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[STEMO]

I want a 6'x4' fence panel. I've looked online and found the exact one, made by a company called forest garden. The only thing is that they only comes in bundles of three. No good to me as one is all I need and I'm obviously not going to pay for three (£180) to get one.
I phoned a company called internet gardener, based in Nottingham, to beg for just one. The young chap on the phone said that they only sold them in threes, but he would phone the manufacturer and ask nicely if they would send just one. He put me on hold for five mins before coming back with the bad news......no, only in threes. But, while he was waiting for them to answer the phone he had a look on the inter web and found a seller who would do me just one if I paid £20 postage. I said that would be really good and he emailed me a link to the site. Sure enough, the link arrived while I was talking to him.
It was so nice to come across such a helpful, polite young man, they are still out there.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Yes that is excellent customer service

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I want a 6'x4' fence panel. I've looked online and found the exact one, made by a company called forest garden. The only thing is that they only comes in bundles of three. No good to me as one is all I need and I'm obviously not going to pay for three (£180) to get one.
I phoned a company called internet gardener, based in Nottingham, to beg for just one. The young chap on the phone said that they only sold them in threes, but he would phone the manufacturer and ask nicely if they would send just one. He put me on hold for five mins before coming back with the bad news......no, only in threes. But, while he was waiting for them to answer the phone he had a look on the inter web and found a seller who would do me just one if I paid £20 postage. I said that would be really good and he emailed me a link to the site. Sure enough, the link arrived while I was talking to him.
It was so nice to come across such a helpful, polite young man, they are still out there.

I hope that it doesn't get torched.

Wood does tend to burn rather well.

[TheBoy]

Yeah, but will DPD deliver it, seeing as they might give you a bad review

[STEMO]

Yeah, but will DPD deliver it, seeing as they might give you a bad review

I knew you'd be knocking about soon........so I didn't mention the link was to an eBay seller. 

[TheBoy]

Yeah, but will DPD deliver it, seeing as they might give you a bad review

I knew you'd be knocking about soon........so I didn't mention the link was to an eBay seller. 

Ah, so it wont ever get posted then

[dave the builder]

Yeah, but will DPD deliver it, seeing as they might give you a bad review

I knew you'd be knocking about soon........so I didn't mention the link was to an eBay seller. 

Ah, so it wont ever get posted then

lets hope it does not get posted , they won't fit a 6x4 panel in a post box
(without smashing it to bits ,before royal mail even get a chance to smash it to bits)
lets hope a courier collects it from the seller, handles it with care and delivers it to uncle Stemo safe and sound.

a 6x4 panel would have gone on a roof rack ,collected from a supplier local Uncle Stemo 

As for ebay, I ordered discs and pads ,front and rear ,for the new to the fleet zafira B, rear pads delivered the next day,front pads and all the discs arrived the next day , 4 different sellers , all within 48 hours  total cost £82

[Andy B]

......

As for ebay, I ordered discs and pads ,front and rear ,for the new to the fleet zafira B, rear pads delivered the next day,front pads and all the discs arrived the next day , 4 different sellers , all within 48 hours  total cost £82

I gave up on pattern discs years when I bought 'cheap' discs for the front of my Senator that lasted 3/4000 miles before they ran out of true. Their replacements lasted similar mileage and Brakes International didn't want to know ..... Their attitude was that I'd fitted them wrong. OE discs, though expensive worked first time. Buy cheap .... Buy twice ....

I've just put discs & pads on my Smart 451 from MB .... £130

[dave the builder]

......

As for ebay, I ordered discs and pads ,front and rear ,for the new to the fleet zafira B, rear pads delivered the next day,front pads and all the discs arrived the next day , 4 different sellers , all within 48 hours  total cost £82

I gave up on pattern discs years when I bought 'cheap' discs for the front of my Senator that lasted 3/4000 miles before they ran out of true. Their replacements lasted similar mileage and Brakes International didn't want to know ..... Their attitude was that I'd fitted them wrong. OE discs, though expensive worked first time. Buy cheap .... Buy twice ....

I've just put discs & pads on my Smart 451 from MB .... £130

Bosch discs, mintex pads front, drivetec rear ,it's a 1.6 ,spending most of it's life in traffic jams ,not a track car 

[2boxerdogs]

Nice to see good customer service, it does still exist businesses like that would always get my custom.

[Andy B]

......

As for ebay, I ordered discs and pads ,front and rear ,for the new to the fleet zafira B, rear pads delivered the next day,front pads and all the discs arrived the next day , 4 different sellers , all within 48 hours  total cost £82

I gave up on pattern discs years when I bought 'cheap' discs for the front of my Senator that lasted 3/4000 miles before they ran out of true. Their replacements lasted similar mileage and Brakes International didn't want to know ..... Their attitude was that I'd fitted them wrong. OE discs, though expensive worked first time. Buy cheap .... Buy twice ....

