Steam, the letting off thereof

[engineer one]

i think that's a very fair responce nick, now that you have calmed down a little.

the car manufacturers would tend to say that the costs are to do with research etc. rather like medical research. however so many chips are the same, that it does seem a rather big con.

my local garage has just paid 2k for a diagnostic machine. but so far i have no idea what the update costs will be. i think the garages are trapped. in this price spiral because companies like euro car parts only supply certain parts of the car, often some things are "main dealer only"
just to stuff up the customer. but it must be possible to re-chip almost any chip, once you know the correct way.

as for the plumber, as i said make him an offer, and see what he says.
as you say he may well be hurting anyway, so any cash would be welcome, but take your time, or pay by instalments.

all the best

paul :wink:

 

[Bodrighy]

I also don't have any worries about bangs and scrapes or, where I live, bouncing off pheasants, badgers and deer.

:shock: maybe you'd be a better safer driver if you did and the wildlife would certainly be better off.
beejay

The last accident I had was in 1972 but I have lost count of the times I have come back to my car in a a car park to find someone has scraped it getting out of their space.
As far as the wildlife is concerned, there are so many shoots around Exmoor that pheasants are literally all over the road at some times of the year. The deer are obviously best avoided but, as happened to me recently, when one dives out of the hedge 5' in front of you and you are going up hill at 30 miles an hour with cars behind you your chances of missing it at at best remote. It's one of the 'joys' of living on Exmoor I am afraid.

Pete

 

[Vormulac]

I know the costs of car components these days seem stupid, but as I worked in the automotive for many years I can vouch for how much it costs to design a new vehicle and incorporate all the latest regulations foisted on the industry by European/Global watchdogs.
There are many vehicles designed and built that are sold entirely at a loss to the company concerned, simply to make it possible to research and perfect certain aspects of the technology that will be used on cross-platform models in future. The technology gets more complicated and more components become 'chipped' in order to meet things like emissions and safety requirements that simply couldn't be met any other way.

Not that this makes it any less frustrating when the bloody things break-down, of course. :evil:

V.

 

[engineer one]

v having worked in gm before they used computer design it always confused me that computers were supposed to save money, but now it seems to cost more for each component than we spent on whole cars in the 60's and 70's.

i understand that a worldwide car costs many billions to produce the basic
floorpan etc, and then the various subsidiaries add their bits to make it even more, but so many components are common in basis it does make you wonder.

mind you those dumbos in brussels and california seem always to be looking for ways to control something which actually would have evolved more effectively and economically if left to its own devices. here speaks a man who thinks that the chevy corvair was a great car, interestingly the merc a class when developed had almost the same basic problems ,ie
s curve steering and toppling problems, but 30 years later it was easier to solve.
:?
paul :wink:

 

[Slim]

the law relating to debts is still 5 years, whereby you have to be reminded during that time, and then they can continue to chase you.

Only in Scotland. In England and Wales its 6 years.

 

[engineer one]

so when did that change simon????


i thought 6 years was for your tax records
:?
paul :wink:

 

[Philly]

What???? You're meant to keep records............ :wink: :lol:
Philly

 

[engineer one]

well philly in your case, just the ln boxes will do :twisted: :lol:

that'll frighten them :roll:

paul :wink:

 

[Slim]

so when did that change simon????

The Limitations Act 1980 :wink:

Edit: apparently its under review though

 

[Anonymous]

What???? You're meant to keep records............ :wink: :lol:
Philly

Well I guess you can throw away all your shawaddywaddy ones, I don't think they will be collectors items, but hold on to your kagagoogoo LP's you never know :lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Nick, a question, did you realise you had not paid the plumber.

It had slipped my mind, and this is the first time I have been billed for the work. Why?

The reason I asked was because if you had known you hadn't paid him it would be a bit immoral. I think.

 

[engineer one]

is this the same senior who is so unhappy with irony????????? :lol: :twisted: :roll:

actually i think you are right

paul :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

is this the same senior who is so unhappy with irony????????? :lol: :twisted: :roll:

actually i think you are right

paul :wink:

Me, unhappy, never, i'm the smiliest happiest peron in the world, anyone who disagrees is going to get it, alright :wink:

 

[ike]

Nick,

I'm having difficulty in siding with you on the plumbers bill. The simple fact is, a guy did work for you, you were happy to have it done by him and I assume that what he did was OK as you haven't mentioned that it wasn't.So why didn't you remind him to bill you after a reasonable wait? Thought that you had 'got away with it' did you? I hope your conscience eventally pricks you and you do the right thing and square up with this chap.

Ike

 

[Jake]

I'm sure he just forgot, it does happen. I think the bill should be paid, at the 2005 rates, but there isn't much more you can do than ask whether they are on that score.

 

[DomValente]

Me, unhappy, never, i'm the smiliest happiest peron in the world, anyone who disagrees is going to get it, alright :wink:

Didn't know you were from Argentina :twisted:

Dom

 

[tim]

Nick

Sorry to hear about your woes.

My thoughts on the plumber situation are threefold:

1. Its bl**dy annoying that someone can't manage their books correctly although most plumbers issue loads and loads of invoices (often for small amounts) so its possible to see how a mistake occurred.

2. What would you do if your book keeper turned round to you and asked why you hadn't invoiced for a piece of work? (well that wouldn't happen is not a valid answer). I'm assuming that you would probably only pursue it if it was significant....

3. How would you act if the client refused to pay up even though you could see the beautiful chest of drawers in the sitting room?

Cheers

Tim

 

[Nick W]

There was never really any doubt about the outcome of this, he did the work so he should get paid. However I'm not going to pay him. :shock:



















SWMBO is. O

 

[engineer one]

but if senior is an argie, shouldn't he have an evitar????? :twisted: :roll:

paul :wink: