The totally off-topic thread

[Pushka]

background is very similar to Turnbull
Late to politics
Independently wealthy
Former investment banker

Also championed changing the flag (which failed on the basis that while the majority wanted change, they couldn't agree on a design), much like the republican referendum

Interesting. But I think Key made the transition to Leader more effectively.

 

[whatmeworry]

Well that was quite the coughpy weekend. Was rear-ended waiting to turn into my street on Friday afternoon. And yesterday when I was rushing TV to the airport, dash lit up with a tonne of warning lights, power steering failed, and I only just managed to get the car to the terminal before it died. Was quite suprised security took 15 minutes to come see what I was doing given they are 1 minute drop off spots, but they were great and even offered to get someone to come jump start the car. Got RACV out as I knew it wasnt the battery, they got me going enough to get home, then RACV parts came out to my house to replace the dying alternator. I guess that's my christmas present to myself sorted :shock:

Similar experience when radiator belt snapped. Lucky I was only couple hundred metres from home and managed to steer it home.

 

[Quickstatus]

, then RACV parts came out to my house to replace the dying alternator. I guess that's my christmas present to myself sorted :shock:

Thats the thing with alternators - they just die suddenly.
I asked my mechanic about when to replace them and he said when they die. Well what happens when you are on a Sunday on a remote highway.

how many km had the car done when the Alt died?

 

[JohnK]

You probably may not have known unless you keep in mind these things as a matter of trivia.

I know a lot of useless trivia.

The only politics I read and follow (and not that often) is on AFF or occasionally a Ninemsn headline. Something's going on in Italy right now? Don't know and don't really care.

 

[andye]

Was trying to explain to mother-in-law that regardless of one's views on the EU, it beaking up is unlikely to help the family andye's super

 

[Major]

Who is John Key?

Jeez JohnK...I can't believe you don't know who JohnK is

 

[blackcat20]

Thats the thing with alternators - they just die suddenly.
I asked my mechanic about when to replace them and he said when they die. Well what happens when you are on a Sunday on a remote highway.

how many km had the car done when the Alt died?

Except it didn't die suddenly; its been phasing in and out for a couple of weeks. Apparently running my headlights drained enough battery that it was the final straw. When the second RACV person came out to replace it, he said it was working fine (first guy warned me that would be the case, and to push for replacement). Car is a dream to drive today and it seems some other issues I was having were related. Car is 9 years old with 65,000 on the clock.

 

[whatmeworry]

I know a lot of useless trivia.

The only politics I read and follow (and not that often) is on AFF or occasionally a Ninemsn headline. Something's going on in Italy right now? Don't know and don't really care.

Well the thing in Italy hit the Euro v other currencies...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Should I have known he was NZ PM? Does it show I have no interest in politics or political news?

Except when it comes to 457 visas?

 

[Quickstatus]

Except it didn't die suddenly; its been phasing in and out for a couple of weeks. Apparently running my headlights drained enough battery that it was the final straw. When the second RACV person came out to replace it, he said it was working fine (first guy warned me that would be the case, and to push for replacement). Car is a dream to drive today and it seems some other issues I was having were related. Car is 9 years old with 65,000 on the clock.

I have a 7 year old car that's done 185000. Could never convince mechanic to replace it. He said it's working well. I said when will it break down. He said when it dies I will know. Circular....

Another circular...
Toyota Landcruiser diesel. Capped price servicing does not include diesel fuel filter. I said why not. He said it only needs replacing when the red fuel filter light comes on. When does it happen?. When it's blocked. Well isn't it better to replace annually during servicing. It's a $35 part. Oh it's not part of capped priced servicing. But what happens when the light comes on and I'm in the middle of nowhere. Just go to nearest Toyota dealer and they will replace it then. Why not with service as I'm already here?. It does not need it and round we go.

So now after each 2nd service when the car is returned to me. I pop the bonnet and replace the filter which I get from Toyota spares and replace it myself at the dealership - takes all of 5 minutes. They offer to do it but wanted to Charge me labour. But I said the service is capped price service not capped service. Ah but is not a scheduled service and round we go again.

 

[JohnK]

Except when it comes to 457 visas?

Are they political? No idea. All I know is there was a huge influx of 457 visas when one government was in power but don't know which and don't really care which government.

We need to get people in Australia interested in IT like they were 20-30 years ago instead of outsourcing and/or importing. The standards we develop here are streets ahead of other countries.

 

[blackcat20]

I have a 7 year old car that's done 185000. Could never convince mechanic to replace it. He said it's working well. I said when will it break down. He said when it dies I will know. Circular....

Another circular...
Toyota Landcruiser diesel. Capped price servicing does not include diesel fuel filter. I said why not. He said it only needs replacing when the red fuel filter light comes on. When does it happen?. When it's blocked. Well isn't it better to replace annually during servicing. It's a $35 part. Oh it's not part of capped priced servicing. But what happens when the light comes on and I'm in the middle of nowhere. Just go to nearest Toyota dealer and they will replace it then. Why not with service as I'm already here?. It does not need it and round we go.

