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[Squealey]

Well since just after christmas my Elite has hardly turned a wheel and im getting increasingly fed up with the flipping thing.

Its due its MOT but the screen has cracked and Autoglass can't do it till 22nd March (assuming weathers OK) so it wont be MOT'ed till the end of that week as im working away.

As most of you will know its needed the head gasket doing which is the main reason its been off the road, I was summoning up the courage and the money to do it. Turns out it isn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting, which is lucky as the first gasket I fitted was faulty so had to be replaced again.

So once that was done (twice) I have given it a pre MOT check. Front pads very low - Done. Excessive play in track rod end - Done.

Today I thought I'd check the handbrake shoes, took wheel off and found both rear tyres well below legal. Checked rear pads, they were near to the metal.

When is this going to end My wife is getting to the point that she just wants it gone, we have no money as it is and to tell her first off that the hg was no good and needed doing again followed by front brakes, followed by t/rod end, followed by rear brakes and tyres.

I know people will just say these are fair wear and tear parts but it doesn't help when they all come at once and your wife isn't exactly ofey on all things mechanical. She expects all cars to cost the same as her Audi, nothing.

Seriously getting to the point that i'll get it back on the road then sell it before anymore big bills come in.

Sorry, just venting, I bloody love the car really, just seems that everthing I touch is breaking, broken or worn out!!!!!

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Well since just after christmas my Elite has hardly turned a wheel and im getting increasingly fed up with the flipping thing.

Its due its MOT but the screen has cracked and Autoglass can't do it till 22nd March (assuming weathers OK) so it wont be MOT'ed till the end of that week as im working away.

As most of you will know its needed the head gasket doing which is the main reason its been off the road, I was summoning up the courage and the money to do it. Turns out it isn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting, which is lucky as the first gasket I fitted was faulty so had to be replaced again.

So once that was done (twice) I have given it a pre MOT check. Front pads very low - Done. Excessive play in track rod end - Done.

Today I thought I'd check the handbrake shoes, took wheel off and found both rear tyres well below legal. Checked rear pads, they were near to the metal.

When is this going to end My wife is getting to the point that she just wants it gone, we have no money as it is and to tell her first off that the hg was no good and needed doing again followed by front brakes, followed by t/rod end, followed by rear brakes and tyres.

I know people will just say these are fair wear and tear parts but it doesn't help when they all come at once and your wife isn't exactly ofey on all things mechanical. She expects all cars to cost the same as her Audi, nothing.

Seriously getting to the point that i'll get it back on the road then sell it before anymore big bills come in.

Sorry, just venting, I bloody love the car really, just seems that everthing I touch is breaking, broken or worn out!!!!!

That is the life of a miggy owner!!

You are obviously getting through the jobs yourself which is saving a fortune, so that must be the good news!  You know in the end you should have an A1 car 8-) 8-) 8-)

Cannot understand the comment about Autoglass.  Why can't they do it before the 22nd?  Mine was done by them within two days with the screen coming from stock :-/ :-/

[Lazydocker]

But once you've done it all it shouldn't need anything for a while

Why so long for the windscreen?

[Squealey]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

[Lazydocker]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

Funny you should say that Lizzie. When SWMBO got made redundant and lost her company car I bought a cheapie with Tax and Test to see her through (there's no public transport from the sticks to shout about and 1 car just wouldn't work). After 3 months I put it in for an MOT and it needed wishbones, a rear wheel bearing, a brake pipe and a little welding... I decided it was worth spending £80 on parts for another years motoring so we did the work together, with me talking her through things and explaining how things worked as we went. She loved it

Was a shame to get rid of it the following year but I couldn't justify doing the work required

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

Funny you should say that Lizzie. When SWMBO got made redundant and lost her company car I bought a cheapie with Tax and Test to see her through (there's no public transport from the sticks to shout about and 1 car just wouldn't work). After 3 months I put it in for an MOT and it needed wishbones, a rear wheel bearing, a brake pipe and a little welding... I decided it was worth spending £80 on parts for another years motoring so we did the work together, with me talking her through things and explaining how things worked as we went. She loved it

Was a shame to get rid of it the following year but I couldn't justify doing the work required

Yes LD, your case proves my point!! 8-) 8-)

In fact as I went to night school for car mechanics when I first got a (very old) car at 17, and got to be taught by a top mechanic, with me learning from books and practical experience from then on, I knew more about taking cars apart than my ex!!

Us ladies can, and do do it all the time!  You could say we do it with overalls on!!

[Lazydocker]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

Funny you should say that Lizzie. When SWMBO got made redundant and lost her company car I bought a cheapie with Tax and Test to see her through (there's no public transport from the sticks to shout about and 1 car just wouldn't work). After 3 months I put it in for an MOT and it needed wishbones, a rear wheel bearing, a brake pipe and a little welding... I decided it was worth spending £80 on parts for another years motoring so we did the work together, with me talking her through things and explaining how things worked as we went. She loved it

Was a shame to get rid of it the following year but I couldn't justify doing the work required

Yes LD, your case proves my point!! 8-) 8-)

In fact as I went to night school for car mechanics when I first got a (very old) car at 17, and got to be taught by a top mechanic, with me learning from books and practical experience from then on, I knew more about taking cars apart than my ex!!

