This is an ex-Vauxhall - Best value disposal

BeenThroughItAll

StrongWork wrote: »

But he wouldn't have to drive a Zafira which in itself is priceless.

That's a good point. Well spotted.

BeenThroughItAll

What Next What I will do though thanks to your advice, is see if I can get a couple of better quotes, and maybe some legwork in sourcing parts directly, and then do the sums about what its worth and what it costs and whether its worth it given we have an almost cost free alternative in DD's car

I would caution against sourcing parts and supplying them to the fitting garage. If you do that and have any issues with those parts later, the fitting garage WILL wash their hands of the problem since they didn't supply and therefore can't warrant the quality of the parts supplied.


First thing, get a second opinion. Take the MOT fail sheet to some backstreet places and ask them to take a quick look and quote. It's not that I don't trust garages, but when faced with mechanically-naïve punters such as you appear to be, they may well present a 'worst case' picture rather than the pragmatic option.


An example - wife's car of the time was failed at MOT several years ago for 'severely corroded' solid brake pipes. The fail sheet said all four major solid pipes needed replacement, essentially. Took the car to my local around the corner (I could have done the job myself, but it's messy and horrible!). They inspected, replaced one pipe, and cleaned up the others. I took it back for retest at the original MOT centre and they just said 'oh, they weren't as bad as they looked then'.

AdrianC

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

An example - wife's car of the time was failed at MOT several years ago for 'severely corroded' solid brake pipes. The fail sheet said all four major solid pipes needed replacement, essentially. Took the car to my local around the corner (I could have done the job myself, but it's messy and horrible!). They inspected, replaced one pipe, and cleaned up the others. I took it back for retest at the original MOT centre and they just said 'oh, they weren't as bad as they looked then'.

Corroded brake pipes are very difficult for a tester to actually assess.
The test standard is...

To correctly assess the condition of corroded metal brake pipes, surface dirt might have to be removed. This might require light scraping with the Corrosion Assessment Tool ‘spade end’. Care must be taken not to damage any protective coating. Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe so that its wall thickness is reduced by 1/3 (e.g. approximately 0.25 mm for typical hydraulic brake pipe) is a reason for rejection

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s03000602.htm

So they really can't dive in there and get physical with them, and obviously they can't cut them apart and measure them. So it's a light scrape and see what you reckon. Clearly, anybody sensible is going to err on the side of caution, since the consequences of a brake pipe bursting under higher-than-normal pressure (just when you need them most) are so serious.

Unless you're running the car into the ground in the next year, I'd treat the situation you describe as a warning to replace all those affected pipes, whether they've actually failed or not. Because you can bet they ain't going to improve.

BeenThroughItAll

AdrianC wrote: »

Corroded brake pipes are very difficult for a tester to actually assess.
The test standard is...

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s03000602.htm

So they really can't dive in there and get physical with them, and obviously they can't cut them apart and measure them. So it's a light scrape and see what you reckon. Clearly, anybody sensible is going to err on the side of caution, since the consequences of a brake pipe bursting under higher-than-normal pressure (just when you need them most) are so serious.

Unless you're running the car into the ground in the next year, I'd treat the situation you describe as a warning to replace all those affected pipes, whether they've actually failed or not. Because you can bet they ain't going to improve.

Yes, thanks. I'm aware of how they're tested.


The point I was making was, they weren't severely corroded at all. I stood under the lift with the guys around the corner and looked at them, and they were lightly surface-rusted. The one rear pipe that did need replacing was shot to bits, but the others were a very long way from 'severe corrosion', and most certainly didn't need replacement then or for the foreseeable future.


A quick rub over with a scotchbrite and a quick spray of used oil was all that was needed.


On inspection, it was clear to me that the most likely explanation was that the testing garage had spotted the woman bringing the car in and thought they'd get a few quid's worth of easy work out of it. Maybe, maybe not, but there was no way on earth most of the solid pipes could have been described as 'severely' corroded by 'anybody sensible'.

arcon5

One of the reasons I usually use WeOnlyMOT.

BeenThroughItAll

arcon5 wrote: »

One of the reasons I usually use WeOnlyMOT.

If I had the option, I might as well. Sadly on that occasion I had to go out-of-band since I was working away at the time and sent the wife along by herself to the nearest test centre to her work.


In fairness, I fully expected them to come up with an inflated list of advisories to try and gain work in the full knowledge that I'd be doing anything that came out of it, but I was a little surprised by the volume of unnecessary fails.


Guess that'll teach me for assuming any degree of integrity in most human beings.

mark55man

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

...

First thing, get a second opinion. Take the MOT fail sheet to some backstreet places and ask them to take a quick look and quote. It's not that I don't trust garages, but when faced with mechanically-naïve punters such as you appear to be, they may well present a 'worst case' picture rather than the pragmatic option.

...

I agree - I will do this, just to get another reference point. The first garage was a private local one (ie not a main dealer garage), but not exactly backstreet either

However I have pretty much made up my mind to let it go via ebay - mainly as a result of having an alternative already your observations on the cambelt as that's another £300-£500 (with water pump) - so I won't waste too much of anyone's time

mark55man

Thanks for all your help, I am now selling to a local dealer for double the scrap value and around what others got on ebay so I am happy

If I can ask your indulgence - he wants the V5C and I thought I had to fill in the yellow slip - I started a new question https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5095974

If anyone knows would be very helpful to have some advice.

Thanks again all