Gobsmacked

[Ian B Walker]

I just have to write about this. The shed went in for its MoT this morning. The examiner mentioned that the rear pipes for the suspention were rusting, slight groan from me. next he said that the front l/h brake was not quite as it should be, but new pads would rectify the problem. He also said that a rear light was out. By now I am toting up a bill. So I said to examiner, quote "whats the damage" his reply, "hang on" and with that went into his office. Fearing the worst I stood there aprehensive. Back came examiner and said "£37 please" while passing over a pass certificate. I didnt know if I should have bowed to kiss his feet etc. Needless to say the Green Monster is booked in for next Monday. Who said that all MoT examiners don'tt have fathers?

 

[Ian B Walker]

duplicated post, see above

 

[andy_k]

good news that it passed

"The examiner mentioned that the rear pipes for the suspention were rusting, slight groan from me"

just under £12 the pair from MB - give me a shout if you want the part numbers

Andy

 

[Andy W]

These days it is rare to find a good "honest" MOT'er who will not try to make a fast buck out of you, I use a local guy who is really good, now there is also a place not to far from me who fail virtually everything that they MOT, the business that it generates is amazing !

 

[andy_k]

A couple of years back Annie took her Rover 820 in for an MoT to one tester who failed it on 4 areas of welding and they quoted her £200 to put it right - now I'd been over that car with a fine tooth comb the night before and hadn't seen any possible signs of corrosion that needed welding so, using his fail sheet, I checked the areas again (they were fine) and took some photographs before I took it back and asked them to show me exactly where it needed welding and to mark the areas clearly so I could put it right.

This is where it got interesting, same tester, same car, different result. He checked the areas he's listed on the fail sheet and agreed that there was no corrosion there and then started making excuses that we had repaired the sections etc etc. I mentioned the fact that I had taken photographs as soon as we got the car back and that we would be reporting them to the DoT.

Never have I seen a garage grovel quite as much as they did, she was offered a free service, valet and lots of other incentives to "keep quiet". Rather than take them up, she just carried on and reported the garage.

The DoT guys were great, came around with a local policeman, took a quick look at the car and the original fail sheet, took a statement then went off and immediately revoked the testers licence. The garage got a big fine and eventually lost their MoT testing status because once one complaint got some publicity a lot more people came forward. It turned out that it was policy to fail all cars over 6 years old and find at least £100 worth of work on them whether they needed it or not!

If you are not happy with the results from an MoT test you should just take it somewhere else and let them take a look at it for you.

Andy

 

[NormanB]

A couple of years back Annie took her Rover 820 in for an MoT to one tester who failed it on 4 areas of welding and they quoted her £200 to put it right - now I'd been over that car with a fine tooth comb the night before and hadn't seen any possible signs of corrosion that needed welding so, using his fail sheet, I checked the areas again (they were fine) and took some photographs before I took it back and asked them to show me exactly where it needed welding and to mark the areas clearly so I could put it right.

[snipped]

Rather than take them up, she just carried on and reported the garage.

The DoT guys were great, came around with a local policeman, took a quick look at the car and the original fail sheet, took a statement then went off and immediately revoked the testers licence. The garage got a big fine and eventually lost their MoT testing status because once one complaint got some publicity a lot more people came forward. It turned out that it was policy to fail all cars over 6 years old and find at least £100 worth of work on them whether they needed it or not!

If you are not happy with the results from an MoT test you should just take it somewhere else and let them take a look at it for you.

Andy

BLOODY BRILLIANT :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

NormanB

 

[Andy W]

Same thing happened to me 7 years ago with a Maestro van, the garage failed it on suspension, all brake pipes, welding and emmissions, they wanted £540 + what ever to reduce the emissions such as injectors and or diesel pump, took it to another garage it cost £80 to replace rear brake pipes and patch one sill, just goes to show.

