Mot failure

[steve333]

I guess we will never know if:

A. MB did not actually check and/or adjust the headlights during the B service, or did so badly.

B. MB did check and/or adjust the headlight, buy they went out of alignment due to speed bumps etc during the 1,500 miles and two months since.

C. There was nothing wrong with the headlights and the MOT centre was just out to make a quick profit.

You asked about B, and I think the simple answer is that no one can categorically say it is not possible....

With reference to B.,i have had the car serviced at mb brooklands(had a service contract with them which has just expired & found them to be very good/no issues) & on both previous mot's i've had a pass without any advisorys so the headlights have never been out of alighnment before so i suspect c. but like you say will never know but it does make you think about taking your car elsewhere in future out of principle so for £12 is it worth them taking the risk of losing customers.........

 

[Dieselman]

I really wish you'd read the question properly if you are going to make a reply........

I wish you would keep up with the thread.

I was responding to the two posts here...which is why I responded at the point I did.

Thats a bit picky, but it is at the testers descretion, but he has seen a great car, and thought £££££. Take it somewhere else next time.

^^^ yup

 

[wemorgan]

I really wish you'd read the question properly if you are going to make a reply........

IMHO it was easy to read the first post one of two ways - that's the general risk forum threads have.

 

[Dieselman]

In DM's defence, I believe he wasn't replying to your question in the original post, but to those posters who thought the garage should have done this for free.

Thanks Mark.
That was obvious, but as usual someone wanted to try to start a flame war.

 

[Dieselman]

With reference to B.,i have had the car serviced at mb brooklands(had a service contract with them which has just expired & found them to be very good/no issues) & on both previous mot's i've had a pass without any advisorys so the headlights have never been out of alighnment before so i suspect c. but like you say will never know but it does make you think about taking your car elsewhere in future out of principle so for £12 is it worth them taking the risk of losing customers.........

Depends on the customer. Some they are probably glad to see the back of.

 

[steve333]

I wish you would keep up with the thread.

I was responding to the two posts here...which is why I responded at the point I did.

If you was then i appologise but as you didn't quote either it wasn't obvious.......

 

[steve333]

Thanks Mark.
That was obvious, but as usual someone wanted to try to start a flame war.

If thats your opinion then it makes a change for it to be someone else........

 

[steve333]

Depends on the customer. Some they are probably glad to see the back of.

Wondered how long it would be before you replied with one of your typically arrogant,i'm always right,look at me i'm the forums highest poster attitude,your the main reason why some forum members including myself choose not to post as much as we have in the past-the forum was a much happier place when you we're banned.....

 

[markjay]

Can we get back OT, please...

 

[steve333]

To be honest if that's the only thing wrong we will normally do it for free..

Credit to you Jay,nice to know there are still some honest reliable garages around......

 

[Dieselman]

Credit to you Jay,nice to know there are still some honest reliable garages around......

I thought the issue was that the headlights might have gone out of adjustment in 1500 miles, not that the garage charged for the adjustment.


Oops, silly me.

 

[Sp!ke]

I've never ever needed headlight realignment on any car i have owned unless I had fiddled with the headlight.

So my moneys on the garage trying it on to get a few extra bob.

 

[steve333]

I've never ever needed headlight realignment on any car i have owned unless I had fiddled with the headlight.

So my moneys on the garage trying it on to get a few extra bob.

Thats how it would appear Spike,my concern was that i had a b service at mb brooklands 1500 miles ago so why would the headlights need re-adjusting but was at the garages mercy as they would have failed the car without doing the adjustment-i too have never in over 30 years driving have been told my headlights needed adjusting

 

[Will]

Do they check headlight alignment at service time though? I don't think they do.

Sometimes small things can make them go from being just within spec to just out of spec. Eg, a friend of mine replaced some rear suspension parts on his BMW, causing the rear ride height to raise slightly - the headlights then dipped lower as the car was pointing slightly nose down.

I guess new rear tyres, a slight difference in ride height (air matic?) etc could cause similar.

At the end of the day, garages have better ways of making money rather than charging just £10.00 for adjusting headlights

 

[steve333]

Good points will,i had new front tyres fitted 2 weeks ago & changed the airmatic from sport 11 to sport 1 (which raises the car slightly),which ever way you look at it seems very picky to me......

 

[martyz]

Do they check headlight alignment at service time though? I don't think they do.

Sometimes small things can make them go from being just within spec to just out of spec. Eg, a friend of mine replaced some rear suspension parts on his BMW, causing the rear ride height to raise slightly - the headlights then dipped lower as the car was pointing slightly nose down.

I guess new rear tyres, a slight difference in ride height (air matic?) etc could cause similar.

At the end of the day, garages have better ways of making money rather than charging just £10.00 for adjusting headlights

Please tell us a better way to "earn" £120 per hour,assuming a generous 5 mins to do the job,realistically though 10 cars a day per tester 500pw in headlight alignment well worth it to the garage.

 

[Will]

Please tell us a better way to "earn" £120 per hour,assuming a generous 5 mins to do the job,realistically though 10 cars a day per tester 500pw in headlight alignment well worth it to the garage.

How can they do 12 MOT tests an hour?

Why does everyone think that the garage are being dishonest. They don't make the rules - the headlights are either in spec (and pass) or out of spec (and fail). There's no grey area.

See how much fuss this has all kicked up. Now if you were running a garage, would you really use a £10.00 scam for that amount of hassle. I don't think so

I've been around garages and MoT tests long enough to know that when the beam alignment is checked, quite a few cars are out of spec. It happens.

 

[Frostytel]

My local mot place always seems to find a non working brake light bulb .... Pulled a spare from the glove box ... Made him a bit grumpy lol, ESP as it was a supposed fail from last year lol

 

[martyz]

How can they do 12 MOT tests an hour?

Why does everyone think that the garage are being dishonest. They don't make the rules - the headlights are either in spec (and pass) or out of spec (and fail). There's no grey area.

See how much fuss this has all kicked up. Now if you were running a garage, would you really use a £10.00 scam for that amount of hassle. I don't think so

I've been around garages and MoT tests long enough to know that when the beam alignment is checked, quite a few cars are out of spec. It happens.

no they can't but twelve 5min jobs =1hr

 

[Will]

Please tell us a better way to "earn" £120 per hour

Open an official MB service centre - their labour rate is higher than that!

Might also be worth noting, including the charge for adjustment of headlights - this MOT test will have still been cheaper than the full amount charged by some testing stations (£54.85). And they would still have failed it for misaligned headlight beam!