MOTs - Are you being conned?
Poll: MOTs - Are you being conned?
Total Members Polled: 170
Discussion
Despite my advice, my brother always takes his car for an MOT at a garage that also does servicing (tyres, brakes, exhausts, cut 'n shuts etc.) and it almost always fails on something they can fix whereas I always take mine to an MOT test centre that carries out tests and nothing else and so far it has passed every time.
This got me thinking (well actually it didn't, it's pretty obvious!) - is there any kind of link between whether a car passes or fails an MOT and whether the garage doing the testing can also carry out any necessary work for you?
I'm not trying to point the finger at all fast fit type places, accusing them of trying it on but was wondering whether this was an isolated case and that I've just been lucky and my brother should look after his car better or whether this was fairly widespread. I've always thought an item being tested should either pass or fail with no room for interpretation so it shouldn't matter where you take your car.
So for your last MOT (or last several if you always use the same place), how did you get on?
This got me thinking (well actually it didn't, it's pretty obvious!) - is there any kind of link between whether a car passes or fails an MOT and whether the garage doing the testing can also carry out any necessary work for you?
I'm not trying to point the finger at all fast fit type places, accusing them of trying it on but was wondering whether this was an isolated case and that I've just been lucky and my brother should look after his car better or whether this was fairly widespread. I've always thought an item being tested should either pass or fail with no room for interpretation so it shouldn't matter where you take your car.
So for your last MOT (or last several if you always use the same place), how did you get on?
Same logic for those chains that do half price mojor services for £50. You then get a list as long as your arm of required repairs. We put a car in one of these some time ago and they said that the exhaust manifold was on the brink- they wanted £80+ for this. We decided that they could go f
k themselves, so we paid for the spark plugs/oil change/whatever they did do and took it elsewhere for the urgent things (tyres). Guess what? The exhaust is still intact, and this is nearly 2 years and 20k miles later.
k themselves, so we paid for the spark plugs/oil change/whatever they did do and took it elsewhere for the urgent things (tyres). Guess what? The exhaust is still intact, and this is nearly 2 years and 20k miles later.doogz said:
RicksAlfas said:
I don't think I know anywhere which only does MOTs....
Really?Loads of them about, all over the country.
I know places that only do MOT's, and I know for a fact they are quite 'relaxed' about minor defects on vehicles as they enjoy a reputation locally for being less picky and are therefore very busy with MOT's all the time.
For example I always get my bike MOT'd there as I know they won't fail it on stuff like race exhaust, small number plate, and non-conforming indicators.
Same with the car, it passes emissions with the probe held about a meter away from the tailpipe!
If you look at the above, of course I'm going to go back there and recommend to my friends.
Conversely I have seen garages fail cars on really minor things then quickly offer to do the work.
I'm not saying they are all like that, but that's my experience.
For example I always get my bike MOT'd there as I know they won't fail it on stuff like race exhaust, small number plate, and non-conforming indicators.
Same with the car, it passes emissions with the probe held about a meter away from the tailpipe!
If you look at the above, of course I'm going to go back there and recommend to my friends.
Conversely I have seen garages fail cars on really minor things then quickly offer to do the work.
I'm not saying they are all like that, but that's my experience.
STW2010 said:
doogz said:
RicksAlfas said:
I don't think I know anywhere which only does MOTs....
Really?Loads of them about, all over the country.
The following locations are the nearest to you. Please click on one for further details
Crayford 182.2 miles away: Unit 2,
Acorn Industrial Estate,
Crayford,
Kent,
DA1 4AL
Tel: 01322 528568
Crawley 195.8 miles away: 9 Fleming Way Industrial Centre
Royce Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9NX
Tel: 01293 522000
Tonbridge 200.1 miles away: 38 Deacon Trading Estate,
Morley Road,
Tonbridge,
Kent,
TN9 1RA
Tel: 01732 773345
Looks like it's a darn sarth thing only.
Took mine to an MOT only place and it failed.
It was all down to interpretation of the rules, The lap belts that were factory fitted 41 years ago and have passed every MOT up until the last weren't good enough this year. Despite there being no changes to the rules.
Edited by Poncho pilot on Wednesday 10th November 15:24
doogz said:
I live in Scotland.
