Free Brake Checks?

pennypincher3562

motorguy wrote: »

A little bemused that you reckon the MOT people should have picked up a potentially critical MOT issue, but you didnt at all mention that you had concerns about the brakes to the MOT people.

I didn't mention it, as I honestly thought that an MOT tester was guaranteed to find any faults with the the brakes. I also thought it wasn't a very clever idea to give an MOT tester the notion that there was something wrong with the car; let's face it many of them need no encouragement at all. In the past I've taken previous cars to another garage after a failed MOT, to find there was nothing wrong.

Additionally, the car was serviced some months before the MOT, so that was another opportunity to flag issues in an advisory.

I can add that the car is hardly used, and couldn't really be classed as a 'ditch finder.'

Anyway, I'll be taking it to the garage again.

Jackmydad

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

You suspect your brakes may be faulty - you know, those vital bits of kit that may be needed for an emergency stop - this is not the time to just 'wait and see' or be a cheapskate... get to a garage now.

I'm glad someone said this. It's what I was thinking.
If you think there is something wrong with your car at all, then check it, or get it checked immediately.
Brake problems, imagined or real, aren't something to be ignored.

True story about "Free" brake checks:
Someone I know (No not me! It was actually against my advice.) took a car to a well known chain for a free brake check a while back.
They did the check, including removing the rear drums, which were part of the hubs, which meant removing the axle nut and disturbing the bearings.
Of course the report came back saying that the car needed all sorts doing, but the car owner said not to do it, and they put it back together.
Several days later the bearings failed. They were taper rollers on that model, and they had been tightened right up instead of adjusted for the correct "play".
So no free checks for me.

AdrianC

pennypincher3562 wrote: »

I can add that the car is hardly used

So it could easily be a layer of rust on the disks and pads.

and couldn't really be classed as a 'ditch finder.'

"ditchfinders" are cheap and nasty Chinese off-brand tyres.