Fuck this month. Seriously. Straight in the eye.

[system11]

Well, I usually don't do this sort of thing, and usually I frown at people posting their life sob story in off-topic, but I've fucking had it. That's it - enough is enough. Here we go:

At the start of the month, my car developed an ABS problem. No big deal I thought, it'll be one of the wheel sensors - it's a common problem. This was the start of the month of misery. I took it to a local garage, they charged me £65 to tell me that it was a £600 pump which had failed. I wasn't sure about that diagnosis, so I took it to another garage who 1) agreed, 2) charged me £110 for diagnosis, and 3) checked the actual part price - £800. Plus tax, naturally.

At this point I realise the spending £1500 (including labour) isn't worth it on a car worth only twice that, so I start to look at getting a new car. I narrow it down to two, and agree part exchange values on my old car, leaving me with a decision. I also get a confirmed buyer for the old car privately.

The next day, I'm driving to work and passing one of the dealers in question, when the driver in front turns left. I slow down, as you do, and hear the screaching of tyres and then a *BANG* noise as an open back builders lorry slams into the back of my car. The very salesman who I'd agreed a p/x value happens to turn up to work at this moment. The whole situation was so unfortunate and ridiculous I started to laugh.

So then we launch into the whole insurance thing. At this point I wish they'd write the car off as it would make my life easier, but they decide not to. Several days are wasted with me being the middle man between an approved repairer (20 miles away, naturally), the insurance company, and the legal expenses company. I'm told to take the car in for repairs by the repairer, then the legal people say it's not been approved yet, the repairers say it is, and I'm left wondering why the fuck they don't tell eachother that instead of waiting for me to call them.

Eventually the car gets in for repairs. The private buyer says he still wants it when it gets back.

In the meantime, I decide which car it is I want to buy. It has a couple of faults - theres a little paint damage on one door, and the aircon isn't working. The dealer agrees this will be done before I collect the car. All seems ok, for a bit. A few days later, I get my old car back, the repair looks good and they fixed all the parking sensors which were broken before the accident anway. Unfortunately one of the fuel level sensors dies at this point, so I'm left putting lots of fuel into the car in the hope that it's the right amount. The screen and airbag warning lights also start coming on intermittently at this point, but I manage to fix them. The private buyer says he wants to come and collect it, but actually stops responding to emails afterwards.

I take delivery of my new car. The paint hasn't been fixed, and the aircon still doesn't work. They apologise a lot and book it in for Tuesday. A few days later this gets bumped to the next Tuesday. Private buyer on the old car sends me an email, he still definitely wants it, but refuses to phone me to arrange the deal.

Monday night, I'm driving back from a shop in the new car, and a police car rushes up behind me. I move out of his way, but this puts me in line with a very big pot hole. BANG. Fantastic. Next morning I take it to a tyre place, luckily the damage is not too bad - just the alignment needs adjusting. On the way back, I lose track of my speed a little on a scrubland road by a power station. Usually, I drive under the limit, I'm picky about it. This one time I make a mistake is the one time the police, who caused me to be out that morning in the first place, have a speed trap van set up. I'm way over the limit when they video my car. This is made worse by the fact that they've also reduced the limit on that road by simply digging up the old signs and not telling anyone.

In the UK, this is dealt with in a similar draconian manner to all our money extraction laws. I will certainly get points on my license and a fine, I may have to go to court, and may actually be banned. I still don't know as the letter hasn't arrived - our speed camera rape system is fully automated, your tax money at work! On the way back to work the new car develops a loud rattle from either a heat shield or one of the cats. Brilliant.

I spend the next few days (and indeed still feel like it now) with a horrible sick feeling of fear in my stomach. I stop sleeping at this point without having nightmares where I'm being chased. On Thursday I decide I might cheer up a bit if I go home and play Shao-Lin's Road. The PCB has died. I go back to work, and some idiots in customer support waste my afternoon by filling up /tmp on servers even though I've asked them a hundred times not to.

I get back home that day to find the plumber (who our landlord brought in) has finished redoing the bathroom. Some paint has been missed and one of the new taps now functions much like a water machine gun. He's also leaves bags of rubble outside the house rather than taking them away.

