The ask an MOT tester thread
Discussion
Djtemeka said:
Monkeylegend said:
From and MOT testers perspective what makes/models of cars would you avoid buying, if any?
I’d like to know this too but I suspect that the owner will have a lot to do with the condition Oilchange said:
What cars do you expect to be a mess and aren’t
and conversely, what are expected to be loved and aren’t?
Is there any pattern?
No real pattern, I see horrible cars that you would expect to be well looked after, larger family cars that are health hazards inside, honestly, people spend a fortune on all sorts of crap to keep their young kids sterile then transport them around in a bin full of rotting crap..and conversely, what are expected to be loved and aren’t?
Is there any pattern?
I get a few really cheap Kia's etc that are mint, older folk who really take pride in the car, always nice to see.
Lemming Train said:
You'll see the undersides of at least half a dozen different cars every day - what are the top 5 modern cars for rust?
No one make I can think of but in the last couple of years we’ve seen a lot of Scottish cars-I’m in the North West- and the surface corrosion on the suspension components is horrendous. Not bad enough to fail but I wouldn’t like to own them in a couple of years. Edit. I agree with Athlon, Fiestas and KAs can be pretty bad. Also X type Jags. The sills can disintegrate under the plastic sill covers.
Transits ‘04 on are about the worst we see. The rear chassis rails and rear crossmember corrode badly.
Edited by Little Pete on Saturday 31st August 14:01
Little Pete said:
No one make I can think of but in the last couple of years we’ve seen a lot of Scottish cars-I’m in the North West- and the surface corrosion on the suspension components is horrendous. Not bad enough to fail but I wouldn’t like to own them in a couple of years.
Edit. I agree with Athlon, Fiestas and KAs can be pretty bad. Also X type Jags. The sills can disintegrate under the plastic sill covers.
Transits ‘04 on are about the worst we see. The rear chassis rails and rear crossmember corrode badly.
Thanks. Disclaimer - a good mate of mine is an MOT tester of 25 years and has his own unit in Leeds. It's interesting and perhaps no surprise that his comments mirror both (+Athlon) yours on the Fords and Pugs for rust. Ford in particular seem to be rapidly heading back to 1970s rustproofing standards, ie. nonexistent underneath! My 6 year old Focus (2013) was corroding at an alarming rate all over the rear section, particularly the rear cross member, fuel tank mounts, strut mounts, exhaust mounts. Clumps of rust were flying off from the cross member when he was bashing it with his plastic hammer. Also all 4 springs and mountings/cups were well on their way to failure with 1 of the front ones thick with corrosion already snapped in 2 places(!). Absolutely ridiculous for a 6 year old car with low mileage (44k) and I'm about as far away from the coast as you can get. I got rid of it shortly afterwards and I doubt I'll ever have another Ford.Edit. I agree with Athlon, Fiestas and KAs can be pretty bad. Also X type Jags. The sills can disintegrate under the plastic sill covers.
Transits ‘04 on are about the worst we see. The rear chassis rails and rear crossmember corrode badly.
Edited by Little Pete on Saturday 31st August 14:01
Little Pete said:
Coil springs are something we fail an awful lot of. I don’t know if it’s the quality of the springs or the general condition of our roads but we fail a lot more now than say, ten years ago.
I agree, the number of springs that are broken nowadays is crazy, partly because of poor roads, partly poor metal and partly poor design with the ends finishing on a flat plate so the coil above is stressed as it hits the end..I hate doing Mercedes fronts with the struts that collapse in when you release the mount...idiot idea!Athlon said:
I agree, the number of springs that are broken nowadays is crazy, partly because of poor roads, partly poor metal and partly poor design with the ends finishing on a flat plate so the coil above is stressed as it hits the end..I hate doing Mercedes fronts with the struts that collapse in when you release the mount...idiot idea!
I'd assumed it was potholed roads combined with rubber band tyres (offering no shock absorption) that was the cause but my MOT tester says he sees just as many broken springs on run-of-the-mill cars with fat profile tyres so this tends to suggest that the steel quality has gone to crap with the amount that are snapping. He's actually bought himself a quite expensive spring compressor and does the spring replacements for the customers himself. Reckons he makes good profit from doing this and other sideline jobs like basic servicing. He charges a flat £40 for an MOT.thecremeegg said:
My Z4 has two brake light bulbs per side, plus the 3rd brake light.
One of the 4 bulbs isn't working due to some fault and therefore the bulb light on the dash is on.
Is this a fail if I still have at least one brake light per side and the 3rd one working?
Thanks!
Brake lights only fail if there is less than 50% working in a particular light source(lamp in english), so in your case would not fail, but is whats now known as a minor defectOne of the 4 bulbs isn't working due to some fault and therefore the bulb light on the dash is on.
Is this a fail if I still have at least one brake light per side and the 3rd one working?
Thanks!
Stop lamp(s):
with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning Minor
missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning Major
all missing or inoperative Dangerous.
OP (and other MoT peeps). What’s your opinion on the removal of the requirement for an MoT on classic cars?
I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny on top, death trap underneath.
Edited due to having fat fingers...
I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny on top, death trap underneath.
Edited due to having fat fingers...
Edited by ChevronB19 on Saturday 31st August 19:21
ChevronB19 said:
OP (and other MoT peeps). What’s your opinion on the removal of the requirement for an MoT on classic cars?
I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny in top, death trap underneath.
Worse idea ever. I tested a Land Rover last week for a chap who was driving it every day but wanted a check, it should be no where near the road. Same with a VW camper, rotten. A chap brought a lovely old Ford Consul that looked show winning but he always likes it testing, steering box cracked at the mounting. All cars should be tested.I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny in top, death trap underneath.
Athlon said:
ChevronB19 said:
OP (and other MoT peeps). What’s your opinion on the removal of the requirement for an MoT on classic cars?
I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny in top, death trap underneath.
Worse idea ever. I tested a Land Rover last week for a chap who was driving it every day but wanted a check, it should be no where near the road. Same with a VW camper, rotten. A chap brought a lovely old Ford Consul that looked show winning but he always likes it testing, steering box cracked at the mounting. All cars should be tested.I’m a classic fan, and I worry that what will inevitably happen is someone in a classic will eventually plough into a bus queue or similar. I know the reasoning is ‘classic car fans look after their cars’ but having been involved (a lot, including customer cars) some are terrible - shiny in top, death trap underneath.
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