Travelling to work by Bus for the past week or so has given me the opportunity to catch up with some reading.
I bought a couple of books in February to read on holiday in Rome.
One was The Day Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko, a sequel to The Night Watch.
This is the second book in a different take on the struggle of supernatural good vs evil. The author is Russian so it is set in Moscow. As with the first book, it was an excellent read. I'm pleased to discover that there's another two books in the "Tetralogy" - I must get hold of them. I'm not sure if they're out in this country yet (they are Russian translations).
I finished this one whilst on holiday, then moved onto The Malice Box by Martin Langfield.
This one looked promising at first, but a few chapters into it I discovered that it's about treasure hunt around New York, relating to a spiritual quest based on the Kabbalah. Interesting insights into the Architecture of New York on the way around "The Path". Unfortunately I found the spiritual mysticism somewhat tedious early on in the book, and this has continued up to the last chapter. Just about finished it now, thanks to the bus journey to work, but it's taken me a good few months to get through it, since I'd lost interest at an early stage.
The main character has his own blog so that you can follow the sights on his journey of spiritual/supernatural enlightenment, and the subsequent awakening of his powers with which to combat evil as he treks around New York.
Glad that I've finished that one now. I can get back to reading some of the easy-reading children's books that I got for my Birthday in May, but were interrupted by the much inferior, but over-hyped, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
No more reading on the bus next week.
The Volkswagen Dealer called me at 18:00 today to tell me that the car has been repaired! (Looks like the 3-week possible wait was a worse case scenario).
The part arrived from Germany this morning, and they've fitted and tested it today.
I'll have to trek over to Bootle (using my all-week bus ticket) and pick up the car tomorrow morning.
Showing posts with label breakdown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakdown. Show all posts
Friday, 31 August 2007
Thursday, 23 August 2007
Car Breakdown 3
The VW Dealership called me this afternoon.
The service desk lady said that she had some "bad news".
The car (a Volkswagen Touran by the way) needs a new fuel unit - 375 quid to replace, plus 40 quid to diagnose the problem using their test kit.
This, however, wasn't all of the bad news!
The part is on "Back Order" from Germany which means I will have up to a 3 week wait. Aaaargh!
I also checked to see if there was any "good will" with the Warranty (it expired 5 months ago, but it could be a "known fault"), for a possible discount on the repair. The Warranty Manager said "No".
When I asked what the "fuel unit" did I was told that it was an "electrical" component. Sounds very much to me like they're replacing a chip?
Why have they run out of spare parts? Either it's a very rare fault, or a very common one and there's been a rush for parts. Couldn't find anything that indicated this on the Web. I don't think it's related to the Tesco contaminated fuel scare that happened in March, but I'll keep a lookout just in case.
I last topped up the tank at a Shell Filling station in Betwys-y-Coed, and before that it was mainly at Tesco's and occasionally Asda.
It could be just Murphy's Law in operation, since the 3 year Warranty on the car has expired.
So it's "Shanks Pony" and public transport for the next 3 weeks for me. I'll have to get a bus pass for next week, and think about possibly hiring a car for a trip to London at the end of the month.
It's Frodo's actual Birthday tomorrow (although he had his party last Sunday) - so we'll have to get a Taxi to the play centre that we were going to, for an on-the-day treat tomorrow morning.
The service desk lady said that she had some "bad news".
The car (a Volkswagen Touran by the way) needs a new fuel unit - 375 quid to replace, plus 40 quid to diagnose the problem using their test kit.
This, however, wasn't all of the bad news!
The part is on "Back Order" from Germany which means I will have up to a 3 week wait. Aaaargh!
I also checked to see if there was any "good will" with the Warranty (it expired 5 months ago, but it could be a "known fault"), for a possible discount on the repair. The Warranty Manager said "No".
When I asked what the "fuel unit" did I was told that it was an "electrical" component. Sounds very much to me like they're replacing a chip?
