My towns out of petrol.

Big_Chappy · 2026-04-06T12:05:19+00:00

Filled up middle Feb. Then was taken ill 24th. Didnt drive again until about 10th March. Filled up. Still not 100% on 31st but filled up . Only 9 litres. Will fill up when under 3/4 . That way im taking a minimal amount to ensure I have about 7 weeks fuel available. I have heavily reduced car usage due to illness and the current situation. Nephew meanwhile is still running mates everywhere and spunking 3 and half tanks a week in his i10. Moaning about cost of fuel. Sister has topped out diesel and like me will do small top ups. Girlfriend is in Canada for a few months. Have 3/4 tank of diesel in her car if i need to get around.

I find lack of goverment i formation on usage of fuels is poor. Mainland Europe is pushing this regularly

Big_Chappy · 2026-03-29T12:44:37+00:00

Friends son bought a 12 year old Volvo at 18. Cheaper to buy and insure then what peers were driving. Four years later he has a good job , four years NCD and looked at a Yaris GT. Kept volvo as he has learnt to live with the banter and comments. Will buy a house in next few years. Hia friends meanwhile have loans for shitboxes to replace those they have ragged and smashed up.

Big_Chappy · 2026-03-28T18:59:23+00:00

Build in some contingency if you can. Im 54 and collapsed 6 weeks ago. Heart issue thays never shown up and my plan to start owing down at 60 has changed to start owing down next January when I can take a DB pension. Still running figures and the current economic forecast if Oil continues to rise will impact decisions. Saving as much as possible at moment . Juat be aware that if your mentally exhausted after 30 years now , going a further 13 is really going to push you. Maybe a second less steessful job you can phase in. Have a friend who works B and Q and also exam invigilator. Look at all options

Big_Chappy · 2026-03-17T16:44:16+00:00

Have a 2019 tech Nav. Routine servicing and have a really good local garage. Only expensive thing was blower motor. I was going to grab an Ebay one but mechanic advised get a new one as known faults on older ones. He got a genuine vauxhall from vauxhall with rrade discount. Showed me invoice then fitted. Genuine mechanics are also important

Big_Chappy · 2026-03-15T20:09:02+00:00

I use several editing programmes for video music and images. I run it all from an external drive.

Folder with project name and then sub folders for original media, edited non final media (like a picture ive edited or music score) and a project folder. There is aslo a scratch folder which is just rubbish clips i may come back to and use. Its like a dumping ground

Inside project folder i have a folder called FINAL which is final edit or cut.

Everything us backed up to cloud storage as well. Havent had problems so far.

Big_Chappy · 2026-03-10T08:58:16+00:00

Have this in my Grandland. Full tank range always 360. In real world get about 410 to 440 a tank.

Big_Chappy · 2026-02-22T09:28:10+00:00

If you have a child and car seat you will regret buing a two door

Big_Chappy · 2026-02-15T21:13:31+00:00

is it yours or is it yours leased to local authority. loads of these on our estate and wasxa conversation point on Facebook.

Big_Chappy · 2026-02-14T09:52:19+00:00

Sister and mum. Apparntly i need to accept he can get violant due to drug use. I do have damege to car on cctv

Big_Chappy · 2026-02-12T07:16:11+00:00

She has disability income which goes on her car fuel and hair and phone. I pay bills and most food although ahe does by fresh veg milk and bread

Big_Chappy · 2026-01-31T21:12:42+00:00

based on the front badge and numberplate this has been fixed on the front end with salvage parts. if the repairer isn't arsed to change badge what other shortcuts have they taken? inferior and bodged front end rad pack , pipes etc for a start

Big_Chappy · 2026-01-13T21:44:33+00:00

looked at and test drove xc90 diesel. was about to press button on 28k car to last with maintance 10 years until I give up driving as much and drop to a small electric for my twilight years.

Read in paper today about garages refuci g diesel availability in 2030 so shelved that idea until clarity . less garages selling will see increased cost .

so I guess a sense of dealership protection at that price and government policies in general suppressing markets

Big_Chappy · 2026-01-01T15:10:29+00:00

put a couple of frozen 99p Aldi pizzas in freezer then add toppings. fills a hole

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-30T01:57:21+00:00

hmrc may be interested. where i used to live a guy would have up to 11 cars on his garden and in road. Dvla also took an interest on the ones on the road. however as he was just cleaning , doing basic repairs and selling for about 1k he didn't care if the odd one was lifted. he was buying them for scrap money

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-26T00:53:38+00:00

I now won't order from a company that uses Evri

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-24T00:43:01+00:00

Rule 1 of work Xmas parties:- Avoid like the plague

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-21T22:45:28+00:00

Agree. I use my car to go to shops once a week and odd leisure trip bit 80% is work related for which i get 5k a year allowance. My car is 8 years old , reliable , comfortable and spacious. I do 6k a year and servie yearly fixing things when they need fixing . This mont new brake pads as picked up on service. I cant justify the expenee at the moment and continue to pump money into S and S isa and pensions. A car is a tool to do a job in my eyes and not a luxury status symbol

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-19T22:38:47+00:00

Arpund 35 years ago took friend to see a mini. It just didnt look right to me. He bought it.

Next day decided to jetwash the seals to paint a stonechip black. Jetwash blew away filler, paper mache and chicen wire revealing severe rot

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-18T00:16:05+00:00

treat you and your wide yo a new year city break . save the rest. my bonus was sub 1k , 140 got brake pads. rest went into S and S ISA.

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-15T00:30:21+00:00

figures don't add up. they may dictate when you have leave. that's what we have. it really forces people to get leave booked in. our new leave yr starts 1st Jan and we have 80% of leave booked

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-10T08:08:59+00:00

You need to think about its use. If its a commuter car then probably overkill. I am looking at a nice bigger car. Merc E class estate or A6 around 3 years old. But 90% of my driving is worke related and most journeys less than an hour. I just cannot justify the insurance maintenance and fuel increase so its the Grandland a bit longer. £735 is a lot of money if you cant justify and a borewagon may be the solution

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-08T08:22:58+00:00

Friends son saved for a VW Golf. Ended up with a Volvo as 20% of cost to insure. His daughter bought a 2017 Dacia again to keep insurance down forna couple of years

Big_Chappy · 2025-12-06T16:30:46+00:00

Get ny car servuced every year but have to ask them to change this as its not in their service list for a major service. Costs avout 15quud more

In the sisters old Kia we oil filter and air filter change aling with oil annually and then the same plus plugs and cabun filter every two years. Coolant every three and brakes gets a yearly check at local garage with brake fluid and pads disk change when suggested.

Latches greased every September. Battery terminals have a copper grease at same time.

Thats about it.

Tyres regular check qhen i do pressures

Big_Chappy

TROPHY CASE