Mr F, my car

well he failed his MoT test today :-(
Everyone in the Uk has to have this test done yearly if their car is over
three years old.

Mr F rarely fails except for minor things, but today he did it in a
spectacular fashion.
He needs some welding on his inner wings, those things under the boot (hood)
that cover the front wheels. There was a tiny rust hole both sides, and I
thought we might get away with it, but as my mechanic said the MoT tester
was allowed to attack the holes with a plastic hammer we might not. We
didn't.
He also failed because the rubber pedal thing had come off my brake pedal.
That in itself is a failure apparently.

Anyway I've decided to have him repaired for not too much money compared
with having to buy another car and hopefully will get him back tomorrow.
He's such a reliable car, starts first time and this is the first time he's
needed welding, I might review the situation next year if he needs welding
again.
I spent a happy day with my aunt & uncle today, because my mechanic lives
near them and I used to use him when I worked over in that direction.
I can't expect him to collect my car from 11 miles away.
I had to take two buses to get home which took a while, and the same back
tomorrow, but as it now costs me zero, I don't mind too much, even if
there's a 20 minute walk at my end to get to the bus stop and back.

Tweed

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
well he failed his MoT test today :-(
Everyone in the Uk has to have this test done yearly if their car is over
three years old.

Mr F rarely fails except for minor things, but today he did it in a
spectacular fashion.
He needs some welding on his inner wings, those things under the boot
(hood) that cover the front wheels. There was a tiny rust hole both
sides, and I thought we might get away with it, but as my mechanic said
the MoT tester was allowed to attack the holes with a plastic hammer we
might not. We didn't.
He also failed because the rubber pedal thing had come off my brake pedal.
That in itself is a failure apparently.

Anyway I've decided to have him repaired for not too much money compared
with having to buy another car and hopefully will get him back tomorrow.
He's such a reliable car, starts first time and this is the first time
he's needed welding, I might review the situation next year if he needs
welding again.
I spent a happy day with my aunt & uncle today, because my mechanic lives
near them and I used to use him when I worked over in that direction.
I can't expect him to collect my car from 11 miles away.
I had to take two buses to get home which took a while, and the same back
tomorrow, but as it now costs me zero, I don't mind too much, even if
there's a 20 minute walk at my end to get to the bus stop and back.

Tweed

I'm glad you were able to have him repaired. There's nothing like having a
reliable car. My Toyota is 13 years old. How old is your Mr. F?

I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy

"Joy" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
well he failed his MoT test today :-(
Everyone in the Uk has to have this test done yearly if their car is over
three years old.

Mr F rarely fails except for minor things, but today he did it in a
spectacular fashion.
He needs some welding on his inner wings, those things under the boot
(hood) that cover the front wheels. There was a tiny rust hole both
sides, and I thought we might get away with it, but as my mechanic said
the MoT tester was allowed to attack the holes with a plastic hammer we
might not. We didn't.
He also failed because the rubber pedal thing had come off my brake
pedal.
That in itself is a failure apparently.

Anyway I've decided to have him repaired for not too much money compared
with having to buy another car and hopefully will get him back tomorrow.
He's such a reliable car, starts first time and this is the first time
he's needed welding, I might review the situation next year if he needs
welding again.
I spent a happy day with my aunt & uncle today, because my mechanic
lives near them and I used to use him when I worked over in that
direction.
I can't expect him to collect my car from 11 miles away.
I had to take two buses to get home which took a while, and the same back
tomorrow, but as it now costs me zero, I don't mind too much, even if
there's a 20 minute walk at my end to get to the bus stop and back.

Tweed

I'm glad you were able to have him repaired. There's nothing like having
a reliable car. My Toyota is 13 years old. How old is your Mr. F?

