MOT - Can one garage 'ignore' fails from another?
Discussion
Whoops - Can a mod edit the title to say MOT - Can one garage 'ignore' fails from another?
Hi bit of a weird situation here. I had my Astra in for a repair at Vauxhall and told them to put it through an MOT whilst it was there as I knew the date was coming up. They called me to say it had failed on two things, the horn not working properly, and a drive shaft boot split. They said they haven't put it through 'officially' as if it failed I wouldn't be allowed to drive it, even though the current MOT had weeks left on it (I'm pretty sure they're wrong, the Gov site says you're only not allowed to drive it in this situation if the fails are 'dangerous' which neither were)
Anyway, Vauxhall wanted over £1,000 for the entire steering column module or something, for the drive shaft they quoted £212. After extensive research I managed to fix my horn issue with a 24p clip! I thought I'd take it to my mate's garage for 'mates rates' on the drive shaft. Today, he called me to say the horn had passed, but SIX other things had failed, that Vauxhall had passed
(mainly suspension related)
What I'm wondering, is can I now return to Vauxhall and tell them the horn and drive shaft are fixed, and get them to retest it, hoping they don't fail the suspension components, even though the fails are now officially recorded? Do they see the fails/do I need to even tell them?
Thanks for any input!
Hi bit of a weird situation here. I had my Astra in for a repair at Vauxhall and told them to put it through an MOT whilst it was there as I knew the date was coming up. They called me to say it had failed on two things, the horn not working properly, and a drive shaft boot split. They said they haven't put it through 'officially' as if it failed I wouldn't be allowed to drive it, even though the current MOT had weeks left on it (I'm pretty sure they're wrong, the Gov site says you're only not allowed to drive it in this situation if the fails are 'dangerous' which neither were)
Anyway, Vauxhall wanted over £1,000 for the entire steering column module or something, for the drive shaft they quoted £212. After extensive research I managed to fix my horn issue with a 24p clip! I thought I'd take it to my mate's garage for 'mates rates' on the drive shaft. Today, he called me to say the horn had passed, but SIX other things had failed, that Vauxhall had passed
(mainly suspension related)What I'm wondering, is can I now return to Vauxhall and tell them the horn and drive shaft are fixed, and get them to retest it, hoping they don't fail the suspension components, even though the fails are now officially recorded? Do they see the fails/do I need to even tell them?
Thanks for any input!
Edited by CrippsCorner on Monday 4th March 20:31
Mainly because Vauxhall themselves passed them, I would consider them to be the most strict testers out there! My mate said he doesn't actually test the cars himself, he takes them to someone else... didn't know that. He said his mechanic 'shakes the car vigorously' and maybe Vauxhall don't do that. Very strange!
CrippsCorner said:
Mainly because Vauxhall themselves passed them, I would consider them to be the most strict testers out there! My mate said he doesn't actually test the cars himself, he takes them to someone else... didn't know that. He said his mechanic 'shakes the car vigorously' and maybe Vauxhall don't do that. Very strange!
Personally I'd get your mates mate to MOT it rather than Vauxhall. I'd much rather the test be over the top when it comes to the safety side of things. Vauxhall can’t retest it because, according to your OP, they didn’t test it in the first place.
Opinions on wear in steering and suspension joints will differ from tester to tester and you could go back to Vauxhall, get a different tester, and it could fail there too. I would get your mate to fix it and be done.
Some testers do look at the history before they test a vehicle but you are certainly not obliged to tell them if it’s failed elsewhere.
Opinions on wear in steering and suspension joints will differ from tester to tester and you could go back to Vauxhall, get a different tester, and it could fail there too. I would get your mate to fix it and be done.
Some testers do look at the history before they test a vehicle but you are certainly not obliged to tell them if it’s failed elsewhere.
Edited by Little Pete on Monday 4th March 22:06
There is an MOT specific thread where it might be better to ask, but I don't think testers are supposed to look at the car's history, although an indie I took my Merc to had a look after he'd tested the car "to make sure he hadn't missed anything from last time".
However I doubt the Vauxhall dealer did anything like a full test and I'd be gobsmacked if it didn't fail on mostly the same things, possibly more - dealer MOTs are usually pretty thorough.
I think most (all?) MOT places put the car on shaker plates now.
However I doubt the Vauxhall dealer did anything like a full test and I'd be gobsmacked if it didn't fail on mostly the same things, possibly more - dealer MOTs are usually pretty thorough.
I think most (all?) MOT places put the car on shaker plates now.
Sheepshanks said:
There is an MOT specific thread where it might be better to ask, but I don't think testers are supposed to look at the car's history, although an indie I took my Merc to had a look after he'd tested the car "to make sure he hadn't missed anything from last time".
However I doubt the Vauxhall dealer did anything like a full test and I'd be gobsmacked if it didn't fail on mostly the same things, possibly more - dealer MOTs are usually pretty thorough.
I think most (all?) MOT places put the car on shaker plates now.
I've got the Vauxhall MOT print out of every aspect checked with ticks apart from the two initial fails. Every suspension component passed their tests.However I doubt the Vauxhall dealer did anything like a full test and I'd be gobsmacked if it didn't fail on mostly the same things, possibly more - dealer MOTs are usually pretty thorough.
I think most (all?) MOT places put the car on shaker plates now.
It is an extremely weird situation.
Do you have a fail certificate from Vauxhall ? it sounds like they did a pre mot that doesn't mean anything as they don't usually test emmisions, brakes or put them on a shaker plate.
In answer to your question yes if Vauxhall have MOT'd it then i think they can retest it, however they can still fail it on other iems if they notice them. Personally i'd still get your friend to do it, that way you know its safe. Having said that you might be doing your friend a favour if you don't go back.
In answer to your question yes if Vauxhall have MOT'd it then i think they can retest it, however they can still fail it on other iems if they notice them. Personally i'd still get your friend to do it, that way you know its safe. Having said that you might be doing your friend a favour if you don't go back.
CrippsCorner said:
I've got the Vauxhall MOT print out of every aspect checked with ticks apart from the two initial fails. Every suspension component passed their tests.
That sounds like the dealer's VHC (vehicle health check). I can't say I've seen an itemised MOT print out - and if they had put it through an MOT you'd have had a fail notice.CrippsCorner said:
I've got the Vauxhall MOT print out of every aspect checked with ticks apart from the two initial fails. Every suspension component passed their tests.
It is an extremely weird situation.
It’s not actually that weird. You could give the same vehicle to three different testers and get three different results. A tyre depth for example is an absolute measurement but there are a lot of areas in the test that are subjective. It is an extremely weird situation.
ETA that sounds like a vehicle check sheet, not a MOT.
Edited by Little Pete on Monday 4th March 22:32
CrippsCorner said:
This is what I got from Vauxhall.
The exact wording on the phone was, "Your car would have passed MOT had it not been for these two failures. We didn't record it officially so it doesn't show as a fail, and therefore you're free to come and pick the car up and drive away today"
Not a MOT then, just a vehicle check. The exact wording on the phone was, "Your car would have passed MOT had it not been for these two failures. We didn't record it officially so it doesn't show as a fail, and therefore you're free to come and pick the car up and drive away today"
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