Best value MoT?

Stigy

Hi all, just wanting some opinions if you wouldn't mind!

The car is due for MoT by 31 Jan and as such I want to have it booked in ASAP. Now up until now I've had it done by a friend who is still in the trade, unfortunately, that's one bridge that's now well and truely burned...;)

I was (for my sins) considering Kwik Fit, as they do an MoT for £30 if booked and paid for online, which sounds good. Trouble is, from experience I am well aware how Kwik Fit work, but this was based on their fast fitting "expertise" and not their MoT testing capacity (my experience with them came from before they started doing MoTs). Given that alot of their centres are now MoT testing stations, I can't help but think their testers must have at least a little know-how, given that they'd have to reach a certain level of experience in order to carry out the test.

I am a tad worried though, that if my car goes in to Kwik Fit for an MoT, there's a high chance it'll come out needing brakes, shocks, a full exhaust system, headlamp bulbs, sidelamp bulbs, a foglight bulb, indicator bulbs and wiper blades.

Am I rightly concerned? Can anybody advise on some big chains that aren't Cowboys? Thanks in advance guys! :beer:

*EDIT*

For the record, I know for a fact that all my lights work and that the exhaust is fine...as a whole.

FakeIrish

I can understand your reticent with using Kwit Fit. However, for the sake of an extra £20, you can go to a Govt approved MOT centre. I was in the same boat and was also cynical about using Kwit Fit but I'm sure there are people out there who will vouch for them....just not me.

bengalknights

Ive always used independant garages this way theres a trust there that you know they want the repeat business and recommendation so wont want to rip you off.

[Deleted User]

I second bengalknights.

Kwik Fit will almost always fail you if you book and pay online. As it was paid online it won't go towards their sales targets. So by failing you on discs and pads and maybe a tyre, they will be hoping you pay them to replace them.

Stigy

Thanks guys. I used an independant garage until last year, too. I think it depends on the tester themselves as to how thorough they are etc. One of the testers where I used to work got each car in for a quick light check and then reversed it out again! Bear in mind this was before everything went 'electronic' and as such was recorded etc.

Inactive

Check as much as you can yourself before taking it; what I call the " basics ".

Lights, wiper/washers, horn, seat belts etc.

shortchanged_2

Inactive wrote: »

Check as much as you can yourself before taking it; what I call the " basics ".

Lights, wiper/washers, horn, seat belts etc.

Problem with this is they tend to fail you on the not so basic stuff that average joe is likely to know very little about.

Inactive

shortchanged wrote: »

Problem with this is they tend to fail you on the not so basic stuff that average joe is likely to know very little about.

They may well do, but it is better than having it failed on something that you can notice and rectify easily yourself.

Stigy

Inactive wrote: »

Check as much as you can yourself before taking it; what I call the " basics ".

Lights, wiper/washers, horn, seat belts etc.

I always do this.

shortchanged wrote: »

Problem with this is they tend to fail you on the not so basic stuff that average joe is likely to know very little about.

I also always check the not so obvious things, too. Obviously I'll have to trust Kwik-Fit with the Cat test and braking efficiency though. Brakes should be okay, although some numpty put new pads on what I would describe as "quite badly corroded" discs. They seem to perform okay on the road, but it's how they perform on the rolling road that matters! Okay, so I KNOW that although they probably won't fail on this, Kwik Fit will almost certainly want to change them!

mikey72

Stigy wrote: »

I always do this.


I also always check the not so obvious things, too. Obviously I'll have to trust Kwik-Fit with the Cat test and braking efficiency though. Brakes should be okay, although some numpty put new pads on what I would describe as "quite badly corroded" discs. They seem to perform okay on the road, but it's how they perform on the rolling road that matters! Okay, so I KNOW that although they probably won't fail on this, Kwik Fit will almost certainly want to change them!

They can only fail on efficiency, not on corrosion. It's not a sujective opinion. Doesn't mean they can't exaggerate the results though, but they should be repeatable.

Stigy

mikey72 wrote: »

They can only fail on efficiency, not on corrosion. It's not a sujective opinion. Doesn't mean they can't exaggerate the results though, but they should be repeatable.

I know they can only fail on efficiency (unless the pads are visibly less than 3mm thick I believe), but that won't stop them trying...:D