Friday, today. Things are pretty shitty all round by this point, but I put a brave face on it and listen to some Genesis, it helps a little. I list my old car on ebay and it sells within 3 minutes - a good result. Unfortunately the buyer then calls and asks me questions about the car. Ones he should have asked before bidding. Nevertheless, he decides to buy it.

I get home. Our second 360 puts a giant scratch in my girlfriends FF13 disc. I fix it, but while I'm fetching a rag from the back of the old car, I notice that the repairers have put the trunk badge in the wrong place. It'll have made an imprint on the new paint too so moving it is out of the question. I'll have to call the buyer to discuss this with him tomorrow, and also call the repairers and take a months anger and frustration out on them.

There. If this was America I'd be out at a Whammy Burger in a shirt and tie with a shotgun about now, asking why it doesn't look like the picture. There's still about 5 days left for more things to go wrong too, I'll expect the court summons on Monday..

[jonny5]

at least you have that lovely new black widow cab to make you smile

sorry about the run of badluck...keep your head up

[adversity1]

Fucking car life, any chance you can ride a bike? It's all such a nightmare.

There. If this was America I'd be out at a Whammy Burger in a shirt and tie with a shotgun about now, asking why it doesn't look like the picture. There's still about 5 days left for more things to go wrong too, I'll expect the court summons on Monday..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h611G3z8 ... re=related

[Elixir]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h611G3z8 ... re=related

Ahaha I saw that earlier, I'm surprised someone didn't tell him that he didn't need any more cheeseburgers.

He needs underwear though.

[brentsg]

This is all bad karma for letting cools have your Pink Sweets kit.

[CMoon]

Sympathy from this end. There's nothing involving a car or insurance that doesn't suck on a completely unreasonable level.

I've started homebrewing to compensate for the amount of suckatude, it isn't a bad way to go.

[Ed Oscuro]

Had a lot of trouble with my car this month. The car would buck against me randomly and the yellow check engine light came on almost once per trip (the car's automatic shifter uses electronic wheel speed detection and that part was shot). It kinda makes me want to start driving a manual (though I've heard of some manuals losing their torque in park and coasting down inclines, eh, damned either way I guess). On the plus side, fixing everything was less than half a grand, and the only service place for Hyundai cars within miles and miles was merely two and a half miles away from the front door of the dormitory. At one point there was the possibility the 60K checkup had not been done and would be adding $800 to the bill, but almost all of it had already been done. The rep had to wait overnight to get ahold of the people at Firestone (where I had some "get my car to start" work done last year), apparently. It seems to me that when I had called Firestone to get the details the person there misread something to me, not exactly sure, nor have I any idea why they could talk to me but not to the service rep from the other place calling a few minutes later. No big deal in the end, though.

There is still a problem with the radio (the CD player, actually; it buzzes even with the key out of the ignition and seems to be trying to grab a disc; hitting it with the side of my fist will stop it but it has to be done over and over; this is probably $150 or less to get replaced; I'm gonna see how much that'll be tomorrow), and the rear driver-side door needs to be unlocked from inside because the power lock actuator died. That would be another $250. It's a pain since I use that door a lot, but it's not a $250 necessity, just a convenience. I guess using the other doors ensures weight is more evenly distributed through the car anyway. They also charged the same price for replacing both wipers, even though the arm of the left one was replaced and not just the blades as on the right. Also, did you know that aligning headlights is $20?

tl;dr 2001 Hyundais have electrical problems, but if you keep them in service they'll run. It hasn't been too expensive really. From what I understand it was the 2003-2004 models that have better reliability, though I asked my service rep

We've had three computers more or less shit out all at the same time. The OS install on my XP machine is borked with five- to ten-second freezeups every half minute (though I bet booting to Safe mode will fix it; need to just find the time to back up teh ROMz and reinstall everything); my laptop's back to its green screen (in black areas) shenanigans, so I'll have to try to convince Asus that my write-in at the end of December is still good and to go through with it, and an old XP machine shuts off a second after it powers on (I was telling the owners literally this week it might be a good time to replace it finally...it's lasted nine years though). This is my sign to get that Core i7 motherboard RMAd before something bad happens to my primary XP machine.

