Dodgy MOT??

burlington6

Buyers remorse?

LandyAndy

richard300 wrote: »

Thanks.... It's a 1993 XJ40 that's covered 57000miles.

:eek: I had a 1990 model from about 1996 to 2002. It was a lovely car to drive but........ It nearly bankrupted me in repair costs. Just about anything that could go wrong did and it was all expensive. They are absolute money pits. The XJ40 is well known as the absolute nadir of build quality at Jaguar. Just get rid of it as soon as possible.


I do hope you didn't pay more than a few hundred pounds for it.

BeenThroughItAll

richard300 wrote: »

.... I didn't buy a car without MOT i bought a car from a 50+yo lady who had owned the car for 8 years WITH a brand new MOT that had NO advisories.

Without an MOT or with a list of advisories i would not have bought the car...... But thanks for your insightfull and incredibly helpful input!

It's irrelevant how old or female the seller is. In a private sale, the onus is on YOU to inspect the car and satisfy yourself of its condition.


The seller has absolutely zero responsibility to you. She could have, in all good faith, taken the car to an MOT tester who passed it because he liked the look of her.


Don't think you'll get anywhere with this. Chalk it up to experience and either fix the car or scrap it. Don't waste time on it.

LandyAndy

richard300 wrote: »

This car has been purchased primarily for my wife, who has at least 3 return trips to Sheffield (with the kids) to do, before Christmas and as i write this, i wouldn't trust the car to be driven 10 miles, never mind from Brighton to Sheffield and back.

What on earth made you think that a 21 year old banger with an appalling reputation for build quality was in any way a suitable vehicle for that?

burlington6

LandyAndy wrote: »

What on earth made you think that a 21 year old banger with an appalling reputation for build quality was in any way a suitable vehicle for that?

...........Image

LandyAndy

burlington6 wrote: »

...........Image

And, maybe, saving fuel by going everywhere by low-loader.

richard300

I think some of these responses are a little silly....

Why wouldn't i feel that a well kept and fully MOT'd car with only 57k shouldn't be capable of wafting up to Sheffield and back?.... I have two other Jaguars that have no problems do this!!

I am not saying the private seller had anything to do with the dodgy MOT and i have never said i was going to approach her for a refund.

I am aware of how an XJ40 needs care and love or they 'go south' very rapidly.... Hence why i only committed to buying the car if it had a full MOT and nothing sill regarding advisories....
I even checked the underside before the car was MOT'd and whilst there was evidence of previous welding there were no holes.
The MOT centre made this hole.... they may have done it accidentally or whilst investigating.... but either way they made a great big hole where rust can be seen and water and salt can get in, and rot further and never even thought to list it as an advisory!!! And if they did this, then what else did they notice that needs urgent attention, and not report on the MOT certificate?

I have taken the car to my local garage.... asked them to do an MOT as they would any other car and feedback to me. If, in their opinion the suspension issue is due to components that could have quite easily been missed at MOT, thats fine.... If other items come back as 'borderline/discretionary' I'll accept that to.

But if they come back to me and say "This car should never have passed an MOT or there is a long list of issues that at the very least should have been advisories" - Then i will pursue this further.

If the later is the case, one does have to ask the question - Is the garage just negligent/unfit to issue MOT's or were they in cahoots with the owner?

BeenThroughItAll

richard300 wrote: »

I think some of these responses are a little silly....

Why wouldn't i feel that a well kept and fully MOT'd car with only 57k shouldn't be capable of wafting up to Sheffield and back?.... I have two other Jaguars that have no problems do this!!

I am not saying the private seller had anything to do with the dodgy MOT and i have never said i was going to approach her for a refund.

I am aware of how an XJ40 needs care and love or they 'go south' very rapidly.... Hence why i only committed to buying the car if it had a full MOT and nothing sill regarding advisories....
I even checked the underside before the car was MOT'd and whilst there was evidence of previous welding there were no holes.
The MOT centre made this hole.... they may have done it accidentally or whilst investigating.... but either way they made a great big hole where rust can be seen and water and salt can get in, and rot further and never even thought to list it as an advisory!!! And if they did this, then what else did they notice that needs urgent attention, and not report on the MOT certificate?

I have taken the car to my local garage.... asked them to do an MOT as they would any other car and feedback to me. If, in their opinion the suspension issue is due to components that could have quite easily been missed at MOT, thats fine.... If other items come back as 'borderline/discretionary' I'll accept that to.

But if they come back to me and say "This car should never have passed an MOT or there is a long list of issues that at the very least should have been advisories" - Then i will pursue this further.

If the later is the case, one does have to ask the question - Is the garage just negligent/unfit to issue MOT's or were they in cahoots with the owner?

As an authority on old Jags, I imagine you're also familiar with vehicles in general?


In which case, you should be well aware that buying a car without a test drive isn't too clever.


Next time, I suggest you give the owner the cost of an MOT test fee and ask them to accompany you to a test centre to put it through the test, then you'll be able to test drive it on the way there, and find out whether it passes.


Worst outcome, you lose the cost of the test.

cajef

I find it inconceivable that anyone would take someone's word about the condition of a 21 year old car and not give it a thorough check and take it for a test drive before committing themselves to buying it, especially as an MOT only means that in the opinion of the tester it is roadworthy on the test day.:eek:

Bantex_2

Testers are under no obligation to put advisories on the cert. They are purely a matter of opinion.