Just spent £500 for MOT - now oil leak

atrixblue.-MFR-.

its all good saying OP needs to rid he knows this and intends on changing, OP dont be persuaded into buying a car you cant afford at the moment. the leak is probably something minor, if the garage used engine flush, this can take away built up residue around some seals, or just a loosly fitted oil filter or sump plug washer or overtightening of the sump plug threading it and a new bolt required with a washer.

mikey72

Not a bad price for a years motoring.
In context it's £370 to keep it on the road.
You would have spent the rest on any other car. and maybe a lot more besides.

Keep your eye on the leak though, I'd ring the garage and ask them their opinion. If it's a small leak, it may be the filter isn't tight, or the sump plug is dripping. However it may get worse if you drive it back.
If the garage ask you to, it's their risk, if they don't want you to the may have a mechanic nip round with a spanner.

in_the_Cotswolds

Strider590 wrote: »

^^ Aye, sump plug would be my first port of call...... They might have left it loose OR didn't replace the sump plug seal (which should always be replaced with an oil change).

Or it could be the residue from where the oil filter is changed. Oil filters are put in strange places where oil runs into and you can't always clean it up.

AliceBanned

Thanks everyone. I looked up council MOT centres this time and nearly went there but decided to take it back to usual guy as he may be fine. With a newer car I'd take it to council MOT but as it needed a bit of welding last year and I can see rust, it was almost guaranteed to need work so I took it to the place I know. I was expecting repairs - I found I had done 7000 miles last year, unusually so I think it's doing ok. Maybe I'm too loyal - I thought he hasn't done anything wrong as far as I can tell whereas previous garages have been rude and I've had reasons to doubt them. also if loads of faults showed up at council MOT then I'd feel silly taking it to him and who else could I take it to? Just try another random garage and face rudeness again? No way of knowing of course but I have no reason to doubt him. He did once do a small repair for free - admittedly only fitting a new clip thing to the exhaust when it corroded - I had no idea that's why it was loose.

Will try and look but at the moment I'm not at home during daylight hours so difficult, until Friday. Mechanic only 2 miles away and I'm still driving it - only just noticed drips a few days ago. I thought I heard something rattle a bit beneath my feet when driving but not sure. Not doing any long journeys until sorted; just 1.5 miles to station each day. I've filled it with oil again and will keep checking dipstick. Seems low though nevertheless.

Thanks for the advice everyone.:)

AliceBanned

mechanic wrote: »

Or it could be the residue from where the oil filter is changed. Oil filters are put in strange places where oil runs into and you can't always clean it up.

May be too much oil for it to be this? There are about 15 drops now on the road where I park.:(

gardner1

AliceBanned wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I looked up council MOT centres this time and nearly went there but decided to take it back to usual guy as he may be fine. With a newer car I'd take it to council MOT but as it needed a bit of welding last year and I can see rust, it was almost guaranteed to need work so I took it to the place I know. I was expecting repairs - I found I had done 7000 miles last year, unusually so I think it's doing ok. Maybe I'm too loyal - I thought he hasn't done anything wrong as far as I can tell whereas previous garages have been rude and I've had reasons to doubt them. also if loads of faults showed up at council MOT then I'd feel silly taking it to him and who else could I take it to? Just try another random garage and face rudeness again? No way of knowing of course but I have no reason to doubt him. He did once do a small repair for free - admittedly only fitting a new clip thing to the exhaust when it corroded - I had no idea that's why it was loose.

Will try and look but at the moment I'm not at home during daylight hours so difficult, until Friday. Mechanic only 2 miles away and I'm still driving it - only just noticed drips a few days ago. I thought I heard something rattle a bit beneath my feet when driving but not sure. Not doing any long journeys until sorted; just 1.5 miles to station each day. I've filled it with oil again and will keep checking dipstick. Seems low though nevertheless.

Thanks for the advice everyone.:)

get newer cars mot at garages older cars done at council,just because rust is showing does not mean its a welding job

AliceBanned

OK thanks. Didn't think of it like that - customers might be more likely to expect hefty bill on old car. Hope I haven't been ripped off, I'm broke as it is!:mad:

scheming_gypsy

if you live near Irlam it's because your oil filter fell off and is sitting in the middle of the A57.

liam8282

I think some people may have taken my previous comment in the wrong context, I am not being critical or advising the OP to spend money they don't have on a new car.

My reasoning is, if the car is only worth £500, is it worth spending about £500 to keep it on the road? In my opinion no. If you have £500 for the MOT, you would probably get at least £100 in scrap value for the car, so £600 to spend. If you are desperate and short of cash, you could probably go buy the exact same year, model, etc. probably with 12 months MOT.

I understand the OP likes this car and it seems reliable, with the only costs being the £300-£400 a year in MOT repairs & servicing. As they have already paid for the MOT work, me personally I would use it for 6 months, but be saving to get a newer car at the same time, then sell it with 6months tax & mot. From my own experience there is a point where you can hold onto a car for too long, I have done it myself spending more and more on a car to keep it on the road, because I liked it. Especially when things such as rust takes hold and welding work starts cropping up on MOTs, it is not a good sign, and things will more than likely only get worse each year.

glasgowdan

I think it's good to keep cars running if you can; even if it means spending £400-500 a year if the car is only worth 300. This reduces demand and keeps a useable car travelling. Modern society is far too throw away.

Hope the leak is ok.