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

Notmyrealname

birkee wrote: »

Bought my car brand new from the main agent. Had it serviced by them every year. Now it's into MOT time, and it seems to fail every year on wiper blades, even when they replaced them 12 months prior.

Last time, I queried them, are you telling me, that Ford wiper blades last less than 12 months? Embarrassed silence.

Point? Trust NOBODY.

I've just got shut of a MK3 Mondeo. I found that my wiper blades needed changing every year even though they passed a test. Every winter they just became so pathetically useless I changed them. I don't know what "environmentally friendly" material they're making them out of nowadays but they don't seem to be as durable as they used to be. And I'm using decent branded ones.

Plus, if you are one of those people who turn the windscreen wipers on when its freezing without freeing the wipers off the screen and removing the ice from the windscreen, you will knacker them and they will probably need replacing every year.

jase1

pulliptears wrote: »

For clarity the £10 MOT image is taken from this site:

http://www.betsservicecentres.co.uk/mot-testing

2 less than favourable reviews on the Cardiff branch can be found here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=bets+service+centres+review&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=679&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=XXJHT-qNPMj98QPE_v27Dg&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&ved=0CBcQ_AUoAjgK

In fairness though it does demonstrate that Scots was right in what he said.

These garages won't fail each decent car that comes in, they're leaving themselves open for a good hiding from VOSA if they do. So it's believable that Scots's mate got a passed car for a tenner.

Whether everyone gets that service -- well you pays your money and you takes your chances!

jase1

Notmyrealname wrote: »

I've just got shut of a MK3 Mondeo. I found that my wiper blades needed changing every year even though they passed a test. Every winter they just became so pathetically useless I changed them. I don't know what "environmentally friendly" material they're making them out of nowadays but they don't seem to be as durable as they used to be. And I'm using decent branded ones.

This is why I'm reluctant to buy expensive wipers, especially when it comes to the Aero type ones which cost silly money for the branded ones.

When packs for a fiver last the year out, and the £25 ones are doing well to run for two, the tightwad in me pops its head around the door.

Road_Hog

Notmyrealname wrote: »

I've just got shut of a MK3 Mondeo. I found that my wiper blades needed changing every year even though they passed a test. Every winter they just became so pathetically useless I changed them. I don't know what "environmentally friendly" material they're making them out of nowadays but they don't seem to be as durable as they used to be. And I'm using decent branded ones.

The wife's C3 passed it's Halfords' MOT last year, but had an advisory for front brake pads (that's a laugh) and front wipers.

They wanted £20 to change the wipers, I got them from the motor factors for £3 inc, although they didn't have the little spoiler bit that the originals had. 12 months later (last week) took it back in, having only wiped the rubber blades down to remove the grit and not even an advisory. For £3, I'm happy to change them every year.

Fortune82

OP here!

Took the car to another garage for a full price MOT on Friday. It passed with flying colours. I've come to my own conclusions, I'll let you guys come to yours.

glider3560

We have a garage round here that charges £22.95 for an MOT. Don't go there, I hear you all cry!

We've had 6 MOTs done there on two cars. Of those, only 2 failed. One was due to an indicator bulb having lost it's orange colour (this was completely genuine) and the other was because of a defective wiper blade. Both of these things we fixed ourselves and they did a free re-test.

Total saving: at least £180.

We also use this garage for all our tyres/exhausts are they are easily the cheapest in the area.

V6Matt

I normally take my cars to Halfords autocentres at £27 a pop.

My local one has always been totally fair, unlike the Kwikfit one that was a little more than fussy.

I think the key is not to write off an MOT deal because it is cheap but to read around and see if your local garage in the chain plays it straight!

SneaksyWhippet

I had my car MOT'd at In N Out last year and it passed with no fixes or advisories. I got it cheaper than their usual rates because I work for the Fire Service and we get a discount, and was expecting it to pass with no real issues as the car was only 3 years old.

On Saturday I had it MOT’d there again, this time with the Groupon £24 (I think) MOT and quick valet. My passenger side wiper blade has a small chunk of rubber missing; I kept meaning to replace it before the MOT but never got round to it. Although it doesn’t affect the driver’s view out of the windscreen, I thought this would be the perfect hook for an MOT centre wanting to get a bit of extra cash from me. I was pleasantly surprised to find it passed with no advisories again, and the valet was spot on (inside and out).

I’m sure there are dodgy discounters out there, but I’m certainly happy with the service I received from In N Out (Nottingham).

SneaksyWhippet

I'd also like to add that my OH got his car MOT'd there this morning on the same Groupon deal as me. Unlike my car which is fairly new and less likely to have faults, his car is about 13 years old. It passed with a couple advisories for corrosion, so that's another thumbs up for In n Out Nottingham.

shaun_from_Africa

birkee wrote: »

Bought my car brand new from the main agent. Had it serviced by them every year. Now it's into MOT time, and it seems to fail every year on wiper blades, even when they replaced them 12 months prior.

Last time, I queried them, are you telling me, that Ford wiper blades last less than 12 months? Embarrassed silence.

Point? Trust NOBODY.

Reminds me of something that happened to me a short while ago.
I took my Focus into a Ford dealers to have it serviced, and shortly before I was due to collect it, I had a phone call to advise me that both the front and read wiper rubbers had started splitting and needed to be replaced.
They do do this for me for £48 inclusive of parts and labour.

I declined, and told them that all the blades had been replaced about 5 weeks earlier (purchased from them and I had the receipt), so any further replacement would be a warranty issue and at Ford's cost.

When I collected the car, I asked if the blades had been replaced, and was told that the mechanic had another look at them and decided that they hadn't split after all.

I wrote to Ford UK asking how a trained technician could mistakenly think that 3 wiper blades had split, but when it was found that they would have to cover the cost, the blades suddenly appeared to be okay.

I didn't get any reply back from them.

Just for info, the Ford dealer was Dees Croydon.