Is it any wonder people lease/PCP?

motorguy

Herzlos said:

fred246 said:

BOWFER said:

Grumpy_chap said:

We are, sadly, in a world where too many people are driven by the image of a new car every few years as a "must" have.

Little annoys me more than having to visit a garage with a car - at any time.
Even a once a year service is a pain to me.

I would say that I had a far easier time just sorting my own car out when I wanted than colleagues who took their car to a garage for everything. It used to amaze me the amount of organisation they had to do to drop their car at the garage. Someone had to take their children to school. Someone else had to meet them at 7am at the garage. Then it wouldn't be ready and they would have another day without a car.

They still spent less time than you did, and it's easier to drop kids off in a courtesy car than have a car in bits all morning.
That said, garages could certainly make it easier, and if you're doing something trivial.

Personally, I drop kids off at school, then drop car at garage, walk home, pick it up later and then get kids. It's not that difficult most of the time.

fred246 said:

I think it's totally different. People like myself and Michael Schumacher want to know how the vehicle works and what is happening whilst driving. We want to have that technical knowledge that helps us get the most from the vehicle. Man and machine working together in harmony. If something isn't right we know before it fails. I wouldn't like to be so helpless like most drivers are now.

Most drivers don't care; it's a utility like the fridge. Does it work? Job done.
I've got a pretty decent mechanical understanding (enough to know to leave it to the experts), but do I have time to learn how everything in my house works enough to fix it? Or do I just leave it to the experts and spend the time with my kids?

Exactly.

Cars provide a service for people and most treat them as you describe.  

I'd be fairly technical with cars but when i know something needs sorted i'll just ring someone to sort it and get it booked in - just like i'd do with a fault with my fridge, washing machine, TV or whatever or when maintenance needs done around the house.

dipsomaniac

i agree you can't fix everything but there is a lot you can do yourself and in some ways it's a lot easier these days with the amount of info out there. I have just replaced the belt on a dryer. i am sure a lot of people would have thrown it out and bought a new one due to the cost of getting someone else to replace it but it was such a easy job to do.

i have said it before if you are not earning £100+ per hour and you can fix it you should and then you can spend the money you saved on family.  i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

BOWFER

dipsomaniac said:

i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Undoubtedly the same people who will call roadside services for a puncture.
I agree this level of mechanical ineptitude is ridiculous.

fred246

I remember taking 2 toddlers outside to change spark plugs with daddy. I spent the rest of the day recovering my socket set which was spread across the garden. I don't think they learnt how to complete the task unsupervised.

motorguy

dipsomaniac said:

i agree you can't fix everything but there is a lot you can do yourself and in some ways it's a lot easier these days with the amount of info out there. I have just replaced the belt on a dryer. i am sure a lot of people would have thrown it out and bought a new one due to the cost of getting someone else to replace it but it was such a easy job to do.

i have said it before if you are not earning £100+ per hour and you can fix it you should and then you can spend the money you saved on family.  i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Absolutely.

Many household jobs are easy, and i, like many do those.  There are many that are either time consuming, labourious or require a skill that people will generally get someone else in to do. 

Simple ones - including changing wipers - require little effort and can be bought cheaply online too

motorguy

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Undoubtedly the same people who will call roadside services for a puncture.
I agree this level of mechanical ineptitude is ridiculous.

My wife would call roadside services (we've roadside assistance cover on all our cars).  

Why wouldnt she?

motorguy

fred246 said:

I remember taking 2 toddlers outside to change spark plugs with daddy. I spent the rest of the day recovering my socket set which was spread across the garden. I don't think they learnt how to complete the task unsupervised.

Maybe they realised it wasnt a life skill they were going to need and were making a statement?

BOWFER

motorguy said:

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Undoubtedly the same people who will call roadside services for a puncture.
I agree this level of mechanical ineptitude is ridiculous.

My wife would call roadside services (we've roadside assistance cover on all our cars).  

Why wouldnt she?

Because she should be able to do it herself, there's absolutely no reason why not - it's not a job restricted to men.
It also annoys me to think someone else with a more serious problem could be left waiting for something so relatively trivial.

motorguy

BOWFER said:

motorguy said:

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Undoubtedly the same people who will call roadside services for a puncture.
I agree this level of mechanical ineptitude is ridiculous.

My wife would call roadside services (we've roadside assistance cover on all our cars).  

Why wouldnt she?

Because she should be able to do it herself, there's absolutely no reason why not - it's not a job restricted to men.
It also annoys me to think someone else with a more serious problem could be left waiting for something so relatively trivial.

Jacking a car up and manhandling a large wheel out of the boot of a car, getting the wheel off, lifting another up in to place and getting it on and bolted up takes an awful lot more physical effort than you give credit for.

Add to that putting a woman in a potentially vulnerable situation at the side of a road at night for example is not something i would advocate.

Roadside services will prioritise people based on vulnerability and urgency.  She would be happy to take her place in that queue.

I would much rather she was safe and warm in the car until such times as someone arrives, availing of a service we actually pay for.

It may come as a surprise to you but they do have more than one van, and most sit around doing little until they are called anyway.  The last time i needed them they subbied it out to a local garage who had a low loader.

If she got up in the morning and a tyre was flat, she'd worked from home and i'd sort it when i got home.  If it happened at work, she'd ask someone she works with for help.

For the record in the 25 years or so i've known her, shes had one puncture on the open road and she rang me and i came out and changed it, but she would definitely not attempt it herself.

BOWFER

motorguy said:

BOWFER said:

motorguy said:

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

i know people that take cars to garage for new wipers - that is ridiculous.

Undoubtedly the same people who will call roadside services for a puncture.
I agree this level of mechanical ineptitude is ridiculous.

My wife would call roadside services (we've roadside assistance cover on all our cars).  

Why wouldnt she?

Because she should be able to do it herself, there's absolutely no reason why not - it's not a job restricted to men.
It also annoys me to think someone else with a more serious problem could be left waiting for something so relatively trivial.

Jacking a car up and manhandling a large wheel out of the boot of a car, getting the wheel off, lifting another up in to place and getting it on and bolted up takes an awful lot more physical effort than you give credit for.

Add to that putting a woman in a potentially vulnerable situation at the side of a road at night for example is not something i would advocate.

Roadside services will prioritise people based on vulnerability and urgency.  She would be happy to take her place in that queue.

I would much rather she was safe and warm in the car until such times as someone arrives, availing of a service we actually pay for.

It may come as a surprise to you but they do have more than one van, and most sit around doing little until they are called anyway.  The last time i needed them they subbied it out to a local garage who had a low loader.

If she got up in the morning and a tyre was flat, she'd worked from home and i'd sort it when i got home.  If it happened at work, she'd ask someone she works with for help.

For the record in the 25 years or so i've known her, shes had one puncture on the open road and she rang me and i came out and changed it, but she would definitely not attempt it herself.

Fair enough.
Moot point now that spare wheels are largely a thing of the past, but prior to 'tins of gunk' I knew my wife was able to change a spare herself if I was out of range.
It 's not artics she drives, it's not as physical as you make out.
I've seen her carry bags a lot heavier than a spare wheel.