pauls0
Part of things
Posts: 31 
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Apr 25, 2015 16:17:51 GMT
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Exactly the same here George, for that very reason I've voided the warranty on our Mazda and done the servicing myself. For my work I look through the costs of our business, and I see all sorts of silliness, such as washing a paper filter. We also have a Fortuner in the fleet here and guess what, at 3 months old it just had:
Change fuel filter and purge fuel system
Wash
Clean, check and adjust (!?) brakes
Materials (grease, dissolvents?!, others)
Maintenance of A/C (filter and recharge gas!!)
Sterilise interior (!)
Oil
Fuel filter (again!)
Sump plug washer
Oil filter
Washer fluid
Air filter
Fair enough on the normal service bits, but A/C recharge and filter, brakes adjustment?! I just saw also that our Disco3 when it was company owned had someone invoice for "Maintanance of lower balljoints and greasing the steering rack" and over US$1000 for a diagnostic scan to reset the electronic handbrake.
Bonkers, but people let 'em get away with it. The chap who used to drive the Disco drove it again recently, and was gob-smacked by how good it was compared to when he was driving it.
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Apr 25, 2015 19:49:23 GMT
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Maybe you should start up ANOTHER business, wherein you have an honest mechanic work on cars with a nice little viewing room so clients can see what's going on, if it tickles their fancy. And while they're in there, you can offer them mobile coverage and quality rice. For $AU435 I'd expect a bit more than an oil change and a couple of filters! There's a place around the corner that does an oil and filter change for $90! (more than 4.5l of oil costs more) And even that's expensive, in my eyes, knowing what everything costs. Don't forget we can also supply lovely clean water and, if it's a big job, rent them a room as well! Yeah my little "We Change Oil 'n' Tyre" place round the corner does a good price with quality oil. Not sure of the full price as (obviously) I supply my own filters, but the Toymota shouldn't be a problem Exactly the same here George, for that very reason I've voided the warranty on our Mazda and done the servicing myself. For my work I look through the costs of our business, and I see all sorts of silliness, such as washing a paper filter. We also have a Fortuner in the fleet here and guess what, at 3 months old it just had: Change fuel filter and purge fuel system Wash Clean, check and adjust (!?) brakes Materials (grease, dissolvents?!, others) Maintenance of A/C (filter and recharge gas!!) Sterilise interior (!) Oil Fuel filter (again!) Sump plug washer Oil filter Washer fluid Air filter Fair enough on the normal service bits, but A/C recharge and filter, brakes adjustment?! I just saw also that our Disco3 when it was company owned had someone invoice for "Maintanance of lower balljoints and greasing the steering rack" and over US$1000 for a diagnostic scan to reset the electronic handbrake. Bonkers, but people let 'em get away with it. The chap who used to drive the Disco drove it again recently, and was gob-smacked by how good it was compared to when he was driving it.
Incredible isn't it? As you say, if no-one questions, they get away with it.
I'm thinking seriously about doing the same as you and bringing servicing in-house, saying to hell with the warranty. The driver has expressed an interest in learning so that may be a way forward - with constant supervision, of course! At least there are no part supply issues, I can get most of the stuff from the local supermarket.
Never had this issue with Isuzu in Malaysia. No problems at all but again, I was able to watch the whole time but for some unknown reason, they don't like you doing that here 
On another subject, my little bottle openers have asked me to help them with their English. They can speak it well enough, but their written work lacks structure and their spling is lousy.
Example (I have photo but the bucket's not playing this morning) - "See you Dady I love you take care no gowing to girls no panty" was left on a post-it note for me before they left for Tondo yesterday. See what I mean?
So, get 'em reading thinks I. That should be a good start. A few years ago, someone gave me a file with literally thousands of books in it that I just download onto my Kindle and there's loads of children's authors on there as well. Of course, you can't get Kindle here but they do a thing called Kobo which are, unfortunately, 'sold' exclusively through National Book Store branches. So the other day, me and the girls traipse over to Mall of Asia to buy a couple. Poor deluded fools.