I don't think JUST MOTS will be able to help you either then.
I have a similar set-up to you with a trusted nearby garage.
To the OP:
You can look at this issue either way - they can fail your MOT to get more work
OR
They can do a better job looking after your car through the year because they know they are going to have to MOT it.
Poncho pilot said:
Took mine to an MOT only place and it failed.
It was all down to interpretation of the rules, The lap belts that were factory fitted 41 years ago and have passed every MOT up until the last weren't good enough this year. Despite there being no changes to the rules.
Funny that, my car has been through 17 MOTs and only last year for the first time ever the inspector decided to try and fail my side repeaters which are rewired marker lights as the car is an american import. This has never been an issue in the past. It was all down to interpretation of the rules, The lap belts that were factory fitted 41 years ago and have passed every MOT up until the last weren't good enough this year. Despite there being no changes to the rules.
Edited by Poncho pilot on Wednesday 10th November 15:24
I have used those drive through MOT stations in the past and found them to be excellent. I would however never ever consider using one of the national tyre chains that also offer MOTs
There's a place local to me that does just MOT's. 928 passed without any advisories, although the bloke helpfully commented that the tie rod inners had some play, but that it was acceptable.
Which explained the slightly vague steering that I've constantly complained about to my mechanic, but was explained away with 'it's fine it's just not as good as a 911'
Which explained the slightly vague steering that I've constantly complained about to my mechanic, but was explained away with 'it's fine it's just not as good as a 911'
Most MOT fails are on really minor things that any level of routine maintenance would pick up - it amazes me how many people will put cars in for testing with blown bulbs, bald/damaged tyres or chipped/cracked windscreens and knackered wipers.
A quick google found stats from 2007, and the biggest three fail areas (making up 65% of fails) were Lights, Tyres and Wheels, Drivers View of the Road - Lights was nearly a third of all fails. Fuel & Emissions failures make up less than 3%.
Quite likely then that your brother is rather more lax about checks and maintenance than you are, rather than a dodgy garage.
A quick google found stats from 2007, and the biggest three fail areas (making up 65% of fails) were Lights, Tyres and Wheels, Drivers View of the Road - Lights was nearly a third of all fails. Fuel & Emissions failures make up less than 3%.
Quite likely then that your brother is rather more lax about checks and maintenance than you are, rather than a dodgy garage.
Poncho pilot said:
Took mine to an MOT only place and it failed.
It was all down to interpretation of the rules, The lap belts that were factory fitted 41 years ago and have passed every MOT up until the last weren't good enough this year. Despite there being no changes to the rules.
Nothing to interpret, just a flow chart to follow:It was all down to interpretation of the rules, The lap belts that were factory fitted 41 years ago and have passed every MOT up until the last weren't good enough this year. Despite there being no changes to the rules.
Edited by Poncho pilot on Wednesday 10th November 15:24
Assuming the vehicle was first used after 01/01/65 and before 01/04/81 and the unladen weight is less than 2540Kg, the driver and front seat passenger require a belt that restrains the upper part of the body, which a lap belt does not do.
I used to take my cars to a local garage that my dad had used for years for MOTs. Once they failed my Lotus Elan M100 and told me that I'd have to source the parts for repair myself because it was a rare car and they couldn't find parts for it, despite my insistance that all of the parts for it were basically Vauxhall. Fair enough though, its an unusual car.
The second time I used them they failed a car and gave the same excuse that they couldn't source the parts for it and I'd have to fetch them myself. The part required was just a numberplate bulb. This time the car was a MK2 VW Golf, probably one of the most common cars ever. I've not been back since.
The second time I used them they failed a car and gave the same excuse that they couldn't source the parts for it and I'd have to fetch them myself. The part required was just a numberplate bulb. This time the car was a MK2 VW Golf, probably one of the most common cars ever. I've not been back since.
sjg said:
the biggest three fail areas (making up 65% of fails) were Lights, Tyres and Wheels,
Local MOT tester I know says loads of cars fail on beam adjustment. Fat too many people have no idea how to check tread levels/pressures in their tyres, which is pretty bad. Wheels? Not heard that one, and I've never had a car fail on it. What counts as failure on a wheel then?Slightly off topic but I'm against the plans to move MOT's to every 2 years.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff