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My Galaxy failed its MOT yesterday at the local Ford main dealer ("significant braking effort recorded on all 4 road wheels even though brakes are not applied") - which I thought was a load of bull as I'd have noticed it in everyday use, plus the computer would have shown increasing fuel consumption. I tested it on an incline and it freewheeled as normal. I had it tested at another garage today and it passed with flying colours (plus it only cost £35 against the Ford dealer's £40.75 - isn't it a standard fee??). I feel compelled to tell the Ford dealer he's either incompetent or maybe attempting to drum up unnecessary business. I also wonder about contacting Trading Standards or someone like the AA, because clearly there is nothing wrong with the car. I'd be interested in opinions.
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The gov't sets the maximum fee for the test, but there is nothing to stop anyone charging less.
Do you have any note of the braking forces recorded on either test ?
I suspect that both trading standards and the AA would tell you to initially take the matter back to the ford garage or to report it to the Vehicle Inspectorate
www.via.gov.uk/about_us/index.htm
Bora - what Bora ?
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mods - whilst musing on this, came across
www.motcentrefinder.co.uk/nav/info_pages/checklist...#
- possibly the most comprehensive mot checklist i've come across - is is a candidate for the 'good websites directory' ?
Bora - what Bora ?
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mods is is a candidate for the \'good websites directory\' ?
Don\'t ask us, that\'s HJ\'s department ;o)
You could try emailing him with your suggestion.
DD.
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Don\'t ask us, that\'s HJ\'s department ;o)
and I thought you had the run of the ranch, and the keys to the filing cabinet in the portakabin where he keeps the bottle of Grouse ;-)
Bora - what Bora ?
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Personally I haven't found Trading Standards to be all that helpful with this sort of thing - I recently had cause to disagree with a SEAT dealer over the matter of a service that they insisted my Ibiza needed, and which I subsequently discovered that it did not, and approached Trading Standards for assistance with that.
Whilst the guy on the phone was courteous and helpful, in essence he said "If they haven't actually broken the law, we aren't going to do anything, we can only give you advice" - which, I suppose, is fair enough but not a lot of help.
As it turned out I was able to sort it out with the garage and get my money refunded, but that owed more to the garage taking a sensible view of the situation than to my having copied TS in on he correspondence I had with the garage.
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GT
It would appear your beef against the Garage could be reported to VOSA (the new name for Vehicle Inspectorate).
They are charged with supervision of the MOT Scheme.
Like any other organisation they will not be aware of suspect Garages unless intelligence is fed to them i.e. Public complaint.
Have a look at
www.tinyurl.com/ujcp
But at the end of the day it is one Testers opinion against the other?
DVD
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Perhaps you should take it up with the testing garage - maybe their equipment has a fault?
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I think you should go to the ministry with it. About 5 years ago I had a car fail a test, went away did the repairs and took it back. Another tester did a full re-test (required by law apparently) and found several other problems including broken subframe mounting (no I didn't notice it). I would have scrapped the car if I had known initially. Reported to the ministry, they went out to check them over and called me back about 5 days later.
Sounds like the garage has got incompetent staff, faulty equipment or they're ripping people off. Go for it.
Steve.
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Retests do not have to be done by another Technician - quite to the contrary, infact.
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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DL,
I think what glowplug is refering to is that if your take your car away, repair it, and then take it back again, if a different MOT tester looks at it, then he has to redo the whole test, whereas if the original tester looks at it again, then he only has to check the previously failed work. As you quite rightly say, retests don't have to be done by another technician. Most garages I know in my neck of the woods only have one guy that do the MOT tests anyway.
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I think that 'by the book' is different to normal practice Dave??
www.motuk.co.uk/manual/introduction.htm
4. Re-examination following failure
If the vehicle stays at the test station for repair you must carry out a partial re-examination of all the failed items including those affected by the repair.
If the vehicle leaves the test station having only failed on one or more of the items listed on the fees and appeals poster and is returned before the end of the next working day - carry out a partial examination.
In any other case a full examination must be carried out.
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This is not quite right . Any MOT retest is a full test UNLESS it failed only on certain minor items which are itemised on the back of the VT 30 (the failure sheet).The Ministry don't mind which of a station's testers do the retest as they all test to the same criteria and to the same standards ( "Of course they do" I hear you all cry! )
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Martin123 is quite rihgt. My reply was to DD's post but M123 got in first.
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if your take your car away, repair it, and then take it back again, if a different MOT tester looks at it, then he has to redo the whole test >>
The MOT centre I use employs 3 Testers, and has a concesionary free retest within 14 days offer. However, they apply the following rules - apparently a legal requirement:
1. take car away of-site for repair - retest within 24 hours - only a partial retest carried of failed items carried out. No fee.
2. leave car to be repired on site, repair time unspecified - only a partial retest of failed items. No fee.
3. take car away off-site for repair, retest after 24 hours - full new test carried out. Full fee payable but this garage waives it if restest within 14 days.
In all the above cases, it is immaterial whether the test/retest is carried out by the same tester or not.
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I had to laugh when my Renault Trafic van went through its MOT.
Although it failed on a number of other points, I was amused to find an advisory note saying that the track rods had significant play.
I had replaced them for new a few days before and they were as tight as anything!
I think the MOT tester has a very dry sense of humour!
Hugo
"Forever indebted to experience of others"
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Thanks folks. I stand corrected.
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