After a lot of faffing around and queuing at the dreaded "Customer Service" counter (a classic oxymoron if ever there was one) we finally get directed to a little corner where a single solitary reader is on display. "This only type we have. 5,000 Peso" "Okay, give me two please" Assistant disappears and I feel a slight inexplicable sinking feeling. Different assistant comes over with different reader and a different price. "This only type we have, 10,000 Peso" Sigh. "Okay, give me two please" "Only hab one" Why does this not surprise me. "You go Makati" "Why, do they have some in stock?" "Don't know". I'm sure it really shouldn't be this hard.
On the bright side, the girls got a new bathing costume apiece.
Me? Well the girls are at some birthday bash today, so I'm heading over to Makati with an attitude of hope over experience but, even if when it all goes to rat poo, I'm hitting up Zuni, Manila's finest steak restaurant, for a sodding big tenderloin and a good hearty red to wash it down.
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Last Edit: Apr 25, 2015 19:50:52 GMT by georgeb
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,975
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Apr 26, 2015 12:06:14 GMT
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What really gets me is there must be many folk are being ripped off in this manner, nodding sagely to each other and commenting about how the de-coke and flush has improved their driving experience no end. Remember that (new) car ownership is, in relative terms, fairly new here, so the dealers seem to think they can get away with stuff that UK garages were trying years ago. Bless 'em. Trying years ago - I think they still are judging from conversations I have with work colleagues who are "financed up to the eyeballs" to own the newest white goods vehicle with a depreciation curve like beachy head (it's annoying sometimes being a "car guy" luckily I have a get out of jail card for suggestions that I "help" out - I haz no dealer diagnostics) Just reminds me why I work on my own cars - it gets done when it needs doing rather than because next service is 15,000 miles and it won't last till then!!! Oh and ditto what *n said - love this thread - one of the first I go to read when an update is flagged in my bookmarks |
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Apr 27, 2015 13:09:20 GMT
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What really gets me is there must be many folk are being ripped off in this manner, nodding sagely to each other and commenting about how the de-coke and flush has improved their driving experience no end. Remember that (new) car ownership is, in relative terms, fairly new here, so the dealers seem to think they can get away with stuff that UK garages were trying years ago. Bless 'em. Trying years ago - I think they still are judging from conversations I have with work colleagues who are "financed up to the eyeballs" to own the newest white goods vehicle with a depreciation curve like beachy head (it's annoying sometimes being a "car guy" luckily I have a get out of jail card for suggestions that I "help" out - I haz no dealer diagnostics) Just reminds me why I work on my own cars - it gets done when it needs doing rather than because next service is 15,000 miles and it won't last till then!!! Oh and ditto what *n said - love this thread - one of the first I go to read when an update is flagged in my bookmarks Know what you mean. The one and only new car I've ever had was the Isuzu in KL. The reason being it had no import duty so, by comparison with any other import was free and not much more expensive than a Proton. In addition, when they offered me 2% finance, it was a no brainer. Because there is no discounting of new motors, 2nd hand values are good so, when I sold it to a mate after three years, I still got a good price. Wouldn't have a new motor again though. Way too dull. Anyway, having bought the RR, it's nice to be back doing my own work again. Although saying that... It should be Props V.2, but. Got a 500km run down the island tomorrow for a meeting, so decided that the rear shaft should really have new UJs beforehand. I know, I should have done it weeks ago, but given the hellhole that is my "workshop", procrastination is now my middle name. Anyway, the four bolts at the gearbox end give themselves up like an Ermita bar girl with 2,000 Peso waved under her nose, but the ones at the diff end, to continue the metaphor, were four very old Maiden Aunts who had no intention of changing their status. Two hours later, I've finally got the thing off and upstairs for a bit of natty vice action. The UJ at the box end was completely goosed, but the other one had no play at all and felt lovely and smooth in action. Fortuitously I decided to do the front one first. Another pig of a job. Wound up with BFH action as the vice wouldn't move any of the webs at all. Got the new one fitted eventually and just as I get the circlips in, a phone call from Madam. The summary is, get your  over to Jey-Ann's old school as that form we've been waiting for (only the last six weeks) that means we can enroll her at a new school, is finally ready. I have one hour before they go home. Bo11ocks, downstairs, throw half finished shaft back on, dash upstairs, shower, change and out. Got a good test run in though and feels perfect. The last little vibration under acceleration has now gone and smooth as silk. Still, I'll have to take it all off again to do the other joint, although having fitted a new grease nipple, I managed to fill it with fresh lubricant (Good for another 100,000 miles, Sir). Hence Props V1.5 Oh, and the meeting tomorrow is cancelled. Ain't life grand? |
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Last Edit: Apr 27, 2015 13:11:18 GMT by georgeb
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Apr 30, 2015 23:57:37 GMT
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Never a dull moment... Looking forward to the next dispatch from the front!
