MOT & Droplinks...
Discussion
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....
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....
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!!.......
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!!.......
Poking my tin foiled hat back above the parapet on this one....
To answer others questions no I'm not an mot tester but worked as a mechanic for 2 years after leaving school (ok 30+ years ago) and have but and bolt rebuilt 3 classics with only external work being the paint job...so have a reasonable grasp of what's safe & serviceable and what isn't....
So to today....the offspring is back from uni , his car sporting 6 month old main dealer supplied new droplinks having covered 600 of miles since last mot.... As he'll be back at uni 200+ miles away when the test next becomes due it made sense to me to have another done and booked to the garage that initially provoked my ire to start this thread..just got off the phone - and guess what - yep one needs replacing apparently.....it's a sodding 1.0 vw....notoriously heavy wearing suspension obviously.....
Changing my tinfoil hat for a lead helmet....plan to clean them and swap n/s to o/s and vise versa tonight and put in for retest....
To answer others questions no I'm not an mot tester but worked as a mechanic for 2 years after leaving school (ok 30+ years ago) and have but and bolt rebuilt 3 classics with only external work being the paint job...so have a reasonable grasp of what's safe & serviceable and what isn't....
So to today....the offspring is back from uni , his car sporting 6 month old main dealer supplied new droplinks having covered 600 of miles since last mot.... As he'll be back at uni 200+ miles away when the test next becomes due it made sense to me to have another done and booked to the garage that initially provoked my ire to start this thread..just got off the phone - and guess what - yep one needs replacing apparently.....it's a sodding 1.0 vw....notoriously heavy wearing suspension obviously.....
Changing my tinfoil hat for a lead helmet....plan to clean them and swap n/s to o/s and vise versa tonight and put in for retest....
Edited by Tim-D on Tuesday 18th December 18:41
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