J@mes Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Anyone used them? Just spending a really exciting sunday afternoon flicking through the Natwest magazine.... when they mention these are a good way of saving money - they dont do repairs, so they have no vested interest in either passing or failing your car. which sounds good, because I know some places can be a bit funny about it, hoping they will get work! anyone used one then? good, bad, indifferent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Vested interest is when it fails and you pay for a retest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 a friend used to take his 127 to the local council bus depot for MOT as they could do class 7 tests, only way to find out is to ring & ask if they will test non-council owned vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 The Co-Op dairy used to do them in Sheffield! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam of Sweden Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Here in Sweden we only have council controlled or DVLA(equivalent) test centres, all very modern and clean, with the exact same machines for testing! I have to endure watching my 110 get lifted up on a pneumatic jig and shaken to test the wheel bearings and steering. Looks very violent but I'm sure they know what they're up to! Can only say that experiences in the U.K., garages that would fail one thing, then return with fixed car to another place, would fail for something else. A controlled environment where profit is not an issue, helps curb greedy exploiting mechanics. Its not all good though, road tax costs about 850 squid here. Rant over, back to my cuppa! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I've taken my cars back to my local garage for their retest with the removed 'failed' items, showing that they're still quite serviceable (eg brake pads with 2.5mm of material left on them). This year's phone call with the MG was "it's failed, it needs discs and pads all round, I've looked up the parts prices and we can do it all in for £650". £150 lighter I took it back with the old discs (which did not need replacing) in the boot and made angry remonstrations. I don't think I'll be back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 90 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 (eg brake pads with 2.5mm of material left on them). I'll check on monday but im pretty sure thet The testers manual states that less than 3mm is a fail. No room for judgement its plain and simple. More than 3mm is a pass, less than 3mm is a fail so you MOT tester was right to fail them. Ring VOSA and they will tell you the same. Edited to say that I think Paintman is correct and 1.5mm could infact be the minimum for a fail. As said, I will check when I get to work on monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 One of our vans had a Main dealer service on friday,1st on @ 12K. it needed a pair of windscreen wipers. They quoted £25+VAT for the pair fitted . They called to ask if it was alright, i obviously said no and that we would supply and fit them when we got the van back. The service manger phoned back to say that the vehicle was not legal to drive and they wouldn't return it to us! We had words. Won't be using them again. When it comes to vehicle repairs the whole system is guilty of over charging, fraudulent claims and shoddy workmanship in general. No wonder were in the mess that we are . Tea anyone?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 2.5 mm left on pads says they are well overdue for a change! (Interestingly on one of the MG Rover forums they say the minimum recommended thickness is 3mm.) And I would expect on a car fitted with a working wear indicator system that at 2.5mm the light will either be on or will be very soon. Under 1.5 is a fail. http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_350.htm Very thin worn pads can fail dramatically with the braking friction material coming away from the metal pad. Not what you want when you really NEED the brakes to work! If you think you are being done over by your garage then complain to VoSA. Procedure is explained here http://www.motuk.co.uk/ If you can find a council run station you will get a very thorough test. No leeway given. I've used the same garage for all our MoT's for years. They know there's no work in it for them. The test is conducted properly & if I've missed something on my pre-test check it will fail. As it should. I always ask if there are any items I should keep an eye on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve 90 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 When it comes to vehicle repairs the whole system is guilty of over charging, fraudulent claims and shoddy workmanship in general. Is that a fact???? I think you will find there are good and bad garages exactly the same as there are good and bad builders, plumbers, solicitors, doctors pretty much every occupation. The trouble with working on cars/vehicles in general is there are so many variables, and two jobs are never the same. Plus you need mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and a whole host of other skills all in one job. There are very few other occupations that need such a wide range of skills. When it comes to dealing with the customer everyone is an expert or know's one that drinks in the same pub giving bad, miss informed advice. Everyone thinks there being ripped off when most of the time they are not. Were not all out to rip people off. There are some that are but I know that we try and offer a good fair service while still paying the bills and I think a majority of workshops are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Is that a fact????I think you will find there are good and bad garages exactly the same as there are good and bad builders, plumbers, solicitors, doctors pretty much every occupation. The trouble with working on cars/vehicles in general is there are so many variables, and two jobs are never the same. Plus you need mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and a whole host of other skills all in one job. There are very few other occupations that need such a wide range of skills. When it comes to dealing with the customer everyone is an expert or know's one that drinks in the same pub giving bad, miss informed advice. Everyone thinks there being ripped off when most of the time they are not. Were not all out to rip people off. There are some that are but I know that we try and offer a good fair service while still paying the bills and I think a majority of workshops are the same. I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush Steve! I know there are variables in every job but it's how the job is described, diagnosed and delt with that is mainly an issue. In my case recently they were trying to make a fast buck, when i didn't want to play they came out with a load of bull that would of had Mrs smith, for example, saying OK to the scam. Things are getting tight out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 The MoT man can't win I'm afraid. If a car fails then you get a lot of yelling about how unfair it all is. But when a serious accident happens you get a lot of yelling that the defects should have been picked up and its all the fault of the tester. Ho hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Things are getting tight but decent places will remain ripoff merchants will not. I use my local garage for MOT's the 90 was done on Thursday 1 advisory they could have offered to repair etc etc but no they tell me, I take all our cars there. I like to support local business, The Mercedes Dealer in Exeter was also reasonable but they do try it on like a repeater with a bit of condensation in it, they offer to order the part for nigh on £100, I declined. The Taunton one however the spares bloke I saw acted as though I was in his way when I asked for a price for a part. Now I don't go there, simple good service I return, bad I look elsewhere.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I don't have an issue with fair failure, and I would have no issue with saying, in his opinion, that thin brake pads are due for a change. Once I had the wheels off I'd certainly not put the old pads back in, but my gripe was with a fail for reasons that didn't concur with a valid reason for refusal. I don't have time to take it up with VOSA, I'll take my cars elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat_J Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Here in Sweden we only have council controlled or DVLA(equivalent) test centres, all very modern and clean, with the exact same machines for testing! I have to endure watching my 110 get lifted up on a pneumatic jig and shaken to test the wheel bearings and steering. Looks very violent but I'm sure they know what they're up to!Can only say that experiences in the U.K., garages that would fail one thing, then return with fixed car to another place, would fail for something else. A controlled environment where profit is not an issue, helps curb greedy exploiting mechanics. Its not all good though, road tax costs about 850 squid here. Rant over, back to my cuppa! But do they actually spend the money on the roads over there. Rounds here they only ever grit them when it not icy then it a skid pan when it does freeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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