You're right there. I don't know what it is but Filipinos seem to love lurching from crisis to crisis and you sort of get caught up in it!
So yesterday, the new A/C condenser and dryer arrived. Unfortunately, I still haven't got a handle on the sizes of O-rings I need so that'll have to wait for now. It's a holiday anyway, so I've got some paying work to do instead. Huh?
Anyway, to education.
Who knew how hard it is to change schools in the Philippines?
Now that Tania, our youngest, has finished at primary school (or whatever they call it here), we intend to send both the girls to that pinnacle of secondary education that is Malate Catholic School, the home of the world famous Cardinal Sin gymnasium and, to be honest, worth sending them there just for that alone. It’s a mere five minute walk away, has a good reputation in the area and I can keep an eye on ‘em from the balcony. So, you’d think that you’d just wander over, tell them you’ve got two girls who want to attend, hand over some dosh and that’s that. And you’d also be seriously curse wordin' wrong!
We had our initial appointment on Friday 13th March (hmmm) at which a nice lady sat us down, gave us reams of forms including two each that had to be filled out by the girls current schools, and a list of stuff they would need as long as your arm. Off we go.
I start filling out forms whilst Madam sets out on the paper trail to Tondo. Birth certificates? Tania, check. Jey-Ann, no. Okay, set about obtaining a duplicate. Baptismal certificates? No. the old schools kept them and lost them. Set about obtaining duplicates. Original report cards? One for the schools to supply. Certificate of Good Moral Character? Another for the schools and finally then, the two forms to be filled out by their class teachers and Guidance Counsellors – who knew these existed?
Week one goes by. Nothing. Then Holy Week, so even less. Week three sees birth and baptismal certificates obtained. Brill. Week four heralds the appearance of the Moral Fibre ones, Tania’s two forms and one from the class teacher for Jey-Ann. “Other next week”. Week five and the report cards arrive. Whoopee, now we’re motoring.
So despite the lack of Jey-Ann’s final form, we decide to see if we have enough of the paperwork to get them to the entrance exam. Did I mention the exam, no? Well yes, there’s one of those as well. The school agree that they can sit the tests so we book a date for that. Come the day and Jey-Ann is feeling nervous whilst Tania is quietly confident. Jey-Ann needn’t have worried though... they both did absolutely curse word.
Daddy George, as nervous as an expectant father heads over to get their results. They take me into a separate room and a pleasant little bakla chappy sits down and basically tells me that a drain cover could have done better than these two. Got to admit, I wasn’t expecting fireworks from Jey-Ann, she'd previously missed two years of school after all, but Tania’s result rocked me back a bit. Still can't get a proper handle on why, neither are stupid.
What’s next? Well, we can do no more until the final form is returned. Loads of different excuses later, including, “Oh, we put both in same envelope” I obtain a duplicate and we get this returned last Monday. So Tuesday, it’s back to school and into the Guidance Centre again. Another very nice lady sits us down and tells us that as the results were so poor, there was a good chance the school would refuse them entry and perhaps we had a pet dog we’d like to enrol instead? Shame we had no Plan B. So I start with the spiel, “Blah, blah, difficult year, especially recently, blah, family issues, Jey-Ann missed two years of school, blah, promise to work closely with the school, blah, will provide any extra tuition needed, blah, YOU GOTTA HELP US HERE!” Obviously my stunning charm turns her head and we are finally granted an audience with the Principal. This consists of me in his office with the girls called in one at a time for interrogation. This means I have to go through my act twice more – getting thirsty by now. Anyway, the girls are wheeled in and the big ‘P’, not to be confused with Da Big P who visited earlier, asks them a load of questions which they seem to answer well, looking him straight in the eye, as instructed. After a while I get the feeling he’s on the turn and starts to realise I’m not trying to enrol two complete and utter bleeding morons into his lovely school, but hey, half is in Tagalog, so I’m guessing.
