Several - MOT's

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 11:26
Several - MOT's - Peter

I have recently put three cars through their respective MOT's and each car failed with faded rear lights such as indicators and brakes. It strikes me to be more than bureacratic when they do actually work and do their job but who decides what is faded and what isn't.

One headlight needed adjusting but hey would not do it during the MOT, I would have to book it back in again.

Surely there must be some flexibility in the system for minor works.

Whinge over.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 12:34
Several - MOT's - Paul G1pdc

my car has passed the last 8 mots my my ownership first time, of its 11 year life. but this year had an;-

ADVISORY. never seen this sheet of paper before, it said nut on windscreen wiper arms loose....(makes a change from the one behind the wheel!!)

it must have taken longer to type that into the computer than get a 10mm spanner out and give it a 90 deg turn....ho hum

Paul.

had a funny mot years ago, mk2 escort passed its mot...then starter moter failed and they couldn't drive it off the ramps......hahahahahaah

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 12:51
Several - MOT's - Bobbin Threadbare

Peter - your garage sounds a bit miserable if they wouldn't sort that out for you and then MOT it, but they don't have to I guess. I had a duff rear light on my old Focus and Kwik Fit rang me to ask if it was ok to replace it, THEN they did the MOT so it passed, as there was nothing else wrong.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 13:40
Several - MOT's - Chris M

Do testing stations have to fail a certain number of cars to show they are doing their job right?

My wife's Punto failed this year (I have the failure certificate). I can't recall the exact wording, but it was because she had this annoying little cuddly toy thing dangling from the interior mirror that allegedly blocked the view forward. The tester remove the thing and passed the car. Did me a favour as I was then able to make a big thing over how potentially dangerous the cuddly toy was and it has been removed permanently.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 13:40
Several - MOT's - TeeCee

Three cars? Same fault? Faded lights?

Sounds to me more like you have run foul of some cheesy operation's favourite trick to turn a few extra shekels this week. Also I have never seen an MOT place that wouldn't "tweak" the headlamp aim as necessary to achieve a pass.

If it were me, I wouldn't be going back.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 15:36
Several - MOT's - bathtub tom

I believe they are expected to have a number of failures, it shows they're doing their job. Although there's nothing to stop them tweaking the headlight aim to pass.

I had an advisory on my amber lenses a couple of years ago. I just replaced the clear bulbs with amber ones at the advice of the tester. The amber bulbs have an offset pin arrangement, but they can be 'forced' in quite easily.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 16:27
Several - MOT's - GazNicki

I sent my car into a garage for an MOT which has the headlight alignment out on one headlight. It was after a neighbour hit the front end. The repair centre repalced the headlight but the alignment was all wrong. It was taken back and they allegedly fixed it - they hadn't.

My car passed the MOT and the headlight was fixed when it came back. Nothing was ever mentioned about if by the Garage either.

It is all dependant on the Garage to be honest. If they are a strict Garage your car will be put through as strict as possible. Also, if the garage is dodgy or skint they can use the MOT to give them work that would otherwise be considered borderline.

Most councils run an MOT Centre where you are protected from the dodgy side of the MOT, but they are known to be strict. It's a double edged swored to be honest.

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Tue 26 Jul 2011 16:28
Several - MOT's - jamie745

Every garage is different, your relationship with them can count for something also. I always take mine to the same reliable independant who also did my MOT's when i was trading cars so ive put enough business his way for him to not dare try and rip me off or be overly strict (ie if he could fix a basic fault in 5 mins to get my car to pass he will do). In the past me and my parents have used different places and ended up with odd results. One car went to a garage and one year got an advisory on corroded brake pipes, the following year it went back and passed without an advisory on anything. Friend of mine had his car fail on the rear brakes at one station, went somewhere else the next day and it passed with no advisories.

Work that out.

Edited by jamie745 on 26/07/2011 at 16:34

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