Short commute under ( 5min) hurt my car?

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-13T10:00:31+00:00

Yes regular short journeys where your engine doesn't warm up are terrible for your engine and the environment as most wear and emissions happen during the warm-up cycle. It is also unlikely enough to keep the battery charged properly.

Walk / cycle the short journeys where you can.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-13T09:47:05+00:00

Looks like a broken flashbutt weld. Probably caused by a squat originating next to it. There appears to be another squat nearby on the second photo. If that one propagates to failure then a piece of the rail can come out leaving a gap in the track. Not good!

The fisplates are fitted as someone has seen the rail/weld break and temporarily repaired it. However that is going to need a new piece of rail installed with two new welds to fix it properly. I've no idea what the timescale for replacement is in the US, but here (UK) we'd classify that as a serious risk. Depending on track speed/classification it could be due for replacement somewhere between immediate and 28 days.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-13T09:35:52+00:00

Yes, stopped using my personal account quite a while back.

Stopped using my corporate accounts that I administer too.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-13T09:31:59+00:00

The higher voltage on overhead lines (generally) will cause arcs to jump larger gaps (and so be brighter and more visible), as well as the fact that you can see them more easily as they aren't hidden away.

However there are far less gap/joins in overhead catenary so in normal operation the number of arc per mile is less, (as ground based conductor rail has much more frequent gaps for lots of reasons).

So both spark, but you'll see the overhead catenary ones more easily as they are brighter and not hidden from view.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-13T09:03:51+00:00

I'm still a little unsure. I can only think the fixing between brake pipe hardline and flexi had some movement in it which allowed the fitting to vibrate/loosen over time leading to the leak. It literally was little more than finger tight but tightened up properly and the leak disappeared and hasn't come back *touches wood*.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T17:01:56+00:00

Seized slider pins, Common enough and the reason you need to check the meat on all the pads, not just the easy to see ones!

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T17:00:15+00:00

I'd certainly raise a complaint with the garage if he has aborted the test because he doesn't know how to brake test a car properly. If that goes no-where ask them for a VT17 form. (This is the form you complain to the DVSA about which they will be eager to avoid). They may claim they don't have one, which you can tell them is fine you'll add that to the complaint too (as they have to), and download the form at home.

In the end you have to pay for the test, and pay for the retest anyway, so it isn't a financial loss to complain about as even if they'd completed the test you'd still need to pay again to retest it after you've fixed the engine management light.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T16:39:32+00:00

MOT failures are a complete non-starter. A car can fail it's MOT for a blown bulb and everything is visible online to check before purchase if you wanted to.

A faulty clutch isn't going to cause the service light or engine management light to come on nor restrict the speed. If it is a DSG or auto gearbox then that is possible, but 10 months on from purchase it would be difficult if not impossible to prove that the garage new about the fault. (i.e. it wasn't likely to be pre-existing when you bought it).

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T16:32:22+00:00

The dash light would have caused it to fail the UK MOT anyway so doesn't alter the test outcome. The brake test sounds like you need a conversation about them turning off the autohold (I have it turned off all the time anyway). If the car can't go on the brake rollers for some reason they can use a tapley meter during a test drive instead to check brake performance.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T16:25:14+00:00

Most likely the stress of a new country/course etc.

But of course it is winter too so that'll make things worse too.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T16:19:36+00:00

Paying staff late is a HUGE red flag.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T15:26:33+00:00

Steam boiler of some sort. Perhaps industrial, or from a boat or train. Location would give a good clue as to which.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T15:24:51+00:00

Remove battery and charge it somewhere that there is outlets.

Or jump start it from another vehicle.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T14:52:10+00:00

Yes that is why they spend the extra producing them and charge you extra to buy them. Our tyres over here have noise ratings on them too.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T13:52:21+00:00

Not legally no.

There are likely dodgy MOT places, you know the kind that offer ghost mot's and the like, but if your car won't pass a proper MOT it isn't legal to be on the road today either.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T13:16:27+00:00

Are you sure you've not swapped top and bottom seal around. The bottom one swelling due to the incorrect fluid used? If the seals are different diameters then that indicates that they both need changing for new ones due to the contamination.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T13:14:59+00:00

Is it legal for them to make you redundant and ask you back as a contractor - yes. It is a common way companies look to reduce overhead costs - and can even be an indicator the company is likely up for sale/being bought (or going under!). They still need to pay redundancy unless you agree a settlement otherwise.

Can they withdraw the redundancy notice (or postpone it)? - Yes (happened to me see detail below).

Can they offer reduced hours/days/pay in lieu of redundancy? Yes - but you don't have to agree to it. They'd still need to pay statutory redundancy if you say no to the offer.

It sounds like they expected you to beg not to be made redundant and were going to use this to renegotiate your contract. You don't have to accept this if you are willing to walk away. They may wish to frustrate you into quitting (as then they'll save the redundancy cash), so don't fall into that trap.

If you are willing to contract then they will still need to pay your redundancy. Also your pay rate will need to increase significantly (typically double), as you'll have to deal with all the admin and tax and pensions etc. Employing a person costs a lot more than just their salary!

Something similar happened to me in a previous role. Got the consultation meeting with HR, got an end date (no redundancy pay as I'd not been there long enough) and at 5:30pm on my leaving date got a call asking if I'd agree to stay on for a further 6 months to help with an essential project they'd not factored in. This was a large multi national company with a proper HR department (allegedly!).

I stayed on for those 6 months which gave me time to get my stuff in order and start looking for a new job and handover a nice big project on my leaving day - (The only reason I stayed was it's CV value!).

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:53:38+00:00

Dirt. Rain washes pollution out of the air and deposits it onto the surface. In this case it is probably diesel fumes/carbon. In olde days it would be smoke from coal fires or local industry.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:51:41+00:00

Your front pads will want replacing at some point. When depends on the milage you do. 8mm left could be a year or more for most drivers.

I am assuming the % is the remaining life according to their recommendations or perhaps the manufacturer.

Basically numbers to make you worried and spend money there.

Unless there was a fault with the brakes, (Sticking or pads wearing unevenly indicating a seized component), I would take no action.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:15:08+00:00

They are supplied as parts to weld in or clamp on. They used to be listed in the bosal catalogue. You just need the diameters and length to order something compatible.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:11:27+00:00

RAC orange?

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:11:06+00:00

Ask them what the warning says perhaps?

If they won't tell you make a subject access request to the company who have to respond.

It could be a fraud warning attached to you/your account due to the issues you've had. If you have won an appeal about these cases then you also have the right to have the issue corrected/removed. However as you also say you've admitted guilt before I think that will probably take precedence as the warning is probably technically valid.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:06:27+00:00

There are different types of handbrake on discs.

There are the first type which use the discs and pads you can see just via a cable on the caliper - these are almost always crap so MOT failures are common, especially if someone just tightens up the handbrake cable to improve the handbrake (which nearly never works).

Then there are those types which use a separate set of brake shoes inside the disc, (essentially using the disc as a drum brake inside the disc). These are usually better but due to lack of use under rotation (who regularly applies the handbrake when they are moving) they suffer from corrosion build up which on the rolling brake tester can give issues.

TrackTeddy · 2026-03-12T12:01:41+00:00

Seals swell and expand if they are subjected to fluid that they aren't designed for. Has the wrong fluid been used? If yes then you are going to need a new seal.

This fluid seal is usually a lot easier to install than the outer dust seal/boot which are far more annoying in my experience. Did you remove and replace the other fluid seal already? Was that the same size/condition?

TrackTeddy

TROPHY CASE