MOT woes

[BigMonty]

Had a good look round the c70 yesterday as a pre mot check. The back tyres are borderline, side light out and the number plate lights are out.
Got a great deal from STS for the back tyres. £200 for Pirelli p6000 fitted. Off I went and they can't get locking wheelnuts off. Called the AA they came out and couldn't get them off. Recovered to my trusted garage who said that is no sweat. Got home, rang the garage to tell him to sort the mot out. Hour later he rang back to tell me that the bulbs are fine . Problem with the circuit. Don't worry Monty I will sort it. Then rang back this morning saying I need to come over. They can't get it through the emissions, but can't find the problem at the moment. Brake pipes and flexi hoses are shot. Bushes on the back end need replacing. Power steering leak. Among a host of other items. My mechanic reckons her last mot was a dud.
Here we go. ! !!!!!!!! !!!!

[arcturus]

At least you'll have a safe car when its finished. Shows the value of regular MOT's

[Marty Dolomite]

Originally Posted by BigMonty

Brake pipes and flexi hoses are shot. Bushes on the back end need replacing. Power steering leak. Among a host of other items. My mechanic reckons her last mot was a dud.
Here we go. ! !!!!!!!! !!!!

Or all those items were borderline at the last MOT, metal rusts and bushes wear and hoses can persh within a year!
it really ****es me off when a so call professional slags off or makes unfounded comments about another garage just to big themselves up infront of a customer.
The problem with the MOT is that it is the opinion of the tester as to the thin line between a pass and fail unless the item is obviously faulty or corroded.
Last year my volvo had 'slight corrosion' near the chassis leg, this year there was a hole there which caused a fail.

[BigMonty]

I can assure you my mechanic has no need to big himself up, he is absolutely superb. The only one I have met in 22 years of owning cars that is completely honest. I would recommend him but he is semi retired and doesn't want or need the work.
The major fact that the car has only done 2k since its last MOT and has been garaged since lead him to his "educated" judgement.
Be very carefull when you start to rant about other mechanics, sometimes they may know more than you.

[Alex121]

Originally Posted by Marty Dolomite

Or all those items were borderline at the last MOT, metal rusts and bushes wear and hoses can persh within a year!
it really ****es me off when a so call professional slags off or makes unfounded comments about another garage just to big themselves up infront of a customer.
The problem with the MOT is that it is the opinion of the tester as to the thin line between a pass and fail unless the item is obviously faulty or corroded.
Last year my volvo had 'slight corrosion' near the chassis leg, this year there was a hole there which caused a fail.

Problem is his mechanic it probably be right. My uncles a master tech for Volvo and has worked there all his life so knows pretty much every Volvo going inside out and the horror stories you here of some garages that think they know what they're doing and what they will let a car pass with on an MOT is shocking. There are too many garages that bodge jobs these days for the cash. Of course though, as you say it may have been a legit MOT and the other garage could just be bigging themselves up.

In my personal opinion, if there is a 'thin line', it should be a fail. There shouldn't be an 'urm, hmm, well it could be ok for another week, it could be ok till next year? who knows?! we'll pass it anyway...." If it's really that borderline surely it should get fixed/replaced regardless as it's going to need to be done soon anyway - At least that way you know the cars 100% sound.

Maybe I'm just OCD with my cars, whenever I get advisories or told something will need doing soon I get it done right away just for piece of mind, even if it passed.

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by Marty Dolomite

Or all those items were borderline at the last MOT, metal rusts and bushes wear and hoses can persh within a year!
it really ****es me off when a so call professional slags off or makes unfounded comments about another garage just to big themselves up infront of a customer.
The problem with the MOT is that it is the opinion of the tester as to the thin line between a pass and fail unless the item is obviously faulty or corroded.
Last year my volvo had 'slight corrosion' near the chassis leg, this year there was a hole there which caused a fail.

I rather agree, based on my cyncical experience of life.

The acid test would be to see if the new MOT tester would assist Trading Standards in bringing a case against last years' MOT tester, and would/could provide credible evidence against last year's tester in court... In my experience, such criticisms are often hastily withdrawn when faced with that choice.

[The Thong]

My S60's in next month, I have all this to come

TT

[Andy Northface]

Originally Posted by Alex121

Maybe I'm just OCD with my cars, whenever I get advisories or told something will need doing soon I get it done right away just for piece of mind, even if it passed.

Me too. My kids travel in it. Also I am not giving any insurance company an excuse not to pay out in case of a claim.

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by Alex121

Problem is his mechanic it probably be right. My uncles a master tech for Volvo and has worked there all his life so knows pretty much every Volvo going inside out and the horror stories you here of some garages that think they know what they're doing and what they will let a car pass with on an MOT is shocking. There are too many garages that bodge jobs these days for the cash. Of course though, as you say it may have been a legit MOT and the other garage could just be bigging themselves up.

In my personal opinion, if there is a 'thin line', it should be a fail. There shouldn't be an 'urm, hmm, well it could be ok for another week, it could be ok till next year? who knows?! we'll pass it anyway...." If it's really that borderline surely it should get fixed/replaced regardless as it's going to need to be done soon anyway - At least that way you know the cars 100% sound.

Maybe I'm just OCD with my cars, whenever I get advisories or told something will need doing soon I get it done right away just for piece of mind, even if it passed.

It is not that simple even in the testers manual it actually states sometimes that if unsure to PASS the car on that area, you have to remember that the car does not start out from a fail it starts from a pass and if anything is found then it only becomes a "reason for rejection"....The MoT is not based on that though you have to remember the old caveat on MoT's it is not whether it will be okay next week or till next year but on the day of presentation from the presenter.

On certain advisories yes true, but on other ones like I have had this year there are some "disclaimers" where the MoT guy is covering his a*se.

[BigMonty]

Well we are there !!!
£200 on rear tyres another £200 on pipes and bits and pieces, and we are MOTed for another year. My mechanic decided not to charge labour as he needs his fence sorting............. I will get my hammer and saw then.

Few bits still to do, I need to get the front locking nuts off, the rears were cut off as the wheels needed to come off. Got a few oil weeps here and there. And we still have the running problems when you try and give it a bit of welly.
My mechanic is a bit old school and doesnt want to tackle the running problems, so if anyone can point me in the right direction to a good volvo man in the east cambs area it would be much appreciated.

Did I mention we are MOTed for a year ?