Why have they run out of spare parts? Either it's a very rare fault, or a very common one and there's been a rush for parts. Couldn't find anything that indicated this on the Web. I don't think it's related to the Tesco contaminated fuel scare that happened in March, but I'll keep a lookout just in case.
I last topped up the tank at a Shell Filling station in Betwys-y-Coed, and before that it was mainly at Tesco's and occasionally Asda.
It could be just Murphy's Law in operation, since the 3 year Warranty on the car has expired.
So it's "Shanks Pony" and public transport for the next 3 weeks for me. I'll have to get a bus pass for next week, and think about possibly hiring a car for a trip to London at the end of the month.
It's Frodo's actual Birthday tomorrow (although he had his party last Sunday) - so we'll have to get a Taxi to the play centre that we were going to, for an on-the-day treat tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Car Breakdown 2
The car breakdown saga continues (see the end of Summer Holiday)
The local Nationwide garage where the car had been towed to by the AA called me on Monday afternoon to say that they had investigated and road tested the car. Their computer diagnostics were showing "no fault" and it was starting and driving OK.
Giving that we're thinking of trading in the car in a couple of months I decided to give it a try and see if the fault had somehow rectified itself, or if it would develop again.
I picked it up on Tuesday morning and drove it out of the garage. Two corners around the block on Penny Lane the car broke down again! Again it wouldn't start.
I walked back to the garage and they sent a mechanic to investigate. He took his computer diagnostic equipment and plugged it in. Again, as with Saturdays AA man, the computer was showing "No Fault" even though the car wouldn't start.
I was advised to take it to the main VW dealer, who would have better diagnostic equipment. So after walking home and picking up my stuff for work, I caught a bus back to the car and called the AA. A very nice man towed me 8 miles or so to the main VW dealership in Bootle.
Although they said that they probably wouldn't get to look at it on the same day, that afternoon they called me, and said that it appeared to be working OK, and their diagnostic equipment was showing "No Fault" (they are charging me 40 quid to run diagnostics on their kit).
I explained the two breakdowns to them, so they've decided to investigate further.
This is the same place that when I took the car in for a brake check, they told me that they'd had all the wheels off the car. None of my hub cap ties had been cut!, so all they'd done was drive it and try the brakes.
Therefore I suspect that at this point they'd just tried to start the car, and had found that it started.
They called me back to get my permission for a mechanic to drive the car home to St Helens and see if the breakdown happens again. I said that they could do this.
Haven't heard from them today, so hopefully he broke down and is now looking for the cause of the problem.
I'll give them a call tomorrow if I haven't heard by then.
I'm now rediscovering the joys of public transport.
The local Nationwide garage where the car had been towed to by the AA called me on Monday afternoon to say that they had investigated and road tested the car. Their computer diagnostics were showing "no fault" and it was starting and driving OK.
Giving that we're thinking of trading in the car in a couple of months I decided to give it a try and see if the fault had somehow rectified itself, or if it would develop again.
I picked it up on Tuesday morning and drove it out of the garage. Two corners around the block on Penny Lane the car broke down again! Again it wouldn't start.
I walked back to the garage and they sent a mechanic to investigate. He took his computer diagnostic equipment and plugged it in. Again, as with Saturdays AA man, the computer was showing "No Fault" even though the car wouldn't start.
I was advised to take it to the main VW dealer, who would have better diagnostic equipment. So after walking home and picking up my stuff for work, I caught a bus back to the car and called the AA. A very nice man towed me 8 miles or so to the main VW dealership in Bootle.
Although they said that they probably wouldn't get to look at it on the same day, that afternoon they called me, and said that it appeared to be working OK, and their diagnostic equipment was showing "No Fault" (they are charging me 40 quid to run diagnostics on their kit).
I explained the two breakdowns to them, so they've decided to investigate further.
This is the same place that when I took the car in for a brake check, they told me that they'd had all the wheels off the car. None of my hub cap ties had been cut!, so all they'd done was drive it and try the brakes.
Therefore I suspect that at this point they'd just tried to start the car, and had found that it started.
They called me back to get my permission for a mechanic to drive the car home to St Helens and see if the breakdown happens again. I said that they could do this.
