talk of handbrakes reminds me that I must get mine fixed! Been a snapped cable since about March! 

Not many hills where you live then?  

[Turvey]

7 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

 

Not many hills where you live then?  

There is......... I just make a point of not parking on them! 😆

[Tdci-Peter]

On 10/3/2019 at 7:22 PM, Turvey said:

All this talk of handbrakes reminds me that I must get mine fixed! Been a snapped cable since about March! 

MoT due???

What I don't much like is deciding to fix my jammed thermostatic shower valve. It was, as before, just jammed with limescale, and needed a good clean. But while the water to the bathroom was off, I decided to check the shower tap, and the two basin taps that had washers well over 20 years old, and tended to drip if not very firmly closed.

The basin taps were, predictably, locked with limescale, and took a lot of force to remove the covers or inner nuts. I checked the seats for erosion as best I could with water leaking through the old stop taps, and replaced the washers.

I now have a leaking shower tap, two leaky basin taps and two leaky joints under the sink to the taps !!!!!

I have not checked the ancient stop valves, I expect they are leaking from the stem seals also! Hidden under a false wall, and completely inaccessible.

Not a Great Day.

Laugh if you like, it might make me feel more cheerful!.

 

[zain611]

12 hours ago, Tdci-Peter said:

MoT due???

What I don't much like is deciding to fix my jammed thermostatic shower valve. It was, as before, just jammed with limescale, and needed a good clean. But while the water to the bathroom was off, I decided to check the shower tap, and the two basin taps that had washers well over 20 years old, and tended to drip if not very firmly closed.

The basin taps were, predictably, locked with limescale, and took a lot of force to remove the covers or inner nuts. I checked the seats for erosion as best I could with water leaking through the old stop taps, and replaced the washers.

I now have a leaking shower tap, two leaky basin taps and two leaky joints under the sink to the taps !!!!!

I have not checked the ancient stop valves, I expect they are leaking from the stem seals also! Hidden under a false wall, and completely inaccessible.

Not a Great Day.

Laugh if you like, it might make me feel more cheerful!.

 

Don't you have any limescale remover? Might help remove some of it

[zain611]

I like seeing this very rare zetec s 1.6 diesel for sale. Rare finding them in white with this engine. Its also fully loaded with all extras excluding the red dashboard.

If I could I'd get it and swap stuff other on my current car and sell it and keep this. I wish 😭

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, zain611 said:

I like seeing this very rare zetec s 1.6 diesel for sale. Rare finding them in white with this engine. Its also fully loaded with all extras excluding the red dashboard.

If I could I'd get it and swap stuff other on my current car and sell it and keep this. I wish 😭

That one does look nice, I don't usually like white cars lol!

Now you're commuting by train you could definitely look at fun petrols though!  

[zain611]

28 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

That one does look nice, I don't usually like white cars lol!

Now you're commuting by train you could definitely look at fun petrols though!  

Yeah that's true. This one has auto lights, full leather seats, rear factory tints, climate control and front heated windscreen. Says its an ex demo car and one owner which is perfect. It comes back to the ULEZ charge if I'm able to keep it. I haven't driven my car since Sunday. Honestly feels so nice to drive it again. If I keep at this rate I'd probably be doing 300 miles a year 😂

I also do like stopping this BMW driver trying to cut in front of me after going straight through a left turn only lane. 

[Tdci-Peter]

3 hours ago, zain611 said:

Don't you have any limescale remover? Might help remove some of it

It is an idea, though all the real problems occur inside the tap casings, and inside the shower control unit. It jams threads as effectively as rust. I could have mixed up some tartaric acid, which I use to de-scale kettles, and tried getting it to go inside the casing at the top where the tap stem comes out, but it would be very difficult to get enough in.

I now suspect the basin moved up a bit on the stupid sloping clamp plates that hold it to the wall, and has stressed the pipes that come out of the wall, turn 90deg, then go straight on to the taps. One seems to have sealed, but the other still has a very slight leak. Undoing it to clean and remake the joint is not going to be easy. Either I have to knock tiles off to lift the basin, or power file through the clamp plates. The screws are inaccessible. Plumbers!!!

[Micro]

It is an idea, though all the real problems occur inside the tap casings, and inside the shower control unit. It jams threads as effectively as rust. I could have mixed up some tartaric acid, which I use to de-scale kettles, and tried getting it to go inside the casing at the top where the tap stem comes out, but it would be very difficult to get enough in.
I now suspect the basin moved up a bit on the stupid sloping clamp plates that hold it to the wall, and has stressed the pipes that come out of the wall, turn 90deg, then go straight on to the taps. One seems to have sealed, but the other still has a very slight leak. Undoing it to clean and remake the joint is not going to be easy. Either I have to knock tiles off to lift the basin, or power file through the clamp plates. The screws are inaccessible. Plumbers!!!

Are they flex pipes to the taps, or just copper?

You should have a stop tap in the road to turn water off to your whole house/flat, which will allow you to sort the stop valves [emoji16]

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