Aren't cars rubbish?

[Salty seadog]

Mines going in to have the cam belt replaced this morning .

A job worth doing imo.

 

[Brandane]

A job worth doing imo.

Not on a Corolla, though (petrol versions only!).

 

[Salty seadog]

Not on a Corolla, though (petrol versions only!).

Do go on sir, I'm intrigued......mines a turbo diesel.

 

[mustang1]

My car needed a new light too but it wouldn't work until it got a software update.

 

[Brandane]

Do go on sir, I'm intrigued......mines a turbo diesel.

Petrol versions have a cam chain rather than a belt.

 

[mustang1]

'Tis indeed part of the reason for me, but I have just given up my 25 mile each way commute and started a job which is commutable by bike, even for me , as it is 0.9 miles away. In fact it is hardly worth getting the bike out as I can walk it in 10 minutes. If this job turns out to be a keeper then I can't see me bothering to replace the now ageing Toyota when (if) it gives up the ghost.
I have a motorbike for transport when in a hurry, or just fancy something a bit faster than pedal power. Supermarket within walking distance, as is train and bus connections. I will celebrate the day when I cease to be held to ransom by HM Treasury's policy on fuel duty and VAT on said fuel duty; VED on a low mileage petrol user being more than a high mileage diesel polluter; and insurance (although to be fair that's pretty cheap for me these days).

; VED on a low mileage petrol user being more than a high mileage diesel polluter

The kicker being the tax on fuel is supposed to penalise the high mileage driver, get they sting you on the VED (which is changing in April so those numpties can start calling it "road tax" again).

 

[Salty seadog]

Petrol versions have a cam chain rather than a belt.

Aahhh, I see. I guess that must depend on the year, mine is a 52 plate and recommends changing the timing belt at every 60 000 miles compared with every 100,000 miles for the petrol.

 

[Cycleops]

I stopped enjoying cars when you couldn't fix almost anything with a cheepo socket set, screwdriver and pliers. Now need to be a contortionist with a masters degree in astro physics to replace your alternator.
Where did the engine go? Pop your bonnet now and all you get to stroke your chin at is a plastic thing and a battery. Bah.

Its true, makes me yearn for my old Morris 1000s, especially the convertible.

 

[mjr]

Mind, with all the mud that's currently on the car, you don't notice it quite so much

What is it with cars and mud? Is there a crap attraction field powered by the engine or something? The wheels are in arches and have mud flaps and yet still it streams out of them along the sides and something plasters it all over the back and onto the roof! How is there any left after all the mud cars spray over people walking or cycling alongside the carriageway?

 

[mjr]

In the crusher....Is it true now that we are advised not to exercise due to pollution?

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/people-arent-buying-sadiq-khans-193329976.html

I like the replies.Instead of not exercising why not fix the problem?

I mean this is bloody ridiculous.

I agree. This may be the biggest way cars are rubbish: they fark up the environment for everyone, especially badly if they don't use cars. It's a very powerful network effect. Are cars the Facebook of transport? Evil but encouraging others to join.

 

[Mo1959]

What is it with cars and mud? Is there a crap attraction field powered by the engine or something? The wheels are in arches and have mud flaps and yet still it streams out of them along the sides and something plasters it all over the back and onto the roof! How is there any left after all the mud cars spray over people walking or cycling alongside the carriageway?

My car is minging just now, but don't see the point of cleaning it just to be the same after one trip on the roads just now. Think our narrow roads constantly get cut up with vehicles that are really too wide and often have to go into the verge then drag the muck out onto the road. Plus there's still some ploughing of fields going on too.

 

[screenman]

It's posible that they were not recoated as they only spoke of buffing them out. Cheers for the info if it ever happens again I know what to get done. I must say I can't really fault the garage, I have used them for the whole life of the car, they are 5 mins walk away and they have never done any work or found anything wrong with it on it's mot's in the 12 years i've had it. In fact they have done a couple of simple little things for free like replacing a headlight bulb just before I went over to France, no charge for the bulb or fitting. The front light assembly is a real pig to get to on the corolla, you may know this.

I doubt the garage even knows about re-coating, apart from us guys that do it I have never come across a garage that knows how it should be done or what to use.

I would add they sound a great garage, luckily there are plenty about but they sometimes take some finding. Trouble is a garage business is very expensive to run a main agent even more so, these costs have to be passed on to the customer.

 

[mjr]

Trouble is a garage business is very expensive to run a main agent even more so, these costs have to be passed on to the customer.

The smallest main dealer in any given town is probably bigger than the biggest bike shop. Another way that cars waste space in our towns.

Plus costs passed on to the customer? I'll say! What the fark does recoating a headlight do and why's it never done for bike headlights? Simply because it costs as much as some of the most expensive bike headlights?

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I never, ever want another white car

Washed it Sunday, yesterday drove around deepest, darkest Ayrshire and now it's mingin again.

Mind you, black cars are bad too - show up every scratch and imperfection.

 

[KneesUp]

The main car currently has no working front fog lights. I know this because I tried to use them last week.

To replace the bulbs I need a 10mm socket and a long extension, and then to lie under the bumper and remove the nut that holds the lights in place. Remarkably this is easier than replacing the headlight bulbs. That required removing a section of trim, a variety of muddly plastic clips and a few screws, peeling pack the wheel arch liner and putting my hand into a unseeable void and feeling about whilst the wheel arch liner pushed my wrist into various sharp bits of metal.