On Tue, 04 May 1999 02:08:19 +0510 Eric Erickson <eric@erickson.on.net>
writes:
>Pardon this lengthy rave.... but I NEED to do this!
>
>OK, boys and girls... here is the latest installment of the trials and
>tribulations of "Lucky" Eric (yes, Scotty, start laughing now... you
>bugger!).
>
>A beautiful autumn day, mid seventies and clear blue skies. I have
>taken a day off work for some driving "instruction" through the hills
>of
>Adelaide (South Australia). Wonderful fast winding roads through
>fantastic scenery. The car has been running really well but this
>morning starts badly and runs sluggishly... darn! I am hoping that
>when
>it warms up from the chilly night it will get its act together, but
>no,
>she is lacking in power and feeling really strange. 60 miles out and
>I
>smell the dreaded 'bad eggs' sulphur smell of a boiling battery. A
>quick stop at a friendly country garage shows that the battery is
>indeed
>bubbling and fuming... and is being charged at over 16 volts!
>
>I am also fuming as I have just spent a few hundred dollars on getting
>the voltage regulator (control box) replaced... along with half of my
>bulbs, lamp holders and switches that it burnt out just a couple of
>weeks earlier. I limp back to the auto-electrician who did the work
>and
>indicate that they really should have a good hard look at their
>handiwork and FIX IT... PRONTO! I have my instructor (who, as he
>should, charges an arm and a leg, and who is just sitting around
>drinking a cold drink and waiting for these guys to start moving their
>backsides).
>
>Here is the rub... yes the control box (4TR) is shot! My last receipt
>shows that I paid $AU45 for a new one just two weeks ago... yet when I
>look at the unit it certainly doesn't look new (I was later told that
>they would have had a hard time finding a NEW 4TR unit). They won't
>let
>me take the old unit away with me because they need to trade this
>'faulty' one for another from their supplier. Guess what fellas...
>it
>only took me a few hours for the light to go on... but I think I was
>ripped off. They 'graciously' replaced the faulty control box with
>another (cheaper) unit at no charge... but of course they would
>because
>I don't think they installed a new one that they charged me for in the
>first place. And now I have a half boiled battery and a ruined day.
>
>Yes, I want to go and report them to some authorities... but they are
>family of one of the bosses at work (which is why I went to them) and
>have a good reputation around town.
>
>Should I 'front' them with my thoughts on this? I am still feeling
>very
>p*ssed off at the moment... maybe I should cool down and think about
>it
>in the morning! They have fixed the work and the car runs fine now,
>but....
>
>
>Eric
>'68MGB MkII
My condolences for your latest problem Eric - but i must say i always
enjoy your posts, it makes the world a little brighter to know some
other poor sod 10000 miles away is having the same problems we all get
from time to time -
I think its a "let it go" situation - It's fixed now after all; have a
good long drive to clear your head, a cold beer to wash the dust off and
the love of a good woman if there happens to be one around... Its all
part of the MG experience!!
mike robson
69 roadster
70 BGT
53 Riley
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