So now after each 2nd service when the car is returned to me. I pop the bonnet and replace the filter which I get from Toyota spares and replace it myself at the dealership - takes all of 5 minutes. They offer to do it but wanted to Charge me labour. But I said the service is capped price service not capped service. Ah but is not a scheduled service and round we go again.

The two big failures I've had (warning lights on etc) have been very soon after the car was serviced. I do wonder how they don't detect that something is about to fail given they plug in to a computer etc. Or last year, a week after the service, I get an email advising that my car may be due for new tyres and I should bring it in to be checked. Head, wall, thump.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are they political? No idea. All I know is there was a huge influx of 457 visas when one government was in power but don't know which and don't really care which government.

We need to get people in Australia interested in IT like they were 20-30 years ago instead of outsourcing and/or importing. The standards we develop here are streets ahead of other countries.

Many of those issues are political issues. Your retirement, super, house sale, the visas and citizenship for your family. All political. Your vote has the ability to influence all of those things.

 

[Pushka]

Mechanics can be incredibly honest or incredibly shonky. Partner took my car to be serviced near his work. Was told we needed major brake repairs. Booked at our servo near home and was called back after 30 minutes with them saying the brakes were fine. A quick survey of other work people found very similar stories but they had proceeded with the repairs at the original servo.

Took my 6 month old car for a 5,000 service. Was told the 'good news' - the brakes would be fine for another year. I should damn well hope so!

 

[Quickstatus]

Mechanics can be incredibly honest or incredibly shonky. Partner took my car to be serviced near his work. Was told we needed major brake repairs. Booked at our servo near home and was called back after 30 minutes with them saying the brakes were fine. A quick survey of other work people found very similar stories but they had proceeded with the repairs at the original servo.

Took my 6 month old car for a 5,000 service. Was told the 'good news' - the brakes would be fine for another year. I should damn well hope so!

185000km Golf diesel (the one which is choking the whole world) had front brakes done at 110000 and rear at 145000. I had 2 demerit points left at the time but they are unrelated

 

[JohnK]

Many of those issues are political issues. Your retirement, super, house sale, the visas and citizenship for your family. All political. Your vote has the ability to influence all of those things.

I don't see it that way.

P.S. I live in a safe Labour seat. My vote means nothing.

 

[whatmeworry]

I don't see it that way.

P.S. I live in a safe Labour seat. My vote means nothing.

Your House vote might not matter now, but your Senate Vote always matters.

 

[eastwest101]

Toyota Landcruiser diesel. Capped price servicing does not include diesel fuel filter. I said why not. He said it only needs replacing when the red fuel filter light comes on. When does it happen?. When it's blocked. Well isn't it better to replace annually during servicing. It's a $35 part. Oh it's not part of capped priced servicing. But what happens when the light comes on and I'm in the middle of nowhere. Just go to nearest Toyota dealer and they will replace it then. Why not with service as I'm already here?. It does not need it and round we go.

So now after each 2nd service when the car is returned to me. I pop the bonnet and replace the filter which I get from Toyota spares and replace it myself at the dealership - takes all of 5 minutes.

We replace that filter every 10K on our fleet of Lancruisers because if you don't, we have found that light always comes on when you are out in the middle of nowhere in the most inconvenient isolated location hundreds of km away from a Toyota dealership - pretty much the raison-detre for owning an Diesel LandCruiser in the first place! With the added cost of people stranded halfway down the Canning or Strzelecki track. I have seen some of these filters that haven't been replaced after 3 years of outback driving and outback fuel sources and the filters have been absolutely disgusting.

Seems a no-brainer to replace a $35 filter once a year rather than replace a $2000+ injector after a $2000+ towing bill because your LandCruiser goes into "limp home" mode.

 

[Quickstatus]

Thats right. I don't want to change the filter on some dark and dusty country road half a day from a toyota dealer. For some reason toyota dealership service dept never seem to have that insight.

Even Mrs Quickstatus can change the fuel filter. Its so easy its frustrating they cant do it as part of the capped price servicing. Thats why I rub it in by changing it at their premises.

I carry 2 spares with the requisite allen key.

For some reason the diesel fuel filter for the 4.5 L twin turbo diesel is a quarter the size of the diesel fuel filter of the 2.0 litre Golf.

 

[RooFlyer]

Should I have known he was NZ PM? Does it show I have no interest in politics or political news?

Probably shows you don't read newspapers or watch the news on TV. Pretty hard to miss, even if you aren't interested in politics.

If you didn't know Gough Whitlam isn't still Prime Minister (of Australia), be prepared for a shock. And I regret to say that George VI died.