I've just put discs & pads on my Smart 451 from MB .... £130

Bosch discs, mintex pads front, drivetec rear ,it's a 1.6 ,spending most of it's life in traffic jams ,not a track car 

Have you driven a Smart 451? They're hardly a track car  Mine's used for commuting & knocking about when I might have to go & park somewhere 

[Doctor Gollum]

I think he meant the woefully under powered 1.6 Zaf

[dave the builder]

Have you driven a Smart 451?

No, they are not vauxhall and not rusty 

I think he meant the woefully under powered 1.6 Zaf

Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
the zafira will spend most of it's time at 30-40 or 7mph crawl
no point in a 500BHP V8, when a 100 BHP 4 banger will do 

plus......
i'm a tight git 

[Andy B]

....
Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
......

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

[dave the builder]

....
Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
......

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

so I'd spend money on tyres and fill the boot with bags of cement , not brakes 

[Andy B]

....
Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
......

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

so I'd spend money on tyres and fill the boot with bags of cement , not brakes 

the boot has my spare engine in it 

A disc ended up with a mark on it when the car had been left a fortnight. I thought it'd wear off, but it didn't so just replaced the discs & pads. Sorted.

Apologies to Entwood for the hijack 

[STEMO]

....
Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
......

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

so I'd spend money on tyres and fill the boot with bags of cement , not brakes 

the boot has my spare engine in it 

A disc ended up with a mark on it when the car had been left a fortnight. I thought it'd wear off, but it didn't so just replaced the discs & pads. Sorted.

Apologies to Entwood for the hijack 

Entwood? Ahem...........

[dave the builder]

the boot has my spare engine in it 

I carry tools and a few spares , a complete engine is a bit excessive 

Apologies to Entwood for the hijack 

What of poor old Uncle Stemo and his fence panel 

want some old engine oil to paint your fence uncle Stemo 

[Andy B]

....
Spot on DG 
last time i checked the highway code, 70mph was the max allowed in the uk ,
......

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

so I'd spend money on tyres and fill the boot with bags of cement , not brakes 

the boot has my spare engine in it 

A disc ended up with a mark on it when the car had been left a fortnight. I thought it'd wear off, but it didn't so just replaced the discs & pads. Sorted.

Apologies to Entwood for the hijack 

Entwood? Ahem...........

Ooops! 

[Andy B]

the boot has my spare engine in it 

I carry tools and a few spares , a complete engine is a bit excessive 

Apologies to Entwood for the hijack 

What of poor old Uncle Stemo and his fence panel 

want some old engine oil to paint your fence uncle Stemo 

I get easily confused these days 

[Sir Tigger KC]

What of poor old Uncle Stemo and his fence panel 

want some old engine oil to paint your fence uncle Stemo 

Old engine oil? 

Given that Uncle Stemo has had to hunt high and low for his 6x4 fence panel, it's clear that this is no ordinary fence panel that he could have nipped down to B&Q for! 

Maybe it's gold plated?   

[dave the builder]

I say "old engine oil"
it's probably quite new @ 3k compared to what Uncle Stemo is used too @20k 

maybe the fence panel is made of fireproof wood 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I say "old engine oil"
it's probably quite new @ 3k compared to what Uncle Stemo is used too @20k 

maybe the fence panel is made of fireproof wood

Well hopefully DPD come up to their usual high standards, else Uncle Stemo might end up with a bag of fireproof kindling. 

[TheBoy]

......

As for ebay, I ordered discs and pads ,front and rear ,for the new to the fleet zafira B, rear pads delivered the next day,front pads and all the discs arrived the next day , 4 different sellers , all within 48 hours  total cost £82

I gave up on pattern discs years when I bought 'cheap' discs for the front of my Senator that lasted 3/4000 miles before they ran out of true. Their replacements lasted similar mileage and Brakes International didn't want to know ..... Their attitude was that I'd fitted them wrong. OE discs, though expensive worked first time. Buy cheap .... Buy twice ....

I've just put discs & pads on my Smart 451 from MB .... £130

Bosch discs, mintex pads front, drivetec rear ,it's a 1.6 ,spending most of it's life in traffic jams ,not a track car 

Sorry, I'm definitely with Andy B on this one, having gone for a whole load of supposedly decent brakes on the Omega, none of which lasted more than a month or 2.

Thinking it was an Omega specific problem, I put some (admittedly ECP sourced, so who knows what they are) Pagid pads on the underpowered, slow Battlebus, and really persevered. But after a few weeks, ripped them off, and put TC ones on. Problem solved.

[STEMO]

I say "old engine oil"
it's probably quite new @ 3k compared to what Uncle Stemo is used too @20k 

maybe the fence panel is made of fireproof wood

Well hopefully DPD come up to their usual high standards, else Uncle Stemo might end up with a bag of fireproof kindling. 

DPD are bringing some ronseal decking oil on Monday. He'll probably pour it through the letterbox.

