So what's classed as essential?

[noseall]

My drive is a Van

Moi aussi.

Although I had to buy, tax, insure, occasionally put fuel in, occasionally drive and MOT the missuses car.

 

[Munroast]

White Van Man here, (or should I say van man of white?) kept my works van when I retired, still driving it 7 years on - in fact never personally owned a car in my entire life, had a van since a teenager.
(wife has always had cars so I do get to drive them sometimes)

Couldn't live without a van, infinitely more useful than a car.

 

[sodthisforfun]

Yes, I really miss having my van at times, so flippin useful. Though on occasion on the motorway in strong winds I wished I had something else!

 

[fillyboy]

I washed my van at the weekend (lwb Vivaro in white) for the first time in six months, it's positively gleaming. I wanted to do it ages ago but I've been working in remote villages and farms where the roads are quite sh1tty with mud, I could clean it one day and it would be filthy the next so why bother.
In my slightly younger days, I would have 'written' something on the side or back of the van in the grime with my finger.
One year I inscribed 'Cleaned by the NHS', this was about fifteen years ago and was quite topical for the time, dirty wards, contracted cleaners from overseas and nurses who had been devolved of having any responsibility for 'that sort of thing'.
More recently, and my all time personal favourite was 'I wish my wife was as dirty as this van'. I might go and drive through some muddy roads tomorrow.

 

[fillyboy]

White Van Man here, (or should I say van man of white?) kept my works van when I retired, still driving it 7 years on - in fact never personally owned a car in my entire life, had a van since a teenager.
(wife has always had cars so I do get to drive them sometimes)

Couldn't live without a van, infinitely more useful than a car.

Which raises an interesting point. If you did forsake the van and phoned the insurance company and said I've got rid of the van and bought a Cortina, the buggers would revert you to zero no claims bonus, they really are quite unscrupulous.

 

[securespark]

I went on confused.com for my lad's car quote. Somehow, the company did not get all the details I had entered.
She asked for these details, then promptly told me that because there had been "a change in the insured's details", that would incur an admin fee and an increased premium...

I WAS ONLY ASKING FOR A QUOTE!!

 

[Munroast]

Which raises an interesting point. If you did forsake the van and phoned the insurance company and said I've got rid of the van and bought a Cortina, the buggers would revert you to zero no claims bonus, they really are quite unscrupulous.

I had that nonsense when I packed in, was a small ltd company so had to buy the van from myself. Lost my no claims bonus and had to start again as a new policy.

ended up paying well over double for a named driver less than 5k a year than anyone over 25 doing 20 a year.

 

[sodthisforfun]

Which raises an interesting point. If you did forsake the van and phoned the insurance company and said I've got rid of the van and bought a Cortina, the buggers would revert you to zero no claims bonus, they really are quite unscrupulous.

Not if you have protected no claims. Everyone should do that.
Unless the rules have changed? I didn't have any problem when got rid of the van.

I went on confused.com for my lad's car quote. Somehow, the company did not get all the details I had entered.
She asked for these details, then promptly told me that because there had been "a change in the insured's details", that would incur an admin fee and an increased premium...

I WAS ONLY ASKING FOR A QUOTE!!

Really? Sounds like the person you were speaking to didn't know what they were doing.

 

[transam]

We got a boiler to change for some one who is getting treatment for cancer tomorrow

Just been talking to her and she insists that it's done

She will retreat into one room

 

[Brigadier]

We got a boiler to change for some one who is getting treatment for cancer tomorrow

Just been talking to her and she insists that it's done

She will retreat into one room

How's she meant to keep you in brews?

 

[Munroast]

We got a boiler to change for some one who is getting treatment for cancer tomorrow

Just been talking to her and she insists that it's done

She will retreat into one room

spend an hour when you are finished washing everything down with soap and water. I would imagine it will be a very frightening time for her, so a big effort on the CV hygiene front will be probably much appreciated by her.

 

[fillyboy]

Not if you have protected no claims. Everyone should do that.
Unless the rules have changed? I didn't have any problem when got rid of the van.

This was years ago, I've been a name driver on the wifes policy for the car. I'm not sure if I've got protected no claims, must check that.

 

[Nozzle]

Not any more it doesn't. British radio, and more so TV, is entirely aimed at thick people. Lowest common denominator stuff. Everything is low-brow now. Spoken word radio must have something politically-correct mentioned every 10 seconds; music radio is diabolical, and television now seems to be all cookery and cake baking, with sugar plum fairy cello music in the background.

OFF!

You need Talk Radio in your life. At times like this, it's been a godsend. Get it on the 'net or DAB depending what area you're in. Where I live, one can only get approved views and opinion from Aunty Beeb over DAB.

 

[Notch7]

entirely aimed at thick people.

2019 Conservative election campaign.

 

[crystal ball]

You need Talk Radio in your life. At times like this, it's been a godsend. Get it on the 'net or DAB depending what area you're in. Where I live, one can only get approved views and opinion from Aunty Beeb over DAB.

At times like this I need distraction not endless discussion about CV, R6 or Planet Rock mainly