MOT's & TVR wedges..

[Waynester]

Hi guys, a question dear to all our hearts. MOT time.

Do you take your cars to any old MOT station? Or do you have a guy who understands TVR's and allows certain..ahem..things?

I have always in the past had a service at a TVR dealer or indie and MOT'd the car. This time the car is all serviced but needs the ticket...

I'm just a little concerned that the 'average Joe' in some garages wouldn't know a wedge from a TR7.. and fail it.

Edited by Waynester on Friday 9th May 07:21

[adam quantrill]

I find the smaller independents are generally more understanding...

[matt-man]

It seems to be that the days of 'oh i didnt see that mate' MOT stations are few and far between because of all the regulations etc but i would definately reccomend smaller stations as they do tend to be a bit more patient and if nothing else, understand what the car is.

Main dealer MOT's are a BIG NO NO!!! Worst experiance was my Clio 16v which i took into a renault garage and they failed it as 'a death trap' and i had to argue to take the car away! Brought it back home and took it to my local station who i know and trust and it only failled on a light bulb which blew on the way there!

God Luck!

[Matt]

I've always avoided 'Main dealers' etc for MOTs. Normally use a local independant for the Vixen as he has a ramp which is level with the workshop floor so no nasty issues with the low slung exhaust. Last time I had the Wedge MOT'd I took it to one of those 'Just MOTs' places. As the name suggests thats all they do. It makes little diference if a car passes or fails to them as they won't get any repair work out of it. In fact retest was free if it was done within 2 weeks - think this might be normal though??

The guy at my local Just MOT place is into classics, but pointed out that they have to be strict because the new MOT system is all computerised. Apparently a DOT inspector could do a spot check on a vehicle immediately the new MOT was issued to ensure it should have passed or failed. Have since taken a couple of other vehicles there and they have always been firm, but fair.

Matt

[Waynester]

Cheers guys, i might just give it a try at a local garage. Hopefully it should be ok.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

One of my Race Pit Crew has a Cerbie, and has a General Service and MOT station in gallows corner.
Not sure if that too far from your.

But he will respect your car, and even adjust your emissions for you if they are a bit off.

[Waynester]

Gallows corner? Where's that Leigh?

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

The flyover at the A127 / A12 nr Romford

[mikeb]

Took the wedges to my local garage for years, mainly as he only MOT'd the top half! They changed the dude doing the Mots and ended up with seven pages of failures and the same again in Welsh!.

Taking a Wedge to a nupty garage is probably a big NO NO, as these guys are 'timed' it only serves to wind them up as they fumble for the boot release, bonnet release, and waste time tapping around the boot for rust!....

MikeyB

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Taz90 said:

The one at Gallows Corner will be handy for me too - will have a looksie on the way to TVRCC Mid Essex Meet Sunday - You coming Leigh or busy with the race car ? Pistolar ? and anyone else in Essex ?

Be working on the racecar will get one one of the meets one day.

PM me and I'll send you the address.

[barrington]

taz90 cant make it this month got to get that bloody chimp running and out of the garage so i can get the 400 in and put all the boxs of bits in my living room

[islander]

I knew I had found the 'right' garage for MOT's when I asked the tester if the car would pass the noise test and he turned round and said 'the only requirement was that it wasnt abnormally loud.....whats normal for a TVR!'

[GRIFFONMARK]

My MOT tester in Preston has a Cerbera so he understands the marque but will not let you get away with a roadworthiness problem. Quite right to. When my wheel bearing was supposedly failed he rang me to say it had only required adjustment when I wouldn't have known any different had he charged me to replace.

Regards

Mark

[cirks]

where are you in Herts? Malmech & Manion in Welwyn Garden City do mine and it only failed the other day on the hand-brake efficiency (which I knew it would). Emissions in most places would have been off the scale but they test to the book and therefore kept the revs higher enough to just scrape it through. However, realistically, although you wouldn't want to go somewhere (like main dealers) that would fail things with no real justification, would you want to go somewhere that will pass things when they shouldn't? M&M will point out anything that needs doing and discuss it with you. There's really not that much in an MOT that you would actually want passed when it shouldn't....

[Waynester]

cirks said:

where are you in Herts? Malmech & Manion in Welwyn Garden City do mine and it only failed the other day on the hand-brake efficiency (which I knew it would). Emissions in most places would have been off the scale but they test to the book and therefore kept the revs higher enough to just scrape it through. However, realistically, although you wouldn't want to go somewhere (like main dealers) that would fail things with no real justification, would you want to go somewhere that will pass things when they shouldn't? M&M will point out anything that needs doing and discuss it with you. There's really not that much in an MOT that you would actually want passed when it shouldn't....

I'm in Stevenage. You're right, and i wouldn't be happy with 'letting things go' especially if they are a safety issue.
I'm just concerned if i take it to Formule 1 or quickfit that they would fail it on stupid things..having never (in all probability) seen a wedge TVR before.
Anyway, fairly sure i'm booking it into Barnet as i need to get uj's done.

cheers all.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

GRIFFONMARK said:

My MOT tester in Preston has a Cerbera so he understands the marque but will not let you get away with a roadworthiness problem. Quite right to. When my wheel bearing was supposedly failed he rang me to say it had only required adjustment when I wouldn't have known any different had he charged me to replace.

Regards

Mark

Would not condone and MOT station that does. but some are just pedantic ar5e holes. road worthiness is one thing but side indicators are another.

[cirks]

Waynester said:

Anyway, fairly sure i'm booking it into Barnet as i need to get uj's done.

Wayne, the other people locally that have done work on my car are I.J.Walker also in WGC and just down the road from Malmech & Manion. They've done my UJs (steering and transmission) as well as a number of other things. Very helpful and you could get them to get the MOT done up the road at the same time. I don't know what Barnet charge these days but can't imagine they're very cheap...

pm me if you want contact details for either garage