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1456

General Discussion Area / Taxing and insuring a UK car questions

« on: 15 August 2010, 19:21:42 »

This might sound a daft question however I'll ask it anyway. Mrs Varche is back in England trying to help an old uncle and several other elderly relatives at the same time. The offer has always been there to "use his car" however it is off the road. he was told that he shouldn't drive some time ago but has been hoping that an eye operation will magically enable him to drive again. hmm age 91 , Don't think so.

Back to the car. We suspect the insurance has lapsed. maybe the tax, I am hoping the MOT hasn't expired! She will hunt out the docs tomorrow.

Any tips on getting it legal again would be appreciated.
e.g. if the tax has expired can you still get 6 months at a post office if you have a valid MOT and insurance cert.

do you have to buy a full years insurance and then cash it in after the dust has settled? It is a fairly old Ford Ka worth maybe £1000 to £1500 . TPFT ? If the insurance is still valid then getting her added might be easiest. Can she do that or does the uncle have to play a part. He is understandably confused to say the least.

1457

General Discussion Area / Mackeral wars now with Iceland!

« on: 11 August 2010, 21:51:36 »

Interesting, if long article here ,on the Icelanders deciding to take three times the EU suggested quota much to Britains disgust. First they offed our money, then ashed our air space and now just extracting the fish.

Lets see the EU's teeth. I just hope they aren't milk ones.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/now-britain-and-iceland-go-to-war-over-the-mackerel-2049099.html

Loved the bit about the cod wars. "but Iceland laid down its trump card by threatening to close the Keflavík Nato base, crucial for defending the Atlantic Ocean from attack by the Soviet Union. Iceland finally got its way and, after 1 December 1976, Britain agreed its ships would not fish within 200 miles of Iceland. " Don't remember being told that at the time we appeared to give in!!

1458

General Discussion Area / Rare 4 wheel drive Omega on Ebay

« on: 07 August 2010, 13:44:52 »

Just had a look at this standard looking Omega on the Bay of E.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1999-VAUXHALL-OMEGA-ELITE-V6-AUTO-SILVER-/150475555644?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item23090ac33c

What stands out is in the safety features it lists 4 wheel drive. Wonder how that works. Might buy it for spares and transplant into my tractor !

1459

General Discussion Area / 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch sockets

« on: 29 July 2010, 16:03:31 »

On top of my half inch socket set, which smaller sockets are best on an Omega. 1/4 inch or 3/8th? I need a good selection to do my ABS ECU (again)

I have a full set of Torx sockets and allen keys.

Would this be a good addition Ebay item 130402511051 ?

1460

General Discussion Area / Why you haven't seen a "How to guide " from Varche

« on: 28 July 2010, 15:56:26 »

 A few times I have thought about doing a maintenance guide on Omega tasks. lets face it after 11 years of continous ownership I have done many of the tasks.

Welll all that changed. I now have "fast" Internet that would nearly show a pair of heels to Internet in a 3rd world country and a digital camera and my trusty Win95 single cor! 400 celeron DooDaa PC.

The task. The mighty complex process of changing the battery in the car key fob. First action prise the yoke off. Easily achieved. How do you access the battery? Ask question on OOF. "Prise apart and change battery number such and such and don't forget to put the clip back in".

Prised it apart and checked battery number was correct, it was. Looks easy enough job. Put back together and use spare key. Next day to go to local town for battery. Probably hard to obtain so I hovered in the car in a double parked space anxiously watching out for the tow truck, while Mrs Varche went into a jewellers. Out she came moments later with a battery - 3 euros (about £2.50). Thats not bad thought Mr Varche as we drove away, yes and she would have fitted it for free too. Never mind thought I, I need to take notes and photos as I do the guide back home.

Next day. Took key apart and tried(unsuccessfully) to remove the clip. Crap eyesight doesn't help and neither did a magnifying glass. Even Mrs Varche's eagle eyes were no good. Resorted to Arnold Swarzneggar approach and extracted old battery without bothering with a poxy clip. Put it all back together and tried it. Still doesn't work. Took it apart and then and only then did I notice ,what later turns out to be a vital component , the chip is missing.

So retraced my many, many steps of the last 48 hours and failed to find the missing chip despite leaving no stone unturned. (that isn't a metaphor but a factual statement).

Have now decided on day 5 of "simple task of changing a battery"

to not write a guide (sorry not very public spirited)
to use the shop in future
to live with only one key

El Varche (non guide contributor)

1461

General Discussion Area / Panorama-who pays for the care of ageing populace

« on: 27 July 2010, 15:56:14 »

Anyone see the programme? I thought it was very thought provoking. There are an awful lot of baby boomers set to retire who will live on for many years but need care at some stage.

