What a day!

[phil d]

Woke up yesterday morning and it all started to go wrong, I should have been on a course but was also getting pressure from a customer to finish a job,, as it happened I did neither. I put my tools in the car and took the wife to work, partway there there was a rattling sound like someone kicking a can, I pulled over and peered under the car, the cat had snapped and the pipe was dragging on the floor. I growled and snarled and moved up the road to a safer place,got under the car and ripped the exhaust off! I threw it into the car with much cursing and swearing, I'd fitted a new exhaust a few months back and the cat looked fine.

I drove back home with it sounding like a dragster and rang the local exhaust centre,  £350 for a new cat, fitted! I rang Europarts and with my discount got one for £80, rang my son who was  at his house and he ran me to get it, got back and refitted the whole exhaust in a little under an hour.

Now last week some scroat tried breaking in and stuffed up the drivers door lock, then the window mech packed in (another £90) and now this, I found a breakers yard locally and got a lock and window mech for £20 so went and got them, then decided to go to the pub. I was sat in there and my mate walked in, and asked how I was doing, I told him I needed a pee and was hoping an attractive young lady would come in, he asked who this attractive young lady was that I was waiting for, "oh anyone will do" I replied "with the way things are going lately I don't fancy going for a pee on my own in case it falls off when I touch it", unfortunately my luck is never good, so I had to chance it and fortunately it didn't break or fall off. We then went back home and did battle with the lock and window mech, note to self, in future don't wait 'till it's dark and you've had a few beers before tackling a job.

 

[Sharpend]

Your luck sounds as good as mine!  

Van failed MOT on a control arm bush, so ok I've got to take the arm off to swap bush so I'll just go for a complete arm replacement. Off to Euro Carparts for two new control arms (no point in changing one when they've been in the vehicle the same length of time). So job consists of undoing seven bolts for each arm. Tackles the first six fine then 'snap' the last bolt had seized within subframe bracket. 

No problem I'll drill it out -note to self don't attempt something so stupid again without proper tools, anyhow that didn't go well. Now it's cost a new subframe bracket as well and because I'd run out of time I had to take it to local garage. Total cost of replacing two arms (14 bolts) £500. Pig sick. 

I've now got the offside driveshaft, two front struts and anti roll bar bushes to change and that's a complete change of all mechanical joints/bushes on vehicle front to back. Let's hope the engine continues on! 

 

[Evans Electric]

Could have been worse ....your willy could fall off!! :innocent

I have to say that , these days , most repairs are booked into the garage now , ....up on the ramp most jobs become much easier & quicker.

My van  failed MOT two weeks ago ,  track rod end ....a corroded brake pipe...plus the MOT  @ £130.0