Vehicles

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My plans are coming unstuck.

My 4×4 which I haven't locked since well before Christmas, has decided that she isn't going to be locked again. She's got central locking which actually works, but right now both of the doors with locks won't accept the key. It goes in a few millimetres and then meets something solid. The passenger one rotates the entire lock and barrel in with the key and hangs on to the key until you coax it back to vertical. The drivers one just does nothing at all. The boot doesn't have an external lock, but does have an internal knob which is odd.

So I can still drive her. I just can't lock her... until she gets repaired.

 

[Barriehie]

My plans are coming unstuck.

My 4×4 which I haven't locked since well before Christmas, has decided that she isn't going to be locked again. She's got central locking which actually works, but right now both of the doors with locks won't accept the key. It goes in a few millimetres and then meets something solid. The passenger one rotates the entire lock and barrel in with the key and hangs on to the key until you coax it back to vertical. The drivers one just does nothing at all. The boot doesn't have an external lock, but does have an internal knob which is odd.

So I can still drive her. I just can't lock her... until she gets repaired.

My truck did an ignition key thing for awhile where the key wouldn't come out. I'd throw a towel over the steering wheel looking like to keep it cool to hide the key. One day I put a bit of Tri-Flow on the part of the key I could see and parked on a hill so the oil would run down the key. Two days later it worked.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My truck did an ignition key thing for awhile where the key wouldn't come out. I'd throw a towel over the steering wheel looking like to keep it cool to hide the key. One day I put a bit of Tri-Flow on the part of the key I could see and parked on a hill so the oil would run down the key. Two days later it worked.

With the key not going into the lock, I have already tried WD-40 and it hasn't worked. I'm guessing that something has broken rather than gotten stuck. So it is likely both doors need a new lock. The problem is that unlike most vehicles, this one is only very rarely locked, so it takes a long time to find out that it has a problem. Thankfully, despite its age, it doesn't have visible locked/unlocked knobs, so when I found out in town during the week that it didn't lock, I left it open. But now I know, and in February I need to go into the city, I don't want to leave it unlocked.

 

[Barriehie]

With the key not going into the lock, I have already tried WD-40 and it hasn't worked. I'm guessing that something has broken rather than gotten stuck. So it is likely both doors need a new lock. The problem is that unlike most vehicles, this one is only very rarely locked, so it takes a long time to find out that it has a problem. Thankfully, despite its age, it doesn't have visible locked/unlocked knobs, so when I found out in town during the week that it didn't lock, I left it open. But now I know, and in February I need to go into the city, I don't want to leave it unlocked.

My truck door locks don't get used either. It's all on the fob but I still, once a month, put the key in and exercise the parts and occasionally apply a dry graphite lube.

FYI & FWIW, WD-40 will eventually break down and turn into a gummy mess; catching all dirt particles it can. The WD is for water displacer and it does that very well. Best for locks is either a dry lube, graphite based, or a silicone one with PTFE like in Tri-Flo. PTFE is slicker than ice plates on water so that's the best but it is a bit pricier.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The WD is for water displacer and it does that very well. Best for locks is either a dry lube, graphite based, or a silicone one with PTFE like in Tri-Flo. PTFE is slicker than ice plates on water so that's the best but it is a bit pricier.

I know. That side of the vehicle gets all the bad rain and it penetrates into the lock. I was hoping to get it moving again. I guess it's time is up.

We have had to do the same with the fuel cap release cable and the bonnet release as well. The fuel cap release failed at a petrol station when we didn't have enough fuel to get home. The bonnet release failed at the garage, so that was simple. And it's also the side of the vehicle that is missing the paint where the UV has damaged the paint work, along with the bonnet and the bit of the roof that was exposed before we removed the roof rack.

 

[Barriehie]

I know. That side of the vehicle gets all the bad rain and it penetrates into the lock. I was hoping to get it moving again. I guess it's time is up.

We have had to do the same with the fuel cap release cable and the bonnet release as well. The fuel cap release failed at a petrol station when we didn't have enough fuel to get home. The bonnet release failed at the garage, so that was simple. And it's also the side of the vehicle that is missing the paint where the UV has damaged the paint work, along with the bonnet and the bit of the roof that was exposed before we removed the roof rack.

No end to wearing out!