Haven't heard from them today, so hopefully he broke down and is now looking for the cause of the problem.
I'll give them a call tomorrow if I haven't heard by then.
I'm now rediscovering the joys of public transport.
Saturday, 18 August 2007
Summer Holiday
Saturday - Arrived at the Holiday Cottage in "Ysbyty Ifans"
Sunday - Bright and Sunny today. We drove to Harlech, where we had tea, milk and toasted teacakes in our favourite tea room (soon to be featured in one of Novelist Supermum's stories).
Then down from Harlech to spend the rest of the day on Harlech Beach, which has got to be one of the best beaches in the area.
Great day out.
Monday - Wet morning, but turned bright and sunny in the afternoon.
Went to the Greenwood Forest Adventure Park. An eco-friendly theme park. We all rode the "Green Dragon" roller coaster. To power this first you all walk up a hill and get into a large box car. Everybody's weight takes this car down the hill, and acts as a counter-weight to bring the roller coaster cars up the hill (it also generates electricity for the ride). You then all walk up the hill again and get into the roller coaster cars that are now at the top of the hill. Then off you go at breakneck speed whizzing round the track and down to the bottom.
This was Frodo and Samwise's first roller coaster. Samwise just made the height restriction, and I wasn't sure how he would take it. Luckily they both thought it was great fun, laughing and shrieking all the way to the bottom, and both wanted to go again.
Other attractions were some slides made out of matting that you whizzed down on plastic "tea trays", several rope, chain and log climbs and bridges, some large tubular slides, and "jungle boats" that you had to navigate through the "jungle" yourself by paddling and pulling on overhead ropes.
Great day out.
Tuesday - A rainy day for a drive around Snowdon to the Llanberis Lake Railway
An hour or so's ride on these little chuff chuffs was the higlight of the day. There was a stop at a picnic area, but since the nearby cafe and playground were both shut for repairs it wasn't worth staying.
We ate some of our pic-nic in the little rail carriage. Samwise got into the groove and started dancing to the "clickety clack" sound.
There's a slate museum next to the main station, so we had a quick tour of this since it was free. Then a walk into Llanberis for a look at the start of the mountain railway (have decided to do this on a special trip another year, since it's expensive, and you can't get to the top at present as they're improving the last section - it's a building site at the moment).
Wednesday - A wet start to the day, but turned bright and sunny again as we drove out to the Anglesey Sea Zoo
Had a spot of trouble finding this, due to a very small, almost unnoticeable direction sign that we missed with a lobster on it. We were distracted at the time by the larger sign for the small, but largely named town of llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
The Sea Zoo was OK, but wasn't very big. For twenty notes I would have been disappointed if we hadn't got to see a diver "maintaining" one of the tanks. All the kids sat at the front while he took his aqualung out and pulled faces at them. They were supposed to ask him questions by writing on a board and holding him up. This quickly deteriorated into asking him to do tricks. This included a forward somersault, backward somersault and a cartwheel.
Outside was a bouncy castle and an adventure play area, so we spent a good hour or two here and had our lunch.
We then went in search of the nearest, and found it just outside the Sea View Centre.
Spent the afternoon throwing stones into the sea with Frodo and Samwise.
Great day out.
Thursday - Another wet day, so we visited Gormenghast aka Penhrhyn Castle Not mediaeval this time, but built in the 1800's from the profits of Welsh slate mines and Jamaican sugar plantations.
Fantastic place to wander around. Magnificent neo-Norman architecture - i.e. like an overdecorated film set, combined with interiors ranging from the Victorian period to the 1930's. Bakelite lamp stands. Water closets - flush toilets with hand pump action, a collection of steam engines, early electric lighting and power, enormous kitchens with vast arrays of copper pans and larders where the carcases of a whole herd of cows could hang, an early fridge in the form of "the ice tower" and the most fantastic arrangement of servant summoning bells - a labelled bell ringing in the servants quarters for every room in the castle.
