Get a grip woman!

greent

Just caught up - glad Mr SL is doing OK and that it was caught and acted upon so quickly - I know people often moan about the NHS but they do do us proud - and the alternative of US style health are, for example, is a scary prospect.

EssexHebridean

Delighted to hear that the check up went well and that everything is as they would expect! 

Suffolk_lass

Feeling  bit "done over". I had four new tyres fitted on Sunday at the quick people. I had the car MOT'd on Thursday and the garage put up three advisories saying the tyres are perished. Given the consequences if a tyre blows and the car is damaged (insurer would surely question why I had not attended to the warning) I really had to do this but KF could find little evidence and actually stopped to query why I was having them replaced. They were over 60% legal tread remaining. They are 2019 tyres from the big people beginning with P. New Mich ones now and having discussed with DH and DS, that was my last service at the main dealer (we truly believe that they flag up more as a car gets older so that you will buy a new one). The 3-year service pack finished in the summer and the car has had three of these, it is nine years old. We will move it to the garage down the road that the other two use. I will never buy P tyres again either.

Finally popped in to NS&I and I had £25 and DH had £50 this month from PBs. 

The Generator I ordered at the beginning of October has been delivered but there is no cover. Yet another follow up needed. 

The Solar people are coming on Thursday to survey the roof (we will ask about a second installation on another building too). My computer is working really well after the repair (£350 vs around £2k for a replacement mac with a big screen)

Karmacat

You're doing so well, with everything that's going on around you - no wonder you feel a bit done over with the garage, it sounds like they were really trying to I'm glad your service pack has finished so you can move to the other garage smoothly.  

Take it easy today, as much as you can, anyway - you're juggling a lot!

foxgloves

I had a similar experience with a past car, @Suffolk_lass. I took it for its annual service & on the advisory note, the garage (dealership) flagged up that 1 of my tyres was borderline illegal. I stopped off at the Quick Fitters on the way home & showed them the advisory. Car went through to the workshop. I'd only been waiting a few minutes when the mechanic came back & said "Could you just come out & look at this, please?". I immediately thought he'd found something worse & was already worrying about ££ signs. What he wanted to show me was that there was nothing wrong with the tyre, which he said was capable of a few thousand more miles before it reached the state that the garage had implied it was already in. He even checked the others, just in case the wrong tyre had been noted in the advisory, but they were all fine. I can still recall his exact words, which were, "If you're insisting I replace a perfectly decent tyre, I'll do it, but I think most people would rather save their money".
So I did.
F x

EssexHebridean

This is one of the reasons I like the fact that our mechanic is also a friend - we can trust him on stuff like this thank goodness. The one thing I'm most glad about with having older cars now is that we aren't tied to main dealer servicing any more! I do wonder with your dealership SL how often those who go there for things like MoTs also just tell them to go ahead and do work where they say it's required - you also have to question whether they have a thriving little side hustle in selling part-worn tyres, don't you!

badmemory

I haven't used a main dealer since I got conned into a £900 job on a 3 yr old mini over 20 years ago.  Apart from when the services were free as part of the package.  I am fortunate now to have a "friend" who sorts all this for me as he used to own a garage & now almost retired.  He even treats me to the MOT which he doesn't do & the service which he (or someone he employs) does.  I do budget for it every year just in case as we are both well in our 70s.  It is amazing the difference it makes to my MOT stress levels.  I certainly agree with Martin's advice on this, not to use a garage which does repairs. 

An earlier friend has also told me of some of the side hustles some mechanics have.  One is used car sales where you sell your car & if one of the mechanics has a car that uses the same parts & yours has a fairly new part they will swap them out, then the company has to replace the part before they can sell it or it will be back under warranty.  Illegal yes, will they ever get caught, unlikely.

Suffolk_lass

Hello everyone, we are in NL at the moment. I booked it in August to attend the local Christmas Market. Unfortunately they cancelled it but the replacement lighted walking trail around the medieval city was lovely yesterday early evening. Today we drove about an hour to Utrecht and attended a small Christmas craft fair at an 18th century windmill. It was very enjoyable and a few small purchases were made. We are back at our hotel now and will be having an early dinner shortly. So relaxing.

A quick scoot around a supermarket to pick up some Dutch Christmas treats means we have been reasonably frugal while treating ourselves.

I don't think either of us realised how much stress we were suffering from, with the big eye scare. With the dog being cared for safely, we have been able to relax and sleep.

More when we are back

foxgloves

The eye thing must have been terribly scary. Lovely to hear you are enjoying your break.
F x

beanielou

Enjoy your break.