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Look, it really isn't that hard

Passion, instruction, buying, care, maintenance and more, any form of vehicle discussion is welcome here
production100
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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#256626

Postby production100 » October 8th, 2019, 5:21 pm

I still would not go back to them on the basis that they did a service and were not sensible enough to change the wiper blade.

Chris

Alaric
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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#256641

Postby Alaric » October 8th, 2019, 6:40 pm

production100 wrote:I still would not go back to them on the basis that they did a service and were not sensible enough to change the wiper blade.


Some garages would offer a "pre-MoT" service. In other words a regular service combined with fixing anything (minor) that could cause an MoT fail.

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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#256646

Postby MonsterMork » October 8th, 2019, 7:14 pm

Alaric wrote:Some garages would offer a "pre-MoT" service. In other words a regular service combined with fixing anything (minor) that could cause an MoT fail.


Yup, they do indeed. Problem is, very few spanner slingers are qualified testers, and wot may fail service level can still be a pass on a test (and vice versa). Spanner bays don't have the same MoT testing eqipment as the test bays do, no shaker and turn plates to check steering and suspension, no brake rollers to test brake efficiency and fluctuation, no emissions testing equipment, no headlamp beam alignment test rig, nuffink, just a two post lift and a mechanic with the best intentions. Not every MoT bay is listed with DVSA as a working bay as well, so some places may not be able to throw a car on a test ramp and have a tester give it the once over even if they wanted to.

Also, if you do a pre check, say, a month before the due date, then the car fails, who gets it in the neck? Yes, that's right, muggins the tester for failing a car because "my garage said it will pass".

Yes, it probably would have passed. A month and a thousand miles ago :roll:

didds
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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#256963

Postby didds » October 10th, 2019, 3:16 pm

sounds like a stitch up to me.

you are never going to query a wiper blade - well maybe if you'd put it on as you handed the keys over! - but its an expensively priced blade (rather than one at your local car parts store) plus £40 half hour labour charge to do it. And they may not even change it anyway!

didds

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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#256992

Postby redsturgeon » October 10th, 2019, 6:16 pm

I go to a full priced MOT garage that is right next to the mainline station. Easy for commuters to leave their car inn the morning and pick it up that night, MOT done having saved about a tenner on parking too and with a car cleaned in and out. I do not commute so this is not the reason I use it.

It is called "John Smith's" garage and the last time I was there the car passed as usual but when I went to pick it up "John Smith" (not his real name) was behind the counter handing me my keys. He saw there was an advisory on the windscreen wipers not being as good as they should be. I pointed out that I had just put new blades on, he came out to look.

First thing he saw was the car had not been cleaned...he was not happy and arranged for that to be done immediately but first he asked me to operate the wipers so he could check the problem. They were not sweeping on small patch on the screen...he poked and prodded and twisted until they worked properly. He then sent the car off to be cleaned, issued a bollocking to those concerned and apologised to me.

They don't even require an appointment and have always fitted me in on the day I call.

Great place.

John

JessUK98
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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#259726

Postby JessUK98 » October 23rd, 2019, 7:45 pm

production100 wrote:
The MOT was at the local Toyota main dealer, where I was also having a big service done that day. They said that they'd tried to phone me on my mobile when they found the prob with the wiper, and that if they'd been able to talk to me they could have replaced it at once and they wouldn't have had to fail the car.


What appalling service. Any sensible dealer would have changed the wiper blade anyway to avoid the charge for a fail and the need for a re-test. I would have had a few words with them if they had done that to me and would never have used them again.

Do MOT centres have a target % of cars they have to fail? My car (RIP) needed new tyres before it's MOT. So I asked them to put XYZ tyres on when I dropped it off with them to MOT (after arranging this on the phone with them several days before as they needed to order them in). I thought they'd put the tyres on and then do the MOT. Nope they failed the car on the tyres, changed them and then passed it. There was no charge for this "retest". I was a bit miffed.

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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#259744

Postby MonsterMork » October 23rd, 2019, 9:21 pm

JessUK98 wrote:Do MOT centres have a target % of cars they have to fail? My car (RIP) needed new tyres before it's MOT. So I asked them to put XYZ tyres on when I dropped it off with them to MOT (after arranging this on the phone with them several days before as they needed to order them in). I thought they'd put the tyres on and then do the MOT. Nope they failed the car on the tyres, changed them and then passed it. There was no charge for this "retest". I was a bit miffed.


Nope, no fail target. DVSA, the authority on all MoT matters, set no guidelines whatsoever on how many to pass, advise or fail, it is purely down to the condition of the vehicle as presented for testing. If someone was working to a specific fail target and DVSA found out they would throw the book at those involved, indeed I know of testers who have packed their kit and walked straight out of MoT stations when the garage's management have tried to introduce a target percentage for fails.

The reason your car was failed before the tyres were fitted is that the test station had no idea if your car would fail on anything else. Miffed? Imagine how you would feel if they found enough problems with your car to make it uneconomical to repair (ie: scrap it), then had the temerity to charge you for the tyres they fitted for you before the test.

In most cases there will be no charge for a retest:

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... poster.pdf

MM

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Re: Look, it really isn't that hard

#259747

Postby JessUK98 » October 23rd, 2019, 10:02 pm

Well that makes more sense I guess.


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