The weather remained wet, so we had tea and cake in the castle tea rooms before wandering around the stables, the stalls of which now form the gift shop.
There was a walled garden which was worth a visit, particularly for the bog garden, which had some huge foliage in it, due to the heavy rains.
A quick go on the adventure playground in the castle woods before it got too wet, then we had our pic-nic in the car.
Friday - Again a wet start, but bright and sunny later.
Visited the town of Conwy. Here there is a fabulous toyshop where we bought an essential addition to the boys toy castle - a tavern. Every castle needs a pub! We also bought a wizard and a queen figure to add to the castle population.
Another shop in Conwy sells mediaeval weapons and armour. Novelist Supermum bought this sword. I have sword envy.
We found a quiet cove beyond the tourist filled sea front (the so-called smallest house in the UK is here), just outside the town wall. Had our lunch here. Frodo and Samwise indulged in their favourite pastime of throwing stones in the water.
We went for a vertigo-inducing walk around the fortified town walls. Great views, but a bit scary in places, taking two small excited boys above the rooftops balancing on top of a mediaeval wall. There was a safety rail - but the gap was a bit worrying.
Great day out.
Saturday - Packed up and headed home.
Great holiday.
---------------
Frodo's 6th Birthday Party is tomorrow (his Birthday is next Friday, but we're having the party in advance as a lot of his school friends will be on holiday next week).
The party has been booked at a local college campus. 2 of the staff provide the kids with party fun and games. We just provide the food, balloons and party gift bags.
I've bought a cylinder of helium from the local cash and carry to inflate the balloons. The party gift bags are little boxes full of gifts and sweets that we got for a couple of quid each.
Bought the food from Asda this afternoon. Drove out of Asda and whilst putting the car into second gear it stalled in mid gear-change. The engine just cut out completely and I couldn't restart it.
Called the AA and a "very very nice man" did his best to fix it on the spot, but had to tow me to a local repair centre, where they'll take a closer look on Monday. Suspected "cam sensor failure" causing an intermittent fault. They started it again immediately at the garage - but they want to keep it and check it out since the computer chip was reporting "no fault" even when it wouldn't start!
The AA man gave me a lift home with all of my shopping.
We'll have to take a taxi to Frodo's party tomorrow.
Sunday - Bright and Sunny today. We drove to Harlech, where we had tea, milk and toasted teacakes in our favourite tea room (soon to be featured in one of Novelist Supermum's stories).
Then down from Harlech to spend the rest of the day on Harlech Beach, which has got to be one of the best beaches in the area.
Great day out.
Monday - Wet morning, but turned bright and sunny in the afternoon.
Went to the Greenwood Forest Adventure Park. An eco-friendly theme park. We all rode the "Green Dragon" roller coaster. To power this first you all walk up a hill and get into a large box car. Everybody's weight takes this car down the hill, and acts as a counter-weight to bring the roller coaster cars up the hill (it also generates electricity for the ride). You then all walk up the hill again and get into the roller coaster cars that are now at the top of the hill. Then off you go at breakneck speed whizzing round the track and down to the bottom.
This was Frodo and Samwise's first roller coaster. Samwise just made the height restriction, and I wasn't sure how he would take it. Luckily they both thought it was great fun, laughing and shrieking all the way to the bottom, and both wanted to go again.
Other attractions were some slides made out of matting that you whizzed down on plastic "tea trays", several rope, chain and log climbs and bridges, some large tubular slides, and "jungle boats" that you had to navigate through the "jungle" yourself by paddling and pulling on overhead ropes.
Great day out.
Tuesday - A rainy day for a drive around Snowdon to the Llanberis Lake Railway
An hour or so's ride on these little chuff chuffs was the higlight of the day. There was a stop at a picnic area, but since the nearby cafe and playground were both shut for repairs it wasn't worth staying.
We ate some of our pic-nic in the little rail carriage. Samwise got into the groove and started dancing to the "clickety clack" sound.
There's a slate museum next to the main station, so we had a quick tour of this since it was free. Then a walk into Llanberis for a look at the start of the mountain railway (have decided to do this on a special trip another year, since it's expensive, and you can't get to the top at present as they're improving the last section - it's a building site at the moment).
