Shopping list for the MOT

Wig

For my Corsa 2003 1.2 preparing it for the 2012 MOT just had a brief inspection and these are what I found faulty before going to MOT

Front discs and pads
Pads worn out both sides, discs worn to 18.2mm - minimum allowed is 17mm but one disc is scored so might aswell replace the lot

Both antiroll bar drop link boots are split into ribbons, one side has worn ball joint. I replaced one side last year and although that one is not worn yet the boot has split, so I'm not impressed.

Lower ball joint nearside, worn.
Already replaced the drivers side one a few years ago (it was my fault it wore out because I split the boot a year earlier.) but the passenger side has had a natural death. I drilled out the drivers side one, a lot of work, but I guess I'll do the same again.

One rear drum brake is rubbing at single point on each revolution, sounds like chiff....chiff.....chiff.....chiff as the wheel goes round, I'm going to leave that alone as I think it will not be a fail.

One side hand brake slightly looser than the other i.e one wheel locks up tight on 4 clicks the other side locks up tight on 5 clicks, I'm hoping that too will be ok for a pass as to try to balance them is very difficult. I changed all the handbrake cables last year. Terrible design handbrake on the corsa very difficult to get it to be spot on.

And all that is before the MOT :eek: I can't wait!

Already replaced the exhaust a few months ago.
and replaced the gear linkage about a year ago.

phill99

Why go to all that effort. Why not just put in in for an MOT and let them tell ou what needs doing.

Wig

Why put it in for an MOT with known faults? And thus if they find more faults I have less time to fix it all for the retest. Only took me an hour to find those faults. Now I can fix them.

phill99

But you're not the tester. You might do things that may not be a ail.

londonTiger

find a decent MOT garage you can trust who won't swindle you an arm and a leg. Btw, when you buy parts from GSF/ECP or any other retailer, you pay retail price. An MOT guy will pay wholesale prices for parts.

I know this because I was shopping around for cambelt parts, eurocarparts cam up to £160 for the full kit after the 25% car forum discount. The garage quoted me £130 for parts for a similar kit. Plus labour obviously.

Wig

I find if I shop around I can get parts at markedly cheaper prices from some outlets than others. And if I ask for an extra little discount I usually get it.

I think I got my gear linkage for about £30 (from a local motor factor) when others were asking up to £60 they are available on ebay for £20 but I didn't have the luxury of time, I needed it there and then.
My whole handbrake cable with rear links was only about £25

Of course I don't charge myself labour either and I like the satisfaction of thinking "I did that" after I'm finished.

[Deleted User]

Wig wrote: »

One side hand brake slightly looser than the other i.e one wheel locks up tight on 4 clicks the other side locks up tight on 5 clicks, I'm hoping that too will be ok for a pass as to try to balance them is very difficult.

Shouldn't be a problem.

Parking brakes don't fail for imbalance, unless it is extreme.

Failure occurs only if one or both sides have "little or no braking effort", ie. the wheel doesn't lock.

phill99

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Shouldn't be a problem.

Parking brakes don't fail for imbalance, unless it is extreme.

Failure occurs only if one or both sides have "little or no braking effort", ie. the wheel doesn't lock.

This us what I am trying to elude to. You, OP, are are doing our own 'testing' but you know the criteria under which the vehicle is tested and are therefore undertaking work unnecessarily. Bedsit bob here has pointed this issue concerning parking brakes and it's evident you are 'testing' the vehicle to a different standard than the MOT.

mandi

It's been posted here many times . Book your car into a VOSA garage for its MOT .

The garages are government run and non profit making so won't suddenly find " problems "


https://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/vosateststationlocations/vosateststationlocations.htm

waynedance

Yeah because all the other garages will rip you off ???????

Not all garages rip people off, yes I work at a garage and cars only fail if they are not right. I would say sometimes independents are more forgiving.

mandi

waynedance wrote: »

Yeah because all the other garages will rip you off ???????

Not all garages rip people off, yes I work at a garage and cars only fail if they are not right. I would say sometimes independents are more forgiving.

I agree wayne .Thank you .

It must be really frustrating when you are genuine. However as with every trade there are those that will inevetibly rip people off sadly .