Waiting is the worst part

       As we approach the end of another year and I reflect back, I have to say this year has been, without sounding to depressing almost a complete fail. 

      Of course there have been some exciting and positive moments, like my involvement in all of the success of the film "Meet the Local Hero", and the very kind invitation to travel over to Spain from my friend Dragos, the director to spend time with him and his partner Ana, then being able to attend the film screening in Barcelona, at the Love & Hope International Film Festival. 

Dragos and myself during filming

      There has been the help and support of various generous people alongside the Arctic ONE Foundation, on my Go Fund me page in trying to help me raise enough funds to buy a new G3 Infinity Knee, so that I could continue riding. 

  

Arctic ONE - what an amazing foundation

G3 Infinity Knee

      And there is the fact I have found trying to write a book quite intriguing, and have enjoyed the journey of reflection and putting my thoughts and memories down. There is still a lot of work to do to get it all finished, mostly to do with grammar and getting a front and back cover done, however the story is just about at a point where I am happy.

      And so to this year and why I consider it a fail. Well I decided to treat myself to a new ebike, way back in May of this year 2024. After doing some research I opted for a Cannondale Moterra SL. I contacted Wheelbase in Darlington and went down to put a deposit down and place my order. I knew with the bike being a new model it would take some time to arrive, however whilst waiting I got my eye on a different model bike, so I decided to change my mind, and opted for an Orbea Rise M10 LT. I custom specc'd the bike down at Wheelbase and then I waited, and waited, and waited some more. Finally after waiting over 6 months the bike had not arrived, and I was informed it wouldn't be here until possibly December or even later. Apparently there was a problem with getting components.

      Now at this point I must make it clear, Wheelbase had done everything they possibly could to get the bike to me, it has had nothing to do with their customer service. I spoke to another local bike shop lately and they stated they have had the exact same problems when it comes to delivery times from Orbea. The same thing actually happened when I was looking to buy my Orbea Gain, I just couldn't get a bike for love nor money at the time.

      Anyhoo just this week I cancelled the order for the Orbea Rise with Wheelbase. There are other reasons, other than the long wait. I currently have stuff going on that have me kind of all over the place. If you are a follower of my blog you may have read that I have been going through some health issues, which funnily enough started just after I ordered a new bike, oh and when my old Bartlett Tendon Knee started acting up and became pretty much un-useable. 

   

Orbea Rise Cancelled - Took way too long to arrive

      Going back to this health thing, I originally thought I had just picked up a really bad bug from work, however after a prolongued period of illness I was to discover this was not the case. 

      It has hit me really hard as my intention was to save up for a new bike, then my knee fucked up so I started the GoFund Me, and then this whatever it is health problem started getting worse. Obviously best laid plans and all that have not gone as I thought. I think I must have been off work going on 6 or so months this year, with what had been described as Ulcerative Colitis by the Inflamatory Bowel Disease clinic.

    Things got a little better following the taking of some predisanone which are steroids, these allowed me to take the trip over to Spain and even do some riding, however upon my return home and gradually coming off the steroids I found I was feeling unwell again, which has meant more time off work and I cannot ride my bike. I just feel so unwell. Whatever is going on has me wiped out, and in so much pain, alongside lots of stress.

      Having been back to the IBD clinic and now been put back on steroids alongside another medication, Salofalk Granules I am now waiting more investigations, this is to be another camera up my hoop, something called a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy and a MRE, which is similar to a MRI, however is apparently better for observing soft tissue.

      My IBD nurse has been wonderful in her support, she says there is a Big question mark over my diagnosis, and I am a trickey customer, due to my past history with the Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and having treatment for that. Now that I am needing more tests  I am obviously concerned, however trying to stay positive.      

      I just feel my whole life is back in limbo again, waiting for a definitive diagnosis, and then to see what will happen. My health has to come first as without it I can't do jack. I am stressed about work, and I know I will have the Department of Work and Pensions on my case and the awful people over at Universal Credit. I was sanctioned £800 the first week I was forced onto this new benefit system, and went from disabled tax credits which I used to receive from HMRC without problems.

       Now recently I have been sanctioned by Universal Credit, 2 months in a row since being on the sick, and I have been informed I owe £900 quid back. The people at Universal Credit took great delight in telling me there is no such things as "disabled tax credits", basically you are treat like a benefit scrounger. I hate it on the rare occassion when I do have to attend the Job Centre, as you have to face the demeaning glare of the so called advisors, who look at you like you are pure scum. I don't get a great deal a month from the government, it's just supposed to be a little help to bump up my wage, to meet the national standard. I have had to reduce my hours at work, as I have been struggling for sometime, so I am now down to 24 hours per week, well when I feel well enough to even go.

      Man this all sounds like doom and gloom and I apologise if you are reading this and thinking " Wow I could do without reading all this negativity", however my blog has always been about telling it how it is. Life for a lot of people isn't like in the movies, or like on social media, where everyone is trying to portray this amazing, yet fake lifestyle. Yes I have had a bit of a whine in my relaying of events, or is it more of just getting my thoughts out there ?

      You see I find writing stuff down helps with my thought process. I know I have faced serious health concerns in the past, so although I am stressed to fuck at times, due to the unknown, I also feel pretty well equipped to deal with what is to come. The best bit of advice I can give anyone, I guess is to talk to someone and try not to keep things bottled up. Although it may feel like moaning and it can get tedious as your whole life appears to revolve around whatever problem you have, talking to someone you trust can help relieve a great deal of pressure.

