Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 15:32
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - Buzyizzy

Hi you lovely lot

My son has an 02 reg Fiesta 1.4 that's done about 100k. It doesn't go very far with him as he uses public transport for work, but nevertheless, it does still start etc.

MOT expired last week and he arranged for a garage to pick it up and do an MOT on it and report back.

They rang my daughter as she was the one home when they collected it, but as she couldn't remember what it had failed on, I rang the garage.

I have almost blown a gasket at the ripped off prices they have quoted me!!!

Anti roll bar linkage on one side needs replacing.

Rear engine mount is cracked and needs replacing.

Driver's side wing mirror is broken (blooming other drivers)

Brake pads and corroded discs, front only.

Could someone please let me know what they think it would cost.

I've priced up the parts and I'm assuming none of them are complicated jobs.

The garage told me that after replacing the linkage, they would need to strip down and rebuild the entire suspension system and re align the steering too. WTF!! I was quoted an hour's labour when I thought mine had gone in March this year. (I also have a Fiesta).

With a couple of hours labour, I make it about £250? Garage has quoted almost £800!!

Edited by Buzyizzy on 20/07/2017 at 15:41

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 16:03
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - RobJP

'A garage'. A Ford dealership ? (they always have expensive labour rates), or anindependent garage ?

If you think that lot is a couple of hours work, then you're taking the mickey. Yes, it MIGHT be quick. But, on the other hand, it's 14 years old. Bolts rusted or seized can cost a fair bit of time.

Think they're ripping you off, feel free to get on with the jobs yourself. After all, it'll only take a couple of hours ...

Or better still, stop wet-nursing your son. His car, his problem !

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 16:26
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - madf

Replace anti roll bar linkage (drop links?) No change from £100

Rear engine mount? No change from £100

Driver's wing mirror Non electric £100, electric £200+

Brake pads and disks - I assume this is absolute neglect so I would say £350-£500 for all the hassle...

So I come to £650 to £900

I think the garage are being commercailly reasonable. It sound like it's a heap of old tat and they are planning for rust and corrosion making it a PIA to do...

Edit

Youger son had a 1995 Fiesta .. it was a PIA to diy due to the years of neglect from prior owners.. In theory teh job should take no more than 3-4 hours. WHen I clamped the front flexible brake pipes on son's Fiesta to remove a caliper, the pipe collapsed internally and did not work.. That's the hind of hassle I would expect on a 10 + year old car driven by someone who could not care less about maintenance.

Edited by madf on 20/07/2017 at 16:32

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 16:42
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - galileo

Replace anti roll bar linkage (drop links?) No change from £100

Rear engine mount? No change from £100

Driver's wing mirror Non electric £100, electric £200+

Brake pads and disks - I assume this is absolute neglect so I would say £350-£500 for all the hassle...

So I come to £650 to £900

I think the garage are being commercailly reasonable. It sound like it's a heap of old tat and they are planning for rust and corrosion making it a PIA to do...

Edit

Youger son had a 1995 Fiesta .. it was a PIA to diy due to the years of neglect from prior owners.. In theory teh job should take no more than 3-4 hours. WHen I clamped the front flexible brake pipes on son's Fiesta to remove a caliper, the pipe collapsed internally and did not work.. That's the hind of hassle I would expect on a 10 + year old car driven by someone who could not care less about maintenance.

Madf has summed up the situation admirably. A quick Autotrader search shows several Fiestas, complete with 12 months MOT, from £500 to £1000.

Let him look for himself and sell the old one for scrap.

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 16:55
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - elekie&a/c doctor

At £800 it ain't worth fixing.However being a little more realistic with parts prices,these are cheap as chips to fix,I would consider £250 a no-no ,but I would think any reasonable indy could get this sorted for around £4-500.

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 19:58
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - RichardW

Have a look on www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ and see what it's actually failed on. I'm pretty sure an engine mount is not a failure. Mirror you may well just get away with a stick on one which is a few quid. Drop link is £10 - £15 and half hour to fit on a ramp - no worry about corroded bolts; you just cut them off. Discs and pads I would price up at a fast fit place - again check what the fail sheet says you may get away with just pads.

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 20:54
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - gordonbennet

All those jobs are simple enough, wouldn't do the lad any harm to get his overalls on and fix it himself, if he lacks tools then its an ideal opportunity to grab one of Halfords half price tool kits, a trolley jack and some axle stands, whatever else he needs will make itself obvious as he does the work, the labour charges saved in this one MOT failure will pay for most of that.

Edited by gordonbennet on 20/07/2017 at 20:55

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 21:44
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - Buzyizzy

Been quoted £45 labour for linkage repair/replace

Driver's wing mirror £60 quote

Brake pads I've just had done on my car £60 all in.

Discs done on a previous car £60 also.

Nuff said

ETA Even Ford only charge £175 for pads and discs!

Edited by Buzyizzy on 20/07/2017 at 21:47

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 23:06
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - Big John

Probably the garage doesn't want the work. On a car this age there will be many a bolt that strips or won't undue and brake calipers will possibly be a nightmare (seized sliders, corrosion, sticking pistons etc...). Watch out for caliper seals, rubber brake pipes and abs or brake balance valves (when was the brake fluid last changed!)

