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Posted By: DavidB MOT centres - why do they do this? - 9th Dec 2008 10:16pm
I have used a certain MOT centre for a few years now, because you can just drive straight in without an appointment.
I put another car through a few months ago and have only recently gone over it to replace stuff (there was a lot!).
Having spent a lot on the new bits, I found half of the things listed weren't actually faulty.
The main ones were balljoints. It failed on two, claiming there was play in both. However much I tried, I couldn't get the balljoints to 'play'. They just didn't move!!
Next was 'corrosion to seat belt anchorage'. The seat belts are mounted to a point on the seat. The corrosion was underneath the sill (on the skin) and about 2 feet from the rust.
Another warning was the suspension top mount was corroded. The mount is attached to a subframe and not to the car. He was checked underneath the front bonnet???

Not sure what to do now. I've replaced the stuff, but has anyone heard of this type of thing before?
Posted By: MGCraig Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 9th Dec 2008 10:27pm
Arent MOTs done mainly by Computer now, to give a better quality check. Also prevents MOT Cowboys charging whatever they want...whenever they want...finding things wrong thata rent??
Posted By: Wheels Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 9th Dec 2008 10:31pm
I put the lexus through on sat and failed on the sidelights being dull>? they looked fine to me but never the less i changed them frown
Posted By: Sanchez Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 9th Dec 2008 10:35pm
really hard some times, a car i have just bought from the auction needs an mot, im dreadding sending it in frown
Posted By: Tony_1985 Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 9th Dec 2008 10:54pm
yeah good luck putting that rover in mate
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 10th Dec 2008 2:14pm
Originally Posted by Sanchez
really hard some times, a car i have just bought from the auction needs an mot, im dreadding sending it in frown


Yeah, good luck putting that G-Wiz through mate. wink laugh
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 10th Dec 2008 2:15pm
I was saying he made a list of faults that needed repairing and assumed I'd drop it off at a garage and get it repaired (and get billed for it). The only thing that was wrong was the handbrake cable needed tightening up.
Posted By: StuyMac Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 10th Dec 2008 2:19pm
Which garage was this matey?
Posted By: AX_125 Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 10th Dec 2008 2:27pm
You should put it in for its free retest without doing the work and see if someeone else fails it.
Posted By: StuyMac Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 10th Dec 2008 2:31pm
You only get a free retest if the problem is an easy fix - the list is on this link.

Unfortunatly what this car was failed on would involve a re-test fee frown
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 12:04pm
Originally Posted by StuyMac
Which garage was this matey?


I hate to put it here, but it was Walsh's on Cleveland street. They've been fine in the past.
Just this one, I've been over the car and most of the faults simply aren't there. Retest is out of the window though, as everything has been changed! smile
Posted By: MattLFC Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 2:46pm
This is why I only stick to using the one MOT station now. Fortunatly, I know the man who owns it well, and they won't take the pi$$. But, why should you need to know someone, just to be assured of a fair and legal (ie. telling you something is wrong when it clearly isnt, just to make you fail) MOT?

I think MOT stations should either be

a. independent, and do NO work at all on the cars;

or

b. Council/government run centres, whereby they have nothing to gain by adding jobs etc.

There should also be strict guidelines on pricing for jobs that fail, if they are to continue to let MOT centre's do the work; if they can have pricing guidelines on the MOT's themselves, then surely they can cap work pricing. I mean, some places will charge you £20.00 for a single window wiper, and then put one on that they got for £1.00 for two from Poundland. They will do this because they know you will pay it, you would rather pay that than say another £35 for a re-test...
Posted By: StuyMac Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 2:59pm
You could always complain to VOSA
Posted By: MattLFC Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 3:04pm
I have no real complaint, but I hate seeing people being shafted by a service run for the government.

VOSA are useless at the best of times mate, they can't even work out vehicles that are taxed and that are not because they rely on their computer database too much, and any error's are not their fault...

Besides, I don't wanna be giving them any more details to sell.

Lol.
Posted By: StuyMac Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 3:11pm
There must be some objection procedure, or MOT stations could fail you on something obviously not wrong and get away with it think

My mate has a test station - Ill ask him next time I see him wink
Posted By: MattLFC Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 11th Dec 2008 3:21pm
There is some procedure for it, not sure how it works though. I do know of someone on another forum who successfully appealed against a decision so it deffo can happen.

However, a lot of people would'nt be arsed with the hassle; it probably takes weeks and loads of paperwork.
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 1:40pm
Just MOT'd the car again at Walsh's.
I replaced the rear calipers and it failed on handbrake efficiency, I welded the sill up and it failed on that, a brand new ball joint failed having 'excessive play' (it's new flipping ball joint?!) and there are other things introduced and things listed in previous advisory have not been listed. I hope I'm not being paranoid here, but it seems very strange.
Posted By: UrbanEx2U Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 1:59pm
Walsh's. for you

they are crap some days

we take all are vans there some days they pass and some days they,ll fail silly items

did you explain to them that you changed the bits there will be ok to show you
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 2:25pm
Originally Posted by Station
Just MOT'd the car again at Walsh's.
I replaced the rear calipers and it failed on handbrake efficiency, I welded the sill up and it failed on that, a brand new ball joint failed having 'excessive play' (it's new flipping ball joint?!) and there are other things introduced and things listed in previous advisory have not been listed. I hope I'm not being paranoid here, but it seems very strange.