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I know. That side of the vehicle gets all the bad rain and it penetrates into the lock. I was hoping to get it moving again. I guess it's time is up.

We have had to do the same with the fuel cap release cable and the bonnet release as well. The fuel cap release failed at a petrol station when we didn't have enough fuel to get home. The bonnet release failed at the garage, so that was simple. And it's also the side of the vehicle that is missing the paint where the UV has damaged the paint work, along with the bonnet and the bit of the roof that was exposed before we removed the roof rack.

I read that and think so long as you dont leave any valuables in it you don’t need to worry about being able to lock it, I think it’s pretty safe

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I read that and think so long as you dont leave any valuables in it you don’t need to worry about being able to lock it, I think it’s pretty safe

Probably. I did get away with it in the local town, but the lack of transport in places is the issue. Ending up stranded somewhere when there really is only you and your OH is the biggest difficultly.

Plus, my waterproof jacket isn't cheap and I do tend to leave that in it and I need to think about the ipod etc. I have considered it carefully but at the end of the day there should be the choice of leaving it unlocked rather than necessity.

And oddly enough if it is stolen, it invalidates that insurance if it isn't locked . Don't know why but it does and it is worth more now than when we bought it 7 years ago.

But apparently the risk of theft is now much lower with only 1½% of modern passengers vehicles sold in Australia actually being manuals and very few young people (5-10%) take their test in a manual now, so the typical age group for vehicle theft don't actually know how to drive a manual.

Carma | Why manual drivers are a rare breed in Australia

 

[Barriehie]

Probably. I did get away with it in the local town, but the lack of transport in places is the issue. Ending up stranded somewhere when there really is only you and your OH is the biggest difficultly.

Plus, my waterproof jacket isn't cheap and I do tend to leave that in it and I need to think about the ipod etc. I have considered it carefully but at the end of the day there should be the choice of leaving it unlocked rather than necessity.

And oddly enough if it is stolen, it invalidates that insurance if it isn't locked . Don't know why but it does and it is worth more now than when we bought it 7 years ago.

But apparently the risk of theft is now much lower with only 1½% of modern passengers vehicles sold in Australia actually being manuals and very few young people (5-10%) take their test in a manual now, so the typical age group for vehicle theft don't actually know how to drive a manual.

Carma | Why manual drivers are a rare breed in Australia

Bottom line to me is like it came with locks so they should work.

Like my truck; it wasn't making that noise when Ford sold it so fix it...

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

But apparently the risk of theft is now much lower with only 1½% of modern passengers vehicles sold in Australia actually being manuals and very few young people (5-10%) take their test in a manual now, so the typical age group for vehicle theft don't actually know how to drive a manual.

Carma | Why manual drivers are a rare breed in Australia

Interesting. My sons did their tests not very long ago along with all their friends and my friends children are doing them now and every one of them have gone for a manual licence and bought manual cars.
I suppose it’s a bit different here, it’s considered better to have a full licence and be able to drive everything, even employment wise it’s sensible.

I wonder how the eventual move towards all automatics will affect motorcycle licences.
It’s already a ridiculously difficult and expensive test (in the UK). It’s not the simplest thing to master using a separate left hand n foot lever to change gear, especially if you’re also using your right hand n foot to brake at the same time.
I reckon if you also had no clue about how to operate a clutch it could be the final nail.

There are a few (hardly any) automatic motorbikes, they could develop more but the motorcycle industry is notoriously slow and unresponsive. You only have to look at how many great British marques disappeared because of their stubborn refusal to change.

 

[Barriehie]

Interesting. My sons did their tests not very long ago along with all their friends and my friends children are doing them now and every one of them have gone for a manual licence and bought manual cars.
I suppose it’s a bit different here, it’s considered better to have a full licence and be able to drive everything, even employment wise it’s sensible.

I wonder how the eventual move towards all automatics will affect motorcycle licences.
It’s already a ridiculously difficult and expensive test (in the UK). It’s not the simplest thing to master using a separate left hand n foot lever to change gear, especially if you’re also using your right hand n foot to brake at the same time.
I reckon if you also had no clue about how to operate a clutch it could be the final nail.

There are a few (hardly any) automatic motorbikes, they could develop more but the motorcycle industry is notoriously slow and unresponsive. You only have to look at how many great British marques disappeared because of their stubborn refusal to change.

