MOT & Droplinks...

[Tim-D]

The third car in my household has had it's MOT done today - and all three have mysteriously required at least one droplink replaced.... this is despite the fact I religiously go over each car methodically before the MOT and make sure everything even slightly suspect is replaced with new OE items.....

Today's apparently had a boot damaged - that's funny because it was perfect on the weekend.....I feel more than a little ripped off knowing full well a can replace both front ones on the drive in about 30 minutes with ordinary hand tools for sub £40.... instead for one I'm changed £25 and an hour's labour.........I mean seriously...... with the befit of a 4 post ramp you don't even have to take the wheel off and its two 17 or 19mm nuts......... with an air rachet what? 2- 3 minutes????

Now I know these wear so I don't object to genuinely worn items but is this the - car's fine but we've got to pay the bills so what's the highest margin lowest labour repair muppets will fall for???? (before anyone asks it was 3 seperate independent garages)......

It's not a lot but I feel an irritating trend building....

[Butter Face]

Why were you charged anything?

Why didn’t you take the car away, fix it and take it back?

I think your tin foil hat is a bit out of kilter if you think there’s a droplink based conspiracy going on to fleece people on MOT tests...

[bobtail4x4]

use a different tester
I stand under the car with him,while mine are tested.

[andyf1140]

The rules changed so whereas in the past the joints had to have play to fail now the rubber boot just has to be split to fail. I had the same problem on my Z4 and had to replace one of the drop links this year.

[Tim-D]

I was charged as they just cracked on and did it without asking.(appeared as failing and then passing online before the garage phoned me....hmm - should have been far more on top of my game and said don't worry I'll take it away, fix it and bring it back - just wasn't thinking straight this afternoon)......but as said I did check everything on the weekend - and they were fine I particularly checked the links as was decidedly irked when OH's scirocco on 30K apparently needed both doing - again absolutely nothing wrong with the originals other than dirt but I replaced them anyway - put the originals in the boot and made OH show them to the garage on retest......in that instance the particular tester "wasn't in" that day........(I managed to do front discs (that again were an advisory so replaced despite their having masses of life left in them) /pads and links on the 'scroc in 45 mins flat for comparison)

It may be rule change that has driven me to fork out for 5 links in the last year then... it's not as if I fit cheapo aftermarket stuff either so we'll see next year - my "tinfoil hat" back on.........still think c£90 quid for supply and fit (in an alleged bloody hour!!!) of an aftermarket nasty is more than a little grievous!!.......

[Matt_E_Mulsion]

So three different garages have failed three different cars of yours all on anti roll bar links???

These are cars that you have 'religiously gone over'???

Maybe it isn't a conspiracy, maybe you aren't doing a good enough job.

[anonymous-user]

Matt_E_Mulsion said:

So three different garages have failed three different cars of yours all on anti roll bar links???

These are cars that you have 'religiously gone over'???

Maybe it isn't a conspiracy, maybe you aren't doing a good enough job.

[Graunching_dave]

To the OP, if you checked the drop links and saw that they were dirty why didn’t you clean them? You were right at them at the time you inspected so why not give them a wipe to expose any potential split under the dirt. I always clean any rubber covers/ joints on any pre MOT inspection that I carry out for two reasons.

1. It allows me to see any damage below the dirt.

2. It lets the MOT tester know I’ve had a look and I know that the joints are all good. I’d like to think that this let’s them know I maintain my cars and also that I’m savvy enough not to have my pants pulled down for unnecessary repairs.

Your post makes you seem obsessed with spending the least amount of time on a job so maybe you rushed your inspection and missed a bit?

And who changes a CV boot without removal of the road wheel?

[Doofus]

Tim-D said:

I was charged as they just cracked on and did it without asking.(appeared as failing and then passing online before the garage phoned me....hmm - should have been far more on top of my game and said don't worry I'll take it away, fix it and bring it back - just wasn't thinking straight this afternoon)

Why would you have said "don't worry I'll take it away, fix it and bring it back"? You've just told us they'd already fixed it.