If it was my son I'd want it doing properly re safety. Also check the condition of the car body/chassis/sills as rust may be taking hold especially around suspension/subframe/engine mounts

In the past when I restored cars, many a person would ask me to do a "small job" on their cars and on anything over a decade or so old these generally were a nightmare. Soon learnt to say NO!

Edited by Big John on 20/07/2017 at 23:11

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 01:14
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - Buzyizzy
Not true. We have since learned that the garage has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Trading Standards Agency for charging the innocent public for work that doesn't need doing and adding hundreds of pounds to the bill.
We have now taken the car to another garage where the work has been done and the car has passed it's MOT test for £170. Funny that, when you consider the rude and offensive remarks on this post from people who were purporting to know a thing or two.
Hahaha!!!
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Sat 22 Jul 2017 07:55
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - RobJP
Not true. We have since learned that the garage has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Trading Standards Agency for charging the innocent public for work that doesn't need doing and adding hundreds of pounds to the bill. We have now taken the car to another garage where the work has been done and the car has passed it's MOT test for £170. Funny that, when you consider the rude and offensive remarks on this post from people who were purporting to know a thing or two. Hahaha!!!

If you reckon a garage claims to have done all that work - including supplying parts - for £170, including another MOT test fee, then someone's telling pork pies. Either the garage or you.

Edited by RobJP on 22/07/2017 at 07:59

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 09:05
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - RT
Not true. We have since learned that the garage has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Trading Standards Agency for charging the innocent public for work that doesn't need doing and adding hundreds of pounds to the bill. We have now taken the car to another garage where the work has been done and the car has passed it's MOT test for £170. Funny that, when you consider the rude and offensive remarks on this post from people who were purporting to know a thing or two. Hahaha!!!

If you reckon a garage claims to have done all that work - including supplying parts - for £170, including another MOT test fee, then someone's telling pork pies. Either the garage or you.

I read that as meaning the 2nd MoT didn't identify nearly as much work which needed doing - hence the reduced cost.

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 09:27
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - SLO76
When running an older motor on a budget you really need to find a trusted garage and stick with them. Best bet also is to use one that doesn't do Mot's but will arrange them for you with a nearby testing station who will gain nothing from failing you unnecessarily. Don't allow the testing workshop to do any repairs and if your garage arranges the test for you they'll know this will be the case. I've been doing this for years and find the cost of Mots plummeted.

Mot's are used as a cash cow by too many unscrupulous people in the motor trade and main dealers are overly strict regarding older cars, largely to encourage new and used sales. I've had friends and family who've had cars condemned by testers with crippling and unviable repair costs and when I've taken their cars to my tester the cars have flown through with minor work often nothing at all including my dads old Mercedes C class which the local Merc dealer presented him a bill for over £1,200 to get through an Mot. It flew through without a single advisory elsewhere! Robbing gits!
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Sat 22 Jul 2017 14:26
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - madf
Not true. We have since learned that the garage has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Trading Standards Agency for charging the innocent public for work that doesn't need doing and adding hundreds of pounds to the bill. We have now taken the car to another garage where the work has been done and the car has passed it's MOT test for £170. Funny that, when you consider the rude and offensive remarks on this post from people who were purporting to know a thing or two. Hahaha!!!

£170?

If you think the list of work you itemised was done for £170, I would suggest yoy think again.

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 18:33
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - peter973
Not true. We have since learned that the garage has been subjected to intense scrutiny by Trading Standards Agency for charging the innocent public for work that doesn't need doing and adding hundreds of pounds to the bill. We have now taken the car to another garage where the work has been done and the car has passed it's MOT test for £170. Funny that, when you consider the rude and offensive remarks on this post from people who were purporting to know a thing or two. Hahaha!!!

All in a day, that was quick !

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 18:30
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - peter973

Hi you lovely lot

My son has an 02 reg Fiesta 1.4 that's done about 100k. It doesn't go very far with him as he uses public transport for work, but nevertheless, it does still start etc.

MOT expired last week and he arranged for a garage to pick it up and do an MOT on it and report back.

They rang my daughter as she was the one home when they collected it, but as she couldn't remember what it had failed on, I rang the garage.

I have almost blown a gasket at the ripped off prices they have quoted me!!!

Anti roll bar linkage on one side needs replacing.

Rear engine mount is cracked and needs replacing.

Driver's side wing mirror is broken (blooming other drivers)

Brake pads and corroded discs, front only.

Could someone please let me know what they think it would cost.

I've priced up the parts and I'm assuming none of them are complicated jobs.

The garage told me that after replacing the linkage, they would need to strip down and rebuild the entire suspension system and re align the steering too. WTF!! I was quoted an hour's labour when I thought mine had gone in March this year. (I also have a Fiesta).

With a couple of hours labour, I make it about £250? Garage has quoted almost £800!!

If it's so easy why don't you do it yourself ?

I reckon you can do all this in an afternoon.

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Sat 22 Jul 2017 20:56
Ford Fiesta - failed MOT questions - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}

All that happened in 2 days? Life must be on fast forward round your way.

Sounded an expensive and difficult lot of repairs to me as well.

Hang on to that cheapo local garage and get them to do all your work and MOTs if they are as good as you say. If they are genuine perhaps you can get them on Honest John's Good Garage thingy.

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