MOT Failure

scaredofdebt

The car certainly isn't beltching smoke, it does produce a bit of smoke if I've been tooling along the motorway for an hour or so at 60 mph and then give it plenty going up a hill but usually there's no discernable smoke.

The car is going to have the emissions test done in a few minutes time, will mention about the smoke test if it fails.

Thanks everyone.

scaredofdebt

It's passed!

Total bill £306, he didn't need to replace the ball joint after all.

Apparently the rules changed recently so if the gaiter has any damage and allows the ingress of water to the joint, it's a fail. The gaiters can't be bought on their own and so he was going to have to buy the entire suspension assembly which is about £80 plus an hours labout. In the end he managed to bodge the gaiter with some sealant so it prevents the ingress, the actual joint itself was OK.

The exhaust was replaced excluding the front pipe, it needed a new hand brake cable and the cost of the MOT itself plus two hours labour at £40 an hour.

I do trust this mechanic and he seems very reasonably price but it's always good to get another opinion.

The emissions test he did was the diesel smoke test which it passed with 2.99 the limit is 3.00 so it was close!

Hopefully the car will do me a few months before I get something newer.

Thanks everyone for the comments.

[Deleted User]

scaredofdebt wrote: »

The gaiters can't be bought on their own

But the ball joint can, and for a lot less that 80 quid.

Notmyrealname

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

But the ball joint can, and for a lot less that 80 quid.

Indeed. I know that the whole bottom arm including balljoint on a MK2 Mondeo got down to around £15 a side.

Also the injector...

If you know which one it is, just change it. Don't bother with recoding. It'll run just fine, just not as optimally as it would if it were recoded.

ohreally

scaredofdebt wrote: »

I But if the original exhaust is one unit I'd need all 4 bits to replace it wouldn't I?

The single piece system can be cut at the appropriate point and the new section(s) added. I recall having to do this many years ago with a fleet of Sierras my employer ran at the time.

The fitter will require to excercise a bit of care when measuring where to cut or the whole system may indeed need repalcing if he makes a pigs ear of his measurements.

mkirkby

scaredofdebt wrote: »

It's still cheap to run, averaging over 50 MPG and there's no way I could get something to replace it for anywhere under a grand.

I know you've already got it through the test and I hope your happy with it but seriously......nothing anywhere under a grand?? Didn't try very hard did you!

TrickyWicky

scaredofdebt wrote: »

It's passed!

Total bill £306, he didn't need to replace the ball joint after all.

Apparently the rules changed recently so if the gaiter has any damage and allows the ingress of water to the joint, it's a fail. The gaiters can't be bought on their own and so he was going to have to buy the entire suspension assembly which is about £80 plus an hours labout. In the end he managed to bodge the gaiter with some sealant so it prevents the ingress, the actual joint itself was OK.

I know you say you trust this guy but thats what mechanics rely on for their business - you trusting them. If they see a sheep that can be easily led, you're fair game for £Mega. Remember, we're in a recession their business will be down due to DIY so people who can be convinced to part with extra cash are going to be easy targets.

Something about that explanation with the ball joint gator being sealed with sealant doesn't sound right to me. Have you actually seen it? If not I'd suspect he's trying to cover up his "this one's a mug" attitude by saying he could 'bodge it' to stop himself looking dishonest.

Ball joints aren't a big issue. Sure they can be a PITA sometimes (especially on a renault) but someone with the right tools should be able to do that pretty quick. I've got a ball joint extractor (£stupid I paid for it but its paid for itself) and although different to a bolt on ball joint (they're harder if they're pressed in) it makes light work of it.