[steveo3002]

get a while you wait mot , stand there and watch them , then ask to be shown any fail points , you can then take it away and fix it at home

my car gets through droplinks fast , but theyve shown me the play and it was fair enough

[paintman]

He's talking about drop links not CV boots.

OP if you are upset that your cars are being failed on items that you don't agree with then you either need to take your cars and wait & watch while the test is done OR tell the garage that they are under no circumstances to replace any item found to be defective. You can then go through the DVSA complaint procedure & appeal the fail.

Probably a bit late but if you have the removed part(s) then raise your concerns with DVSA.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/complain-about-...

Edited by paintman on Thursday 13th December 09:24

[steveo3002]

can also find mot centers that do no repairs, i prefer these as theres no incentive to find work

[DuraAce]

steveo3002 said:

get a while you wait mot , stand there and watch them , then ask to be shown any fail points , you can then take it away and fix it at home

That's what I do with our cars. If there is a fail/issue I want to see it there and then.
Never had any problems at all.
I guess it helps if you give off a vibe of (slightly!) having a clue what you are talking about. Hence I take the cars for mot not my Mrs.

[paintman]

I've always taken our vehicles myself. I might have to take the odd day of holiday or book a Saturday test.

I've used the same garage for many years & they know I do all my own work.

I'm present whilst the test is being carried out & can immediately inspect any matter arising.

The occasional fail has been either something I've missed or a light bulb gone - usually a brake light & I check all lights before taking the vehicle for a run so it arrives with everything at normal temperature so it's a blown on the trip (Honestly Officer ).
I can either pay them £1 to supply & fit a new bulb or DIY there & then as there is a bulb kit in each vehicle & I don't pay £1 for a bulb!

Edited by paintman on Thursday 13th December 09:38

[donkmeister]

Drop links (like many suspension components) are an area where the test is subjective because they don't measure anything, the tester just goes "oooh, I think that bit is too wobbly. Fail!". I've had a car fail on balljoints that were worn but not excessively so. Another car I bought with an advisory on a recent MOT that the droplinks were borderline, I went to get them changed and the mechanic showed me there was nothing wrong with them (the droplinks obviously pre-dated the MOT).
I don't think it's a conspiracy, more an artefact of cars having more complicated suspension, engineered to a price, supporting a heavier car with stiffer "sporty" suspension on potholed roads.

[swagmeister]

OP are you MOT trained and certified ? Regardless of how competent you may feel you are - these guys are certified. If the same garage Id have raised an eyebrow, but 3 cars, 3 different garages,3 different testers, I think its your ability to spot an issue thats in question.

[Limpet]

I think you might want to look at our potholed, dilapidated road surfaces if you want to apportion blame for this. Droplinks take an absolute pasting from potholes, and those square speed ramps that are often placed so that one wheel is forced over the bump if there's an oncoming car on the other side of the road. If one wheel drops into a pothole, or hits a big bump, the droplink is directly subjected to a massive shock loading which is transferred directly to the anti-roll bar. The stiff anti-roll bars on a lot of modern cars give the droplinks a really hard time.

The good news is, they are cheap to buy, and easy to fit. Every time I've changed a set, it's taken me longer to jack the car up and take the wheels off than it has to replace the links themselves.

[JakeT]

I've fitted brand new droplinks pre MOT before, and it failed on... You guessed it. Droplinks.

Nowadays I stand with my tester while he goes over the car. I've been with his daughter for a few years, so I know he does a fair job.

[Nealio]

Limpet said:

The good news is, they are cheap to buy, and easy to fit. Every time I've changed a set, it's taken me longer to jack the car up and take the wheels off than it has to replace the links themselves.

Lucky bugger, more often than not I've had to cut them off as there's either just a rusty blob for a nut, or the shaft has a torx in it that instantly rounds off and the whole lot just turns.

[Mr2Mike]

Tim-D said:

feel more than a little ripped off knowing full well a can replace both front ones on the drive in about 30 minutes with ordinary hand tools for sub £40.

Perhaps. if you are really lucky. Most always one or both nuts are seized and the hex socket in the end of the thread is unable to stop the balljoint turning so it's out with the angle grinder.