MOT headlight fail scam
Discussion
Ok this is my first post so hope its in the right place and hello to all the members
I don't know if this has already been covered elsewhere but I thought I'd share my recent experience with Toyota main dealer/service center in
where I took my car for a service and MOT, now I've been taking my car here for a number of years and never had any problems with the service before but on this occasion well lets just say the customer service had somewhat declined in my opinion.
So I drop the car off and when I go to collect I'm told the 10k service was ok no problems with the car but the MOT failed due to both front headlights were as recorded on the VT30 refusal of an MOT test certificate "Excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced [1.7.4a]" everything else was fine except an advisory on one of the tyres being close to the limit.
The Toyota service rep told me that the headlights would need replacing and promptly gave me a printed out estimate for £430.00.
When I suggested that the headlights just needed cleaning the service rep insisted he didn't think so and that it was a common problem with them and that I had ten days to bring the car back for a retest etc etc.
So off I went feeling a little disgruntled about the situation went home cleaned my headlights with a little t-cut took less than 5 minutes took the car back for the retest and lo and behold it passed!
Now I should explain that the casing to the headlights are plastic as is common on many cars these days and over time they will discolor due to environmental impact, however the application of a little t-cut and a quick rub down will bring them up as good as new and when I say 5 minutes to clean them I mean 5 minutes.
So needless to say I learned my lesson and will make sure I do it before the MOT in future,and certainly wont be using Toyota's service center again but hope my post serves as a heads up to others as my experience made me wonder how widespread and how many unsuspecting motorist are being scammed out of hundreds of pounds for the same reason?
ETA
No names please
I don't know if this has already been covered elsewhere but I thought I'd share my recent experience with Toyota main dealer/service center in
where I took my car for a service and MOT, now I've been taking my car here for a number of years and never had any problems with the service before but on this occasion well lets just say the customer service had somewhat declined in my opinion.So I drop the car off and when I go to collect I'm told the 10k service was ok no problems with the car but the MOT failed due to both front headlights were as recorded on the VT30 refusal of an MOT test certificate "Excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced [1.7.4a]" everything else was fine except an advisory on one of the tyres being close to the limit.
The Toyota service rep told me that the headlights would need replacing and promptly gave me a printed out estimate for £430.00.
When I suggested that the headlights just needed cleaning the service rep insisted he didn't think so and that it was a common problem with them and that I had ten days to bring the car back for a retest etc etc.
So off I went feeling a little disgruntled about the situation went home cleaned my headlights with a little t-cut took less than 5 minutes took the car back for the retest and lo and behold it passed!
Now I should explain that the casing to the headlights are plastic as is common on many cars these days and over time they will discolor due to environmental impact, however the application of a little t-cut and a quick rub down will bring them up as good as new and when I say 5 minutes to clean them I mean 5 minutes.
So needless to say I learned my lesson and will make sure I do it before the MOT in future,and certainly wont be using Toyota's
service center again but hope my post serves as a heads up to others as my experience made me wonder how widespread and how many unsuspecting motorist are being scammed out of hundreds of pounds for the same reason?ETA
No names please
Edited by Big Al. on Tuesday 23 August 16:57
Get the car M.O.T'd at another garage and present the certificate to the Toyota dealer demanding a full refund for their attempted fraud.
If they say it failed here but could pass somewhere else then tell them you'll let VOSA know they have the worng or incorrectly calibrated headlight equiptment.
If they say it failed here but could pass somewhere else then tell them you'll let VOSA know they have the worng or incorrectly calibrated headlight equiptment.
hornetrider said:
Podie said:
Why? It doesn't name the actual dealer...
Are there two main dealers in ?!As this isn't my topic, car or issue I can not confirm this is or is not the service centre (rip off merchants) in question. So my mentioning them here could be purely conincidental and is in no way "naming or shaming" anyone.
ETA
Name and address removed.
Edited by Big Al. on Tuesday 23 August 17:02
thinfourth2 said:
Main dealer in making stuff up shocker
Not really
Use council MOT stations as they don't want to sell you stuff
This. I have used the one in Leicester for my last three MOT's. All three of them were straight passes and this was on a 18 year old and 12 year old car. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Anywhere that does repairs and MOT's has every reason to fail you to get the lucrative repair work. Council MOT centres dont do repairs so don't try and rip you off. Not really
Use council MOT stations as they don't want to sell you stuff
Many main dealers subout the MOT to avoid any innuendo, but the best approach is to find an independent that doesnt rely on MOT follow up work and is willing to say if something needs doing and not if it doesnt.
The brake scam......
Your pads and discs are worn would you like us to change them for you?
a) yes please and thanks for pointing it out
b) How worn?
The pads have about 3-4mm left (so half way through their life)
and the discs are down to 19.5mm ( they start at 20mm and recommend change at 18mm)
You choose
The brake scam......
Your pads and discs are worn would you like us to change them for you?
a) yes please and thanks for pointing it out
b) How worn?
The pads have about 3-4mm left (so half way through their life)
and the discs are down to 19.5mm ( they start at 20mm and recommend change at 18mm)
You choose
Beeby said:
thinfourth2 said:
Main dealer in making stuff up shocker
Not really
Use council MOT stations as they don't want to sell you stuff
This. I have used the one in Leicester for my last three MOT's. All three of them were straight passes and this was on a 18 year old and 12 year old car. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Anywhere that does repairs and MOT's has every reason to fail you to get the lucrative repair work. Council MOT centres dont do repairs so don't try and rip you off. Not really
Use council MOT stations as they don't want to sell you stuff
The most they will ever do is change a bulb for you if it is gone and last time on the Saab they said it was £6's worth of bulbs so I gave him a tenner and said have a pint on me this evening thank you very much.
Liquid Knight said:
Get the car M.O.T'd at another garage and present the certificate to the Toyota dealer demanding a full refund for their attempted fraud.
If they say it failed here but could pass somewhere else then tell them you'll let VOSA know they have the worng or incorrectly calibrated headlight equiptment.
Thats the thing I took it straight back to them and it passed,when I complained about the attempted fraud I was met with a blank expression, told by the service rep that he could'nt give a ****! I asked to speak to his manager who said his rep was just doing his job and that I was rude to him! I had to leave before the red mist got the better of me.If they say it failed here but could pass somewhere else then tell them you'll let VOSA know they have the worng or incorrectly calibrated headlight equiptment.
Liquid Knight said:
Nope just these guys....
As this isn't my topic, car or issue I can not confirm this is or is not the service centre (rip off merchants) in question. So my mentioning them here could be purely conincidental and is in no way "naming or shaming" anyone.
The Eagle has landed!;)As this isn't my topic, car or issue I can not confirm this is or is not the service centre (rip off merchants) in question. So my mentioning them here could be purely conincidental and is in no way "naming or shaming" anyone.
ETA
Not yet.
Edited by Big Al. on Tuesday 23 August 17:03
HellDiver said:
Pointless VOSA MOT system shocker.
When the UK mainland catches up with N. Ireland and has a government agency doing the MOT, and not the garages, then things will be done right.
Which in fairness is exactly what the council stations are in effect, only their existence is primarily to do the MOT and more stringent works on public licensed vehicles aka Taxis etc.When the UK mainland catches up with N. Ireland and has a government agency doing the MOT, and not the garages, then things will be done right.
Whilst I know that some garages are both reputable and perhaps rely on MOT business I do think the above is a sensible statement and we perhaps ought to move towards that.
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