spare wheel well

[GW8IZR]

its a bit more than just toys .. but the reason for my response was just to agree that yes, manufacturers life expectancy of a car today is a lot less than 'we' as consumers expect. But then 'we' are not normal! consumers really - I've always run older cars and am certainly not afraid of running older vehicles, I've been fixing them since I was sixteen when it was the only way I could run one. Also my keep for life car is an 85 land rover on which there isn't a nut or bolt that I haven't touched etc... but there is another market and I have to have a foot in the other camp.

Now a more 'normal' consumer is my next door neighbour. A young policeman starting out in life, recently bought his first home with partner - she has a 65 plate suv, he has a 65 plate focus ... he would no more spend all his spare time fixing a car than fly to the moon. At his age I had an Austin Alegro that cost me 450 quid followed by a mini van that cost me 20 quid. Different times...

 

[GW8IZR]

I don't understand 'modern' people though - what do they do with their time? Minimalist houses where there's nothing except a sofa and a telly, garages that are just an empty car-hole, 'low maintenance' gardens (if there's a garden at all) - is getting drunk and putting on weight really that much fun?

Nor me, I do know and recognise that pressures are very different today, when I was an apprentice I could go home at night and mess with my car, weekends I could go to the mountains and drink / climb / cave ... play hard all weekend and rock up to work at 06:00 Monday feeling a bit rough but ready. Youngsters today do seem to have to work harder/differently which certainly seems to invade into what I would have considered to be my time.

When I was a service engineer I was on call and expected to put in long hard hours which I accepted, but when not on call no one would bother me out of hours, I think that's different today. Even as a service manager, then region manager I could usually switch off for some periods. My friends son has just finished F2 at a teaching hospital.. the hours he has had to and continues to work are incredible. Even if he were interested I don't think running an old car would be an option for him. He's just done a personal contract on a new car and when I ran the figures he's 6K better off than just buying it. Now its not a cheap entry level car.. but 6K is a lump of money.

Also maybe modern cars are not quite so easy to maintain at home, I know there is a lot of none sense talked about unfixable cars - if a man put it there I can fix it! but when I think about the skills and diagnostic tools needed they are a long way from a halfords socket set and a pot of isopon. If you have the skills to use the modern diagnostic tools today.. just maybe there are better rewards available using those skills than using them to fix up an old car in the rain on the road outside your flat?

Oner thing I know for absolute sure.. apart from 'er indoors, no one knows all the answers and what suits me doesn't suit everyone ... ;-)

 

[BrokenBiker]

Nor me, I do know and recognise that pressures are very different today, when I was an apprentice I could go home at night and mess with my car, weekends I could go to the mountains and drink / climb / cave ... play hard all weekend and rock up to work at 06:00 Monday feeling a bit rough but ready. Youngsters today do seem to have to work harder/differently which certainly seems to invade into what I would have considered to be my time.

When I was a service engineer I was on call and expected to put in long hard hours which I accepted, but when not on call no one would bother me out of hours, I think that's different today. Even as a service manager, then region manager I could usually switch off for some periods. My friends son has just finished F2 at a teaching hospital.. the hours he has had to and continues to work are incredible. Even if he were interested I don't think running an old car would be an option for him. He's just done a personal contract on a new car and when I ran the figures he's 6K better off than just buying it. Now its not a cheap entry level car.. but 6K is a lump of money.

Also maybe modern cars are not quite so easy to maintain at home, I know there is a lot of none sense talked about unfixable cars - if a man put it there I can fix it! but when I think about the skills and diagnostic tools needed they are a long way from a halfords socket set and a pot of isopon. If you have the skills to use the modern diagnostic tools today.. just maybe there are better rewards available using those skills than using them to fix up an old car in the rain on the road outside your flat?

Oner thing I know for absolute sure.. apart from 'er indoors, no one knows all the answers and what suits me doesn't suit everyone ... ;-)

Pretty much the same mind dram as me...I could go out and sign a contract for a brand new whatever I wanted within say 20k price range, but what's the point...id rather know my car and how it runs, what it likes etc and not have to pay stupid rates to have it serviced to keep the warranty up to date etc...

 

[the snooper]

life has changed, we never used to have sunday or late night shopping, over Christmas all shops shut down, if you didn't already have it you did without until they re-opened, the pace has picked up and one cause is technology, family life is in tatters these days

 

[GW8IZR]

I can't see how work pressures are really that much different now (bear in mind I'm not 40 yet), the medical scene has always had silly hours during (and after) training and what 'normal' job requires out of hours contact and availability?

Well I'm a fair bit older than that so point of reference is different of course but I look at availability and access to staff that work for me today and often think 'I wouldn't have been too chuffed with that' but its todays way of life.

I agree people want it now and there has been a subtle change toward the acceptability of credit. I last had a credit card in 1979 and cutting it up was the best thing I ever did. If I have something its paid for but then I have been lucky to be in a good job all my working life. I would always advise people to save and wait but then I'm older and boring :-)

 

[GW8IZR]

Well I'm a fair bit older than that so point of reference is different of course but I look at availability and access to staff that work for me today and often think 'I wouldn't have been too chuffed with that' but its todays way of life.

I agree people want it now and there has been a subtle change toward the acceptability of credit. I last had a credit card in 1979 and cutting it up was the best thing I ever did. If I have something its paid for but then I have been lucky to be in a good job all my working life. I would always advise people to save and wait but then I'm older and boring :-)

And another thing! this is miles away from talking about welding up a boot floor .. sorry !

 

[BrokenBiker]

Just to revert back to the op, I'm sure everyone will be happy to know that I have fitted a rubber grommet in each plate now...

You can continue your conversation now haha

 

[BrokenBiker]

But what about the fish in your mobile pond?

the only fish in that car are ones that have been hooked and about to be eaten lol

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

In a few week time, not enough rain yet.