Garages Ripping People off, or trying to
Discussion
lornemalvo said:
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
lornemalvo said:
Most local authorities have MOT testing stations and if we had a proper country in which things work they could be utilised by consumers, in cases of doubt, for a second opinion.
Why? Why should taxpayers (who fund these testing stations) pay for someone to get a free second opinion on their car? If you want a second opinion then you can go to any other garage.
Council garages tend to be fitters who work on a set number of council vehicles and tend to focus on service tasks and things like tyres, brakes and exhausts on the council vehicles as well as MOTs. They are not expert mechanics or engineers. Are you suggesting that these places start employing such people so that they can argue your case for you in court?
OK, so they start to charge a fee for this service. Any fee for the time of a person with sufficient skills to argue in court for you that wouldnt be subsidised by the taxpayer would be similar to what you would pay an expert witness anyway!
Sorting out people's civil legal cases is not what council MOT stations are for. That does not mean the country doesn't work properly.
My understanding of council MOT testers is based on
- having used one once
- having been the accountant for the department that included the workshop
My understanding is this:
- Councils want to test and maintain their own fleet, as it's way cheaper
- They need the dot tester status to do this
- If you have tester status, you "have to" offer tests to the general public
- Because they won't do work for private individuals (only work on their vehicles) their mot opinion will be free of any bias about trying to gain work.
- Because they want to retain tester status, they will also be wary of issuing soft mots.
Happy to be corrected. I changed job and the depot was middle of nowhere, which is why I stopped using them.
I have plenty of stories of good independents, bad independents, bad main dealers etc.
I will stick up for Kwik fit - their MOT tester bloke is ace (Redhill branch) with zero up selling ever. Though it generally helps of you don't take a knackered pos to be tested that hasn't been looked at since last year's MOT.....just sayin'
- having used one once
- having been the accountant for the department that included the workshop
My understanding is this:
- Councils want to test and maintain their own fleet, as it's way cheaper
- They need the dot tester status to do this
- If you have tester status, you "have to" offer tests to the general public
- Because they won't do work for private individuals (only work on their vehicles) their mot opinion will be free of any bias about trying to gain work.
- Because they want to retain tester status, they will also be wary of issuing soft mots.
Happy to be corrected. I changed job and the depot was middle of nowhere, which is why I stopped using them.
I have plenty of stories of good independents, bad independents, bad main dealers etc.
I will stick up for Kwik fit - their MOT tester bloke is ace (Redhill branch) with zero up selling ever. Though it generally helps of you don't take a knackered pos to be tested that hasn't been looked at since last year's MOT.....just sayin'
Geoffcapes said:
So I had the wheels off and had a good look around.
As you can see. Discs are fine, lip is 1mm
Decent amount of life in the pads (same on the inside).
I’ll change the pads next weekend anyway.
The rear discs are the same. Rear pads are about 50% worn.
Absolute rip off merchants!
I’m not an expert on this, but as a lay person if I saw those pads and discs I’d assume they are towards the end of their life. If I bought a car with that level of wear I’d automatically change them. As you can see. Discs are fine, lip is 1mm
Decent amount of life in the pads (same on the inside).
I’ll change the pads next weekend anyway.
The rear discs are the same. Rear pads are about 50% worn.
Absolute rip off merchants!
Ian Geary said:
- Because they won't do work for private individuals (only work on their vehicles) their mot opinion will be free of any bias about trying to gain work.
- Because they want to retain tester status, they will also be wary of issuing soft mots.
Happy to be corrected. I changed job and the depot was middle of nowhere, which is why I stopped using them.
These are precisely the two reasons I used them. I don't want a "soft" MOT, I want to have a second opinion that my car is safe and that's why I'm paying £50-odd for someone to do so. I also don't want to deal with someone who has decided I look simple enough to spend £1000s on unnecessary work, that if it were necessary I could do for £100s at home.- Because they want to retain tester status, they will also be wary of issuing soft mots.
Happy to be corrected. I changed job and the depot was middle of nowhere, which is why I stopped using them.
Sure, they've got to earn a crust and I absolutely engage the services of mechanics for jobs I cannot do. But too many garage-attached MOT bays try their luck.
Fortunately I've fallen on my feet with a decent garage and MOT centre in the last few years so I don't use the LA one anymore. Advisories I've received have been things I agree with and resolved myself so that's some value-added. No "air freshener has unpleasant aroma" or "unsatisfactory assortment of travel sweets" rubbish some seem to add.
NRG1976 said:
Geoffcapes said:
I’m not an expert on this, but as a lay person if I saw those pads and discs I’d assume they are towards the end of their life. If I bought a car with that level of wear I’d automatically change them. 
I usually keep a spare set of pads for daily drivers, as by the time you've cleared your afternoon, got the tools out and got the wheel off to properly inspect it's not much more work to change the pads if necessary. Last time I think I ordered them from Autodoc, and as it's a "for when I need it" purchase the ridiculous lead times make no odds.
Geoffcapes said:
So I had the wheels off and had a good look around.
As you can see. Discs are fine, lip is 1mm
Decent amount of life in the pads (same on the inside).
I’ll change the pads next weekend anyway.
The rear discs are the same. Rear pads are about 50% worn.
Absolute rip off merchants!
