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31

General Discussion Area / PlayStation Network

« on: 27 June 2021, 18:12:09 »

Has anyone else had verbal dealings with PlayStation and found them difficult?

The other day I had to sort out one of my grandsons PlayStation 4 network non my machine so he can play his Fortnight game.  It took 5 phone calls to PlayStation to give me answers as to why I could not change email address to reset the password, and then transfer his game onto mine.  With one operative she just said I had not passed security clearance and could not help me!!   I told another operator about this and how it was like getting into MI5; she readily agreed and said her colleagues and her said it was like getting into the CIA!! Got very angry, but all sorted in the end!

As I said to them they just do not make it easy to even deal with our own personal information

32

General Car Chat / 1SKY Reg.

« on: 26 June 2021, 12:56:13 »

Strange as it may seem, 1SKY is the reg. for a straightforward Audi 2 litre in white.

Saw it driving around our town, after just seeing a brand new black full racing style Ferrari with twin double exhausts, and thought the, I would think, very expensive SKY plate should belong to the Ferrari.

It is a strange world.  

33

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Crank Sensor Failure

« on: 23 June 2021, 20:04:35 »

So today it happened.  After driving the car half the day, it suddenly would not re-start after stopping at my daughters.

Called the AA, who arrived after 20 minutes.  A very experienced older chap carried out all the usual initial checks, then connected the diagnostics box, which showed "no fault", but that quickly led him to identify that the crank sensor was not telling the engine it was turning, confirmed by the fact that even when turning the engine the rev counter did not move.

The only sensor he had was for a Corsa, and of course it was now the evening with the main dealer shut!

So I am about to order a new crank sensor, but I have read in another post - https://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=148352.0
 - that you have to be very careful to get the right replacement.  I have noted the part number suggested in the thread for my 3.2, but am I right in thinking that if I give my friendly parts manager the chassis number and engine number I should get the right part?

I note the option to take the part number off the old sensor, but I do not want to get under the car more than twice

34

General Discussion Area / The Vietnam War - Documentary Series PBS America

« on: 19 June 2021, 13:15:52 »

I have at last managed to watch the last in the series of 10 of the 18 hour documentary under the title The Vietnam War on PBS America (channel 91 on Freeview).

It was directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, and what a fantastic, very comprehensive account of that war, majoring on the American involvement in it, it is.  All sides are covered, with full, no holds barred, input from witnesses from both the American and North Vietnamese sides, with the soldiers, politicians, the journalists, commentators, civilian witnesses, anti-war activists, and anyone else with reason to give their account of their involvement. These accounts, especially from the American participants, are so descriptive of how they felt about the war, and fall completely in line with what my American friends, one a Huey pilot, who served in that war, IF they talked about it, felt. All was accompanied by the contemporary pop music of the time and full, unedited, film of the various stages in the build up,the participation, and final withdrawal (defeat) by American forces with an up to date resume of the military, political and general life of Vietnam after 1975 with the reconciliation between the warring factions since.  Nothing is held back from the discussions and observations about this terrible, in all respects, conflict after the French had pulled out. It is a major piece of academic research, of an episode in our lives that most of us on here remember from watching the news footage at the time that made many of us anti-war, anti-American, and generally disgusted with what was transpiring.

For anyone interested in this major event post WW2 and Korea, with the distant involvement of both China and the USSR, that tested the USA beyond it's abilities, it is a must watch.  It is an historical account that fully gives the viewer and student everything they need for further individual study.  I wish it had been available when I studied one aspect of the Vietnam War at uni.

For an American tv channel this is some achievement, but they do tend to broadcast other credible and academic worthy historical accounts.  Full marks to them on this one.

Has anyone else been following this series?

35

General Car Chat / E10 Petrol Standard

« on: 20 May 2021, 15:39:18 »

In the latest Straight Six News from AutobahnStormers there is an interesting article reproduced from the Mercedes Benz Club UK Magazine.

It explains the legislation from 1st September 2021 to introduce E10 petrol as standard for the current 95 octane with Super grade petrol, previously 97 octane, being classified as E5.  Importantly it gives a link to the government website to check E10 petol suitability for our cars,  www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-e10-petrol

According to that website the exceptions for Vauxhall vehicles states:

"E10 petrol is cleared for use in all Vauxhall vehicles with petrol engines, excluding:

Models with the 2.2 litre direct injection petrol engine, motor code: Z22YH (Vectra, Signum, Zafira)"


Some of you may know this already, but for me, and I suspect a lot of motorists, this is news I had not picked up on before.

It looks as though our Omega's are unaffected by this new petrol legislation.  So is this non-news or not?

36

General Discussion Area / Happy Easter Everyone

« on: 04 April 2021, 10:10:03 »

May peace be with you.............

and may we be completely out of lockdown soon!!

