We hardly ever use our franking machine. However, on the day we decide to send our Christmas cards out, it's decided to pack up, so not only do we have to go out and buy a load of stamps, we've got to stick them on by hand.

They're going to send out a replacement machine which should get here just as we pack up for Christmas.

My car broke just as I really needed it.
It turns out I needed to get a new starter switch for it.

Mark

Ooh, hope it's not too much of a pain to sort out. My car's been off the road for two months now. Bloody Alfa took three weeks to send two left trailing arms when I need a left and a right. Still, hopefully getting a new car on 30th, so can't wait.

Yip, hadn't used my PS3 in a while and it waited until I was off at Xmas to stop working - got another one though

My mini moto thing wouldn't start when the geezer who was buying it had £150 in his pocket.

My hairdryer's on the way out so asked for new one for Xmas.

The washing machine is on it's last legs and the one I want is £274 (Indesit Moon).

My car's heater's stopped working and of course it ain't a cheap thermostat but some kind of valve that will cost me £150 for the part alone.

Grr grr

Car needs a service - so it}s booked in next week. It’s a “two spanner” job too - so more costly. Arse biscuits,

The heater matrix blowing on my car was the start of all this current trouble. Got a new one for £15. £400 quid labour to fit.

Had that once in a Carlton. The dash was never the same again.

My back door (which is quite substantial) appeared to jam shut last night. I don't know if the lock is bust or it was just frozen up. I suppose I'll find out in a few days. It was somewhat inconvenient as I was out in the back yard at the time and had to shin over a 6 foot high brick wall into my neighbour's yard so I could get back into my house.

Now I can't get back into the yard nor the shed that is in it (which all my tools are in, which I might need to fix the door) and my guest cat is also stuck indoors for the meantime. Given the weather I doubt he'd have wanted to spend much time outdoors anyway but you just know right now he's going to make a big fuss about wanting to.

Jon

I closed the drivers door on my car the other day only to hear an ominous clunk followed by a clatter inside the door.

When I got to my destination, I slowly and gently opened the door, and the whole thing dropped.

I quickly pulled it back and locked it but now there is a gap between the body of the car and the door, which gets wider when you go around left hand bends!

And I'm having to climb over the hand-brake on every trip which is getting pretty old now lol

Machines like to be used.
Cars especially.
It's always worth firing it up and just letting it run through it's thing.
Sorry to hear your woes - touch wood, nothing's broken here for a while.

I hate this. Either it breaks or, equally bad, you can't find it (whatever it is you need).

Bleedin typical...coldest week of the year and my central heating boiler packs up - that was 3 days ago and still waiting for the landlord to send the engineer round to fit the new pump. It's f-f-f-f-f-freezing, only got a small electric oil-filled radiator and a small (expensive to run) electric fan heater. So, keep having a blast of the fan heater every so often - mainly when I can't feel my feet - and the electric radiator is on 24/7. Can't wait to see my electric bill, should be a huge one this time!

There was supposed to be someone coming at 10am this morning, but waited in all day and *surprise, surprise* they didn't turn up. I can feel a heated argument coming on with my landlord (who's conveniently switched his mobile off, bastard), it's not nice having no heating in sub-freezing temperatures!

New Years' Resolution is to find myself a new flat, this old boiler breaks down every winter without fail, and the tight landlord just keeps patching it up.

Nearly 2 years in the flat and the landlord still hasn't sorted out the heating in the bathroom. It is around 10°C in there now!