Us ladies can, and do do it all the time!  You could say we do it with overalls on!!

Or off... Judging by some of the pictures I've seen in my time

The only thing which lets the ladies down is physical strength for some things... But that's what us butch men are for

[edit]Oh dear... That sounds a bit sexist! Not meant to be [/edit]

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

Funny you should say that Lizzie. When SWMBO got made redundant and lost her company car I bought a cheapie with Tax and Test to see her through (there's no public transport from the sticks to shout about and 1 car just wouldn't work). After 3 months I put it in for an MOT and it needed wishbones, a rear wheel bearing, a brake pipe and a little welding... I decided it was worth spending £80 on parts for another years motoring so we did the work together, with me talking her through things and explaining how things worked as we went. She loved it

Was a shame to get rid of it the following year but I couldn't justify doing the work required

Yes LD, your case proves my point!! 8-) 8-)

In fact as I went to night school for car mechanics when I first got a (very old) car at 17, and got to be taught by a top mechanic, with me learning from books and practical experience from then on, I knew more about taking cars apart than my ex!!

Us ladies can, and do do it all the time!  You could say we do it with overalls on!!

Or off... Judging by some of the pictures I've seen in my time

The only thing which lets the ladies down is physical strength for some things... But that's what us butch men are for

[edit]Oh dear... That sounds a bit sexist! Not meant to be [/edit]

Ah, but we can do without men by using very long extension handles and brains!!

[Lazydocker]

Lady said my nearest dealer is in Lincoln. I could take it to them on Saturday 20th but without an MOT thats out of the question so they'll come to me on the 22nd. Have a feeling if I lived in Lincoln it would be done by now, they probably only come to Boston once or twice a month

I am doing it all myself and tbh im quite enoying myself as I don't work on cars that much anymore, its just my wife has a way of making me feel guilty about spending money we haven't got, she doesn't even know she does it

Well get her to assist you with some mechanics!!   That is how we ladies learn! 8-) 8-) 8-)   She will understand more then

Funny you should say that Lizzie. When SWMBO got made redundant and lost her company car I bought a cheapie with Tax and Test to see her through (there's no public transport from the sticks to shout about and 1 car just wouldn't work). After 3 months I put it in for an MOT and it needed wishbones, a rear wheel bearing, a brake pipe and a little welding... I decided it was worth spending £80 on parts for another years motoring so we did the work together, with me talking her through things and explaining how things worked as we went. She loved it

Was a shame to get rid of it the following year but I couldn't justify doing the work required

Yes LD, your case proves my point!! 8-) 8-)

In fact as I went to night school for car mechanics when I first got a (very old) car at 17, and got to be taught by a top mechanic, with me learning from books and practical experience from then on, I knew more about taking cars apart than my ex!!

Us ladies can, and do do it all the time!  You could say we do it with overalls on!!

Or off... Judging by some of the pictures I've seen in my time

The only thing which lets the ladies down is physical strength for some things... But that's what us butch men are for

[edit]Oh dear... That sounds a bit sexist! Not meant to be [/edit]

Ah, but we can do without men by using very long extension handles and brains!!

Or failing that.... Fluttering your eyelids

[Foxycav]

I do my own basic work, i learnt from watching my dad.
I still have to flutter my eyelashes now and again when getting quotes on work done for my cars lol

[Squealey]

My wife cares as much about all things mechanical as I do about Glee, Desperate Housewives and whatever/whoever Jordan is doing at the moment

[Elite Pete]

You should do what I do. I treat my wife like a mushroom, I keep her in the dark and feed her on Bullsh*t where cars a concerned;D

[Seth]

You should do what I do. I treat my wife like a mushroom, I keep her in the dark and feed her on Bullsh*t where cars a concerned;D

I don't believe that Pete!

[feeutfo]

My wife cares as much about all things mechanical as I do about Glee, Desperate Housewives and whatever/whoever Jordan is doing at the moment

sounds like its the wife that needs sorting, car is behaving quite normally although the head gskit is most unfortunate.

Had similar conversations with family members. Had to spend 600 on sisters punto last year. Dad said "600 bloody car aint worth that" i said "no true, but all 4 tyres are bald, they should have been done 6 months ago, exhaust was an advisory last time so lucky it lasted this long, the rest is long overdue servicing, discs and pads. In short its got no tyres or brakes and the engines a couple or rpm short a failed cam belt" seem to think the mot is the new service schedule, spend no money then moan when the thing fails. Thank god for the MOT or god alone knows what people would drive round in...


Rant over...  Sorry.