Fradulent MOT on a car - can I do anything ???

redsclubbedup

Hi all,

I purchased a car this weekend just gone - as it has a reconditioned engine with only 17,000 on it I went to the trouble of getting a train from Birmingham to Newcastle to collect it

At the time the seller seemed very genuine (issue with his knee so needed an automatic - he even had crutch / dissabled badge and a new automatic car)

The car also had a full MOT with only an extra couple of miles on it from when it had been driven home (this was in Feb it has been sat since)

My mechanic has looked over the car and found about 5 major issues - 4 of which he said should have been found on the MOT:

* Front wheel / differential bearings need replacing

* New handbrake cables needed (these may well have been seized on so I accept this may have happened since MOT)

* Exhasut needs replacing - catalytic convertor sealed with exhaust paste

*Abs system not working

He said that no garage should have passed this vehicle - I appreciate that cars are SOLD AS SEEN - but the fact that the mileage on the MOT matches up with the fact I have only driven it 240 miles home, (it has about 250 on it since the MOT in february)

Is there any come back at all on the garage for passing this vehicle - or am I just going to have to shell out for all of the repairs ???

anewman

Read the back of the MOT certificate, the answers are all on there. If a month has gone (or it's relating to corrosion 6 months I think), or has been repaired in the meantime then I doubt anything can be done. As it was done in Feb I doubt anything can be done.

Are you sure the work the garage says needs doing does need doing, as they could be doing the conning. Always worth getting a second opinion.

somech

1 wheel bearings on what grounds play noise?
2 handbrake cables seized frayed?
3 exhaust sealed with sealant. not leaking so cant fail
4 abs not working does the light go out? if it does and brakes work then will pass.

harveybobbles

redsclubbedup wrote: »

Fradulent MOT on a car - can I do anything ???

Get some concrete evidence first, perhaps rather than just assuming...

Rolandtheroadie

Get a new mechanic. He should know better.
I cant see anything on tht list that 1. couldnt play up in 3 months of sitting around or 2. are valid complaints after a certificate is issued and you drive out the MOT place.

Just_Incredible

MOTs are only valid for 24 hours

so there could be a small chance that all the problems occured after that time period

KeithP

Just_Incredible wrote: »

MOTs are only valid for 24 hours

Really?

I thought it was valid for a year.

I think what you meant to say was something like...

Testing ensures that vehicles are in a safe and roadworthy condition at the time of the test, but it is worth bearing in mind that a certificate only guarantees roadworthiness at the time of issue although the certificate is valid for a year.