Takin you for a mug mate, seriously, dont go there again, ring me if you want an mot wink
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 2:30pm
Originally Posted by Wheels
I put the lexus through on sat and failed on the sidelights being dull>? they looked fine to me but never the less i changed them frown


Yet another mug they`ve ripped off, like i said, don`t use em! Period!
if they can fail you its an extra £££ (denno for retest to public, i used to get charged £20)
Oh! A BULB has blown on the reg plate FAIL! Extra doller for us mad Not " its ok mate, you run over road to senars for a bulb" nooooo frown they have to fail it mad
Rant over laugh
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 3:58pm
I didn't know you MOT'd! When can you do it?
Posted By: dave_g Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 10:49pm
wouldnt ever use walsh's their work is crap!one of our vans went recently and had lots of advisorys,they did some welding that looked like it had been done by a remedial and they didnt mention the exhaust was rustin off(came off the other day)plus other stuff so BE WARNED!!!
Posted By: Sanchez Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 11:22pm
my car passed, your all gay
Posted By: _Ste_ Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 23rd Dec 2008 11:52pm
Originally Posted by Station
I didn't know you MOT'd! When can you do it?


i dont do them but know where to take em that wont rip you off.
Posted By: MissGuided Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 24th Dec 2008 10:42am
my car passed at cavendish despite it having a fault with the dash instrument electrics (i guess it didn't do it on the day!). I managed to fix the day after - was just the plug on the back of the unit - had come loose. Was a bit scary when the speedo would suddenly dip to zero and I was doing 40 lol.
Posted By: ric3000gt Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 24th Dec 2008 1:03pm
I put my civic in for a mot in the port it failed number plate light and what turned out to be the lambda sensor. But on the retest more than seven things popped up on the advisory it seams that it passed and he went looking for more problems. that weren’t there the week before or it failed first time and they just stopped looking. and now I am really not looking forward to doing it all again next year
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 24th Dec 2008 3:10pm
They're not supposed to check for more faults other than the ones that are on the list.
Posted By: Tony_1985 Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 24th Dec 2008 6:47pm
occasionally you do get the odd one who will tell you if he finds anything else that's wrong

can become quite handy, but they shouldn't put it down as an advisory... more of a "you do know....."
Posted By: Anonymous Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 4th Jan 2009 3:19am
Originally Posted by Station
Originally Posted by StuyMac
Which garage was this matey?


I hate to put it here, but it was Walsh's on Cleveland street. They've been fine in the past.
Just this one, I've been over the car and most of the faults simply aren't there. Retest is out of the window though, as everything has been changed! smile



I had the opposite, knew my plate was illegal, forgot to change it over. He said it was a fail but that he couldnt be bothered failing it so sent me on my way.

My old man uses them everytime for his older cars (BMW 8 series etc) and never had an issue.
Posted By: DavidB Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 5th Jan 2009 3:36pm
I've been rejected four times in the past month on this single handbrake problem. It is literally at half the pressure of the foot brake - it stopped the car fine on a hill.
I'll take it elsewhere now!
Posted By: phalinmegob Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 7th Jan 2009 6:51pm
i used walshs about five years ago and had a row with the lad doing the mot,will not go into details but i will never set foot in the place ever again,conmen in there.! last few years i have used the little garage opposite the top of green lane in tranmere and he has always been very fair with me,think he is called corinthian or caledonia something like that...should create a sticky post where everyone can post their m.o.t recomendations and horror stories.a sort of instant guide of where is good and where is bad lol
Posted By: Mark Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 7th Jan 2009 7:17pm
We have to be careful of liability its easy to point the finger, thats why we have to careful what we post.
Posted By: MGCraig Re: MOT centres - why do they do this? - 8th Jan 2009 2:05am
Originally Posted by phalinmegob
i used walshs about five years ago and had a row with the lad doing the mot,will not go into details but i will never set foot in the place ever again,conmen in there.! last few years i have used the little garage opposite the top of green lane in tranmere and he has always been very fair with me,think he is called corinthian or caledonia something like that...should create a sticky post where everyone can post their m.o.t recomendations and horror stories.a sort of instant guide of where is good and where is bad lol



You mean on the corner before Green Lane Station ??

Weve used that place for years (Not naming names). Been brilliant every time. He remembers our cars,and any problems they may have had. Lets us know if anything is gonna go etc. He did my Alfa, which failed at first, but as Ive said in my MMC, they were minute details, and was all sorted. Id recomend giving them a shout if its not too far for you happy

Areas a bit crap though, never liked leaving the Micra there, with all the kids in hoodies hanging about in large groups.
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