MOTs Cost Cutting MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion Area

Labman20

It's worth pointing out that going to a council run test centre doesn't automatically mean it will be cheaper and more likely to pass. My sister recently took her 12 year old Fiesta to Cambridge City Council. It failed on several points, the main one being some welding needed to be done to the sils. There were also a few other failure points, handbrake was one of them. They quoted over £600 for the repairs, Yes, they do offer repairs. :eek:
She took it to a local guy in her village who charged her just over £300 for all the repair work and a retest, which btw the handbrake passed without quibble.:T
I think the MSE team need to revisit this area of advice as it is not as clear cut as it may seem and things may have changed.

rich56

I'm probably posting something that everyone's aware of, but it's still going on big time.
Having worked within the vehicle repair service for over 30 years; with small companies and major national companies. Most major companies operate an incentive to maximise sales; nothing new there, but I've had to walk away from some employers, particularly one that's well known in the high street for cycle sales. To retain any kind of self respect I absolutely refused to do as management requested, rip customers off. First it was commonplace to have a failure quota, a percentage of vehicles HAD to fail to achieve my bonus. Then, I had to maximise revenue by selling what was not required, to maximise profit, then, I was encouraged not to replace any item sold that didn't require it; and still charge. Like possibly estate agents, garages aren't always that forthcoming with the truth, and some are downright liars. In my experience stay clear of the large chains; seek out and develope a relationship with a small independant garage, it'll repay you in the future. Some of us are the good-guys.

morrismen

I took my car into a well known Car Service Centre near Marshall's Airport in Cambridge for an MOT. They asked up front whether I would want the window screen wipers replacing if they were found to be worn. I advised they were only 3 months old and did not need replacing.

The car passed its MOT, however bill showed a NEW off side headlight bulb had been fitted at £8.50

Now, I only replaced that very same headlight bulb the week before because I had done Martin's walk around the car and found it had blown. So, I challenged this.

Their Service Technician appeared and advised me the bulb produced an "odd pattern" so it had to be replaced to pass the MOT.

I explained the bulb was new from Halfords. So were they saying Halford's headlight bulbs were faulty? He said perhaps that particular one was... What??? I didn't accept this. I advised them that a bulb DOES NOT cause a pattern - the light reflector does this. My headlight reflectors were still silver and like new...

The Service Technician stuck to his guns and said the bulb was faulty.

He was wrong. I was being charged for something I did not need to pass their MOT. Bulbs are a bolster on the MOT bill to justify their work.

In the end I did not pay for their headlight bulb.

Moral is, don't believe everything the a Motor Technician tells you, and challenge them so you only pay for what you should be paying for.

davidncohen

London borough of Camden - MOT Test Centre.

kd99

Instead of my local garage, I used the above centre in the past months twice - wonderful, friendly, punctual and helpful, my cars didn't pass first time, but I had no uneasy feeling of unnecessary work being found...

But today .. my local garage (after changing my 206's clutch cable) admitted that they were a business and put a markup on the part... £40 plus VAT on a cable! If you're going to mark up, be bright enough not to make it a round number!! So, they charged me £46 (inc VAT) for the cable, when unipart quote £26 (inc VAT). Even main dealer were cheaper... So my lesson (after spending over £1000 with them in the past months is NEVER GO THERE AGAIN. but it's been an expensive lesson - I am so thankful my MOTs wern't there , who knows what creative accounting they would have been up to. Lets please have an automotive forum.

s_b

kd99 wrote: »

Instead of my local garage, I used the above centre in the past months twice - wonderful, friendly, punctual and helpful, my cars didn't pass first time, but I had no uneasy feeling of unnecessary work being found...

But today .. my local garage (after changing my 206's clutch cable) admitted that they were a business and put a markup on the part... £40 plus VAT on a cable! If you're going to mark up, be bright enough not to make it a round number!! So, they charged me £46 (inc VAT) for the cable, when unipart quote £26 (inc VAT). Even main dealer were cheaper... So my lesson (after spending over £1000 with them in the past months is NEVER GO THERE AGAIN. but it's been an expensive lesson - I am so thankful my MOTs wern't there , who knows what creative accounting they would have been up to. Lets please have an automotive forum.

ive just been in my local shop and they are doing the same
i know baked beans are cheaper at a wholesalers:eek:

its disgusting

profit and everthink

should we write to an MP?

s_b

morrismen wrote: »

I took my car into a well known Car Service Centre near Marshall's Airport in Cambridge for an MOT. They asked up front whether I would want the window screen wipers replacing if they were found to be worn. I advised they were only 3 months old and did not need replacing.

The car passed its MOT, however bill showed a NEW off side headlight bulb had been fitted at £8.50

Now, I only replaced that very same headlight bulb the week before because I had done Martin's walk around the car and found it had blown. So, I challenged this.

Their Service Technician appeared and advised me the bulb produced an "odd pattern" so it had to be replaced to pass the MOT.

I explained the bulb was new from Halfords. So were they saying Halford's headlight bulbs were faulty? He said perhaps that particular one was... What??? I didn't accept this. I advised them that a bulb DOES NOT cause a pattern - the light reflector does this. My headlight reflectors were still silver and like new...

The Service Technician stuck to his guns and said the bulb was faulty.

He was wrong. I was being charged for something I did not need to pass their MOT. Bulbs are a bolster on the MOT bill to justify their work.

In the end I did not pay for their headlight bulb.

Moral is, don't believe everything the a Motor Technician tells you, and challenge them so you only pay for what you should be paying for.

Not so old bean
its more often the case that the bulb isnt sat right in its holder causing wrong pattern but its also the case cheap import bulbs can and do quite often have the base plate spot welded on slightly squ wiff
tech was right and it was cheaper to replace the bulb for you rather than him spend ages determining the reason the pattern was wrong

you owe them an apology im afraid

best not fit bulbs yourself eh leave it to the experts

ive emailed the garage near marshals to advise them you are coming in with a crate of beer for them

tessywessy

Please could anyone help me find one in my area of south cumbria, like the lady above when i called my local council they thought i was mad.

Memoryfoam

My first MoT test is nearly due. I have found online the Test Centre in Deptford, they claim to be indipendent and they won't charge you if you fail as they don't do repairs. Has anyone had any experience with them?

igaquo1

Sad to say, that the Enfield Council MOT centre has now closed as of early October 2012.