MOTs Cost Cutting MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion Area

little_miss_Crazie

Hi i am needing to get my MOT done by the end of the month and have been struggling to decide on where to go. I have my insurance with Kwik fit so ''should'' get my MOT for free and 10% off any work however i am concerned since the feature on watch dog about being ripped off with unnecessary work! A friend suggested using a council run garage so i have found one near me in Blackpool and was wondering if anyone has used this one before? if so how did you find it etc?? thanks x

Sullybum

Google http://cardiffmotservice.com - they have an offers page and referral deals which make MOT and Services pretty cheap

UEF

Happy to report a pass from Wandsworth (London) testing centre.

Dundeegal1

I spend over 2 hours waiting!!!! When i was told it wouldn't take long.

Then was told it's failed on Rear ( chassis member cracked at boot Floor) body or Chasis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting it's strength wihin 30cm of the body mountings.

I than went to a local garage the MOT GUY THERE told me that it should not of failed. The MOT Tester Guy said that if it'd come to them it would not of failed on this.

What's even worse is that this guy said that the dundee contract guys bring there car's to him for reapirs --i recomend that someone gets a guy out there and review this place..

He told me to get it booked in with them i have now booked with them for Next week.

COSTING ANOTHER £50.....NOT AMUSED> !!!!!

THANKS ALOT FOR THE ADVICE MONEY SAVING EXPERT!!!! I've just wasted £50.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!!:mad:

nickpicks

There's no council testing station in Hertfordshire, but I can recommend Apsley MOTs in Hemel Hempstead. I can't post a link, but google finds them.

They only do MOT tests, and charge lower than the DVLA set price. They have a nice clean test area and viewing area, and pleasant staff.

And they passed my car today, although I'd still be recommending them if they had failed it.

scots1

Dundeegal1 wrote: »

I spend over 2 hours waiting!!!! When i was told it wouldn't take long.

Then was told it's failed on Rear ( chassis member cracked at boot Floor) body or Chasis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting it's strength wihin 30cm of the body mountings.

I than went to a local garage the MOT GUY THERE told me that it should not of failed. The MOT Tester Guy said that if it'd come to them it would not of failed on this.

What's even worse is that this guy said that the dundee contract guys bring there car's to him for reapirs --i recomend that someone gets a guy out there and review this place..

He told me to get it booked in with them i have now booked with them for Next week.

COSTING ANOTHER £50.....NOT AMUSED> !!!!!

THANKS ALOT FOR THE ADVICE MONEY SAVING EXPERT!!!! I've just wasted £50.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK!!!!:mad:

You have a right to appeal if u think a MOT has not been carried out properly by a tester irregardless of what garage/authority he/she works for. http://www.motuk.co.uk/appeals.htm

And previous experience tells me maybe the other garage stated that it would not have failed if it had came to them, but (chassis member cracked at boot Floor) body or Chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting it's strength within 30cm of the body mountings.
Basically this is 30cm within a seatbelt mounting or other anchorage point which is a failure under the testers manual section http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_610.htm
also discussed in a further appendix: http://www.motuk.co.uk/mot_appendix_c.htm

Basically other garage is telling u cack.....the original tester was right in his opinion to fail your car, coz he probably just saved u or any of ur passengers heads bouncing thru the windscreen in the event of an accident.

scots1

If anyone wants to read the manual or even double check things prior to taking any vehicle for an MOT please feel free here :
http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm

It'll give u an insight into what is required

rickbonar

The MOT is what keeps most of the car industry going in Britain today.

And mostly little or nothing to do with car safety too.

The cons and fiddles that garages perpetrate would dazzle you if you only knew the truth.
Garages and motor maintenance comes only second to builders scams with an estimate of up to 10 times the real costs whereas builders it's 20. However the government eclipses even the builders when it comes to putting one over on the public.

Originally introduced in 1960 on the pretext of car safety which was a plausible consideration but in reality was largely to stop people simply buying old cars going back as far the 1900s and force your hand to buy new cars and at the same time giving garages business doing the tests and repairs.
So simply a device to stimulate new car purchases and the tax and business associated with it.

Things haven't really changed today. Often perfectly roadworthy vehicles being "written off" again with all the vested interests involved.

A few years back the garages were offering free MOTs but what people were doing was taking to garage after garage until one passed it.
Of course I must point out that these days when a garage or MOT tester does a test they mark the item with a paint or a chalk... so if it's re tested somewhere else they'll know you've been somewhere prior.
It's a very much a handshake under your left leg and nod and wink secret handshake business.

Kwik fit ha ha ha.

A friend of mine took her car into a her local kwik fit 2003 and the guys there told her she needed all the shock absorbers replacing, she panicked but I had friends working in the local MOT centre and I got them to do a quick test and they confirmed there was nothing wrong with the shocks. She has back to kwik fit for an exhaust this year 2010 and they told this time the front two shocks should be replace ... amazing 7 years later two have recovered!
Had to laugh at the free advertising some garages are doing on this thread....
NEVER take your vehicle to a commission based vehicle centre unless you're telling them what you want.

Mind recently we've seen the flip side ... rather than unnecessary work being found and “repaired” Working the industry half the time they didn’t do anything apart from charge you. Today the chances of garages being found and their licences stopped are higher.. Now with the modern MOTs online to the DVLA some garages are instead passing your car easily knowing that you will come back next year for your easy pass. The word gets around and all the garage does is replace the odd light or number plate and easy money again.

sandy196040

Newark & Sherwood District Council runs a MOT Centre
on Brunel Drive, Newark. Tel No. 01636 655566. Always received good service and advice. Last time paid £40.

Aitch7

Just to let you know that Leeds City Council have now stopped the public being able to get an MOT at their centre - I just phoned them and was told that it was due to council cut backs!