council or private mot?

catoutthebag

I really don't know what to go for? Council is nearly double the likes of halford, kwikfit, etc, but I do not trust these cowboys. They 'did' me for £12.99 for an apparent faulty lightbulb connection (and the same to a friend) - seems they're way of milking a few extra quid. My car is now badly scratched at the front - though it was not my fault - I feel they may use this as an excuse to push the fact that it's unstable & not mechanically sound - when in fact, it is. I have read several stories on fora about some of these cowboys being lying scum, and have experienced some of this myself (private garages saying they carried out service work on my other halfs car, when in actual fact, they did not), so I'm weary to say the list.

Top of it, I'm due my service now too. Again, I don't know whether to have this at the same time, before, or after the MOT, and which garage - same or different.

It's nearly 9 years old, this vehicle of mine, and I spent near £600 last year on new tyres, brake discs, and pads, last year, as these came up as cautionaries on my MOT with Halfords.

I do not know what to do right now, as I'll have to get it booked in the next week or so.:o

drinkduffbeers

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4408447

Council all the way from me in future :T:T

catoutthebag

That's what I was thinking. An extra £20-25 may be worth it in the end.

Splott

I just go to a garage. Every MOT advisory has been the same as I've had advised at services and vice versa.

Johnmcl7

I take my car to a garage I trust for MOT's as the it's going to need to go to a garage at some point for work so if there's no garage you trust it's going to be a problem somewhere along the line.

John

Horseunderwater

Just take it to the council one - as they have no financial incentive to cause any problems to your car. And believe me some garages can and do stuff. I had a radiator cap that the garage said had split and that it was unsafe to continue with the MOT! Funny thing is the cap was in one piece when I took it in, the MOT person had used a sharp knife to cut the cap so that they could claim all sorts of costs. Told me that the brakes were not up to par on one side. Had a friend who I knew look at it and them - nothing wrong with the brakes at all. Pads still had 1cm left and they were stopping car correctly. I now have a garage I trust, who do the MOT for £40 and fix stuff if it is needed and they do not charge a retest fee. My car is 12+ years old and for the past 6 years since I got it has sailed through the MOT with one or two advisories. This year it did fail as a main coil spring on front had broken, so I replaced both and it drives so much better now.

27col

I had one unbreakable rule when it comes to MOT's. I never got the work done at the garage that failed the car.
But now I have found an excellent Fiat mechanic who has never given me any reason to doubt his quality of work. So I am quite happy to let him get the mot done by his local test station. It is worth driving the 14 miles to his workshop, just for the peace of mind.