SportKa MOT advisories question - oil leak

AliceBanned

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a5avx4040z98fz5/2016-03-13%2017.48.53.jpg?dl=0

AliceBanned

This course looks ok for me as a beginner.


http://www.cwc.ac.uk/Courses/Pages/TVD.aspx

Joe_Horner

For what it's worth, he's technically right about the space-saver spare. They're supposed to be for emergency use only & limited to 50mph. In real life people quite often ignore that but he's in a slightly different position if he fits it than the owner would be because he'd be fitting it as a professional service and would be opening himself to all sorts of liabilities.

From that photo I wouldn't be too worried about the wheel if the tyre balanced ok and holds air. How's the car driving with it on?

As for the course, yes that looks like a good intro but I wonder if you'd need it given how much success you had with a few hints on here.

Use the Haynes, start off with the weekly check list they give and work through that. Then get a bit of practice at removing and fitting the wheels - check over the brakes while you're there (no need to dismantle them, just look at how they're put together and check pad thickness. Then think about doing the next oil filter change - easy to do, cheap enough for the few tools you'll need to get, and will be saving money from the first time compared to letting a garage do it.

AliceBanned

Joe_Horner wrote: »

For what it's worth, he's technically right about the space-saver spare. They're supposed to be for emergency use only & limited to 50mph. In real life people quite often ignore that but he's in a slightly different position if he fits it than the owner would be because he'd be fitting it as a professional service and would be opening himself to all sorts of liabilities.

From that photo I wouldn't be too worried about the wheel if the tyre balanced ok and holds air. How's the car driving with it on?

As for the course, yes that looks like a good intro but I wonder if you'd need it given how much success you had with a few hints on here.

Use the Haynes, start off with the weekly check list they give and work through that. Then get a bit of practice at removing and fitting the wheels - check over the brakes while you're there (no need to dismantle them, just look at how they're put together and check pad thickness. Then think about doing the next oil filter change - easy to do, cheap enough for the few tools you'll need to get, and will be saving money from the first time compared to letting a garage do it.

Hi Joe I have only driven a mile with it on so far so will try again tonight or tomorrow and see how it drives. My first impression was that the car doesn't drive as well as before and was not smooth like before.


Point taken about the garage. Maybe they are just being sloppy or assuming I want to throw money at the car - after all they wouldn't make much profit as they would just be changing the wheel and balancing it. They couldn't balance it on the front but I guess this is very different because of the steering? He said it is not ideal as it is as the faulty wheel isn't good for the tyre. So it is a temporary fix so I think I need to get someone else to look at it again (ideally mend the wheel).


I see what you are saying about the spare but ideally he could have called me and persuaded me rather than just going ahead. I guess in the moment in the workshop though they need to get on with their job, and make it safe, so fair enough. I'm just upset that they tried to make a financial decision for me, rather than letting me say what I wanted, and for that reason they've probably lost some custom.


Maybe it is a question of degree, and it would be fine as it is, but I will see how it drives and probably still get a second opinion.


I think I'd enjoy the course and it would save me the time and frustration of working it all out myself. I would enjoy doing it myself if I were retired but I learn best by being shown and having a go, and there are also the safety issues. I think the course would definitely pay for itself though!:D

AliceBanned

PS I have the Haynes - will start using it. I usually just ask you guys though.

BeenThroughItAll

They're trying to pull a fast one, and make easy money, it sounds like. Unless the wheel is catastrophically damaged, it can usually be repaired - a local place to me can straighten, true, heat treat and powder coat an alloy to better than new for ~£100 a wheel - I've just had a couple of slightly oval wheels done on my BMW, and they balance perfectly now with no detrimental effect on the car.

£500 for a wheel for a Ka is ridiculous - you could buy a secondhand wheel and have it cosmetically refurbished for ~£100 or so, plus the cost of a tyre.

It is possible some suspension misalignment has occurred - so if it were me I would get a cheap secondhand wheel, get the new tyre put on it, and then get the alignment checked.

Secondhand wheel - £40-60 off ebay; tyre fitting £10; alignment, £40. Should be all in for ~£100 or so.

AliceBanned

Thanks BeenThroughItAll. It did seem ridiculous - I would have spent £1200 on a 13 year old Ka within 2 months!! It really annoyed me so I'm glad I've given them my honest feedback and said I wouldn't recommend them to a friend.

It makes me wonder whether I should have spent so much at recent MOT so I will be going back to the council centres in future.

But I will put this down to experience. So you don't recommend I take it to another place to see whether they can fix the oval wheel (I have the new tyre on that one anyway so it needs to come off?).

Would Ebay new wheel be a better option rather than risk spending money to get them to look at the wheel that I have that is supposed to be damaged (but has a new tyre on and seems not too bad - I need to do a test drive tonight). Thanks.

rich13348

It depends how bad it actually is. The fact it holds air means it not too bad. The tyre tends to even out any high points on a wheel but that is normally just a few millimetres.

AliceBanned

I've found a place locally where they fix alloys - either £45 or £75 plus VAT depending on how much work. I've sent him a pic and he said 'hopefully £45'. I'm taking it later this week.


He said there is a tyre place next door which can do the tracking if needed.

AliceBanned

rich13348 wrote: »

It depends how bad it actually is. The fact it holds air means it not too bad. The tyre tends to even out any high points on a wheel but that is normally just a few millimetres.

Great. Will report back when I've had it looked at. If these guys fix it then it means I've wasted about £80 going to the other place as I paid for nothing much (changing the wheels round and putting the new tyre on, plus cost of the tyre so in total £119). Not sure whether to take this up with them if I get it fixed - I probably will at some point.


If the council pays up then I've also saved the council about £300 by asking friends, asking on this forum, and getting a second opinion from the alloy place. If they don't pay up, I've saved myself that. I think those guys are milking it and probably do it every time with pothole damage..just make the max and then tell people the council will refund. Either that or people claim on their insurance so don't bother getting it done cheaply.


Enough of that, I have learnt in any case and have looked online and found a garage locally for my next service/MOT work that has some accreditation and very good reviews. I can only try..but will also get more knowledgeable to do more myself.