My day.

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Sat 7 Jul 2001 21:17
My day. - David Woollard
Aroung July each year I have a bad day, a very bad day, Today was that day. The worse car I look after comes for its yearly MOT/service.

It's a 10yr old Seat Terra. For those lucky enough never to have noticed one they are cheap copies of a Fiat Panda in van form. If you have any concerns about trim quality on any current mainstream car just sit in one of these for two minutes without breaking somehing, that'll put things in perspective.

Talking of breaking these cars have virtually no brakes. Even with new fluid, discs, pads and shoes effort is minimal on the rollers and a pass is barely recorded. On the road they are lethal, they just don't stop.

The electrics, switchgear and ign sysyem must be sourced from recycled Christmas Cracker toys.....and the body from bacofoil. The washer is a rubber bulb on the dash and your thumb nearly drops off by the time any fluid hits the screen

I stress out getting the thing through each year then the owners (private retired - strangely) are so pleased they decide to keep it another year "as it goes so well". How do I drop the hint?

Then my newly painted re-built Land Rover diesel engine suffered some odd reaction between old and new paints and half of it peeled off. Spent the afternoon cleaning it up again, tried a nice sea green Hammerite this time.....that should stick.

David
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Sun 8 Jul 2001 09:25
Re: My day. - Andrew Hamilton
I met an elderly couple with slight engine problem. Got it started but found the radiator had no water in it and the battery connectors had aluminium foil inside as they were too big for the battery.
They were happy with their garage and explained that the car was only used 1 mile to the seafront and later back home. I doubt they would bother to do anything!
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Sun 8 Jul 2001 09:49
Re: My day. - Darcy Kitchin
David
You've obvoisly made a decision to carry on with looking after the Seat. Presumably you will be adequately rewarded for you efforts. Your customers' level of trust in you may be higher than you think after all these years so you should be able to tell them that the car isn't getting any younger and this is positively the last MoT the car will pass. You may even be able to sell them a diesel BX.
In my trade (computers), a Texas Instruments PC vintage 1981 that we know of finally died last week. It wasn't Millennium compliant, the user just asked us to set the date to 1980 last year. Some customers!
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Sun 8 Jul 2001 20:55
Re: Sir, I have a cunning plan. - afm
Next time you get it for a bit of work, drag it out for a few days. Lend them a 'courtesy' car, possibly one of those cheap BXs which you collect. Only when they've driven a real car for a few hours will they realise what a pile of scrap they've been driving. Then see if you get an offer on the loan car.
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Sun 8 Jul 2001 23:46
Re: Sir, I have a cunning plan. - richard turpin
David,
At least you try to help them rather than fail it at the first excuse. Good for you.
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Tue 10 Jul 2001 12:23
Re: My day. - Alex. L. Dick
Actually, my C reg. Celica Supra sailed through as always this year, with compliments from the garage.

Reason?- I have it maintained
by the book, and of course it's a Toyota!
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