GadgetVicar

Parking Up the Wrong Tree (Sorry!!!)

I'm a little bit angry today because I got a "Parking Charge Notice"  ("threatening letter" might be more apt) in the post from a company called TPS Parking Solutions. They alleged I stayed for too long in one of their client's carparks and want me to pay £70 or £45 if I settle up quickly. I was allowed an hour and I was parked for one hour and thirty three minutes while their clent, Halfords PLC, fixed the car stereo (a wonderful job they did too). Having spent good money in the store that day, I've written letters of complaint with copies of my store receipt  (timed at 15:51 on the day in question, so right in the middle of the time I was in the store, and they only began work on the car once I had payed). They've been sent to TPS and to the Chief Executive Officer at Halfords, David Wild.

A disgraceful state of affairs, made all the more annoying because the car park in question was empty. Seems like there are a few sharks out there trying to make money with something akin to threatening behaviour.

Maybe you've been stung like this too?

Sorted, Sort Of

Tax Return sent to our very patient accountant just in time for the 31st January deadline. Note to self: this year I will get the return done and dusted before the summer. Good news is that the Inland Revenue owes me money.

Car MOT and service was carried out on Tuesday. Cheaper than I thought. Unfortunately a warning light came on this afternoon while I was ferrying some senior church members to Strathblane for communion. Phoned garage. "You'll need to bring it in". Dropped off the ladies. Went to garage. Spoke to car salesman about changing the car. Butters me up by saying I look too young to have a thirteen year old daughter. He's even more impressed when I tell him we have an eighteen year old too. I'm not buying his flannel. Talk about God, or rather, his grannie's faith. Then tried to persuade me to get a Mazda 3 MPS ("It's cheap!"). This car can bring about catastrophic global warming all on its own. What he considers cheap isn't to me. I'm not buying that flannel, either. Finally gets a quote for a small car. Still too much.  Will need to think twice about getting a new Mazda. Get my car back. Turns out the technician had forgotten to reset a counter when the service was done on Tuesday. I've not been impressed with Mazda's servicing over the years. Time to change make after six years of running a Mazda?

Repairing the Damage

We got the car back after its repair twenty four hours ago. It was perfect and gleaming after a good wash. Guess what? This evening I reversed into a wall and caused damage in exactly the same place. How glad am I that the last repair wasn't done through the insurance company?

Doh! 

Our Home and Another Issue

Blogging is limited at the moment, mainly because I'm getting back up to speed workwise and trying to be more attentive to the family. In addition, the rectory is undergoing lots of repairs and renovations at the moment which our vestry has graciously agreed to have done. I'm doing the legwork and it's all rather time consuming.

We had tree surgeons doing major work in the garden.

We also have gas central heating engineers about to fit a new system following the discovery that the  old system is on its last legs (the forty year old radiators are past it). I'd hoped that we might get away with a new boiler, but alas that won't cure the system's ailments. It's a big old house and such repairs are major jobs, as there are over twenty radiators. The radiant gas fires have also been condemned as dangerous, so they have to be replaced too. This necessitates a remodelling of the fireplaces and sweeping/lining/capping the chimneys.

The study flooded while I was away in the USA, and we are waiting for an ok from the insurance company for it to be repaired. In the meantime, the study is sharing space with the dining room.

Meanwhile we are also looking at doing up the shower/bathroom room, which is unpleasant, damp and has a broken velux window which won't close..

It all means that our home is and will be somewhat chaotic for a while and that blogging has to take a back seat while we get that little lot sorted out.

To put an inglorious cap on it all, while I was at a meeting last night some numptie pranged our car in the church car park. I am being calm...........

A New Career Beckons!

Do you recognise the Scottish Episcopal Church priest with the starring role in this brand new advert for Audi Spain?

The Car With a Mind of its Own?

In the supermarket this afternoon, an announcement came over the tannoy: "Would the owner of the silver Mazda, registration number AB12 1AB*, please come to customer services". To my horror, this is our car.

What could have happened? Anxious thoughts ensued.

Someone has pranged the car? It has gone up in flames, and is now a smouldering heap? It's been broken into? I'd forgotten to apply the handbrake correctly, and it has rolled out of the parking bay and run over a little old lady?

I made my way to the desk and introduced myself as the relevant driver.

"Oh, all your windows are down!" said the helpful lady.

I then thought, "If it's lying open, what will have been nicked?".

I nervously returned to the car where the windows were indeed all down. Nothing had been taken, nor was there any damage. Very strange.

I have no idea what happened. Some electrical quirk or the car has a mind of its own, and wanted some fresh air?

*AB12 1AB is not our real registration number.

Mazda 5 Update

We'll have all four tyres on our car replaced on Monday morning, Mazda having agreed to pay 70% of the cost of the rear pair. It will still be at a hefty cost. We're not very happy about any of this. Mazda have yet to 'fess up publicly as to the exact nature of the problem, and the dealer has been very slow to return calls, respond to visits, and more importantly arrange the fitting of the new tyres. Frustrating in the extreme.

Mazda 5 Update

An update on the premature tyre wear on our year old Mazda 5 Sport.

Mazda Motors UK is prepared to pay 70% towards the cost of replacement of the rear tyres. Nothing towards the front tyres. An expensive problem, that will demand me contacting the Managing Directors of both the manufacturer and the dealer. I'm upset..........

Fixing And Complaining

I spent the morning with friends setting up a wireless network for their four computers. Believe it or not, I find this kind of thing therapeutic, though to be honest, this was probably because it all went so smoothly this time. If it hadn't, my despair and frustration would have been very great indeed.

Speaking of despair and frustration, the afternoon was spent visiting our Mazda dealer, logging a complaint with Mazda Motors UK and drafting letters to the relevant Managing Directors. I'm a great believer in going straight to the top................................

Car Blues

We try to run an almost new car. You'd think it might help ensure reliability.

Please try to imagine my shock when I took our car for it's first ever service this morning, only to be told that all four tyres need to be replaced. After 12,000 miles! At a cost of £500+!

I'd noticed some wear on the front insides, but the rear insides have worn too. Googling the issue, I've discovered that it's a common problem on the Mazda 5 Sport. The dealer is calling Mazda UK tomorrow to see what contribution they are going to make towards replacing the tyres. Which might be ok, except that there seems to be an inherent fault with this version of the car, as so many buyers are having the same problem. This is a family car, and many drivers will be unaware of the uneven wear on their tyres and the increased danger of failure that this could bring. Will it take a serious accident before Mazda will give consistent help to their customers?

Much unhappiness and concern. I wonder what 'Watchdog' are making of this?