I went out shopping. I had two kinds of lithium batteries on my list.One is the kind half the watches in the world have in them and the other is used in a lot of small electronic gadgets. I had looked in my local Intermarché and DIY store, knowing that both sell batteries. I bought some lithium batteries at Intermarché a few months ago, but I was informed they no longer stock them. I went to the only jeweller in the town who had look as though it was a diamond, then told me he didn't stock the watch one and he would have no custom for the other, try the supermarket was his advice. I went to one of the two shops that does computer accessories, but no way. The other is closed but does not do them anyway. So, with more shopping to do, 20 minutes up the road to Bergerac. Carrefour who had them has metamorphosed in Intermarché. Being a hypermarché I thought I should give it a whirl. Not amongst the batteries, not in the electrical department but one of the people said try the shoe repair place along the way. They apparently fit watch batteries.
Off I toddled. Man appraised the batteries and shook his head, doesn't stock those ones. There is another kind used in watches he sells far more of. Try Intermarché. I explained they had told me to go there, so he said LeClerc. Since there is a very big DIY place that sells batteries next door I took a gander there. Nada. Off to LeClerc. Same farce all over again with recommendations to go here and there but nothing concrete. Now I should not be driving for one thing and because I haven't done so for months and my broken shoulder was hurting I thought one more place and head for home. Because of building work along two streets there was the diversion to Hell for everybody, eventually I reached the city centre. The place advised where they definitely have them. I saw a large range through the window, went for it, the door would not open. Closed Mondays.
I had that wanna cry and wail out loud feeling, but instead slunk back to my car, found the indicator for tyres being different pressures came on after a minute and wanted to drive home slowly anyway. After a wild goose chase I had wasted time, fuel and nerves. I know where I can find the batteries but have no appetite for a half hour drive to the centre of Bergerac for less that €10 of batteries and have nothing else I need immediately.
I really do not like France-knocking but I do not mind knocking the people who have shops, big or small. This time it was batteries, in the past I have had a diversity of situations in which particular types of quite common bulbs, fresh yeast, philadelphia cheese and boot laces have been nowhere to be found if I turn everywhere possible upside down. Do these people know nothing about market gaps? A hypermarket that has only single use or rechargeable AA or AAA batteries seems to have no sense of what people need, especially given that a few metres away they are selling goods that require lithium cells and other kinds of battery. What is wrong with them?
My local garage charged me 380€ for a pedal sensor for my Honda CRV, when same part was diagnosed as being faulty by the Honda dealer, they wanted to charge me 430€ . I went back to local guy who replaced it under guarantee but did mention that he sourced it from the same dealer ! They really are a rip off !
Local guy is not only cheaper, being a neighbour he will actually collect car from the house, leaving me a free loan car if I need one.
As a garagiste I am amazed at the prices charged for car parts at main dealers. I recently had to source a set of front brake pads for a Jeep Grand Cherokee, a fairly common 4x4, so bought the parts on UK eBay for £4.90 plus £16.50 post (someone with a business head MUST tell the P. O....). Unfortunately after 4 weeks the air mail small packet has yet to arrive so I had to get a set in a hurry here. Fortunately I had a trip to Bordeaux to do so visited the Jeep main dealer to buy the parts. When I was presented with the invoice I was stunned! 285 euros. I told the parts man that the price was obscene & that eBay can provide the parts for 6 euros. When told that this was impossible I produced my smart phone to show him. As often happens at times like this the phone decided that it needed recharging. I sent the parts dept an email with the info the next day & bought the parts from my local supplier for 79 euros as I could not wait for Oscaro to post them. The eBay parts are QH, a reputable brand & not a cheap copy.
I agree. My English mate was helping his French girlfriends brother paint a brand new house which he had commissioned to be built less decorations. A carpenter turned up on Tuesday to hang 6 doors & linings in prepared openings on the first floor. He installed his dog plus basket & a dining table & told my mate to bugger off as could not possibly work whilst another trade was there. He finished this mammoth task on Friday afternoon just as the local bar opened! You couldn't make it up.
Well said Vic.. Sense of humour tumour!!
That's if you can,after having driven for an hour to get to the shop,find the thing you're looking for!!! I too tried to do the right thing and "integrate " totally when I moved here 9 years ago.. Just doesn't work!
They want you to buy a new watch Brian.. haven't you sussed it yet?? EVERYTHING in France revolves around people giving other people LOTS of money for little or no effort. I'm married to a frenchman.. he too is disgusted with the "service" his country offers. Can't see it changing.. I do all my shopping on the Internet. Saves time,money and DIESEL!!
They were a bit hairy, better was the BMW 'Bubble Car' which was great fun to drive in London.
Yeah, I know that Norman. I'm just not sure that Leslie does. Mind you, riding in one must be as slow as "shank's pony" . Maybe he just thinks he's walking;-)
I think the car is a Messerschmidt 3-wheeler of the 1950's isn't it? Actually designed from the cockpit of a Messerschmidt WW2 fighter, but I'm not too sure which one.
ah Leslie....we tend to run that way....vic wasnt being unpleasant...just being funny....hope you didnt take offence...we do tend to take it out of eachother here....sense of humour being an absolute requirement...
I thought I was having a bit of fun Leslie, hence the smiley face after my comment denoting a joke. I'm sorry if I thought you had a car, It's obviously that thing you are sitting in, in your photo, which has confused me! It is you I assume. How you could confuse my joke with sarcasm baffles me. Exactly when did you lose your sense of humour,
I do not posess one ....shank's pony is my style.
( I did not realise the thread was going on so long .)
But thanks for the sarcasm anyway (the lowest form of wit !)
Leslie, you're very late to the dinner party. Maybe time to get a quicker car :-)
Just order them on E-Bay UK ,at often a silly price ,and have them posted direct , normally from China or Hong Kong.
So sad .......... but true.
which begs the question what he was marketing with his 'wicked willy' books!
Did you really Shirley? Well I never. Missed it, yoohoo still here! I wouldn't say adversaries Shirl, stubborn old goats or the like perhaps, but all in good faith. Carol is another kettle of fish, she is younger!
Rearrange the anagram.
Finn, I agree, except the marching order was not for me unless I missed it. I ain't going nowhere. I make no illusion that there is much point. I have been entitled to a German pension for four years already, but I am 'saving' it and will take the back pay when Itake the rest. If I moved there I would have all manner of benefits available for the years I paid into their system. I speak their lingo. There are lots of pros. The contras are mainly to do with money as well. because they are doing well (at present) it is a hellish expensive place. I would gain nothing. I suspect my OH would get a job through our contacts in Berlin and some of my old colleagues. Education might be better than here. All of that and it does not suit my family or I. As for the Swiss experience, forget it. Double or treble the bureaucracy, no work for my OH (she has tried and tried), health costs a lot, etc...
I have LEFT the UK. Closed the door behind us. Maybe someday we will go somewhere else but I have my doubts.