[dave the builder]

I say "old engine oil"
it's probably quite new @ 3k compared to what Uncle Stemo is used too @20k 

maybe the fence panel is made of fireproof wood

Well hopefully DPD come up to their usual high standards, else Uncle Stemo might end up with a bag of fireproof kindling. 

DPD are bringing some ronseal decking oil on Monday. He'll probably pour it through the letterbox.

don't forget to put the fence panel on the door mat then ,monday morning, to ensure even coverage 

[aaronjb]

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

I don't know, I did *cough* 70ish *cough* down the M40 to work in hers and .. no, you're right, it gets bloody terrifying over 70

Her Mini is much more relaxing, although it likes a drink (of both oil & petrol ) compared to the Smart!

[TheBoy]

Trust me, 70 mph is as fast as you really want to drive a Smart Fortwo .... especially if it's a bit windy 

I don't know, I did *cough* 70ish *cough* down the M40 to work in hers and .. no, you're right, it gets bloody terrifying over 70

Her Mini is much more relaxing, although it likes a drink (of both oil & petrol ) compared to the Smart!

And Northbound, going down Chickenshit Canyon, what did you get it up to?   Go on, I know you must have tried to max it down there....

[aaronjb]

And Northbound, going down Chickenshit Canyon, what did you get it up to?   Go on, I know you must have tried to max it down there....

Return route is usually M25/M1 as going north doesn't seem to make much difference to time (but that route is ~20 miles shorter - whereas southbound the 20 extra miles makes for 15 minutes less journey!) I haven't been up the M40 when it's been quiet enough to do any ... testing ... in a few years now, much less in something that might hit Vmax

I reckon you could peg the speedo, though, easily enough.. I can't remember if that was at 90 or 100, though.

[TheBoy]

I reckon you could peg the speedo, though, easily enough.. I can't remember if that was at 90 or 100, though.

kph, obviously.

[TheBoy]

much less in something that might hit Vmax

I've had some quite quick cars not willing to give much/any more down that bit 

[Doctor Gollum]

Some cars are barely warmed up at 140*... And all of them design for continent crossing... 24v Granada, 3.2 Omega, larger engined S Class to name but 3

*kph obviously 

[aaronjb]

Some cars are barely warmed up at 140*... And all of them design for continent crossing... 24v Granada, 3.2 Omega, larger engined S Class to name but 3

*kph obviously 

I always thought it was a bit odd that the BMW is geared quite short - OK, the red-line is at 6500rpm, but 'cruising' is ~3000rpm in 6th, and that's a UK motorway speeds! Maybe the auto box got a taller final drive (and most of them are autos) for the Autobahn

[Doctor Gollum]

I don't recall paying the rpm much attention in the Granada or Omega, but at a 145 cruise the Granada felt more stable... Both 16" tyres but lower profile on the Granada.

Certainly on a manual 3.2, 3k was about 85, so be running out of puff much over 145

[TheBoy]

Some cars are barely warmed up at 140*... And all of them design for continent crossing... 24v Granada, 3.2 Omega, larger engined S Class to name but 3

*kph obviously 

I always thought it was a bit odd that the BMW is geared quite short - OK, the red-line is at 6500rpm, but 'cruising' is ~3000rpm in 6th, and that's a UK motorway speeds! Maybe the auto box got a taller final drive (and most of them are autos) for the Autobahn

But any (unmolested) beemer only has to hit 155, where the limiter is.  Hence managing to piss off an M3 owner once.  He caught me back up shortly after the slight rise after Chickenshit.

KPH, naturally.

[TheBoy]

I don't recall paying the rpm much attention in the Granada or Omega, but at a 145 cruise the Granada felt more stable... Both 16" tyres but lower profile on the Granada.

Certainly on a manual 3.2, 3k was about 85, so be running out of puff much over 145

The 3l - and the 3.2 is slower - struggles really to maintain those sorts of speeds with even the slightest headwind or incline.

Apparently.

[STEMO]

If you're feeling really brave, do it on £25 second hand tyres. 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

I was once in the company of a lunatic who had a Hayabusa absolutely flat out, with the middle of the rear tyre down to the canvas. 
It was scary to just be in the vicinity, as a monumental crash seemed close to inevitable, but being a mentalist, he thought it was quite amusing. 
Surprisingly, he is still alive. 

[Rods2]

If you're feeling really brave, do it on £25 second hand tyres. 

More likely to be the average motorist who relies on the garage giving their Euro Box its annual service to check them & when they suffer a blowout on a motorway to blame the tyre company for the faulty tyre, where the shredded overheated sidewall from an under inflated tyre is obviously their fault.

I know a 'character' this happened to, where he had gone back home to his STEMO city & was most put out by the short shift he got from the tyre company. He was a great graphic artist, but I wouldn't have asked him to look after my wallet & he helped me video my first wedding, where video cameras weren't allowed into the registry office, so insulation tape was stuck over the recording LED to not 'dazzle' the guests as the camera was 'rested' on a window sill 'accidently' pointing towards the registrar, like he used to all the time as a STEMO city wedding video income supplement.