Ouch - MOT time hurts!
Discussion
Car's gone in for its MOT ... needs front upper and lower bushes, rear lower bushes, two new front wishbones and dif bushes ... Had a feeling that they'd need doing and was going to try to do them this summer myself but haven't had the opportunity so at garage prices that's a definite *OUCH*!!! 
Bassfiend229hp said:
Car's gone in for its MOT ... needs front upper and lower bushes, rear lower bushes, two new front wishbones and dif bushes ... Had a feeling that they'd need doing and was going to try to do them this summer myself but haven't had the opportunity so at garage prices that's a definite *OUCH*!!!
I always have maximum sympathy for a man whose wallet is having bush problems 
my car was fine at MOT time.......if you ignore the outriggers 
Cheer yourself up by imagining how much trimmer the handling will be with the bushes done.
QBee said:
I always have maximum sympathy for a man whose wallet is having bush problems my car was fine at MOT time.......if you ignore the outriggers
Yes, there is a certain advantage to having a complete new set of bush to look forward to... my car was fine at MOT time.......if you ignore the outriggers QBee said:
Cheer yourself up by imagining how much trimmer the handling will be with the bushes done.
...if only the driver were similarly trim he may be able to make use of it! 
Are the wishbone bushes definitely knackered, a lot of the early cars (mine included) didn't have thrust washers fitted meaning that the centre of the bush was inclined to slide out slightly, leading MOT testers to see them as shot.
I managed to whack some washers into mine and got myself out of trouble for a year or so until I removed and replaced the lot.
Maybe you could delay some of the work and give your wallet a bit of time to recover.
I managed to whack some washers into mine and got myself out of trouble for a year or so until I removed and replaced the lot.
Maybe you could delay some of the work and give your wallet a bit of time to recover.
Bassfiend229hp said:
Car's gone in for its MOT ... needs front upper and lower bushes, rear lower bushes, two new front wishbones and dif bushes ... Had a feeling that they'd need doing and was going to try to do them this summer myself but haven't had the opportunity so at garage prices that's a definite *OUCH*!!!
It's all your fault for using your TVR every day Phil 
Something I have big respect for
These cars are getting on for 20 years old now mate, lets be honest any car of that age used every day is going to need a bit of fettling.
The wishbones may seem like an ouch right now, but in the great scheme of things the TVR isn't a costly car to maintain, especially for the pleasure it gives.
What are you going to do mate, buy a boring Ford Focus & run that instead?
I dont see you doing that, the TVR is part of you & sets you apart from the herd.
Good luck with getting it sorted, & next year give me a bell at MoT time if you want an easier ride.
fatboychim said:
Are the wishbone bushes definitely knackered, a lot of the early cars (mine included) didn't have thrust washers fitted meaning that the centre of the bush was inclined to slide out slightly, leading MOT testers to see them as shot.
I managed to whack some washers into mine and got myself out of trouble for a year or so until I removed and replaced the lot.
Maybe you could delay some of the work and give your wallet a bit of time to recover.
this.I managed to whack some washers into mine and got myself out of trouble for a year or so until I removed and replaced the lot.
Maybe you could delay some of the work and give your wallet a bit of time to recover.
and are diff bushes part of the MOT? that's a new one on me. I thought they were only testable if they formed part of the suspension, but on a chim that's not the case.
Dif bushes aren't part of the MOT but they were picked up as being shot enough to allow the dif to move around and be the cause of one of the two different "clonks" that I get under acceleration ... the suspension bushes were picked up as were the front wishbones. Can't really complain as they've been "advisories" for the last three years. She's 20 years old (as Dave has pointed out) and so I generally assume that any work I do on her will be the last time it ever gets done in her life. 
Dave knows the people that I use and he'll confirm that they're pretty fair on their pricing for work so it was an eye-watering moment but I'm not too concerned that I'm getting screwed.
Just annoyed that I haven't managed to use the old girl as much as I'd have liked to this summer and also haven't managed to do the work on her that I wanted to do...
As it is I went in for my back op on Saturday and that had to be aborted as my heart packed up while I was on the operating table so I'm stuck here in bloody Cardiac Care hooked up to monitors while they decide whether I need a pacemaker...
Dave knows the people that I use and he'll confirm that they're pretty fair on their pricing for work so it was an eye-watering moment but I'm not too concerned that I'm getting screwed.
Just annoyed that I haven't managed to use the old girl as much as I'd have liked to this summer and also haven't managed to do the work on her that I wanted to do...
As it is I went in for my back op on Saturday and that had to be aborted as my heart packed up while I was on the operating table so I'm stuck here in bloody Cardiac Care hooked up to monitors while they decide whether I need a pacemaker...
