The wonky £1K citron Citroën

[rwb]

And another day five of us had to go to an excruciatingly awful meeting in Cheltenham. And back. That was long day.

Oooohhh - tell me more

Someone f*cked up right? had to explain/defend themselves in front of an important income provider?

income provider
In the 13 years I've been there they've never made a profit. It's shambolic. I've just quit, in fact, and accordingly have largely given up on the old f*ck-giving malarkey (or at least the presence of which I dutifully feigned in order to keep my bum on the seat) so I'm busting to say something that could get me into trouble if posted on a public forum. So I'd better not start...

New job in Oldham (at a company that is profitable) starting on 2nd January.
Plan A was to move from Telford back to Huddersfield where I'm from. However one viewing on the house in Telford in 4 weeks so that's looking like it's going to be a long job.
Therefore Plan B is to buy small house in Oldham. Short commute and an easy life. And possibly a lodger to pay most if not all of the second mortgage. Maybe I'll become a buy-to-let-bastard
I could move back in with mummy and daddy in Huddersfield after 22 years!
However, I'm glad that I might get to see the tulips and daffodils that I planted in Telford come up next spring.
I don't know if dragging it out will make it easier or harder to leave that life behind.
I think once it becomes a chore to come to Telford at the weekend to cut the grass and do viewings I'll feel better about leaving it.

C6 went to mobile mechanic this morning (which I suppose is the wrong way round, but it's only a 30 minute walk, it's quite pleasant, and it does make it easier for him -- which is important as I expect the C6 will piss him off doing so seems to be turning into its party trick )
Passenger side driveshaft changed.
Driver's side can't get intermediate bearing out.
He noted that wheel bolts were loose.
Bust wheel bolt needs new hub. Dan from Shrewsbury off the 407 Facebook group has one he can drop off tonight (other than the shocks and springs and ARB (0.5mm thinner, strangely) the front suspension is identical).

Got a quote for the clutch and DMF on the 407 for £1080 and I'd pencilled in 1k so I'm undecided on that what with everything else going on. Realistically it's going to be at least May before I have that kind of money available.

Didn't sleep well last night and had to have a nap this afternoon so I'll be working through while bed time now.
Didn't get to the gym which is irritating; my strategy is that you can't bust a gut every day but summat's allus better 'n nowt.

[Welly]

Wow that's a lot of stuff going on!

Sounds like you have made tentative plans for change, that's a good thing, perhaps you need to cut your losses and make a large-enough price reduction on the Telford house to make it shift....pronto.

Wishing you luck on the new job, you can take the experience of the not-so-good current employment and all its failings and put it to good use at the new place

Moving away can be a nice thing, moving on, seeing new things, engaging with new people etc. Do you know what it's like living in Oldham? I don't know but sometimes if you spend time hanging around a place like a lost sheep at all different hours and days of the week you can kinda get a feel for what it would be like living there.

I once moved house and changed jobs within the same month with a Wife and 2 toddlers as dependents

All I can do is wish you luck on whatever you decide and remember to keep us updated on the wonky C6

[rwb]

It was indeed drivehafts.

The inner joint and the intermediate bearing were absolutely knackered. It had got hot and got itself stuck and took a bit of getting out.

Replaced hub with wheel bolt sheared off in it.

Juddering now gone...



...and on to the next problems:
* Mechanic says that brakes don't look too good.
* Needs a brake pedal switch.
* Had a BEEP for "suspension fault". Diagbox says "front axle average movement (value inconsistent)" and "front static pressure signal (value inconsistent)".
* I can now hear what I think is drop links.

[rwb]

On the other sh*t: offered on a small house in Oldham.
Mortgage company have come back with a valuation £3k under the asking price so if the seller won't budge than I'll have to find it.

Irritatingly second hand furniture seems to be much cheaper both in Telford and in Huddersfield than it is in Oldham.

I've mentally moved in there now and it's quite nice. Proper big Tesco and a gym are within walking distance and the chip shop at the bottom of the road looks nice. It should be an easy life until I can get the proper house move done.

[trufflehunt]

On the other sh*t: offered on a small house in Oldham.
Mortgage company have come back with a valuation £3k under the asking price so if the seller won't budge than I'll have to find it.

Irritatingly second hand furniture seems to be much cheaper both in Telford and in Huddersfield than it is in Oldham.

I've mentally moved in there now and it's quite nice. Proper big Tesco and a gym are within walking distance and the chip shop at the bottom of the road looks nice. It should be an easy life until I can get the proper house move done.

You know you're in a proper town when you've got a good chip shop nearby.

[steve_earwig]

Good job on the driveshafts. Umm, the brakes don't look too good? What, all of them?

You know you're in a proper town when you've got a good chip shop nearby.

I used to live opposite both a good chippy and Chinese. Unfortunately the local louts used it as an assembly point twixt pub and club

[Welly]

That picture above - that looks like welding to me?? confused.

Charming that the mortgage people want you to make up the shortfall, fuckers.

[steve_earwig]

I presumed it needed a touch of the gas axe

[rwb]

It was absolutely stuck fast so he split it then welded that nut on.

He said the same about the brakes on the 407; MOT advisorys on both. (And I always get the disc worn, pitted, or scored advisory.) The brakes (and quite a lot more bits too) are identical on the 407 and I have actually had them off when I failed to do a bottom swivel joint; the only new bit to me is pushing the caliper piston back.

Good news on Oldham: the seller caved and agreed to the lower price. So that also saves on stamp duty.
There's a patch of damp on the wall next to the back door but I don't think it's reasonable to expect perfect at this price -- or if that's what you were after then you'd be looking for months. I've also noticed that the houses listed for rent or lodging tend to have better kitchens, but I think getting the lino replaced with tiles and a new worktop should do it -- not that it's urgent.

The small bedroom is 3.1m x 2.34m (10'2" x 8') so I'm wondering whether a double bed (approx 2m x 1.5m) will fit OK.

[Doggy]

Sounds like a win on the Oldham house, well done.

FWIW our 2nd bedroom is 3.11 x 3.1 and fits a 2m x 1.5m double bed with ease, (I know ours is a bit bigger but it would clearly still be OK if we 'lost' .76m off the wall the headboard's on).
Some say 1.5m wide is a 'king' / 1.35 is a double BTW.

Hope it all goes smoothly for you - are you aiming to be in before 2020?

[rwb]

Well if it's not all sorted by the end of the year then I shall have to move back in with mummy and daddy after 22 years

[Welly]

Well if it's not all sorted by the end of the year then I shall have to move back in with mummy and daddy after 22 years

I'd rather stay in a B&B

[rwb]

Oh flippineck.

I noticed today that Oldham house is leasehold and not freehold. I wouldn't have even gone to see it had I known.
But it's too late to do anything else so it's that or nothing.
Clearly it hadn't worried the other offers.
But I'm fretting now because I don't know how long is left on the lease or what the charges are.
Could work out OK if the leaseholder is responsible for maintaining the building.

The C6 has taken a litre of hydraulic fluid and a litre of coolant so it must be leaking, but the driveway is dry. There is a massive puddle at the gym but I don't know for certain that it's mine.
Tried programming the suspension but it didn't work so now I have the "suspension not configured" fault too.
I guess the next step is new ride height sensors and brackets.

And the power steering has been going hard now and again today.

So I don't know if I dare use it tomorrow now.
I think I'll see if there is a puddle and if not then take it.

[GingerMagic]

Check the lease Rich, my flat had about 70 years left and people were put off ( plus it was a ridiculous freehold/leasehold cross affair )

A new lease of 999 years cost about £700

[rwb]

Do you think it's worth considering waling away then?