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delivery/collection of new parts - nightmare!
ned - 12/9/05 at 09:39 AM

i need a new catalytic converter as my everyday car failed its mot on emissions.

German Swedish and French seem to have the best price, so I thought I'd ask them about delivery if I'm not in.

They don't recommend delivery to an address where no one is in as their couriers aren't very reliable about having items collected from their depot (my preference) as they sometimes get returned direct to sender or go missing for a while!

I work in central london, so can't get to a branch in the week and can't really get an exhaust delivered to a work address and get it home on a train with a 2 mile walk at the other end.

I can't pay over the phone and get someone else to collect as they can't do that.
I can't give someone else the money either as it needs to go on a credit card this month

I don't know anyone nearby who would be in that i could get it delivered too.

I had the mot on saturday and have 2 weeks free retest, but was hoping to get the bits in the week and go early at 7.30am next saturday to the mot place as I'm meant to be out the next two weekends and the mot place is only open saturday mornings.

Is it just me or does anyone else find themself in a similar predicament for getting hold of bits?

Oh and I have no holiday left until the end of the month (runs with the academic year) so can't have a day off to go and do it.

Ned.


Stuart Ainslie - 12/9/05 at 11:08 AM

Have you tried Eurocarparts?
Have known to be cheaper than GSF and do deliver....


rayward - 12/9/05 at 11:14 AM

you could take cash out on your credit card and get someone else to get it for you, i know they charge, but its an easy way out.



Ray


Peteff - 12/9/05 at 12:05 PM

Get down to the exhaust centre on Saturday and stop being tight . My wife drives for a parts supplier so I get a discount and there are 2 within walking distance of my front door. I can see the first one from the window. Sorry to rub it in Ned.

[Edited on 12/9/05 by Peteff]


ned - 12/9/05 at 01:34 PM

can't get cash out on the credit card as it'd take them a few days to get a pin number out to me.

I can't go first thing saturday to buy the cat as they don't open til 8.30, by the time i get home and fit the thing and get to the mot place it'll be mid-late morning, they'll have a queue for mot by then, unlikley I'll get seen and i'm meant to be somewhere else anyway


James - 12/9/05 at 03:18 PM

You tried Partco? 1/2 way between station and your place?

Camberley Auto Factors is open late. Or atleast, the Camberley branch is. Find out when the Merrow branch is open until. You might be able to get there after work.

else,

Bunk the day off.

Cheers,
James


dave1888 - 12/9/05 at 04:26 PM

Just buy a new car problem solved


stevebubs - 12/9/05 at 05:48 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ned
i need a new catalytic converter as my everyday car failed its mot on emissions.

German Swedish and French seem to have the best price, so I thought I'd ask them about delivery if I'm not in.

They don't recommend delivery to an address where no one is in as their couriers aren't very reliable about having items collected from their depot (my preference) as they sometimes get returned direct to sender or go missing for a while!

I work in central london, so can't get to a branch in the week and can't really get an exhaust delivered to a work address and get it home on a train with a 2 mile walk at the other end.

I can't pay over the phone and get someone else to collect as they can't do that.
I can't give someone else the money either as it needs to go on a credit card this month

I don't know anyone nearby who would be in that i could get it delivered too.

I had the mot on saturday and have 2 weeks free retest, but was hoping to get the bits in the week and go early at 7.30am next saturday to the mot place as I'm meant to be out the next two weekends and the mot place is only open saturday mornings.

Is it just me or does anyone else find themself in a similar predicament for getting hold of bits?

Oh and I have no holiday left until the end of the month (runs with the academic year) so can't have a day off to go and do it.

Ned.


If you pay in advance, I can pick it up from the Reading branch for you most days and you can collect it any evening.

Alternatively, I'm most likely going to the Sylva meet in Liphook this Thurs so can take it down there....


stevebubs - 12/9/05 at 05:49 PM

Doh! just read that you can't get anyone else to collect. You could get it posted to my address if you need to - the other half is in pretty much all the time (U2U / mail me for details)

Stephen

PS Reading Branches of Eurocarparts and PartCo are also really close to the office, and Reading branch of Camberley Autofactors is round the corner from my house


[Edited on 12/9/05 by stevebubs]


sebastiaan - 12/9/05 at 06:15 PM

Ned,

If your car failed, but not by a lot, you could try heating the catalyst up by removing one of the spark plug wires, and running the engine at a nice 3000RPM for a while. This sometimes "cleans" the catalytic material enough to pass the MOT. Mind you, if its a goner all together, you won't be able to "fix" (ahem...) it.

O, and make sure your car doesn't catch fire also.

Could you post the values you got as well as the limits?


ned - 12/9/05 at 08:19 PM

failed by quite a bit. i think its the original cat and has done a fair few miles. also there was a crack in the manifold that i welded up that had caused the engine light to come on, prob an air leak messing up the lambda reading, so quite likely the engine would have been fueling quite rich to compensate, this knackers cats i'm told.

stephen, you have u2u!!

Ned.

[Edited on 12/9/05 by ned]


stevebubs - 12/9/05 at 08:25 PM

and replied!


Simon - 13/9/05 at 11:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ned
Oh and I have no holiday left until the end of the month (runs with the academic year) so can't have a day off to go and do it.

Ned.


Sicky

ATB

Simon


ned - 14/9/05 at 08:45 PM

Big thanks to stevebubs, been round to his tonight to collect the cat not only was i greeted with the offer of a lovely cuppa, but I also got a ride in a zetec fury, nice

thanks again steve.

Ned.