That disc looks like it could be below minimum thickness - it would be worth measuring it properly and finding out what the manufacturer’s minimum thickness is.As you can see. Discs are fine, lip is 1mm
Decent amount of life in the pads (same on the inside).
I’ll change the pads next weekend anyway.
The rear discs are the same. Rear pads are about 50% worn.
Absolute rip off merchants!
I wouldn't be suprised if the inner pad was close to 1.5mm, the inner pads are usually half the thickness of the outer pad. Discs are knackered too.
If anyone ever has any queries about the MOT then use the contest form available from the station, park the car up and wait for them to come out. Believe it or not we don't want the additional work.
If anyone ever has any queries about the MOT then use the contest form available from the station, park the car up and wait for them to come out. Believe it or not we don't want the additional work.
itcaptainslow said:
That disc looks like it could be below minimum thickness - it would be worth measuring it properly and finding out what the manufacturer’s minimum thickness is.
We have a winner! 
1mm lip is significant. And probably what will happen is whilst they are fine now. Half way through the next pads you'll be below minimum thickness. And you'll have to do the whole lot again.
Also to add, Yes outer pad is probably 50-60% worn. But always check the inner one to see how much more worn it is. Could be nearer 75-80% worn
In terms of wear limits for pads. Many manufacturers specify 2-3mm of friction material (not back plate) Though the MOT failure point is 1.5mm of friction material
Had an engine rebuild on a car of mine car booked in after 2 weeks engine still in car bloody joke got car back after nearly 6 months.They said think your car needs mapping as when you give it some there's hesitation I thought wtf why are you giving an engine the beans after a rebuild.I checked plugs and the gap was way out so easy fix.Insult to injury was I provided the running in oil and spark plugs only to be billed for plugs and oil owner swore blind he had provided those items even though I had the receipts that's after having over 4k out of me.Yes I could have taken it further but there attitude was so narrow minded as if the service was good and trusting I am the first to spread the word but as I was treated badly I will never go again plus I will tell folk if they ask for a good garage who not to go to bloody up professional shafters.
Another yarn is that the discs are "40% corroded" - which was what my Dad was told after his car went in for a service at Mazda.
"we suggest new discs and pads, £600 odd plus VAT".
My question was as to where they were corroded, because yes, brake discs do get rusty on the top hats and on the outer edges, and it is indeed corrosion, but not life threatening.
After me asking several very awkward questions but being given the same answer each time "the Tech said they're 40% corroded" I said fine, give me back the car we wont' return. Oddly the tech wasn't available for comment.
Getting a good indy is essential, and if anyone needs one in Suffolk, drop me a PM as I know 2 who are straight and decent.
"we suggest new discs and pads, £600 odd plus VAT".
My question was as to where they were corroded, because yes, brake discs do get rusty on the top hats and on the outer edges, and it is indeed corrosion, but not life threatening.
After me asking several very awkward questions but being given the same answer each time "the Tech said they're 40% corroded" I said fine, give me back the car we wont' return. Oddly the tech wasn't available for comment.
Getting a good indy is essential, and if anyone needs one in Suffolk, drop me a PM as I know 2 who are straight and decent.
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
Personally I would be changing those disks given the amount of lip versus the thickness of the disk itself. Pads are about 60%-70% done IMO.
As EPC have 40% off Brembo at the minute I probably will. My point was that the garage I took it to said the pads were 90% worn all round!
When clearly they’re not!
stevemcs said:
I wouldn't be suprised if the inner pad was close to 1.5mm, the inner pads are usually half the thickness of the outer pad. Discs are knackered too.
If anyone ever has any queries about the MOT then use the contest form available from the station, park the car up and wait for them to come out. Believe it or not we don't want the additional work.
Should taken a pic of the inside but the pad was almost identical in thickness as the outside. If anyone ever has any queries about the MOT then use the contest form available from the station, park the car up and wait for them to come out. Believe it or not we don't want the additional work.
Geoffcapes said:
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
Personally I would be changing those disks given the amount of lip versus the thickness of the disk itself. Pads are about 60%-70% done IMO.
As EPC have 40% off Brembo at the minute I probably will. My point was that the garage I took it to said the pads were 90% worn all round!
When clearly they’re not!
If they just measured remaining pad thickness and reported that, it would be so much simpler.
Id be more concerned about the disc thickness looking at the pics.
Geoffcapes said:
TriumphStag3.0V8 said:
Personally I would be changing those disks given the amount of lip versus the thickness of the disk itself. Pads are about 60%-70% done IMO.
As EPC have 40% off Brembo at the minute I probably will. My point was that the garage I took it to said the pads were 90% worn all round!
When clearly they’re not!
The garage don't know your annual mileage or use pattern, and depending on your car's service schedule it could be 2 years before they see it again, by which point those disks and pads would be very ropey.
Not defending them at all, but if they said "probably need replacing in about 6 months" most people would not do it until they absolutely had to (like most people ignore advisories on their MOT). Doesn't really excuse exaggerating with 90% all round, but I would not say that they were trying to rip you off there.
As you can do it yourself, you could probably leave it until the summer when the weather is a bit warmer
BOR said:
Geoffcapes said:
As you can see. Discs are fine, lip is 1mm
The wear limit on my mini discs is 1mm each side (22,4mm new, wear limit 20,4mm iirc)What is the wear limit for your discs?
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