Rant of the Day v2.

[Pontius Navigator]

Mrs PN has drawn up plans already. She wants two sets of patio doors replaced by the concertina style. I want a heat pump for our UFH. Unfortunately it would only work in the heating months as we don't have it water tanks.

[Rwy in Sight]

Feel what, precisely ?

That feeling of spending more money than necessary and the lack of X thousand of pounds from the bank account.

That’s the one

And all that for making a purchase a short time too early!

[Magnus]

We've missed 2 holidays this year, so between that and pubs/restaurants being shut, the current account is looking quite healthy. On top of that, our financial advisor got his lines crossed between adventurous and cautious, put most of the dosh in adventurous (eek!), but bizarrely it recently jumped 11%. Upshot is that I'm looking to upgrade the car and buy an expensive watch, but I've been outvoted 1:1 by SWMBO who wants to help dottir#1 to invest in property if the stamp duty holiday goes ahead. Bye bye CLS 450.

postscript: Not really a rant, I guess, more of a mild grumble.

[OFSO]

The lockdown in Islington UK was our holiday, and being smiled upon by the weather gods for four months while it rained every day in NE Spain was a bonus. One of our best years so far, although 'Praise not the Day until the Sun has set' of course.

[Magnus]

OFSO, if we don't get to Italy this year, it'll be the first we've missed in 15 years. Tragedy; I need to restock food supplies!

[ian16th]

Upshot is that I'm looking to upgrade the car and buy an expensive watch,

I've passed my watch on to my son in Oz, but while I had it I used to say that when the value of my car came down to the price of a new watch,, it was time to change the car!

In the long term a good watch is usually a better buy than a new car.

[Hydromet]

In the long term a good watch is usually a better buy than a new car.

Depends what's on the clock.

[4mastacker]

Rant on behalf of #1 son.

He's decided to change cars and as he likes the Focus, he's been on the lookout for a reasonably priced fairly newish one. Spotting one advertised at the local Ford dealer he went up to have a look.

He asked for a test drive but as the car was in a dirty condition ("don't worry sir it's just about to go in for a full valet"), due a service and MOT ("will be done before you collect it sir") the test drive was booked for yesterday. On further checking, the car has an outstanding recall against it - the dealer didn't mention that.

He rang the dealer to ask about the recall and got the "call you back in a couple of hours". No call forthcoming, son gave them a couple of days then rang to check about the recall and if the car was ready for the test drive, the salesman put the phone down on him. Son called back to them to tell them they had lost a sale and he was going elsewhere, salesman's reply was 'OK, suit yourself".

I had a similar experience with this same outlet when I was looking for a new car. Walked out of their showroom, went to the dealer next door and bought a Honda.

Unbelievable reply when other car dealers are falling over themselves to get their sales going. Looking at the Trustpilot site, no surprise that most of the reports for this chain of dealers rate only 1 star.

[OFSO]

Coincidence Magnus, just been looking at price of a week in Venice in October. Problem is getting there from here. No way I'm going to fly just yet...... Keep looking at the webcams and dreaming.

[Pontius Navigator]

4ma, that is par for the course all along the level. Totally ignored in Volvo, nothing suitable in Ford, it's over there help yourself in Kia. Kia was our No 1 choice and they could have sold the car there and then.

As Toyota was opposite we had popped in there on spec. Suited salesman, greeted, shown around, needs discussed and he showed us what met our requirements. All told we visited 7 dealers and even took their demonstrator to visit dealers in Peterborough. We bought from the first one we visited. Giraffe impressions count.

[4mastacker]

I too encountered much the same from the other dealers along that stretch - the Vauxhall dealer was even worse than Ford; Toyota were very professional as were Honda and it was a close thing between the two, but Honda edged it.

#1 son has gone to the Ford dealer in Oakham on the recommendation of one of me canal colleagues (he's a mate of the owner). Totally different approach to potential customers compared to the shower of ess-aitch-one-tea on Spittlegate Level.

[OFSO]

It's the dealer wot sells the cars, not the factory. Ford in Figueras are so good wouldn't consider buying anything else. Wound up getting €5000 worth of extras and discounts on the Mondeo. As for the 14 year old Fiesta, brilliant car. Not sure about the latest one. Very tricky instruments and switches. Mind you feels very big car to drive....

[ExSp33db1rd]

Mrs. ExS chose our present Honda over other options similarly priced around our budget- because of the colour. Dark red. No problem mechanically, but too many blind spots created by "styling" and no purely horizontal line apparent from my driving position, so I have trouble when parallel parking, actually achieving "parallel" to the kerb is almost impossible. Should have bought the Mazda that I wanted. Standard silver, like 99% of cars in NZ.

[Pontius Navigator]

I remember my daughter was looking at a Mercedes at that Ford garage, they had a look round it, during social distancing so it was locked. Went to see the salesman. Told it was sold, fine. Then the salesman got some keys and started to take them to see the car.

You said it's sold, way are you wasting our time?

[Magnus]

Took the car into Merc for servicing (prepaid on service plan). Car health check indicates work needed. £1521. Waaah!!

[Capetonian]

A friend of mine who had recently returned to CPT after working in Europe for a few years, and had a lot of loot, wanted to buy 2 new Mercs, one for himself and one for his wife. On a Saturday morning he walked into a MB main dealer fully intending to place the order as he knew what he wanted.
After being ignored for 10 minutes he asked loudly : ' is anyone is here to sell cars' at which a 'salesman' walked over and said 'we're closing in 10 minutes and all these cars are sold.'
On Monday morning he rang the personnel director of MB in the Western Cape, who was a personal friend of mine, and told him what had happened.
He got a big discount on a Merc and for the second car bought a BMW where he received completely different treatment. When he walk into the showroom the salesman greeting him and offered him a coffee before anything else.

[4mastacker]

#1 Son has received an e-mail from some insurance company congratulating him on his car purchase and confirming he has 7-day drive-away cover for the car until he has arranged permanent cover. He's a bit puzzled as he hasn't bought the car quoted in the cover note - it's the one that he kicked into touch because of the lousy service at the Ford dealer. Got me thinking, is this some kind of insurance fraud or the salesman pulling a fast one in order to get a sales bonus?

[OFSO]

During my four months away there were no post deliveries because of Covid etc.so now its all over, maybe, bank statements arrive and I see my Moviestar fixed price 4G internet contract has gone from €33 a month to €69 a month.
Try to access 'Mi Moviestar'. Passwords not accepted, OOPIN can only be sent to a Spanish phone, and they have the wrong e-mail address and it can't be changed. After two hours I find the postal address in Madrid and have written a certified letter to the CEO which goes on Monday.... Bastards !

[Pontius Navigator]

Took the car into Merc for servicing (prepaid on service plan). Car health check indicates work needed. £1521. Waaah!!

Shame you are so far north. Mine used to be serviced by a specialist, never that much even for big jobs. What needed doing?

My only dealing with a main dealer , 1st 9,000 mile service 20 years ago was North of £1,000 and only routine. I decided I was paying too much for coffee and the show rooms.

[Magnus]

Broken spring, better to replace both. Ditto spring link ball joints.