Word of warning

[jonc3725]

I hope nobody does what I did Monday evening on the car was fidling with the fuel system (see my post in Engine) and I am useless with tools when I put them down so I put the screwdriver in my back pocket for safe keeping. I then went to put the ignition on to turn the fuel pump but for some unknown reason I decided to get into the car. Yep you can see where this is going, I sat into my nice ISIS blue leather drivers seat and as my rear end was settling into the seat the screw driver (still in my back pocket!!) scraped down the the seat causing a massive hole and gash in the seat back as I settled down. OMG .

Luckily picked up a replacement seat today. What were the odds of finding an ISIS blue seat so quick and local to me as well?

So just a word of warning when you start getting old and forgetful for gods sake don't put your sharp tools in your pocket, it will only make an expensive hobby of owning a XJS more expensive

[steveww]

One of the dangers of doing your own work. I think we all have some horror stories of damage we have done while supposedly repairing our cars.

I dropped my Lotus off the trolley jack resulting in a week's worth of fibreglass repairs.

Soft wing protectors are an excellent idea and can save damage from a dropped spanner on the wing while working in the engine bay. You can even get them with Jaguar logos on them.

[franrca]

I can sympathise - I once absent mindedly sat in a previous car with a pair of kitchen scissors sticking out of my pack pocket, sharp end up.

I still vividly remember the 'phut' sound as I sat down and the vinyl was pierced and then sitting there for a minute to work up the courage to get out and see what damage had been done...and to get out without causing more. End result, nice hole and flap of vinyl sticking up...I could have cried as I'd had the seats all recovered at considerable cost....doh.

[MichaelSB]

I recently lifted the front of one of my cars with my tractor bucket but when it came to releasing it I used my left hand on the control instead of my right, I now have a line across the nose of my car where the bucket landed luckily that car is fibreglass so only paint and pride damage

[dhdove]

I told you to be careful with that tractor.........
Tony

[davidm]

Jon
You were very lucky the screwdriver was that way round... If the other way up....OUCH!!
David

[J44EAG]

Some years back, whilst getting to know my lady friend, I suffered the misfortune of sustaining a broken bunk in my caravan. This was as unfortunate as it was unexpected.

Repair was deemed necessary and we set forth to B&Q for materials required for rebuild and and reinforcement of the bunk structure. One collapse was funny, a second one would have been most frustrating.

We obtained several lenths of 2x1 batten, coach screws and glue. The slightly long battens were placed in my 4x4 hatchback Sierra resting atop the dashboard at the front. I decided to return to the store and buy a tenon saw to trim of the over long battens. Before I could stop my girlfriend, she slammed the hatchback shut and all the battens punched their way through the front windscreen! I was incredulous.

That girl always was in a rush.....but an interesting story to tell my grandchildren.

Oh to be young again.

Mike