I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy

I'm not sure whether your smog test is the same as our MoT test. We have
to have to the brakes, steering mechanism, lights, exhaust emissions, pretty
well everything tested every year in a car over three years old. Any rust
is tested severely, this is the first time Mr F has had any rust and needed
any welding to get him up to scratch.
IIRC he was born in 1997. I've had him for 10 years and he is supremely
reliable. He also only sips petrol (gas) which given the price of of it
here..you'd faint if you knew how much it is.
Anyway, hopefully I will get him back tomorrow all mended for another year.
I will have to cross the county on a bus again to do so, but I will treat
that as an adventure.
Then I will instantly have to get on the internet to renew his road tax
which runs out at the end of September. You can't renew it without an MoT in
force.
Do you have road tax to pay on your cars in California?
Mr F is worth every penny though, it's nearly two miles to my local
supermarket, and no chance of getting to the farm to buy my chicken food
without him.
He gets his name from his numberplate, the last letters of this are MRF and
also I bought him from someone called Mr Field, who was 90. If I can, I
like to buy cars from elderly people. They look after them well and don't
race them around. I don't mind if the cars are elderly either, I'm not into
keeping up with the Joneses car-wise.

I got my last car from an elderly person, that one lasted me 8 years and
this one even longer.
Way to go, Mr F!


Tweed

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy
I just looked up your smog test and it seems to be all to do with emissions,
nothing like what poor Mr F has to face every year.
Although I don't mind it, it means he is safe for me to drive.
He could have failed e.g. with a broken wing mirror: and definitely because
the rubber fell off his brake pedal which I've been driving around without
for two months. I didn't know that.

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy
I just looked up your smog test and it seems to be all to do with
emissions, nothing like what poor Mr F has to face every year.
Although I don't mind it, it means he is safe for me to drive.
He could have failed e.g. with a broken wing mirror: and definitely
because the rubber fell off his brake pedal which I've been driving around
without for two months. I didn't know that.

You're right. It's very different. We're allowed to drive our cars until
they fall apart, as long as we get the emissions test every two years.

Joy

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Joy" wrote in message
...
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
well he failed his MoT test today :-(
Everyone in the Uk has to have this test done yearly if their car is
over three years old.

Mr F rarely fails except for minor things, but today he did it in a
spectacular fashion.
He needs some welding on his inner wings, those things under the boot
(hood) that cover the front wheels. There was a tiny rust hole both
sides, and I thought we might get away with it, but as my mechanic said
the MoT tester was allowed to attack the holes with a plastic hammer we
might not. We didn't.
He also failed because the rubber pedal thing had come off my brake
pedal.
That in itself is a failure apparently.

Anyway I've decided to have him repaired for not too much money compared
with having to buy another car and hopefully will get him back tomorrow.
He's such a reliable car, starts first time and this is the first time
he's needed welding, I might review the situation next year if he needs
welding again.
I spent a happy day with my aunt & uncle today, because my mechanic
lives near them and I used to use him when I worked over in that
direction.
I can't expect him to collect my car from 11 miles away.
I had to take two buses to get home which took a while, and the same
back tomorrow, but as it now costs me zero, I don't mind too much, even
if there's a 20 minute walk at my end to get to the bus stop and back.

Tweed

I'm glad you were able to have him repaired. There's nothing like having
a reliable car. My Toyota is 13 years old. How old is your Mr. F?

I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy

I'm not sure whether your smog test is the same as our MoT test. We have
to have to the brakes, steering mechanism, lights, exhaust emissions,
pretty well everything tested every year in a car over three years old.
Any rust is tested severely, this is the first time Mr F has had any rust
and needed any welding to get him up to scratch.
IIRC he was born in 1997. I've had him for 10 years and he is supremely
reliable. He also only sips petrol (gas) which given the price of of it
here..you'd faint if you knew how much it is.
Anyway, hopefully I will get him back tomorrow all mended for another
year. I will have to cross the county on a bus again to do so, but I will
treat that as an adventure.
Then I will instantly have to get on the internet to renew his road tax
which runs out at the end of September. You can't renew it without an MoT
in force.
Do you have road tax to pay on your cars in California?
Mr F is worth every penny though, it's nearly two miles to my local
supermarket, and no chance of getting to the farm to buy my chicken food
without him.
He gets his name from his numberplate, the last letters of this are MRF
and also I bought him from someone called Mr Field, who was 90. If I can,
I like to buy cars from elderly people. They look after them well and
don't race them around. I don't mind if the cars are elderly either, I'm
not into keeping up with the Joneses car-wise.

I got my last car from an elderly person, that one lasted me 8 years and
this one even longer.
Way to go, Mr F!


