Finally got time to get an MoT

[Mars]

Since about a month before the FT event, I've been reassigned to work a loooong way from home (well, it's a bit over 2 hours each way). I've been staying over, not wanting to drive that distance everyday. Anyway, it's meant I've not had time to "Cerb" (new verb) during the 2nd half of the year, which as you can imagine, has been irritating.

Well, I have this week off work and have delivered the Cerb to the MoT place. They have already passed some items I thought would fail (the handbrake is good but pulls up a long way), accepted my explanation of some items (the wipers weren't very efficient so we gave them a bit of use and they popped back to life) and failed it on a couple of items I wasn't prepared for (one headlight pointing at the sky).

I've left it with them to sort out the problems as I don't have enough time this week to sort it myself. I might be back on the road soon... I hope.


The only thing that might add the spanner to the works is the emissions which were catastrophically high. Not too surprising as I hadn't put the cats on prior to the test, but I'm willing to bet they'll call me later to take my laptop over for a tweaking session.

[mickk]

Is this a 'normal' mot station or a tvr one? The reason i ask is that im tempted to take mine to a local garage but would be worried as you are ie handbrake, headlamps so i usually end up at a tvr friendly one.

[Mars]

I deliberately avoided mentioning this as I've done what most people would consider the unthinkable and left it with the guys at the Nationwide/AA centre in Redditch. Normally I would only deal with people who specialise in TVRs but these guys have serviced our daily drivers with no issues in the past and their prices are obviously very much keener than a TVR-specialist. At the end of the day though, it's the location that's the killer. NW/AA are 3 miles from home. The nearest TVR specialist is probably Power in Cov which means I'd need a lift home from there, or for them to do the job(s) while I wait (all day?).

I originally took a wander up to NW/AA to ask them if they'd be interested in MoTing it and listed the issues I thought might need to be attended to. I thought they'd say no but had nothing to lose. Next step was to have a drive around and see if anyone else might take it on but the NW/AA were really open-minded about it, so I went home to get the Cerb.

I waited while the MoT was conducted and having had a coffee with them and a chat the small-but-significant list of rectifications was presented which looked achievable to them. Heartened by this I asked when I could book it in, thinking I'd have chance to review my decision at home over the next few days, but the manager said they could get going on it straight-away as they were rather short of work at the mo.

So there it is. An opportunity presented itself. OK, it hasn't passed yet (they haven't finished) but the fact that they're prepared to have a go is great for me because whilst I appreciate the independent specialists' part in the on-going maintenance of TVRs, they're not always very easy to get to.

Edited by Mars on Thursday 22 November 14:29

[spmarler]

I took mine to a local testing station, the first time they did emission test, the engine got so hot at 3000 rpm that the HT leads dropped on the exhaust and looked like a real proper 'hot rod' with the flames lashing from under the bonnet. i can't quite remember but the reading 2000 comes to mind when it should have been 2.5 or better. anyway, after i replaced HT leads, the MOT guy suggested going for a blast up the nearby dual carriageway, about 12 mile round trip, drove straight back into the test bay for the emission test and ...hey presto ... reading was fine!

biggest headache was getting it on the ramps and ramp jacks :-)