Also, HD-video capable DSLRs take shit video. I recorded some poetry readings the other day and everybody was excited to see them on Youtube...my framing turns out to be a bit poor, but using a special lens apparently does fuck all with the camera's automatic exposure, and I don't know of a way to adjust the white balance (which would help). Nice big old moire band on the microphone, and the carefully manually setting the focal distance hasn't prevented it from looking a bit out of focus. Humbug.

Good points, though: I've spent more time actually typing things up in the computer labs and on studies, have a new PC to play with, one of those slim-form HP machines, the first 64-bit machine I've ever used (ditto for Windows 7, Aero isn't bothering me after a bit of tweaking), not staying up all night, etc. I also am getting a new monitor out of the deal because my previous trusty monitor is gonna be pressed into service with the new PC.

But, on the whole, this certainly has been a troublesome month.

[Acid King]

It kinda makes me want to start driving a manual (though I've heard of some manuals losing their torque in park and coasting down inclines, eh, damned either way I guess).

E-brake?

[The Coop]

It kinda makes me want to start driving a manual (though I've heard of some manuals losing their torque in park and coasting down inclines, eh, damned either way I guess).

E-brake?

Only good for the warm months. If he lives someplace where it's never below the freezing mark, he'd be set. Otherwise...

[Khan]

Well, I usually don't do this sort of thing, and usually I frown at people posting their life sob story in off-topic, but I've fucking had it. That's it - enough is enough. Here we go:

At the start of the month, my car developed an ABS problem. No big deal I thought, it'll be one of the wheel sensors - it's a common problem. This was the start of the month of misery. I took it to a local garage, they charged me £65 to tell me that it was a £600 pump which had failed. I wasn't sure about that diagnosis, so I took it to another garage who 1) agreed, 2) charged me £110 for diagnosis, and 3) checked the actual part price - £800. Plus tax, naturally.

At this point I realise the spending £1500 (including labour) isn't worth it on a car worth only twice that, so I start to look at getting a new car. I narrow it down to two, and agree part exchange values on my old car, leaving me with a decision. I also get a confirmed buyer for the old car privately.

The next day, I'm driving to work and passing one of the dealers in question, when the driver in front turns left. I slow down, as you do, and hear the screaching of tyres and then a *BANG* noise as an open back builders lorry slams into the back of my car. The very salesman who I'd agreed a p/x value happens to turn up to work at this moment. The whole situation was so unfortunate and ridiculous I started to laugh.

So then we launch into the whole insurance thing. At this point I wish they'd write the car off as it would make my life easier, but they decide not to. Several days are wasted with me being the middle man between an approved repairer (20 miles away, naturally), the insurance company, and the legal expenses company. I'm told to take the car in for repairs by the repairer, then the legal people say it's not been approved yet, the repairers say it is, and I'm left wondering why the fuck they don't tell eachother that instead of waiting for me to call them.

Eventually the car gets in for repairs. The private buyer says he still wants it when it gets back.

In the meantime, I decide which car it is I want to buy. It has a couple of faults - theres a little paint damage on one door, and the aircon isn't working. The dealer agrees this will be done before I collect the car. All seems ok, for a bit. A few days later, I get my old car back, the repair looks good and they fixed all the parking sensors which were broken before the accident anway. Unfortunately one of the fuel level sensors dies at this point, so I'm left putting lots of fuel into the car in the hope that it's the right amount. The screen and airbag warning lights also start coming on intermittently at this point, but I manage to fix them. The private buyer says he wants to come and collect it, but actually stops responding to emails afterwards.

I take delivery of my new car. The paint hasn't been fixed, and the aircon still doesn't work. They apologise a lot and book it in for Tuesday. A few days later this gets bumped to the next Tuesday. Private buyer on the old car sends me an email, he still definitely wants it, but refuses to phone me to arrange the deal.

Monday night, I'm driving back from a shop in the new car, and a police car rushes up behind me. I move out of his way, but this puts me in line with a very big pot hole. BANG. Fantastic. Next morning I take it to a tyre place, luckily the damage is not too bad - just the alignment needs adjusting. On the way back, I lose track of my speed a little on a scrubland road by a power station. Usually, I drive under the limit, I'm picky about it. This one time I make a mistake is the one time the police, who caused me to be out that morning in the first place, have a speed trap van set up. I'm way over the limit when they video my car. This is made worse by the fact that they've also reduced the limit on that road by simply digging up the old signs and not telling anyone.

