Shafted on my M.O.T - Your views??

[mikey_zetec_s]

Took my car in for an M.O.T to a Big Named Repair and M.O.T that operate "Nationwide" Centre on Wednesday 24/11/2010 ... the reason i took it there is because i saved money on 4 tyres and a half price M.O.T.

The car failed on a few things, namely?
- O/S Headlamp smashed (due to crash)
- Front brake imbalance
- Wingmirror damaged

and had a few things on the advisory, namely:
- Chip in windscreen Zone A (10mm)
- O/S/F Wing severley damaged (due to crash)
- rear pads low
- rear discs corroded

so i go away with my list and repair the headlight, fit new front discs and pads, and new wingmirror...

i take the car back for a partial retest today on the items that failed (or so i thought) and it came back as failed...

- O/S Headlamp pointing too high (due to new headlight)
- Washer fluid insufficient flow (due to frozen)
- Chip in windscreen in Zone A greater than 10mm (apparently they measured it at 15mm, grew
5mm in 4 days! :S

Now i was under the impression that they were only supposed to retest the items on which it failed...

has anyone got any tips on this? should they have failed the windscreen in the first place? or should they have not even retested it as it was only on the list of advisory items!

i asked if they retested the whole advisory list and they said "nahh... only the windscreen"... surely they should test the whole of the advisory list if this is the case?? please, however, correct me if im wrong...


Cheers
Mike!

Mod note: Please do not name and shame on PH.

Edited by Bill on Tuesday 30th November 15:00

Edited by mikey_zetec_s on Tuesday 30th November 15:49

[Carrot]

Another victim...

Never ever take your car to this place, or that kwickly place.

You WILL get screwed.

Take it to a proper garage and get a professional MoT done, you will not win arguing with these people.

[Some Gump]

Mike,

You took a crashed car to an MOT station - do you not think they'll take 1 look at it / you and think "chancer"?

The frozen washer is a pity, but if it were my garage, I'd be on the lookout for whatevr VOSA's version of Jremy Beadle is, lurking round the corner waiting to take my MOT lisence away.

[martin mrt]

Partial retest as far as I know is only on the failed items, I'd be pretty annoyed if I were you, they should have picked up on the screen (if it has got no worse) on the first test

[mikey_zetec_s]

Carrot said:

Another victim...

Never ever take your car to this place, or that kwickly place.

You WILL get screwed.

Take it to a proper garage and get a professional MoT done, you will not win arguing with these people.

OH DEAR...

that bad really? they did seem like bunch of cowboys mind you...

for example... one advisory that i missed from the list

- unable to gain access to boot

bear in mind with a VW (Seat, Audi, Skoda) of this era, you have to double click the open button on fob to open the back doors and boot... but thats not the funniest part... despite putting this on the advisory... they still managed to gain access to my spare wheel (ahem in the boot) to change the tyre.. hmmm!! dont trust them as far as i could throw them...

im thinking of complaining just to see what they say...

safe to say will not be getting an MOT there again!!

[john_p]

Regardless of the frozen jets or the chip - it's failed a retest on the previously failed item (headlight) and so all bets are off and a new MOT test will be required.

The chip could have grown due to the cold, I suppose?

[mikey_zetec_s]

Some Gump said:

Mike,

You took a crashed car to an MOT station - do you not think they'll take 1 look at it / you and think "chancer"?

The frozen washer is a pity, but if it were my garage, I'd be on the lookout for whatevr VOSA's version of Jremy Beadle is, lurking round the corner waiting to take my MOT lisence away.

when i say "crashed" it was more of a bump... only O/S headlight and Wing were slightly damaged... not effecting the drive...

plus id already booked the MOt before i crashed... so had not choice but to get it done... find out what it failed on hen repair the failed items... not that this made any difference coz they FD me over anyway!!

Then they had the cheek to ask if would like to book another test.... phhhttt!!

[mikey_zetec_s]

john_p said:

Regardless of the frozen jets or the chip - it's failed a retest on the previously failed item (headlight) and so all bets are off and a new MOT test will be required.

The chip could have grown due to the cold, I suppose?

this is true, however, they offered to fix this for a small fee of £12.99 to avoid a fail... this was before they decide to tell me it failed ont he chip... dodgy much?

[john_p]

So they offered to align your headlight for £12.99, you said no?
And they then failed it?

[HellDiver]

mikey_zetec_s said:

when i say "crashed" it was more of a bump... only O/S headlight and Wing were slightly damaged... not effecting the drive...

But effecting a vital safety item. Like your corroded rear discs and low pads which you seem to have ignored.

Why would you only need tyres at MOT time? I'm guessing you didn't bother replacing faulty or worn items until forced to at MOT time?