37

General Discussion Area / Have their cake and eat it EU on Vaccinations

« on: 17 March 2021, 17:17:04 »

So now the EU, after being too damned slow in securing the vaccines originally, then being ridiculously slow in vaccinating their citizens, then banning the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca over unsubstantiated concerns of blood clotting, now are warning that they may well block the UK's supplies of that vaccine to level up the playing field!!!

The Government are now warning this afternoon that supplies of the vaccines could be significantly reduced from March 29th!!

Who the hell does the EU think they are.  They alone restricted the ability of their citizens to receive vaccinations, with I think just around 17 million in total for the whole of the EU, being so far given their jab, compared to over 25 million for the UK, but now want to penalize us for their stupidity and inefficiency.

Thank God we are no longer part of the EU as I, along with many millions of UK citizens, would not have been able to have our injections.

Our Government must put their foot down on this, and are already warning that "Contracts must be honored"

38

General Car Chat / Low Mileage Record - Thanks COVID19!

« on: 24 January 2021, 14:06:22 »

Just done my annual oil and filter change, plus other servicing.

All done after a mileage of just 1634 since the last change 1 year ago.  Never done so little mileage in my motoring life to date; thanks COVID!

Well, Sainsbury's is not far away in Ashford and I have been isolating

It has saved me a massive amount in fuel, but cost me a new battery

Oh well, I wonder if I can get a refund on my insurance and road excise duty?!!!

The miggy has it's MOT Wednesday, so it bloody well better pass!!

39

General Car Chat / Battery Failure - Great AA

« on: 22 December 2020, 16:52:23 »

Yesterday went to my garage and noticed the central locking reacted very slowly when pushing the fob button - yes, you've guessed, went to turn the engine over and no chance!  Battery could put the dashboard warning lights on but nothing else.

Called the AA, told they would be with me in 40 minutes; the mechanic turned up after just 10 minutes.  Within 5 minutes he had jump started the engine, tested the battery and said it was charging ok.  Told me to run the engine for 40 minutes, so I drove to my daughters the long way round.

Left my daughters 3 hours later, turned the key in the ignition...................yes, nothing but the lights!!

Called AA again, told it would be 50 minutes, he turned up in 15, great.  He tested the battery and it had failed.  Bugger I thought as I did not want to spend money on a new battery this side of Christmas.  He said "don't worry about that. I can fit one now and you will not be invoiced for two weeks!"

Great, he fitted a Bosch and away I went.  Great stuff again!!  In recent years I have only used the AA when my battery fails, but again for me it proves the worth of that safety net which is the AA.

The 'old' battery that had failed was a GM one. only bought from Vx on 17/07/2017, but as bloody usual it is out of any warranty cover.  Still the AA price for the new battery is £9 cheaper than that one, and the AA chap said if I can find it cheaper elsewhere I can get a price match. Fair enough  eh?!

40

General Discussion Area / Vulcan's, The Falklands, interesting history

« on: 22 December 2020, 14:51:17 »

Whilst on the thread about Gollum liking this, I noted this on the link given:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng_X2dHJpZ4

Good very anyone like me who loves The V Bombers, and is interested by historical facts.

 

41

General Discussion Area / BBC Diana Interview

« on: 09 November 2020, 17:28:19 »

For those who do not like the BBC and claim biased, one way or another, this may help your argument:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54872352

As said, a cloud is over the BBC.  Not a good day for them.

 

42

Omega General Help / Painting brake calliper

« on: 02 July 2020, 20:55:45 »

My brake callipers have the usual layer of light rust on them.

Thinking of not only wire brushing them but painting them with a suitable heat resistant red paint.

What would you recommend I use in terms of brand and type of paint please?

 

43

General Car Chat / My Omega now passed 80,000 miles

« on: 30 June 2020, 15:33:07 »

Yes, my beloved Omega has today passed the 80,000 mile point.

Bought in 2013 at 55,646 miles and costing to date £14,567.24 in purchase price and maintenance costs, I am more than happy!!

Just over £2,000 per year for a very comfortable, top of the range, even by today's standards, car that I can work on and know so much about, still looking good, is fine by me.

Better than buying a brand new car at the same level, with the same engine power, ( a Merc, Jaguar or BMW)and paying hundreds of pounds to a finance company every month!!

 

44

General Discussion Area / Boris to claim for whiplash?

« on: 17 June 2020, 17:16:53 »

Boris in State Jaguar has been rammed by his Protection Officers Range Rover travelling closely behind after a protester ran out in front of the leading police motorbike escort.  Man arrested.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53082877

Wonder if Boris will put in a claim for whiplash?

45

General Discussion Area / BA To Leave Gatwick?

« on: 30 April 2020, 18:32:20 »

There have been reports today that British Airways is going to shut it's Gatwick operation.

This must be a worrying move for the whole of the airline industry, and our DG, with massive job cuts expected beyond the 12,000 already announced at BA.

It looks like no new runways will now be necessary at either Gatwick or Heathrow, as even there BA and other airlines appear to be ready to shrink their services.

The only winner may be the environment!