In the UK, this is dealt with in a similar draconian manner to all our money extraction laws. I will certainly get points on my license and a fine, I may have to go to court, and may actually be banned. I still don't know as the letter hasn't arrived - our speed camera rape system is fully automated, your tax money at work! On the way back to work the new car develops a loud rattle from either a heat shield or one of the cats. Brilliant.

I spend the next few days (and indeed still feel like it now) with a horrible sick feeling of fear in my stomach. I stop sleeping at this point without having nightmares where I'm being chased. On Thursday I decide I might cheer up a bit if I go home and play Shao-Lin's Road. The PCB has died. I go back to work, and some idiots in customer support waste my afternoon by filling up /tmp on servers even though I've asked them a hundred times not to.

I get back home that day to find the plumber (who our landlord brought in) has finished redoing the bathroom. Some paint has been missed and one of the new taps now functions much like a water machine gun. He's also leaves bags of rubble outside the house rather than taking them away.

Friday, today. Things are pretty shitty all round by this point, but I put a brave face on it and listen to some Genesis, it helps a little. I list my old car on ebay and it sells within 3 minutes - a good result. Unfortunately the buyer then calls and asks me questions about the car. Ones he should have asked before bidding. Nevertheless, he decides to buy it.

I get home. Our second 360 puts a giant scratch in my girlfriends FF13 disc. I fix it, but while I'm fetching a rag from the back of the old car, I notice that the repairers have put the trunk badge in the wrong place. It'll have made an imprint on the new paint too so moving it is out of the question. I'll have to call the buyer to discuss this with him tomorrow, and also call the repairers and take a months anger and frustration out on them.

There. If this was America I'd be out at a Whammy Burger in a shirt and tie with a shotgun about now, asking why it doesn't look like the picture. There's still about 5 days left for more things to go wrong too, I'll expect the court summons on Monday..

Regarding the possibility of prosecution for speeding offense go here

http://forums.pepipoo.com/

its a forum dedicated for fighting the cause and will help you greatly there are undercover lawyers on there and alot of informed individuals sign up and do an NIP test.

I was able to get away with 4 points instead of it being a ban as I was pretty much double the speed limit at the time of my offence. Although that said if you dont recieve an NIP within 14 days your pretty much off the hook AFAIK.

As for your car wow thats alot bad luck, thankfully I dont really drive much I ride a motocycle because although theres a bigger safety risk I prefer to save my cash it costs me something like £11 to fill up my cg125 and I can do around 100mpg £15 for road tax and £80 for insurance besides I have a zx6r for weekend blasts when i feel like it.

I didnt do much riding on it last year only to work,gym,uni I managed to clock up 5000 trouble free miles which isnt bad at all, factoring in doing my own servicing on it I only had to replace the clutch cable clean the starter motor and give it an oil change (once every 1500 miles at around £3 a time)

[Fuzzypants]

while I don't have issues like that blood my girlfriend is going through a somewhat similar issue.

she got offered a job at an insurance company and they've yet to get back to her and its been well over a month. So shes stuck working this part time job which blows horrible and shes stuck making 3 times less then what she would if she was working for the insurance company!

things hopefully will turn around for you soon

[Ed Oscuro]

It kinda makes me want to start driving a manual (though I've heard of some manuals losing their torque in park and coasting down inclines, eh, damned either way I guess).

E-brake?

Only good for the warm months. If he lives someplace where it's never below the freezing mark, he'd be set. Otherwise...

Bingo...we're almost at the end of that Michigan weather

[Ganelon]

I've been having a pretty shitty month too, enough that I've been forced to make do with lifestyle changes, but it seems you've had it far, far worse. And seriously, fuck strict traffic controls. They're a waste of everybody's time and simply another way for government to take our hard-earned money. Since safety is what people are after, have a suggested speed limit and penalize severely for reckless driving causing any accidents. That way, good drivers aren't penalized for driving safely by their own standards and bad drivers can limit themselves appropriately or face consequences.

As for everything else, just hang in there. I know it's times like these that really make you hate the unfairness of life. Losing money and time is always a bitch but try to positively think that at least you didn't get a limb cut off or something.

