Car back for yet another visit to the garage.
3 times in a week.
Yes, 3 times.
Its not even because the receptionist is a stunner. Or the coffee they serve in the waiting area is addictive.
No, its because the heap of metal, rubber ,water and oil, should be compressed in an industrial sized apple press. Water pump, radiator, pipework was trouble number 1.
back for 1 day
Then head gasket, head skim, valves tunup
Back for another day.
Now in for a oil pump.
The mechanic is a wresting referee in a previous life, as I can see him now, knelt down as if on all fours, left hand palm down touching the canvas. Right hand raised above his head, ready to slam it down shouting...
"ONE.................."
"TWO................."
"THREEEEEEEE................."
OUT!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Worth the wait....
Yesterday highlighted to me what a form of insurance can do. I would like to sing my praises for the RAC. I think that if service is good, let them know. If it is very, very good, let everyone else know too.
If car insurance is a painful necessity, let me say that breakdown insurance is the best christmas present you could give someone.
Alright, so vigourously tearing open that carefully wrapped present on christmas morn, to find an envelope with "... Congratulations on your 1 year RAC membership..." may not initially inspire cartwheels across the living room, but believe me, when used for the first time, you'll be thanked forever.
My experience last night involved a Vauxhall Corsa, broken water pump, steam pressure cooker for an engine, and a boot load of christmas shopping.
As soon as the temp needle was moving faster across the gauge than the speed of the windscreen wipers, I knew there was trouble. "Blimey,..." i thought, "..the heaters effective in this car...",.."...and where did this fog suddenly descend from...". The fog was the hot vapour commonly known as steam.
I decided to call out the nice RAC man, to be warned that they were extremely busy, but would keep me informed of progress. They werent wrong. Constant updates on the location of the driver I felt like I was in his cab next to him. They admitted that it could be 2 hours, but they would be as quick as they could. There was a temptation to make a start on the shopping I had just bought, seeing as my engine was at gas mark 6. But I didnt think Tesco would appreciate me laying a tablecloth in the carpark.
When he arrived, he couldnt apologise enough for the wait. He diagnosed the problem, explaining what, why, where etc. (I felt like calling him Haynes.). He explained exactly what the repair involved. It wasnt a roadside repair unfortunately, but he recommended a local garage and if I wanted he would ring a book it for me for 8 o'clock the next morning. It was 10 o'clock at night by now. As the car could be driven a short way with constant top-ups, I drove it home with him following.
Sure enough, when I got home, not only had he rang through, but he had booked it for me, and also arranged preferential courtesy car use whilst being fixed. All done at 10 oclock at night. I hope he didnt get the mechanic out of bed to answer the call.
All in all, What service!!
If car insurance is a painful necessity, let me say that breakdown insurance is the best christmas present you could give someone.
Alright, so vigourously tearing open that carefully wrapped present on christmas morn, to find an envelope with "... Congratulations on your 1 year RAC membership..." may not initially inspire cartwheels across the living room, but believe me, when used for the first time, you'll be thanked forever.
My experience last night involved a Vauxhall Corsa, broken water pump, steam pressure cooker for an engine, and a boot load of christmas shopping.
As soon as the temp needle was moving faster across the gauge than the speed of the windscreen wipers, I knew there was trouble. "Blimey,..." i thought, "..the heaters effective in this car...",.."...and where did this fog suddenly descend from...". The fog was the hot vapour commonly known as steam.
I decided to call out the nice RAC man, to be warned that they were extremely busy, but would keep me informed of progress. They werent wrong. Constant updates on the location of the driver I felt like I was in his cab next to him. They admitted that it could be 2 hours, but they would be as quick as they could. There was a temptation to make a start on the shopping I had just bought, seeing as my engine was at gas mark 6. But I didnt think Tesco would appreciate me laying a tablecloth in the carpark.
