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Halfords Free Winter Check - be warned.

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  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    pompeyrich wrote: »
    Not actually true, my old car failed as recorded on the check MOT site below,

    Date tested 18 September 2009
    Fail
    ...
    Reason(s) for failure
    Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)
    Yes, it is in there as a fail - and, in fact, it's now a "dangerous".
    https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-1-Brakes.html#section_1.1.1.13

    But unless you have a VERY open design of wheel, they simply cannot check, because the tester is not allowed to remove the wheels.


    https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Introduction.html#section_14
    The MOT test must be carried out without dismantling, so it isn’t always possible to inspect some testable items.
  • pompeyrich
    pompeyrich Posts: 3,135 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    AdrianC wrote: »
    Yes, it is in there as a fail - and, in fact, it's now a "dangerous".
    https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-1-Brakes.html#section_1.1.1.13

    But unless you have a VERY open design of wheel, they simply cannot check, because the tester is not allowed to remove the wheels.


    https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Introduction.html#section_14


    In my case I knew the pads were getting low but the brakes seemed fine, well they passed the MOT for efficiency, on my way to the test the "brake pad wear" warning light came on which probably led to them looking a bit closer through the alloys.
  • I took my car in to Halfords autocentre this week. I had just had the car serviced to get it through the MOT. They failed it on front break disks significantly and obviously worn. I phoned the chap who had serviced it and he said 'no way'. I took it back to him and he took the wheels off (they don't do that in the MOT) and showed me that the discs were fine with plenty of break pad left. Got MOT from my normal centre the next morning. On going back to Halfords the were not interested and just gave me a form to send back to the DVSA. I went to Halfords because I had picked up from Martin's emails that you could get a voucher for a free MOT by buying something from the shop. I hope they don't scam everyone in this way.
    Ant:D
  • Scrapit
    Scrapit Posts: 2,304 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    It's a check. No more no less. Probably most could do most of the checks them selves.
  • I hope they don't scam everyone in this way.

    Pretty sure they try, the odd one or two might slip through their net unscathed
  • photome
    photome Posts: 16,664 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Bake Off Boss!
    It’s brake 😀
  • photome wrote: »
    It’s brake 😀


    no with haldrauds its "broken" , shakes head about £200 mate
  • Tokk
    Tokk Posts: 119 Forumite
    In fairness, they're hoping to find things wrong that you'll pay them to fix... Otherwise there's no sense offering the check for free.

    They shouldn't be inventing things though - always worth getting a second opinion from a mechanic you trust.

    The only experience I've got with this was a brake condition check when the car was booked in with them for tyres anyway - they said pads and discs both worn but would have a couple of thousand miles left.
    Car was booked in for a service not long after anyway, and the independent it was booked with was asked to check both - they suggested replacing both as they agreed both were close to legal limits (and doing 20k a year, I had it done there and then rather than have to faff with having them done another month down the line)
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