After a fraught hour of grilling, he agrees to accept them both, but there’s a problem. Now why does this not surprise me? Neither of their report cards have been filled in correctly. Doh! You’d think a school, knowing one of their pupils was transferring to another, would at least get that right. Wouldn’t you?
Madam sent hotfoot to Tondo to get this sorted. Finally, Wednesday night, she appears with the completed reports which meant that yesterday morning, I trekked over with the girls to fill yet more forms out, hand over a chunk of dosh and officially enrol them, which, if you remember, is exactly what I wanted to do nearly seven weeks ago.
I’m due a big beer after this.
It’s more complicated in the Philippines.
Oh and whilst I was paying for them, the little girly behind the window told me of a scheme whereby the government will give a 10,000 Peso rebate on Grade 7 fees (that'd be our Tania then) and did I want some forms, waving what appeared to be War and Peace at me. "After what we've just been through - no thanks!"
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Last Edit: May 1, 2015 0:21:44 GMT by georgeb
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So... With previous descriptions of young Filipinas, does the Moral Fibre form just have one yes/no question in the form of:
Will you require childcare services while attending classes?
Was a feature advertised proudly where I went to school...
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So... With previous descriptions of young Filipinas, does the Moral Fibre form just have one yes/no question in the form of: Will you require childcare services while attending classes? Was a feature advertised proudly where I went to school... Tea/keyboard interface.....ROFL... |
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Rover Metro - The TARDIS - brake problems.....Stored
Rover 75 - Barge
MGZTT Cdti 160+ - Winter Hack and Audi botherer...
MGF - The Golden Shot...Stored
Project Minion........
Can you see the theme?
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So... With previous descriptions of young Filipinas, does the Moral Fibre form just have one yes/no question in the form of: Will you require childcare services while attending classes? Was a feature advertised proudly where I went to school...  There'll be some serious questions in the House if anyone answers 'Yes' to that one! It wasn't offered at my school but then it was forty-odd years ago and an all boys one at that. |
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To be fair, a lot of people at my school could have featured on 'Bogan Hunters'.
Feel free to youtube that to gain a better understanding of the area I live in...
Granted its not THAT bad
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jpsmit
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,274
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Changing the subject, heard on the radio tonight that people in the Philippines are being asked to turn off major appliances in anticipation of the electrical draw of TV sets being turned on for the boxing match of the century. Sounds like much excitement!
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Changing the subject, heard on the radio tonight that people in the Philippines are being asked to turn off major appliances in anticipation of the electrical draw of TV sets being turned on for the boxing match of the century. Sounds like much excitement! Yeah, having got over Pope Fever, Pacman now grips the nation. There'll be nowt done in the Philippines tomorrow. I just hope he wins or the country will tailspin into depression! Can't help but feel he should have bowed out at the top and that this may be one too far. On your point, power supply is tenuous here at the best of times, so it wouldn't surprise me to see a blackout. That should spark a riot! |
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THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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I watched it, sadly it was one too many. Mayweather embarrassed him, which is an awful shame considering that like most people I can't stand Floyd Mayweather.
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I watched it, sadly it was one too many. Mayweather embarrassed him, which is an awful shame considering that like most people I can't stand Floyd Mayweather.
Didn't see it but had a live feed onto my phone. Sorry to day it didn't surprise me. The problem here is that they have very few truly international sportmen/women, so Manny tends to take the hope of an entire nation with him. Possibly why he's carried on. Hopefully now he'll concentrate on Senator-ing and retire.
Manila was like a dead city until around 1.30 when everyone came pouring, long-faced, onto the streets again. Ah well.
No power problems in Malate but then it was daytime here. Had it been at night it may have been another story.
