Mot tests

WAYNE_HATTON

I'm just writing in to comment on Mr Lewis's advise about going to council mot garages because he thinks independent garages failing cars just to get work, this is simply not ,as a mot tester and owner of two test station we have rules and regulations to conform to by the Ministry Of Transport,
Therefore cannot fail things if they are not a fail.
Bad advise like this gives independent garages a bad name ,so please get your fact right Mr Lewis.

cyclonebri1

I didn't read the post you mention but even you as a test centre operator will have come accross the odd rotten apple.

Yes there are guidelines that you have to work within, but they are not inflexible and not all are figures punched into a keyboard, some are much more subjective and open to manipulation should the operator so desire.

You probably own the type of local garage test centre that I always advise people search out rather than deal with the biggies who get so much trade that 1 or 2 ripped of customers that fail to return are of no consequence to them compared to the pushing of advisory work, and the return it makes for them.

A case of being tarred with the same brush I'm afraid. Keep it honest and your clientel will remain loyal to you and avoid the council option:T:T

SailorSam

If all testing stations are working to the same criteria why is it you hear so often about someone getting failed at one but passed at another just down the road.
A few years ago i remember getting failed on my headlight alignment, the garage asked should they do it £10, i said i'd do it myself.
A friend had the same car, make and model and had just passed his Mot, we put the cars next to each other inside the garage with the lights showing on the doors....... they were identical.
I asked around and this garage had a reputation for always failing headlights, but fixing them 0n-the-spot for an extra tenner.

Anihilator

It is opinion though.

What one tester thinks is a fair another might not for some items. This goes for council stations too. A council tester might also fail an item someone else would pass.

Obviously they have less incentive to deliberatly err on the side of caution to make money from repairs but the OP is right in it is unfair to tar all testers with the same brush.

Many MOT testers do perfectly legitimate work and dont deserve to be tarred because other garages use it to get a few extra repairs.

hewhoisnotintheknow

WAYNE_HATTON wrote: »

I'm just writing in to comment on Mr Lewis's advise about going to council mot garages because he thinks independent garages failing cars just to get work, this is simply not ,as a mot tester and owner of two test station we have rules and regulations to conform to by the Ministry Of Transport,
Therefore cannot fail things if they are not a fail.
Bad advise like this gives independent garages a bad name ,so please get your fact right Mr Lewis.

Annoying but i wouldn't worry

if you are any good you would have enough business to keep you going, i know the local garage i use always has a long waiting list for MOT's

Inactive

WAYNE_HATTON wrote: »

I'm just writing in to comment on Mr Lewis's advise about going to council mot garages because he thinks independent garages failing cars just to get work, this is simply not ,as a mot tester and owner of two test station we have rules and regulations to conform to by the Ministry Of Transport,
Therefore cannot fail things if they are not a fail.
Bad advise like this gives independent garages a bad name ,so please get your fact right Mr Lewis.

Surely you mean VOSA, not the Ministry of Transport.

emmell

I use a local MOT testing station who aren't looking for repair work because they are too busy doing MOT's, but that doesn't mean they don't do a thorough job, I know they do because I usually stand with them and watch them.
ML.

mcjordi

i got my xsara done at the local council mot station he was very thorough as well
they passed things that my regular mot station failed and the regular mot place didnt notice other things like the wishbones were shot to pieces

1 for the council i think

retest 2morra as i did all the repairs today

gordikin

emmell wrote: »

I use a local MOT testing station who aren't looking for repair work because they are too busy doing MOT's, but that doesn't mean they don't do a thorough job, I know they do because I usually stand with them and watch them.
ML.

Are you MOT qualified? If not how do you know the are doing a thorough job?

Rolandtheroadie

Kenny_Powers wrote: »

Independent garages/MOT centres etc are just a bunch of cowboy grease monkeys charging premium prices for screwing a nut.

There are very few places i despise more than garages.

Martin Lewis obviously realises just how much Joe Public gets royally shafted by these rip off merchants and has advised people to go to council MOT stations.

I have a great relationship with the independent I go to. In all my years of going to them, there has been NOTHING to complain about. When a car fails, they will show me what needs done and why (if I ask).
In the 19 years I've went to them, there has been no time I've doubted what they have said.

By the way, I fix my cars myself (as I always have) so they gain nothing other than an occasional brake pipe (I saw the fluid leaking) and a service if I'm keeping a service book up to date.

Even if you go to a council MOT centre, you still need to get it fixed if it fails.

Your post goes some way to explain why you may have experienced problems in the past. Attitude.

emmell

gordikin wrote: »

Are you MOT qualified? If not how do you know the are doing a thorough job?

No I'm not MOT qualified but I'm not stupid either I do happen to know one end of a car from another and I was in the motor trade for 30 years of my 53.
ML.