Your Day (apart from gardening) - what took place?

The cam belt and water pump were changed 50k miles ago - they are supposed to be changed every 75k miles.

I can't really moan - I've done 100k miles in the car and bought it second hand .

 

Well if they're changed you know that's one cost out the way although it's an expensive game

 

Had that happen once whilst touring Devon, luckily I had a vehicle with a 2L overhead cam engine that didn't smash itself up when the belt broke, and the AA response vehicle (also had the same engine) had a spare cam belt to get us back on the road within an hour for a very small cash payment.

 

I guess you can be lucky. It depends if there's a gap between the tops of the pistons at TDC and an open valve. I think on some high compression heads there wouldn't be enough of one.

 

Reminds me of decades ago in the mid seventies when I had my "Life on Mars" Cortina GXL, same metalic bronze and black vinyl roof.

I was coming off the motorway, with our youngest son in the car, he'd have been about eight.
There was a slight "clump" from the back and I lost power.

He said;

"What was that?"

" I think it's a half-shaft."

"What's a half-shaft?"

"About fifty quid."


It was.

 

I found this hilariously true video.... BLOCKCHAINIAN RHAPSODY

 

Picking up the 'new' car this Friday.

The new tax rules require that the car must be taxed at the point of sale - and that there is no leeway to allow someone to for eg. drive to the post office to get the tax.

In reality this is nonsense - I could simply say that I was test driving the car before agreeing to buy - so would be under the existing owners road tax and driving insured via my own policy - ie. with the owners permission.

 

I had a 2007 1.8 C-Max petrol . When I arranged for a belt change at about 75k, I was told it had a chain - so saved a bit off cash. I thought virtually everything had a belt drive these days , but seems like the chain is hanging on.

 

Every car I've bought at a dealers, it was taxed when I went to collect it. They just added the cost of the tax to the balance owing on the car.

There's something odd about sticking your debit card into their machine and punching in many thousands of pounds. But it the simplest way of paying for it.

 

This is why the new rules are nonsense - I am responsible for the road tax once I have purchased the car. So, I can safely drive it home, tax and insure it - and then telephone the garage to tell them that I'm happy with the car and wish to conclude the sale. If I am stopped, I'm simply test driving a car.

On the way home - I'm not the owner of the car - but I am driving an insured vehicle with valid road tax.

Test drives can take place over several days as well .

This rule is an barmy as the rule where you can only buy number plates from 'authorised' sellers - yet you can order a set from e-bay without the necessary documentation.

More rules created by some desk jockey in Whitehall .

 

Last moan before I get off the soap box.

Getting rid of paper tax discs has been a major disaster - more people are evading road tax than was previously the case because it is now not immediately evident if a car is taxed.

The police were able to use ANPR with or without the tax disc - another government foul up.

I know, more people evading road tax - hmmmm....let's change the rules for diesel car drivers - they can make up the shortfall...