Is this a Rip Off Garage

bigjl

Axel wrote: »

My Chrysler Ypsilon has been in today for its 4 year service and MOT to a large Arnold Clark franchise. 20,000 miles on the clock.

Service and MOT cost quoted as £520.

Garage just phoned MOT passed BUT the following "advisory repairs" are required, three of them SAFETY CRITICAL at a cost of around a further £1,000.

1. Exhaust corroded.
2. Handbrake cable frayed.
3. Shock absorber bushes split.
4. Brake discs totally corroded.

However it PASSED its MOT. I will get the list and exact quotes in writing and I think I will send it in to Watchdog.

Any comments appreciated.

Axel

Lesson learned.

Don't take your car to a main dealer for an MOT or tyres or brakes.

Wouldn't be surprised if the discs are pitted due to lack of use with the low mileage.

But only if it is left idle for many days at a time and is never garaged.

If it is used little and often I wouldn't expect the discs to rust that badly.

Though it will depend a bit in where you live, if you live near the coast and park it where the wind from the sea hits it all the time then they will rust quicker.

Axel

Car_54 wrote: »

What exactly do you think is wrong?

The advisory items are precisely that. Things which will need attention in the near future, but were not bad enough to fail the test on the day.

You are obviously in the motor trade if you can see nothing wrong!

The MOT is legal document stating that the car has been inspected and tested and is roadworthy and safe for at least a further year. These works were described as SAFETY CRITICAL not things that will required attention in the future or for the next MOT.

Axel

Car_54

Axel wrote: »

The MOT is legal document stating that the car has been inspected and tested and is roadworthy and safe for at least a further year.

It isn't. You are labouring under a common misapprehension.

The MOT simply certifies that the vehicle met the test requirements ON THAT DAY. The tester may think it would fail tomorrow, and he can and should advise you of that, but he cannot fail it based on future predictions.

There is not - and cannot be - any guarantee of future roadworthiness or safety.

peter_the_piper

£520 for a service and mot?

DoaM

Car_54 wrote: »

It isn't. You are labouring under a common misapprehension.

The MOT simply certifies that the vehicle met the test requirements ON THAT DAY. The tester may think it would fail tomorrow, and he can and should advise you of that, but he cannot fail it based on future predictions.

There is not - and cannot be - any guarantee of future roadworthiness or safety.

Exactly correct ... otherwise why would the Police bother with random roadside vehicle safety checks, and hand out fixed penalties to motorists whose vehicles have issues (e.g. split bushes)? Most of those vehicles will have a valid MOT. Hey ... some of those vehicles may not even be old enough to have even reached their first MOT.

DoaM

peter_the_piper wrote: »

£520 for a service and mot?

That was the first thing I noticed too. :eek:

BeenThroughItAll

Axel wrote: »

You are obviously in the motor trade if you can see nothing wrong!

The MOT is legal document stating that the car has been inspected and tested and is roadworthy and safe for at least a further year. These works were described as SAFETY CRITICAL not things that will required attention in the future or for the next MOT.

Axel

Explain, then: can a tyre with 1.600001mm of tread be legal on 1st January 2016 (and therefore pass an MOT), and still be legal on 31st December 2016, after 20K miles of use?


If you cannot, then your argument does not hold true.


The MOT tester cannot foresee how many miles you will do, the conditions in which you keep your vehicle, the diligence of your regular checks, etc; so how can the test possibly guarantee safety and condition for a year after the tester's only exposure to it?


If you really think that is true, you need to get your head out of your backside and consider whether owning a motor vehicle is for you.

tykesi

Asks if this is a 'rip off garage'. States enough evidence to show that indeed it is a 'rip off' garage then defends said garage when people point out he has in fact been ripped off.

You couldn't make it up!

shaun_from_Africa

Axel wrote: »

The MOT is legal document stating that the car has been inspected and tested and is roadworthy and safe for at least a further year.

If you don't want to believe the other posters who have told you that this is incorrect, simply look at the notes on the MOT certificate itself.

"2. A test certificate relates only to the condition of the components examined at the time of the test. It does not confirm that the vehicle will remain roadworthy for the validity of the certificate"

peter_the_piper

DoaM wrote: »

That was the first thing I noticed too. :eek:

They don't get the mot done by Slow Unfit do they? Sounds just like their sort of MOT cert.