Text 29106, 63 rader
Skriven 2009-03-13 09:24:30 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 29047 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: Bikes
=============
Michiel van der Vlist wrote to Robert Bashe on Thursday March 12 2009 at 13:17:

MV>>> Here there is no "Tüv" for motorbikes. Not yet. It is about the only
MV>>> catagory of motor vehicles that is exempt. I suspect it is because
MV>>> there is no money to be gained from it.

RB>> You'd be surprised... they extract around EUR 100 from me for this
RB>> little "service".

MV> That is a lot if money. Here they going rate for cars is EUR 45,-.
MV> Every year.

Amounts to about the same, then. Our inspections are every two years. Used to
be a big deal, mainly because of rust problems (with cars), but since around
1990, I haven't had any problems with either cars or (later) the bike.

MV> But I supect thet "they" in Germany are not the same as the "they"
MV> here in frogland. Here it is the garages that do the inspections.

The situation here is similar and different at the same time. The main centers
for these inspections are run by the "Technische Ueberwachungsvereine"
(technical oversight associations) that are semi-government bodies. However,
there are also independent inspection centers, one of which is very near me and
thus convenient. I've used it for the last 9-10 years, after previously having
to drive for 20 minutes to get to a TUeV center. They even sent me a reminder
postcard for the bike inspection this time - how's that for service?  :-)

The garages don't generally do the inspections themselves here, but (for a fee)
will take your car and have it inspected. I prefer to do this myself, though,
as I like to hear what the engineers say.

And I had one very bad experience with a garage when I bought a new/used car
from somewhere else and then asked the garage to have my other car inspected
because I was up to my ears in translating work. There's a German saying about
someone who "let's you run into an open knife" ("in ein offenes Messer rennen
lassen", meaning to leave you to your - unpleasant - fate), and they did that
to me - the inspection was naturally a failure and I had to pay for repairs and
re-inspection. Needless to say, that was the last time I visited that garage.

RB>> No garage? That _is_ a problem.

MV> I dearly miss my fathers garage. With grease pit, workbench and a 3
MV> meter wide rack of tools. In my youth I spend many hours there. Not
MV> shying away from removing an engine or a gear box and overhauling
MV> them.

Sounds like paradise... I always wanted something like that, but am not too old
for any serious repair work.

MV> Well, those days are past. I can only do light repairs now.

And I don't do much of anything, except that now I have to replace the brake
lever on the right side (end broken off in a fall, which would be mentioned at
the inspection), and buy a new starter battery (the old one was weak and was
totally dead). Got both from a Hamburg company through Ebay, and will be
installing them as soon as they arrive (promised delivery before March 20).
Good prices, incidently - and much easier than trying to locate the parts
locally.

Cheers, Bob

--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-0613
 * Origin: Jabberwocky System - 02363-56073 ISDN/V34 (2:2448/44)