Exige MOT failed - garage unable to jack the car up

[Rick101]

Several ways.
I'll not explain the similarities but if you read it again I'm sure you can work it out.

[BertBert]

Nope, you've got me.

[002510]

I’ve been using my local Kwikfit for 15 years for MOTs and apart from one year (plonker dropped my Disco 3 a small distance but no damage) they have been brilliant. I took my Elise there earlier this year and I simply hung off the underside of the car so he could get at the wheels. Probably a health and safety issue if the area manager was around but all completed with no issue. I may take it elsewhere (a specialist) next year simply because I feel a bit awkward about putting them in such a position even though he was quite happy. So Kwikfit can have their issues but in circa 40 MOTs they have been brilliant (my local branch to be clear).

[DWDarkWheels]

In Northern Ireland our MoTs are conducted by an independent agency (DVLNI).

I take the owner manual and politely point out where the car can be jacked. They usually attempt to ready the saddle jack and see for themselves they can't safely lift it, then inspect visually or rock the car to establish there's no undue play.

[fridaypassion]

There's no problem jacking the car up using the bottom of the suspension arms seems a of a carry on and a self inflicted pain.

[CraigyMc]

fridaypassion said:

There's no problem jacking the car up using the bottom of the suspension arms seems a of a carry on and a self inflicted pain.

Lotus (who obviously designed the car) don't agree with you.

[fridaypassion]

CraigyMc said:

Lotus (who obviously designed the car) don't agree with you.

Is there any official advice regarding jacking for the purposes of an MOT?

Bear in mind I get around 50-60 MOTs per year done specifically on Lotus cars. You stick a rubber chock on the jacking beam and raise the car up un the wishbone under the balljoint or on the edge of the lower part of the wishbone there is a crossmember/gusset on some of the older cars that I think is actually there for this exact purpose. It's not a suitable jacking point for working on the car because the suspension is of course under compression but for the simple purpose of checking the bearings and toe link joints that is how you do it. There simply isn't another way to do it without removing the undertray which is a half hour job on a V6.

A lot of a kerfuffle over absolutely nothing.

[CraigyMc]

fridaypassion said:

CraigyMc said:

Lotus (who obviously designed the car) don't agree with you.

Is there any official advice regarding jacking for the purposes of an MOT?

Bear in mind I get around 50-60 MOTs per year done specifically on Lotus cars. You stick a rubber chock on the jacking beam and raise the car up un the wishbone under the balljoint or on the edge of the lower part of the wishbone there is a crossmember/gusset on some of the older cars that I think is actually there for this exact purpose. It's not a suitable jacking point for working on the car because the suspension is of course under compression but for the simple purpose of checking the bearings and toe link joints that is how you do it. There simply isn't another way to do it without removing the undertray which is a half hour job on a V6.

A lot of a kerfuffle over absolutely nothing.

The official jacking doc (from the service guide) is shown earlier in the thread.

[fridaypassion]

This is on an old vx220 but the principle is the same the load is taken up under the damper. This is the only way of raising the rear of the car without removing the undertray on a 4 post lift. There are rubber pads on the jack to protect the wishbone.

Regarding the MOT they do have an option to simply terminate/abandon the test which would not result in a fail but I guess this might depend what mood they are in.