Tweed

I think the terminology is a little different (regarding road tax), but we
have to renew our car's registration every year, and pay a fee (which is
really a tax) to do so. Our gas (petrol) prices are also considerably
inflated by the tax that is added on to, supposedly for the upkeep of the
roads.

I drive a lot less than I used to, so I go weeks without having to fill up
the tank. My car gets pretty good mileage, too. I bought it new in 2000.
At the time, I said I expected it to be the last car I'll ever need.
Toyotas are good cars, and I expect to be unfit to drive before it is. I'll
be 78 in November, and am just glad I can still drive. I don't drive at
night any more, except just around town where I know my way. I can see well
enough for that, but if I had to read street signs, I'd be in trouble.

The letters on my car's license are MHM.

Joy

Christina Websell wrote:


"Joy" wrote in message
...
I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy
I just looked up your smog test and it seems to be all to do with emissions,
nothing like what poor Mr F has to face every year.
Although I don't mind it, it means he is safe for me to drive.
He could have failed e.g. with a broken wing mirror: and definitely because
the rubber fell off his brake pedal which I've been driving around without
for two months. I didn't know that.


When I lived in Massachusetts, we had "inspections" every year, which
tested a lot of stuff like what you're describing in your MoT test. In
fact, Mass. did *not* test for emissions, but I left the state in 1992,
so maybe they test emissions now. (Anyone know? Takayuki?)

On the other hand, California *only* tests for emissions, and it does
that every two years. So if it's not a smog-test year, then all you have
to do to register your car for the current year is pay some money.

--
Joyce

- Mommy loves you too my sweaty litter baby fire
- Ummm what mom?
- MY SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL!! sorry honey!
-- damnyouautocorrect.com

Joy wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy
I just looked up your smog test and it seems to be all to do with
emissions, nothing like what poor Mr F has to face every year.
Although I don't mind it, it means he is safe for me to drive.
He could have failed e.g. with a broken wing mirror: and definitely
because the rubber fell off his brake pedal which I've been driving around
without for two months. I didn't know that.

You're right. It's very different. We're allowed to drive our cars until
they fall apart, as long as we get the emissions test every two years.

Exactly. I think if you get into an accident because something mechanical
in your car isn't working, you could be held responsible for any damages or
injuries. But that doesn't exactly protect people on the road from getting
injured in the first place, does it?

--
Joyce

- Mommy loves you too my sweaty litter baby fire
- Ummm what mom?
- MY SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL!! sorry honey!
-- damnyouautocorrect.com

Joy wrote:

I think the terminology is a little different (regarding road tax), but we
have to renew our car's registration every year, and pay a fee (which is
really a tax) to do so. Our gas (petrol) prices are also considerably
inflated by the tax that is added on to, supposedly for the upkeep of the
roads.

Heh. No use complaining to a European about our gas prices. However much
we have to pay, guaranteed they have to pay a lot more.

The letters on my car's license are MHM.

It seems like this should be obvious, but I don't get it. What does that
stand for? (I'll probably figure it out nanoseconds after hitting the "post"
button. )

--
Joyce

- Mommy loves you too my sweaty litter baby fire
- Ummm what mom?
- MY SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL!! sorry honey!
-- damnyouautocorrect.com

"Bastette" wrote in message
...
Joy wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in
message
...

"Joy" wrote in message
...
I wonder if the MoT test is the same as our smog test? In California
we
have to have our cars smog tested every two years.

Joy
I just looked up your smog test and it seems to be all to do with
emissions, nothing like what poor Mr F has to face every year.
Although I don't mind it, it means he is safe for me to drive.
He could have failed e.g. with a broken wing mirror: and definitely
because the rubber fell off his brake pedal which I've been driving
around
without for two months. I didn't know that.

You're right. It's very different. We're allowed to drive our cars
until
they fall apart, as long as we get the emissions test every two years.

Exactly. I think if you get into an accident because something mechanical
in your car isn't working, you could be held responsible for any damages
or
injuries. But that doesn't exactly protect people on the road from getting
injured in the first place, does it?

--
Joyce

No, it doesn't. Of course, you can be ticketed for things like having a
tail light out.

Joy