Should folk have to sell their property to pay for care as they get older (and live longer)? Or should the state foot the bill and their no doubt hard earned property be passed on to siblings?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_8849000/8849847.stm

1462

General Discussion Area / Screen dump after our last earthquake!

« on: 21 July 2010, 09:36:20 »

having problems with the screen after we had an earthquake!

http://www.tinyurl.com/c7bgt4

1463

General Discussion Area / How Triumph Rocket 111 is made

« on: 16 July 2010, 10:31:54 »

How the Triumph Rocket III is made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKEuzxC4eGc

Fascinating stuff.

1464

General Discussion Area / This is why my tractor rear shockers are shot!

« on: 15 July 2010, 16:56:01 »

I must use the real tractor for transporting olive logs! Photos taken this morning not when the camera was made.

El Varche

1465

General Discussion Area / National BP day holiday in the USA?

« on: 13 July 2010, 10:19:27 »

Now that it looks as though BP has finally capped the leaking well, will Obama declare the day to be marked in perpetuity as a holiday? BP Day?

People could celebrate by filling their cars up with cheap petrol and going out for a drive for the day!

1466

General Discussion Area / Any LG washing machine experts out there?

« on: 13 July 2010, 11:16:37 »

My LG wm12225fd 7.5Kg washing machine has worked fine for 6 years but the other day developed a metallic scraping noise. Switched it off and whipped the rear and top covers off.

I thought it might be one of the drum locating springs or hangars.

It isn't! There is a 3 or 4 inch long piece of stiff wire projecting into the washing drum from the bottom rear looking in(you can't see it or feel it from the underneath. When you turn the motor shaft at the back it is this piece of wire that is causing the problem. It is scraping on the outside of the drum till it stops then it pokes through one of the holes!

Question. To dismantle the motor from the drum is it the single big bolt in the centre of the motor or the ring of bolts around that hold it to the drum?

Is there a manual anywhere on the Internet cos I can't find one?

1467

General Discussion Area / Bl**dy banks and the taxman.

« on: 08 July 2010, 10:56:15 »

Here is a little story of poor customer service and how it impacts on the little man (me).

Last month I decided to dispose of some more of the Varche millions (well hundreds) to cover my Spanish tax bill which is paid in a lump sum. The deal was done and Barclays posted out the sterling cheque to my Spanish address on the 17th June. Towards the end of the month it hadn't appeared so I rang them and spoke to a call tree for a long time before being assured it had been sent. It turned up yesterday having had the "Granada, Spain" part of the address omitted despite being used in their regular communications with me. The envelope had been to "France" where someone had kindly written on it "Spain". Clearly some clever dick had changed the programme to omit the last line or two of address to save money on ink or similar when cheques are produced, no doubt getting an award for it as well.

In the meantime I have had to go UK overdrawn to cover my Spanish tax bill which is taken regardless from your acct on the 30th June by the Spanish taxman.

Co incidentally despite having filled all the paperwork in for the Uk and Spanish taxman, the Uk taxman arbitrarily started taxing me again.( I think that was just so someone could hit a departmental target of getting in more tax evaders). In fairness they promptly agreed they were in error and said they would  refund the money. Despite several phone calls this hasn't been done "but if you haven't had the money by Friday 9th please get back in touch" More great customer service.

Today I have been lamped with a charge on my Spanish acct because of "insufficient funds" Well there would have been if the Uk institutions had done their jobs efficiently! I wonder if they will pay my Spanish charge and the cost of lots of phone calls? Bob and No hope. I wonder if anyone cares about customers anymore.?

Rant over. 

1468

General Discussion Area / Advice with hire car damage pls.l

« on: 04 July 2010, 09:43:59 »

Oh dear, a good friend has acquired some damage to a very new hire car from a premier company in the Uk. It happened whilst parked in a car park. The damage is just a few very small scuffs on the bumper.  Of course he didn't pay for all damage included excess but now wishes he had!

What do you think he should do?

1. Take it back and hope they don't notice.
2. Take it to a "We repair all minor damage" place and get it fixed with an ink pen.
3. Own up when he takes the car back and face the music (whatever tune it may be)
4. Something else.

Are the major hire companies like Hertz fair or do they treat damage as a way of increasing profit?   

1469

General Discussion Area / At least Top Gear cheered me up yesterday!

« on: 28 June 2010, 14:28:39 »

I know it is all staged, rehearsed etc but the Reliant Robin segment was just so funny.

Clarkson has aged a bit and so has Hammond. May looks younger if anything.

1470

General Discussion Area / The Budget (politics)

« on: 22 June 2010, 14:53:32 »

All seems reasonable enough.

http://money.uk.msn.com/news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=153872096