Wednesday - A wet start to the day, but turned bright and sunny again as we drove out to the Anglesey Sea Zoo
Had a spot of trouble finding this, due to a very small, almost unnoticeable direction sign that we missed with a lobster on it. We were distracted at the time by the larger sign for the small, but largely named town of llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
The Sea Zoo was OK, but wasn't very big. For twenty notes I would have been disappointed if we hadn't got to see a diver "maintaining" one of the tanks. All the kids sat at the front while he took his aqualung out and pulled faces at them. They were supposed to ask him questions by writing on a board and holding him up. This quickly deteriorated into asking him to do tricks. This included a forward somersault, backward somersault and a cartwheel.
Outside was a bouncy castle and an adventure play area, so we spent a good hour or two here and had our lunch.
We then went in search of the nearest, and found it just outside the Sea View Centre.
Spent the afternoon throwing stones into the sea with Frodo and Samwise.
Great day out.
Thursday - Another wet day, so we visited Gormenghast aka Penhrhyn Castle Not mediaeval this time, but built in the 1800's from the profits of Welsh slate mines and Jamaican sugar plantations.
Fantastic place to wander around. Magnificent neo-Norman architecture - i.e. like an overdecorated film set, combined with interiors ranging from the Victorian period to the 1930's. Bakelite lamp stands. Water closets - flush toilets with hand pump action, a collection of steam engines, early electric lighting and power, enormous kitchens with vast arrays of copper pans and larders where the carcases of a whole herd of cows could hang, an early fridge in the form of "the ice tower" and the most fantastic arrangement of servant summoning bells - a labelled bell ringing in the servants quarters for every room in the castle.
The weather remained wet, so we had tea and cake in the castle tea rooms before wandering around the stables, the stalls of which now form the gift shop.
There was a walled garden which was worth a visit, particularly for the bog garden, which had some huge foliage in it, due to the heavy rains.
A quick go on the adventure playground in the castle woods before it got too wet, then we had our pic-nic in the car.
Friday - Again a wet start, but bright and sunny later.
Visited the town of Conwy. Here there is a fabulous toyshop where we bought an essential addition to the boys toy castle - a tavern. Every castle needs a pub! We also bought a wizard and a queen figure to add to the castle population.
Another shop in Conwy sells mediaeval weapons and armour. Novelist Supermum bought this sword. I have sword envy.
We found a quiet cove beyond the tourist filled sea front (the so-called smallest house in the UK is here), just outside the town wall. Had our lunch here. Frodo and Samwise indulged in their favourite pastime of throwing stones in the water.
We went for a vertigo-inducing walk around the fortified town walls. Great views, but a bit scary in places, taking two small excited boys above the rooftops balancing on top of a mediaeval wall. There was a safety rail - but the gap was a bit worrying.
Great day out.
Saturday - Packed up and headed home.
Great holiday.
---------------
Frodo's 6th Birthday Party is tomorrow (his Birthday is next Friday, but we're having the party in advance as a lot of his school friends will be on holiday next week).
The party has been booked at a local college campus. 2 of the staff provide the kids with party fun and games. We just provide the food, balloons and party gift bags.
I've bought a cylinder of helium from the local cash and carry to inflate the balloons. The party gift bags are little boxes full of gifts and sweets that we got for a couple of quid each.
Bought the food from Asda this afternoon. Drove out of Asda and whilst putting the car into second gear it stalled in mid gear-change. The engine just cut out completely and I couldn't restart it.
Called the AA and a "very very nice man" did his best to fix it on the spot, but had to tow me to a local repair centre, where they'll take a closer look on Monday. Suspected "cam sensor failure" causing an intermittent fault. They started it again immediately at the garage - but they want to keep it and check it out since the computer chip was reporting "no fault" even when it wouldn't start!
The AA man gave me a lift home with all of my shopping.
We'll have to take a taxi to Frodo's party tomorrow.
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