When is an MOT failure not an MOT failure? (Groupon Alert!)

Fortune82

Today I took my car to In 'n' out in Wednesbury for the £20 Groupon "Express MOT & Valet". After an hour and a half I was informed that my car had failed due to a brake defect that would cost me £115 for a new set of front discs and pads.

Hmm, I thought. Given that the MOT test doesn't involve removing the wheels I wonder how they'd come to that conclusion. So, being an inquisitive sort I dropped that car into my friendly local mechanic. I said that I wanted to sell the car and could he just tell me if there was anything up with the brakes.

He duly took the car onto the ramp and confirmed there was nothing that required attention, and that the car would comply with the requirements of the MOT test.

Another lesson learned. Anyone else had this experience?

Joe_Horner

If you trust your local mechanic then book an appeal test with VOSA. You have to pay for this but the fee is refunded if they pass the car. They also get very serious with the testing station involved if there's anything untoward going on.

Part of the problem with the MOT scheme's image is that people don't report dodgy testing stations and VOSA can't keep tabs on all of them all the time so they continue to get away with it. If every tester knew that any, shall we say, "inflated" problem they fail for is likely to have VOSA snigging round them then a lot less of them would chance it because it's their livelihood at stake.

vikingaero

On a lot of cars there is no need to remove the wheels to see the state of the discs and pads.

s_b

so how did your mechanic do a brake test on his ramp?
why dont you put up the exact reason for failure rather than lambast in an out with vague details

Road_Hog

Fortune82 wrote: »

Today I took my car to In 'n' out in Wednesbury for the £20 Groupon "Express MOT & Valet". After an hour and a half I was informed that my car had failed due to a brake defect that would cost me £115 for a new set of front discs and pads.

Hmm, I thought. Given that the MOT test doesn't involve removing the wheels I wonder how they'd come to that conclusion.

Checking the pads and discs is a fairly standard part of the MOT, it doesn't really need the wheel to be removed, just turn the steering to full lock.

ROY47

Fortune82 wrote: »

Today I took my car to In 'n' out in Wednesbury for the £20 Groupon "Express MOT & Valet". After an hour and a half I was informed that my car had failed due to a brake defect that would cost me £115 for a new set of front discs and pads.

Another lesson learned. Anyone else had this experience?

£20 mot = fail 95% of the time


brake discs and pads everytime ,cheap and easy for garage to sort out ,but not for you

normal price for mot Cars (up to 8 passenger seats) according to official site = £54.85

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/DG_4022514

cost of valet = anything from £20 to £300

where do they get their money back from ?

getmore4less

AIUI
It is the brake efficiency that is tested and determises the pass/fail.

Not even sure low/none pads would be fail probably advisory.

don't think disc thickness is not checked, lips are probably advisory only

Fortune82

s_b wrote: »

so how did your mechanic do a brake test on his ramp?
why dont you put up the exact reason for failure rather than lambast in an out with vague details

Front brake imbalance 31%. My mechanic says there's nothing untoward.

s_b

Fortune82 wrote: »

Front brake imbalance 31%. My mechanic says there's nothing untoward.

has your mechanic got a rolling road then
has he stripped down the front braking system looking for seized pads sticking sliding calipers, semi seized pistons?

captainawsome

Pads can fail if they are excessively worn, I think the limit is 3mm. Discs can be a fail but have to be really past it, ie no friction surface left due to corrosion or cracked etc, normally worn discs will only get an advise.

Fortune82

s_b wrote: »

has your mechanic got a rolling road then
has he stripped down the front braking system looking for seized pads sticking sliding calipers, semi seized pistons?

OK, help me out here. If the solution according to 'in n out' is new discs and pads, then why should I be asking anyone to strip down the braking system?

I drive about 750 miles a week, wouldn't I have noticed something?