Have I been "done"?

MinuteNoodles

THe thing about council MOT test centres that you have to understand is that it's council mechanics doing it. You only end up usually as a tradesperson working for the council if you're not good enough to get a job elsewhere as it's quite poorly paid compared to working in the private sector. Given that many things tested are subjective, such as the condition of a bush unless it's shot to hell, it's quite feasible for a decent mechanic to say it's shot and a poor one to say it's OK.

But of course you'll always be happier with the MOT tester who tells you what you want to hear.

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Homer_home said:

yes rip off

Clips are no more than a fiver at retail prices , ford will be able to get them for pennies and yes I have seen main dealer prices hence why I called it a rip off

I'm not so sure.

My woeful Renault Nissan has a bent headlamp bulb retaining clip on one side- I did it trying to get the  illegitimate socket off the bulb one handed (as that is all I could get in there- and then I was working backwards by feel)

I could easily remove that clip, bend it back to shape and refit it in a few seconds- if I had the headlight off. 

The reason that it is still bent (and the bulb falls out if I go over a large bump) is that to get at it, I either completely strip the engine compartment and leave the light in place, remove the whole front of the car to get the light unit off, or find some way to cut out just enough of the bumper to get at the lower fixings and remove the light with the bumper still on.

It would be an hours work at a garage, to do a few seconds work.