I think you deserve all you get, you're clearly a disaster on wheels.

[ARH]

I would suggest the chip grew with use as they do that. the headlamp you should have asked them to align it before the test, if you stayed with the car or waited in the waiting room they would have been able to access the boot. and you got a crashed car tested, they would just take one look at the damage and think "he doesn't care about his car" and this will make them check every detail. Always present the car clean and tidy it goes a long way.

[Bill]

john_p said:

So they offered to align your headlight for £12.99, you said no?
And they then failed it?

This thread has fail written all over it.

[jagracer]

mikey_zetec_s said:

Now i was under the impression that they were only supposed to retest the items on which it failed...

has anyone got any tips on this? should they have failed the windscreen in the first place? or should they have not even retested it as it was only on the list of advisory items!

i asked if they retested the whole advisory list and they said "nahh... only the windscreen"... surely they should test the whole of the advisory list if this is the case?? please, however, correct me if im wrong...


Cheers
Mike!

Mod note: Please do not name and shame on PH.

Edited by Bill on Tuesday 30th November 15:00

You've replaced stuff that have to be measured so by rights it can be a full retest. Out of interest, what was up with the mirror as just shattered glass is not a fail.

[john_p]

VOSA said:

4. Retest following failure

When carrying out a partial retest the NT must examine
- all the failed item(s)
- any item(s) that may have been affected by the repairs
- and any testable item that had been advised on at the time of the initial test

If during a retest it is clear that any defect is present which would mean the issue of a test certificate is not justified, a further VT30 must be issued

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4i00000404.htm

[mikey_zetec_s]

ARH said:

I would suggest the chip grew with use as they do that. the headlamp you should have asked them to align it before the test, if you stayed with the car or waited in the waiting room they would have been able to access the boot. and you got a crashed car tested, they would just take one look at the damage and think "he doesn't care about his car" and this will make them check every detail. Always present the car clean and tidy it goes a long way.

Well the chip was there when i bought it (january this year - in the middle of the cold snap) and has remained the same size untill now, where it grew 5mm in 4 days... i think i might have noticed that to be honest?

i couldnt wait with the car as i had to drop it to the garage on the way to work and pick it up on my lunch break (something i hate doing but had no other option)

as for the crash... if you read previous posts.. i bumped it a few days before the MOT and it was already booked in... had no time to repair and make tidy...

besides... my main concern is that fact the retested the chip that was only an advisory 4 days earlier?? how can they do this without taking prejudice to that particular item... surely if they were going to do this they should have retested the whole list??

[mikey_zetec_s]

john_p said:

VOSA said:

4. Retest following failure

When carrying out a partial retest the NT must examine
- all the failed item(s)
- any item(s) that may have been affected by the repairs
- and any testable item that had been advised on at the time of the initial test

If during a retest it is clear that any defect is present which would mean the issue of a test certificate is not justified, a further VT30 must be issued

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4i00000404.htm

Touche!

Thanks for th info John... still doesnt change the fact that im PD Off!! lol

plus when i asked them if they retested all the items ont he advisory, they replied by saying "nahh... only the windscreen"

Edited by mikey_zetec_s on Tuesday 30th November 15:18

Edited by mikey_zetec_s on Tuesday 30th November 15:23

[john_p]

In fairness the good people of PH are giving you a ribbing because we all knew as soon as you said you took it to a Big Brand place to save a few quid they were going to try and get their money back one way or another.

The stuff it's failed on is annoying - but a windscreen is one of those things. Get the screen done and put some antifreeze in the washers

You can always take it to a MOT-only place if you think they're being unfair, but make sure the headlight alignment is done properly.

[mikey_zetec_s]

john_p said:

In fairness the good people of PH are giving you a ribbing because we all knew as soon as you said you took it to a Big Brand place to save a few quid they were going to try and get their money back one way or another.

The stuff it's failed on is annoying - but a windscreen is one of those things. Get the screen done and put some antifreeze in the washers

You can always take it to a MOT-only place if you think they're being unfair, but make sure the headlight alignment is done properly.

Well... its expected on PH these days... just have to filter through the wit and find the people actually trying to help

well i got them to do the Headlight alignment as i just coult not be arsed to try and do it myself...

and Autoglass are coming Sat to do my windscreen... the car is staying on the drive till then

[mikey_zetec_s]

john_p said:

So they offered to align your headlight for £12.99, you said no?
And they then failed it?

no they rang me ans said the headlight needs re aligning.. and would i like them to align it for 12.99 to avoid a fail? so i agreed to avoid a fail...

then they phoned me and said it had failed on the chip...

[steveo3002]

shouldve got some of gavins special fluid in your crack , he's been telling us ages about how the screen cracks as soon as the demister is on

at least the mot was half price hehe