MOT failure - options and advice

goldspanners

jeannieblue wrote: »

Night Goldie.. :kisses3:

think you can kiss and make up that easily? well ehh... your right. night :lovethoug

a11waysindebt

It was in 94 or 95 I think I gave up on the tools just when the full seamed welding come in. I got up one morning said .... this and that was the end of it.:D

I've got about a dozen rusty spanners in the greenhouse left.:o

Labour I was charging then £25.00 ph and welding £25.00 for the first hour then £15.00 an hour after...small but busy garage.

I could just imagine the charges now:eek:

I then went to work in a pet shop :rotfl: Then a sex shop :eek:

Now I do anything to make a buck.:cool:

jeannieblue

goldspanners wrote: »

think you can kiss and make up that easily? well ehh... your right. night :lovethoug

:heartsmil:smileyhea:kisses3::kisses3::kisses2::rudolf::snow_laug:santa2::footie::whistle::smileyhea:smileyhea:smileyhea

Always get a bit carried away where you are involved....... night... :EasterBun

adouglasmhor

goldspanners wrote: »

as most others have said replace the shockers and get under the car and clean up the rusty brake pipe with a wire brush then give it a coat of black paint,unless when you start cleaning off the rust it starts to look a bit thin then get it replaced.
the brake shoes will need a slight adjustment,but as this is an advisory it doesnt matter at the moment regarding your MOT. but if you find you need the brake pipe ask the garage to give the back shoes a quick adjust up for you,they may do this FOC.

as you have spent so much recently on other things i would be keeping this car. what happens if you sell this and buy the other one and then it needs all the same stuff replacing shortly?

better the devil you know.

I cleaned mine with a dremmel (carefuly) and sprayed them (clear lacquer overcoat) they looked like new and it saved a PITA job.

hewhoisnotintheknow

jeannieblue wrote: »

But I disagree with the idiots that recommend changing both of the shock absorbers when only one of them is a fail..

Posts like this are the exact reason I offer less advice on here than I used to.

If ones gone the other is probably on its way out, once its in the garage on the ramps, the cost to have the other one is not 50% more, once they've started the other side is worth doing

Different shocks will cause different handling than two matched sides

jimdog

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

Posts like this are the exact reason I offer less advice on here than I used to.

If ones gone the other is probably on its way out, once its in the garage on the ramps, the cost to have the other one is not 50% more, once they've started the other side is worth doing

Different shocks will cause different handling than two matched sides

Is it worth the OP getting into more debt for? Why not do it later as suggested? Makes more financial sense to me.

hewhoisnotintheknow

jimdog wrote: »

Is it worth the OP getting into more debt for? Why not do it later as suggested? Makes more financial sense to me.

working on the assumption that the other one is probably near the end of its life:

Example figures (these are example figures, not actual costs)

1.Take time to get the car to a garage
2.Garage charge you 50 to do one side (time to get it on ramps, do work, paper work, road test etc etc
3 Take time to collect the car

Now if the other side goes, you have to do all the above again, where as if you had both done the labour wouldn't be that much more, and you have the peace of mind that the car is more likely to handle better than having one new shocker and one shocker where the performance is going to be different

With most things money saving i find it better to take a longer term approach (not just financially in this case, but safety)

Premier_2

jimdog wrote: »

Is it worth the OP getting into more debt for? Why not do it later as suggested? Makes more financial sense to me.

It may make more financial sense in the short term, but when you factor in the dangers of unmatched shocks (e.g. increased braking distance, increased risk of skidding, uneven/oscillating headlight level causing dazzle to on-coming drivers, less control when cornering, etc) together with the increase wear put on other components, especially tyres, you'll see it's not a very good idea long term.

Always replace shocks as a matched pair, especially if they are worn.

adouglasmhor

jimdog wrote: »

Is it worth the OP getting into more debt for? Why not do it later as suggested? Makes more financial sense to me.

And when his tyres wear unevenly needing replacement sooner or his car slews when braking, how will that save money?

jitters

Wow. Thanks for all the replies on what has become a fairly emotive thread

I was going to go through and multiquote everything but that would take too long (I am grateful for all the responses)

I took a few posters advice and got another quote from a different garage the result of which is night and day. I've been quoted and subsequently dropped my car off, £130 for a tyre (budget), one shock and the brake pipe.

So, following retest I will (hopefully) have a road legal car - which will give me much more room for manouvre. I've yet to test drive the Pug, but if it isn't up to scratch I'll keep the fez and sort out the brakes (for my own piece of mind) but if not at least I'll be able to get something if I decide to sell.

I understand the issues about getting shocks replaced in pairs and in an ideal world I would have got them both replaced. My comment about labour simply came from the fact that once the car is on the ramp and works is being done on the rear it would cost less getting the second shock done rather than coming back a week later for it.

Again, thanks for all the replies on this you gave me a lot to think about. :j:T:D

P.S I found the second garage on the "good garage scheme" website - seems like a great idea.