Heart attack

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

890th blog post! . . . Car Problem . . . Solved!

I rang O.K. Garage just after 9 this morning. I described the noise and the lady said that someone would come to see the car later during the morning. As good as her word she rang again to say that someone was on their way. A van drew up abut ten minutes later and I tried the car to let them hear the unpleasant grinding noise. They said they'd take it away and find out what the problem was. I wasn't sure that they heard the sound, but as soon as they drove out of the drive I heard it quite distinctly. About half-an-hour later they called me to say they'd found the problem. The front coil-springs were corroded or something. The same things that were replaced when the car was Mot's a few weeks ago. I'm now a bit annoyed that these weren't spotted needing attention at that time. It's going to cost around £200, but I told them to go ahead and do the work, even though we wouldn't be able to pay for the work until Friday. There's no rush for the car to come back as we can manage without it until then. At least if it's roadworthy again we can get out and about next week when Carol is on Holiday for Easter. We have some trips organised so at least we can use the car, hopefully. Just another expense we don't need, but it's one of the things you have to contend with when you have a car. 

On Friday I can walk down to Peartree Bridge where O.K. Garage is situated to collect the car. It is about a ten-minute walk along the Redway from home. At least having a garage so close, it's easy to reach without to many problems.

I'm more than certain that the problems with the car are caused by all the potholes and speed-bumps around here. I may have mentioned this before, but the condition of the roads in and around Milton Keynes are a disgrace. For a modern city it's appalling that the roads are so pot-holed. The local authority should be hanging their heads in shame letting the roads get so bad. It's not doing anyone's car's sub-frame any good, having to drive over so many rough surfaces. Goodness only knows what it does to the tyres and axels of your car and it's no wonder the coil springs on our vehicle have needed to be replaced. If you remember from my earlier post where I mentioned the damage a jolt in a pothole had on our car when we returned from a visit to Ascott a couple of years ago and the fact it set of the alarm which is connected to what is called the E.S.P. device (Electronic Stability Programme.) and how we had to get it repaired a great expense. I think the Council around here should pay compensation when your vehicle is damaged in this way. Or if not, spend more on getting the road surfaces around here bought up to a decent standard. Unfortunately, the more sophisticated cars become, with such things as this E.S.P. thing, computer-assisted mechanical devices, remote door opening, sliding doors (which our car has.) and so on and so forth, then there's far more to go wrong and cause untold problems.

The last couple of days have started off foggy and cold, but as the days have continued we've had some sunshine. It was like that yesterday, but it's a good deal more over-cast this morning. I think the sun is making a vain attempt to shine as I write this.

Daniel is returning home tomorrow.  He has a job interview on Friday, well, I think it's Friday. Somewhere in Bletchley. I have been clearing space in the spare room, which has been used as something of a dumping ground for all manner of items. We'll have to collect him from the bus station as he's coming back from Newcastle by coach. Carol says we can order a taxi cab and go over to collect him then. Not entirely sure what time he's due in.

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