So you've got a separate license for manual and automatic? Sounds like another way for MV dept. to make more money.

I drove a motorcycle many moons ago and it was quite 2nd nature with left hand/foot for clutch and gears with right hand/foot for separate brakes and also throttle.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Interesting. My sons did their tests not very long ago along with all their friends and my friends children are doing them now and every one of them have gone for a manual licence and bought manual cars.
I suppose it’s a bit different here, it’s considered better to have a full licence and be able to drive everything, even employment wise it’s sensible.

I wonder how the eventual move towards all automatics will affect motorcycle licences.
It’s already a ridiculously difficult and expensive test (in the UK). It’s not the simplest thing to master using a separate left hand n foot lever to change gear, especially if you’re also using your right hand n foot to brake at the same time.
I reckon if you also had no clue about how to operate a clutch it could be the final nail.

There are a few (hardly any) automatic motorbikes, they could develop more but the motorcycle industry is notoriously slow and unresponsive. You only have to look at how many great British marques disappeared because of their stubborn refusal to change.

My brother is a driving instructor in Crewe. He only teaches in automatics now. There are quite a few driving instructors in his area who only teach in automatics. He is busy enough to choose who he teaches.

He was a motorbike courier for a long time.

 

[Barriehie]

My job profession is labeled as a transporter and you only need a valid DL. Whether or not I could drive a manual was a checkbox! Of course growing up with tractors and farm trucks we were driving manuals to the store on farm equipment for soda since you didn't need a license to drive a tractor...

 

[JAS_OH1]

My job profession is labeled as a transporter and you only need a valid DL. Whether or not I could drive a manual was a checkbox! Of course growing up with tractors and farm trucks we were driving manuals to the store on farm equipment for soda since you didn't need a license to drive a tractor...

I always just rode my horse. Well until I turned 16 and got my DL.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

So you've got a separate license for manual and automatic? Sounds like another way for MV dept. to make more money.

I drove a motorcycle many moons ago and it was quite 2nd nature with left hand/foot for clutch and gears with right hand/foot for separate brakes and also throttle.

Riding a motorcycle when you’re very young is easy, later it’s not, and nowadays in this country you have to be 24 years old for a full motorcycle licence, by which time a lot of youngsters want or have a car and an expensive luxury like a motorcycle isn't on the cards. Here and the US the motorcycling community is an ageing one.

Not really a money making thing, a manual licence (aka full licence) costs the same as an automatic and manual is still the norm. There’s apparently been a big rise in the last few years but it still 81% of tests are for manual full licences which entitle you to drive both. I don’t see that high rate continuing though.

You can apply to do your test in just an automatic but will then be restricted to only driving automatics from that point so I don’t really get why you’d want to do that, apart from thinking it’ll save you money, which it may not because the test pass rates for an automatic licence is lower than a manual. Plus the vehicle cost after will be higher (no cheap to insure jalopy for you) and even care hire will cost you considerably more. It might be the way forward but it’s currently a short sighted choice if you’re trying to save moola.

And why would you want to restrict yourself if you don’t have to?
Over 70% of the vehicles on the road here are manual. That means a vast pool of affordable vehicles won’t be available to precisely the age group that needs them most. And no classic cars for that cohort.
Why miss out on the joys of a manual when you’re young?
Save the automatic for older more tired years or the horror of having to commute in rush hour traffic.

When I wanted to do my motorcycle test I went to school nearby who looked me up and down and told me I’d be doing a restricted A2 licence. Meaning I would never ride a powerful bike unless I did another test later.

I was insulted, it’s not the first time I’ve been offered the restricted option on something or dismissed because I’m a small female but this was another woman who was doing it!
Anyway I ignored her and went elsewhere, it wasn’t difficult to step up in power at all, it was in fact easier.
I love a powerful bike, I have one lower powered Goldy the rest are 1200 or over.
I’d never have known that joy if I’d listened to that instructor making ill informed decisions on my behalf and doing me down before I’d even got out of the gate.

But it often feels like there are a lot of people out there who want to make life small. Sod ‘em go for it, if someone else has done it the chances are you can too.

ps I’ve driven an automatic car for the last 10+ years and wouldn’t go back but I have to drive a manual when I drive my sons or dads car or I go away and want to hire a car because then often manuals are the only option left.
Imagine if you had a restricted licence, what a pita.