Of course I also have that internal dark side to me, and if you know anything about me you will know I love quotes. This one is by Lou Holtz who used to be an American football player, coach and analyst, and it goes like this...

" Never tell your problems to anyone... Eighty Percent don't care and the other twenty percent are gald you have them"

      I just keep telling myself take one day at a time and live in the moment, the past is the past and the future is not here yet so it is no good getting all wound up, of course its difficult, however I am a lot better at stopping my over active imagination and telling my inner voice to do one, when it starts with all its negative questions and scenarios. At the end of the day this is just life, and part of my journey.

     I am going to focus on keep going with my goal of getting a new G3 Infinity Knee, and looking ahead to getting a new bike so that I can follow my passion of being out in nature on some beautiful trail or another. It kind of reminds me of way back in 2007 when I knew I was going to have my leg amputated. I bought a new bike, way before my surgery and that was the inspiration to overcome and move forward. 

     Future inspiration a picture for now...

Santa Cruz Heckler SL

For now I will probably wait a little while for a more positive diagnosis, then I will know exactly what I am dealing with, and I can figure out a way forward. Hey its just another challenge Right?

Why I would never buy another Abarth

 As the title to this post states "Why I would never buy another Abarth!"

I purchased my Abarth 124 Spider from Motorpoint in Birtley sometime around August of last year 2023, after trading in my Abarth 595 Competzione. As with all my other cars that I have owned, there has been no expense spared in either servicing or in modifying my car. I always use top end products, for washing and cleaning, and it was upon cleaning my car some 7 months ago, and I will now explain how the 7 months is relevant. 

      You see it was a hot day and after washing my car and going on to dry her  around the boot area, I obseerved the rubber boot seal appeared loose. As I took my duster to mop up any residual water the seal moved and I noticed what appeared to be signs of rust under the seal. Upon lifting the seal up, sure enough the paint was blistered.

Following the drying of my car and giving it a good polish I decided to pop to a local garage, and the friendly chap took a look at the area and informed "You should get intouch with the main dealer, as this should come under warranty". He advised I check my service book and look under the warranty section. So when I got home that is what I did. It clearly stated the car is only warrantied for 36 months against manufacturing defects of the paintwork, this was on page 9. However when I turned the page and looked at page 10 it stated that the car was covered under warranty for "Perforating Rust" and this is for 8 years. Now my car is a 2019 so if we go to 2024 that means it is 5 years old, so I thought " Get in I am covered". I mean the area the car was rusting could not have been caused by stone chips, or other accidental damage. The paint is blistering from what looks like to me the inside to the outside. It is as if the car has had a spot weld on the panel and not enough protective paint had been applied.

   

Paint Warranty for 36 months

Not worth the papaer its wrote on

I did a quick search on Google and Perforation was described as 

"perforation, is corrosion forming from inside a metal panel which is rusting from the inside of the panel and works its way through the panel from inside to out".

Start of rust forming

Start of car cancer

What do you think ?

Anyhoo I contacted my local Abarth dealer Richard Hardie down at Silverlink and after a little chat was advised to take my car to their approved body shop, which was Fenham Garage Services in Newcastle. Upon the paint guy inspecting my car and taking some photographs, my dad being with me the guy clearly stated "Ahh yes it looks like the paint has blistered  and is perforated".

Fenham Garage Services then issued an invoice to Richard Hardie, as far as I am aware, and I got back in touch with Richard Hardie to confirm what FGS had said. I then waited, and waited and nothing from Richard Hardie. A call to Richard Hardie and I was informed that Abarth Customer Care had not been back in touch with them. Anyhoo 2 months passed by so I decided to get in touch with Abarth Customer Care myself. I was issued a case number, and then another few months went by with no communication. I got back intouch with Abarth customer care and was informed, that they had been having problems talking to the person involved at Richard Hardie, he just wasn't around. More time ticked away.

Eventually some roughly 7 months later I received an email to say that my claim had been refused, as the "Photographs didn't support the warranty claim for perforated paint". I wrote back saying I didn't agree and commented on the terrible customer service, I had received, I mean come on 7 months, not only that but to be informed by the approved body shop that the paintwork was defective and then not have anyone look at it in person from Fiat or Abarth or whoever I thought was shocking. I then received an email today to say the case was at its conclusion as 

"Additionally, certain criteria must be met for us to investigate further, including factors such as the age of the vehicle, which unfortunately falls outside the parameters we consider." 

"Err hold on the warranty clearly states up to 8 years for perforating rust, and if they are just going off pictures, surely someone should look at the car in person". Its a bit like these damn insurance companies, they are only to willing to fleece people for high premiums, however then not willing to pay out the true price of a replacement vehicle like for like, when you have informed them of how much money and care you have gone into looking after your motor.

Now I know my car was second hand, however it has a full service history and came with a warranty, that is in my opinon not worth the paper it is written on. The service by both the main dealer Richard Hardie and the Abarth customer service has been shocking. Oh and upon further research if you check the Abarth Forums, this doesn't appear just to be a one off, as in just my car. There are many people complaing of the same areas, where these cars are rusting.

In ending I would say the Abarths are a great little car, however like anything else if you aren't looked after by the after sales, well it certainly puts you off any future investments. So I guess this is a tip and words of advice if you are intending on purchasing am Abarth 124 Spider, check under the boot rubber for signs of rust.