ChimpOnGas said:
It's all your fault for using your TVR every day Phil
Something I have big respect for
These cars are getting on for 20 years old now mate, lets be honest any car of that age used every day is going to need a bit of fettling.
The wishbones may seem like an ouch right now, but in the great scheme of things the TVR isn't a costly car to maintain, especially for the pleasure it gives.
What are you going to do mate, buy a boring Ford Focus & run that instead?
I dont see you doing that, the TVR is part of you & sets you apart from the herd.
Good luck with getting it sorted, & next year give me a bell at MoT time if you want an easier ride.
Something I have big respect for
These cars are getting on for 20 years old now mate, lets be honest any car of that age used every day is going to need a bit of fettling.
The wishbones may seem like an ouch right now, but in the great scheme of things the TVR isn't a costly car to maintain, especially for the pleasure it gives.
What are you going to do mate, buy a boring Ford Focus & run that instead?
I dont see you doing that, the TVR is part of you & sets you apart from the herd.
Good luck with getting it sorted, & next year give me a bell at MoT time if you want an easier ride.
(hugs)Bassfiend229hp said:
Dif bushes aren't part of the MOT but they were picked up as being shot enough to allow the dif to move around and be the cause of one of the two different "clonks" that I get under acceleration ... the suspension bushes were picked up as were the front wishbones. Can't really complain as they've been "advisories" for the last three years. She's 20 years old (as Dave has pointed out) and so I generally assume that any work I do on her will be the last time it ever gets done in her life.
Dave knows the people that I use and he'll confirm that they're pretty fair on their pricing for work so it was an eye-watering moment but I'm not too concerned that I'm getting screwed.
Just annoyed that I haven't managed to use the old girl as much as I'd have liked to this summer and also haven't managed to do the work on her that I wanted to do...
As it is I went in for my back op on Saturday and that had to be aborted as my heart packed up while I was on the operating table so I'm stuck here in bloody Cardiac Care hooked up to monitors while they decide whether I need a pacemaker...
FFS Phil - hope you get out of there soon, even if you do need a new ECU. Will you go for Megajolt for the heart, or something a little more upmarket? Are they doing a full remap?Dave knows the people that I use and he'll confirm that they're pretty fair on their pricing for work so it was an eye-watering moment but I'm not too concerned that I'm getting screwed.
Just annoyed that I haven't managed to use the old girl as much as I'd have liked to this summer and also haven't managed to do the work on her that I wanted to do...
As it is I went in for my back op on Saturday and that had to be aborted as my heart packed up while I was on the operating table so I'm stuck here in bloody Cardiac Care hooked up to monitors while they decide whether I need a pacemaker...
QBee said:
Bassfiend229hp said:
Hadn't thought of it like that...
Which hospital are you in? We could arrange a TVR version of Brassed Off.....as i am sure you are already. 
They've already asked me if I have anyone to collect me and look after me at home ... told them I have the car in the car park out back and I'll just drive home.
fatboychim said:
Holy crap, hope you get well soon, although it sounds like a one off thing.
Can't believe the MOT station would give you the bill while you were on the operating table though!!!
Suspect they only gave him the advance manure warning, not the full mushroom job.....no wonder his heart didn't go boom-putty-boom-putty-boom-putty-boom-putty-boom-putty-boom-putty-boom-boom-boom. Well goodness gracious me, mine wouldn't either.Can't believe the MOT station would give you the bill while you were on the operating table though!!!
Hope you get home soon Phil. No heart stopping moments in the Chim on the way.....
Edited by QBee on Tuesday 24th September 11:27
fatboychim said:
Holy crap, hope you get well soon, although it sounds like a one off thing.
It seems to be pretty rare - the anaesthetist hadn't had one happen in 10 years of knocking people out but there's a bit of a s
tstorm going on because the cardiology boys would love a case to study as they've not seen one either but even though I was in it for quite some time (40 minutes I believe) there's *NO* ECG traces or anything. I overheard the cardiology guys this morning saying about "can't believe that in all that time no-one even thought to at least pull out a cameraphone and get a photo" but obviously it has other implications too ...fatboychim said:
Can't believe the MOT station would give you the bill while you were on the operating table though!!!
LOL - Yeah - maybe that's what caused it. Actually it was the guys I usually use and I'd arranged with them that they'd email me for when I got out of surgery ... unfortunately it just didn't go quite to plan.
QBee said:
How long have they got you convalescing at home for?
- chuckle* I've been working from my bed since Saturday evening thanks to the joys of 4G and better-than-broadband speeds when tethered to my phone...
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