[ED-057]

It kinda makes me want to start driving a manual (though I've heard of some manuals losing their torque in park and coasting down inclines, eh, damned either way I guess).

E-brake?

Only good for the warm months. If he lives someplace where it's never below the freezing mark, he'd be set. Otherwise...

Huh what are you guys on about? There aren't that many warm months here in NY and I've never had a problem with my e-brake failing, or sticking, or my car rolling away while my back was turned. (Manuals don't have a 'park' BTW)

[Mortificator]

Usually, I drive under the limit, I'm picky about it. This one time I make a mistake is the one time the police, who caused me to be out that morning in the first place, have a speed trap van set up. I'm way over the limit when they video my car.

This video is a big help to anyone who wants to avoid paying fines. It was made primarily with U.S. law in mind, but should be applicable in the UK, too.

[Ganelon]

What about the Jim Crow laws present less than 50 years ago? Good law is good but it's stupid to follow the government's law blindly, esp. ones that hamper civil liberties for the primary purpose of filling government coffers while under the false pretense of helping us instead. The concept of seatbelt laws, for example, is a complete embarrassment to the freedom this country was built upon.

[ZacharyB]

What about the Jim Crow laws present less than 50 years ago? Good law is good but it's stupid to follow the government's law blindly, esp. ones that hamper civil liberties for the primary purpose of filling government coffers while under the false pretense of helping us instead. The concept of seatbelt laws, for example, is a complete embarrassment to the freedom this country was built upon.

I think it has something to do with all of the money it takes to keep municipal professions running and serving a populace. Not just the law system, but parks, roads, records, etc... and especially the cost of equipment.

As far as I know, the seat belt law is like the motorcycle helmet law. In order to reduce fatalities and injuries (and to keep the privatized insurance industry under control), the riders have to keep themselves healthy. Imagine if just driving a car qualified you for a high-risk health insurance policy!

Bloodflowers, sorry for your month.

[BulletMagnet]

The concept of seatbelt laws, for example, is a complete embarrassment to the freedom this country was built upon.

Not to be overly blunt, but I think there are far more insidious and long-standing threats to the country's freedom to worry about than being required to put on a seatbelt while driving - moreover, most of them go completely ignored (if not outright exalted, especially if the phrases "market vibrancy" or "national security" can be somehow attached to them) by the people who insist that excessively strict banking regulations and soft drink taxes are our most urgent concerns.

[Ganelon]

Sure, but these other laws have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Plus, it's important to call the government out on every point where it's not actually serving the people but rather serving itself. The ACLU, for example, looks into every infraction of basic freedoms regardless of perceived importance because each is a gateway to further restricting our rights.

As for gathering revenue, my point was that it's sick for the government to be making money by imposing liberty-imposing laws and then enforcing them, as if the civilian had done something lawfully wrong. If they want to get money, punish offenders of real crimes more. But really, they ought to be reducing wasted money instead.

Insurance companies should be able to require the perpetrator's seatbelts and helmets to be on at the time of an accident for him to be covered but there's no reason for the government to get involved in mandating that. If they made separate high-cost insurance for no seatbelts, then that's the companies' prerogative. So again, this is just the government sticking their nose where it's not appropriate solely for the purpose of collecting money (I know the ex-governor of my state even told that to state police, which is pretty sickening).

[Mortificator]

shit i was just joking with bf WHAT HAVE I WROUGHT

Anyway, I agree with you about seat belt laws, but speeding? It seems like there'd be a lot more accidents if speed limits were abolished.

[Ed Oscuro]

What about the Jim Crow laws present less than 50 years ago? Good law is good but it's stupid to follow the government's law blindly, esp. ones that hamper civil liberties for the primary purpose of filling government coffers while under the false pretense of helping us instead.

That's not what the "States' Rights" push was about 40 years ago, and it's not what it's about now.

[Devil Soundwave]

I've been having sucky times with my wheels of late also. Those who know will know I drive a bright orange Ford Transit Van (ex RAC) - you might have seen it at IC09 if you where there...

Over the last month, it has had an issue where is just stalls randomly regardless of what gear/speed/rev I am at. Very fristrating, especially at 70 on the motorway!