When he arrived, he couldnt apologise enough for the wait. He diagnosed the problem, explaining what, why, where etc. (I felt like calling him Haynes.). He explained exactly what the repair involved. It wasnt a roadside repair unfortunately, but he recommended a local garage and if I wanted he would ring a book it for me for 8 o'clock the next morning. It was 10 o'clock at night by now. As the car could be driven a short way with constant top-ups, I drove it home with him following.
Sure enough, when I got home, not only had he rang through, but he had booked it for me, and also arranged preferential courtesy car use whilst being fixed. All done at 10 oclock at night. I hope he didnt get the mechanic out of bed to answer the call.
All in all, What service!!
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Comparing Car Insurance
Unfortunately,car insurance is a necessary evil. Its one of those things that we hope we never have to use. But that doesnt mean you cant glean even a small crumb of satisfaction from it.
I enjoy saving money, especially on car insurance. Then again, who doesnt?
"..look after the pennies, and the pounds take care of themselves..."
This tip, though appearing blatantly obvious, is something you should do now!.
If you make today the first day of being frugal, without guilt, then trust me you wont regret it.
After reading this, spend the next 5 minutes trying, then judge for yourself. Thats all it takes.
Ever since I was small, I tried to find ways of building the nest-egg. I dont mean necessarily ferreting through jacket pockets, for loose change, or slotting the shiny coins into a Piggy bank, and hearing the reassuring "clink-clink-rattle-rattle". Rather, handing over less money for something, than originally ask for. Chopping the price to an acceptable level. Ebenezer Scrooge is very much maligned.
So this is where "comparison" websites, are an absolute goldmine! If you can use a PC, (and I guess you can, as your reading this now), then dont delay, give it a try.
You do not have to be a "HTML Coder", or an "IT professional" to use them. Its in their interest to make them easy as pie. They are so easy to use, that within seconds, you results are displayed. They even have direct links to the quotes stated, and, only having to input your information once, is absolute genius.
I will leave it up to you to choose your favourite. Some are more intuitive, some more detailed, some cover more options. But every single one is targetted to saving you cash! Every single one takes only minutes to try!
Your current insurance company rely on your apathy to hike your price. How many times have you heard stories of people contacting their current company, with a legitimate comparison, only to be offered the same deal? I bet it wouldnt have come their way had they not mentioned it.
So try, mention it, and dont feel bad about it. They wouldn't accept it if they couldn't afford to do so.
Try it first with you car insurance. The next five minutes on google, could be the most productive you've you ever had.
I enjoy saving money, especially on car insurance. Then again, who doesnt?
"..look after the pennies, and the pounds take care of themselves..."
This tip, though appearing blatantly obvious, is something you should do now!.
If you make today the first day of being frugal, without guilt, then trust me you wont regret it.
After reading this, spend the next 5 minutes trying, then judge for yourself. Thats all it takes.
Ever since I was small, I tried to find ways of building the nest-egg. I dont mean necessarily ferreting through jacket pockets, for loose change, or slotting the shiny coins into a Piggy bank, and hearing the reassuring "clink-clink-rattle-rattle". Rather, handing over less money for something, than originally ask for. Chopping the price to an acceptable level. Ebenezer Scrooge is very much maligned.
So this is where "comparison" websites, are an absolute goldmine! If you can use a PC, (and I guess you can, as your reading this now), then dont delay, give it a try.
You do not have to be a "HTML Coder", or an "IT professional" to use them. Its in their interest to make them easy as pie. They are so easy to use, that within seconds, you results are displayed. They even have direct links to the quotes stated, and, only having to input your information once, is absolute genius.
I will leave it up to you to choose your favourite. Some are more intuitive, some more detailed, some cover more options. But every single one is targetted to saving you cash! Every single one takes only minutes to try!
Your current insurance company rely on your apathy to hike your price. How many times have you heard stories of people contacting their current company, with a legitimate comparison, only to be offered the same deal? I bet it wouldnt have come their way had they not mentioned it.
So try, mention it, and dont feel bad about it. They wouldn't accept it if they couldn't afford to do so.
Try it first with you car insurance. The next five minutes on google, could be the most productive you've you ever had.
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