 

[Shude]

A garage in Dewsbury said before my old astra could pass it's MOT it needed some welding where one of the headlamps mounted and also where the handbrake was. Sadly they managed to set fire to the interior while welding, that was a right laugh to sort out I can tell you, the backseat was gone, the carpet was gone, the ceiling had stalagtites of molten plastic hanging down from it and everything was covered in a thick layer of ash.

 

[PJH]

A garage in Dewsbury said before my old astra could pass it's MOT it needed some welding where one of the headlamps mounted and also where the handbrake was. Sadly they managed to set fire to the interior while welding, that was a right laugh to sort out I can tell you, the backseat was gone, the carpet was gone, the ceiling had stalagtites of molten plastic hanging down from it and everything was covered in a thick layer of ash.

When is this coming out on DVD ?

 

[guydewdney]

A garage in Dewsbury said before my old astra could pass it's MOT it needed some welding where one of the headlamps mounted

headlight???

may i direct you to the mot testers manual? a headliht mounting isnt exactly structural...:-

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm

 

[Shude]

may i direct you to the mot testers manual? a headliht mounting isnt exactly structural...:-

well, the headlamps were out of alignment, maybe whatever they're bolted to was falling off.

 

[lookskyward1]

My local garage does free re-tests, this means that I don't need to look at the car until after the test 'failure'. I fix the bits highlighted and return to pick up my new certificate. Easy peasy. :bannana:

This is far better than guessing at what might be picked up.

 

[Shude]

My local garage does free re-tests, this means that I don't need to look at the car until after the test 'failure'.

According to that manual that guy posted, garages are legally obliged to give free re-tests.

 

[lookskyward1]

Quote,
'Retests (Re-Examinations)
if the vehicle stays at the test station which failed the vehicle, to be repaired No additional fee (Partial Re-Examination. if the vehicle is brought back to the same testing station and retested before the end of the next working day on one or more of the following items only No additional fee (Partial Re-Examination)'


My testing station will give me two weeks to repair the car and return, most charge half price for this priviledge.

 

[Shude]

My testing station will give me two weeks to repair the car and return

Mine too, that's why I always try to get the test done a month before it's actually needed! Nothing worse than a last-minute panic to get the car roadworthy for whatever reason!

 

[uumode]

Man... where do you guys go for your MOT's

I generally take mine to the main dealer, or a good independant who MOT's for the main dealers. Secondly they allow you time for a repair before a free re-test (but bear in mind the DoT specify which items are re-testable).. i.e. you don't have to use the MOT test station for the repair, and going away to another place will a. be cheaper, b. verify if that part in question is faulty.

Of course if you go down a back street, it's almost asking for trouble

If in doubt, Halfords have AA MOT test centres, surely the AA won't rip you off?

btw, I'm always sceptical of these half price MOT offers or free winter/summer checks.

 

[Shude]

surely the AA won't rip you off?

Tried their insurance services? They check 20-odd companies and come back with a "cheapest" quote of £3k, I ring one company and get a quote of £1k, how hard can it be? Their adverts for that service drive me nuts!

 

[uumode]

Mine too, that's why I always try to get the test done a month before it's actually needed! Nothing worse than a last-minute panic to get the car roadworthy for whatever reason!

Yep and the one I use now gives two weeks for repairs
http://www.tvmot.com/

 

[uumode]

Tried their insurance services? They check 20-odd companies and come back with a "cheapest" quote of £3k, I ring one company and get a quote of £1k, how hard can it be? Their adverts for that service drive me nuts!

Hmm and in the trade they like to carry off a squeaky clean image, e.g. on TV/Press sometimes an AA specialist who checks over a car which then goes into some rogue motor traders for their verdict, AA reports of the motor industry/trends, oh well must be like a Dixon's pricing structure

 

[jimmy]

What are you guys like?

There's a bloke down the pub, he can do MOT's without even seeing the car for only £30, so much easier than having to drive it down to a garage.