Anyway, I wasn't sure what the issue was, but it seemed to me that it was losing all power before stalling, i.e. no revs at all even if I pumped the pedal, so I assuem it is something to do with diesel getting to the engine.

I have changed the oil (£70 worth), the oil and fuel filters (£35), added an enghine additive to flush the diesel injectors (£20) plus an oil additive to do fancy stuff I forget (£10).

Meh - seems to be running a bit better now.

Then I get to Saturday morning, when I was booked in for an MOT. Go to van. Fucker doesn't start for first time ever!

WTF!

I try all the stuff from the Haynes manual, but no joy, and tbh I have no idea about engines anyway so I call Green Flag who are the breakdown service included with my insurance. Home call out not included apparently - another £80! Robbing fucking bastards.

Anyway, I sit in the van for just oevr an hour waiting for the guy to turn up; and when he does he tells me straight away that it's the battery that's faulty and needs replacing sooner rather than later. £80 well spent then.

I went and got a new battery fitted and that was another £100, so all in, my spend has been over £300 and I still haven't even had teh fucking MOT yet.

God I hope it passes...

[boagman]

I hope that you don't mind that I"m actually kind of enjoying your story in some kind of warped, humorous way. It's not that I don't sympathize with you...I do. Honest. It's just that, the way you've put things, I can't help but laugh and relate. I had my vehicle's transmission crap out on me last week. A transmission that, about 15 months ago, I paid to have *completely* rebuilt for the exact same problem, at a cost to me of $2200. Fast forward to late last week, when my idiot light on the dash begins to flash, and the transmission begins to buck trying to get out of second gear. I'm maybe two miles from the transmission shop, and get the car there, and, of course, have to leave it. Of course, my stomach's all in knots thinking about how much *this time* might cost me. Really stressful stuff, as I honestly don't have even $1000 to spend on another reworked transmission at this point.

Now for the good news: the shop is going to cover the repair under their warranty, even though (technically speaking) the warranty for the repair is out of range (12 months/12000 miles). They said when I got it repaired the first time that this should never happen again...and they're backing up their word, which I *absolutely* appreciate. I may throw a couple of bucks their way anyway just to ease the pain a bit. I know what it's like to have to warranty your work, but it certainly helps me sleep well at night knowing that I've treated my customers right.

Sorry for your difficulties, BF. Actually, I'm rather fearful of April, myself!

[undamned]

In all my years of driving, the only speeding tickets I've ever gotten were in the last couple years, do exclusively to new Photo radar systems in the area.
-ud

[Lordstar]

Speeding is so easy to do without even thinking about it. I dont get how anyone can get a parking ticket and complain about it.

[Ed Oscuro]

Fast forward to late last week, when my idiot light on the dash begins to flash, and the transmission begins to buck trying to get out of second gear.

Doh. I suppose that could be an electronic problem too, if it's an automatic. What you describe is a bit different from my problem, though (in mine the thing would try to shift to the wrong gear almost randomly, including at higher gears).

[DEL]

I am paying a £60 fine for 44 in a 30 and getting 3 points - today. It was a hidden radar trap like yours Mr bloodflowers.


bloodflowers wrote;

Well, I usually don't do this sort of thing, and usually I frown at people posting their life sob story in off-topic

I did it once before. Its usually the 'bad luck comes in threes' thing.
I think you can see why people do it Mr bloodflowers.
Just pop Falling Down in the DVD and sit back

Then go and do your shopping

[BryanM]

I just punched my waffle maker. It pushed me too far. It did not take it well.

Fuckin' March..

[boagman]

Fast forward to late last week, when my idiot light on the dash begins to flash, and the transmission begins to buck trying to get out of second gear.

Doh. I suppose that could be an electronic problem too, if it's an automatic. What you describe is a bit different from my problem, though (in mine the thing would try to shift to the wrong gear almost randomly, including at higher gears).

Apparently, it's the torque converter on mine, and yes: it's something they replaced when they rebuilt my transmission the last time, and they're covering the cost of repair. That gentle breeze you're feeling all over the world is the direct result of the largest "Whew!" ever being uttered by a human being.

[Ed Oscuro]

I just punched my waffle maker. It pushed me too far. It did not take it well.

Fuckin' March..

So that's why the cafeteria waffle maker has an "out of order" sign on it, hmm...