V70: Another year, another MOT

[malc-c]

Originally Posted by Simmy

having the same list of advisory's shows a lack of interest in maintaining your vehicle .

Most advisories are cosmetic. A tiny chip in the screen that could be infilled, but of the five local companies contacted only one bothered to come back with a reply, which was basically saying he was winding his business down.

With regards to servicing, I have my reasons... which I won't discuss here.. and I don't need to justify them to you.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Simmy

having the same list of advisory's shows a lack of interest in maintaining your vehicle .

I wouldn't quite agree with that, though in some cases it will be true.

I think some advisories are very early warnings from thorough/pedantic testers, especially at main dealers, and future testers just carry them over.

We have a Renault Master van horse box - it got advised on lightly corroded brake pipes in 2018. Been advised ever since. They're fine, it's stored indoors, not getting any worse.

Wife's 2018 VW Golf, has a crack in the indicator repeater on the door mirror, been advised since 2021.

My XC60 was advised every year on engine undertray fitted...........

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Simmy

having the same list of advisory's shows a lack of interest in maintaining your vehicle .

If they're only minor advisories and they haven't got worse, then I see no reason to jump at fixing them. If they become major, which would mean a fail, then address it then.

The car is 25 years old. That in itself is a reason not to rush repairing advisories that usually have no effect on the car driving and general safety. Being honest, it must have been looked after to get to that age. Most cars are scrapped long before becoming 25.

[malc-c]

Just wanted to clarify things without going into personal details.

The car has done 1255 mile since the last MOT. Every 12 months the car gets an oil change and filters change, and a general look over by a mechanic, and at the time the item in question that resulted in this years failure was fine. So in retrospect the car isn't under maintained given the annual mileage it does.

Four of the new advisories are related to the reason the car failed, and as the tester pointed out, they have an obligation to report them as part of their findings. If the part in question was performing better those advisories would not be listed.

The other advisories are again, down to the age of the car. They are not in any way affecting the performance or safety of the car, and are mainly related to bushes, such as those fitted to the rear shocks. The tester even said in her opinion there's plenty of mileage in them, but being original parts, are showing their age, and as such they are legally obliged to report them, even with the slightest signs of wear and tear. One or two advisories that were reported three years back were not listed on the subsequent two test, but have been noted again this year. This suggests that the condition isn't that bad as the same tester didn't consider the condition is poor enough to present a problem and need reporting, or the appearance through weather conditions meant the ware was not that obvious to be found.

The small chip in the screen has been there for years - it's not in a position to cause a failure, but as its obvious gets logged as an advisory. I did look at getting it filled a year or so back, which I've already covered.

I've just received notification of the cost to replace the sticky rear calliper (the last remaining original - outlasting ns calliper by six years), so that will be done in good time to have the free retest the centre offers.

[malc-c]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I wouldn't quite agree with that, though in some cases it will be true.

I think some advisories are very early warnings from thorough/pedantic testers, especially at main dealers, and future testers just carry them over.

I have been using the same MOT testing station for 36 years now. They are just that, an MOT test centre with no obligation to generate work off the back of a test. They don't offer any other services and their slogan of " No repairs just a fair test" is true in both counts.

[4x4]

Originally Posted by malc-c

I have been using the same MOT testing station for 36 years now....

I'm a couple of years more than you, I've been using the same MOT station for 38 years now, they do general repair work as well as MOTs but in my 38 years I have only used them once for rusty brake pipes on a Range Rover

[DaveNP]

So it's another year's ticket for me too.
I've been using the same MOT tester for many years for all of our family's cars, probably about 20 years. They are called Just MOTs but they can and will do repairs if asked, although they have always been pretty meticulous about not offering a repair until asked.
This year's advisories were for both number plates having deterioration but still able to be read, and a worn front disc, chatting with the tester afterwards he said they were just things he noticed as he was doing the test so he notes them 'just in case..'. The advisory from previous years about an oil leak has been missing for the past couple of years but I know it still has an oil leak from the crankshaft seal.

[winsox]

Mines just had its MOT too. ...and it was a pass too