Got an e-mail from Fed Ex yesterday saying they expect to deliver my A/C parts today and, in addition, I think I found a source of O-rings just around the corner which means I can pop the old ones out and just have a five minute stroll to get new ones. So depending on work (have three projects on the go at the moment) I'll try to get that sorted this week.
Oh, and whilst pulling out the parking lot yesterday morning, I noticed this has turned up downstairs
Photos are curse word, I know but I defy anybody, and I mean anybody, to take good ones down the Pit of Hell. Haven't found out who the owner is yet, but got words out with the guards.
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Last Edit: May 3, 2015 21:17:06 GMT by georgeb
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THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
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Is that a Coronet?
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1995 Range Rover 4.0
1995 BMW 320i Saloon
1989 BMW 325i Touring
1991 Mercedes 300TE-24
1991 Mercedes 190e
1970 Sunbeam Imp Sport
1966 Valiant 200 Custom
1964 Ford Fairlane 500 Station Wagon
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Give that man a buko! Wish I'd seen this answer earlier, it'd have saved me stopping and getting out of the motor to have a look at the nice informative badge on the side, which does indeed say Dart GT. Not seen it move since it's arrived so don't know what's happening. |
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You may remember that back at the beginning of January, I went to do the annual registration of the P38. You may also remember, this got me approximately nowhere and after several trips to the LTO office, on the 2nd February, I was finally allowed to pay them some money and went to collect plates/stickers only to be told to come back in 48 days. This was also a myth. Since then I have made a couple of trips and numerous calls to the office with zero result but always with the promise of imminence. Well, 'soon' which is as close as you get here.
Yesterday I called again. "No plate yet, you ring back next month". So as of today, I've been waiting 129 days. Is this a new record?
Anyway, tomorrow is "Attack the Air-Con" day. I've been smoking around without as I tend to drive with the window down anyway, but just the other evening, having got stuck in an accident, I realized that when it's 35oC and you ain't moving for the best part of a hour, there's not much of a breeze coming through meaning you end up just a tad sweaty.
Anyway, as the family are over Tondo this weekend, I've promised myself a little roadtrip up into the mountains east of Manila and maybe even over to the east coast on Sunday, so I'd better get on with it.
Just hope it's the condenser or dryer, not the evaporator that's leaking, as I'll be a little upset, but the only possible evidence I've found so far points to the condenser. Fingers crossed.
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Smiler
Posted a lot
I no longer own anything FWD! Or with less than 6 cylinders, or 2.5ltrs! :)
Posts: 2,492
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Good luck with it.
Do you ever get stoped and questioned about your lack of correct plates & stickers?
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www.Auto-tat.co.uk'96 Range Rover P38 DSE (daily driver) '71 Reliant Scimitar SE5 GTE 3.0ltr Jag V6 Conversion '79 Reliant Scimitar SE6A 3.0ltr 24valve Omega Conversion '85 Escort Cabrio 2.0 Zetec - Sold '91 BMW 525i - Sold '82 Cortina 2.9i Ghia Cosworth - Sold '72 VW Campervan - Sold '65 LandRover 88" - Sold
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May 15, 2015 23:57:05 GMT
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Do you ever get stopped and questioned about your lack of correct plates & stickers? Nope. One strange thing here, it may take months to get the stickers, if ever, but all I have to do is SMS my registration number to LTO and immediately get a response telling me whether my car is currently registered or not. I can only assume that's why I've not been stopped. At the moment, with all the confusion over the change of plates, they'd be pulling just about everyone though. Saying that, you very rarely see the police stopping cars unless they've done something obviously wrong. They seem far happier either stopping motorbikes or lurking at no left/right turn junctions for some easy tea money. Madam and my little bottle openers are just having a shower before heading off to Tondo, so I'm steeling myself to go down the Pit of Hell and start stripping the front off. Like all these jobs, it's growing a bit. Whilst the grille, slam panel and other guff is out of the way, I'll look at fixing the one non-functioning horn and also get the headlight units out and try to give them a clean inside. Can't wait  |
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eternaloptimist
Posted a lot
Too many projects, not enough time or space...
Posts: 2,578
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Nothing like having a good to do list. How did you do? All done and rehydrated?
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XC70, VW split screen crew cab, Standard Ten
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