What should I do is think my MOT was unsafe?

Herzlos

How were the tyres and the brakes?

I'm starting to wonder if the tyre garage is lying to you and passed you onto a dodgy garage for the suspension because they've got wind of you being a desperate stranded tourist.  I wouldn't assume the MOT is wrong because what's the incentive for him to give you a fake pass when he could have billed you for a small fortune in repairs? The fact he's already done minor stuff makes me think the car is actually fine.

I'd cancel any work planned with them, and get the AA to come back and give it an inspection. Then you can look at whether you want to find somewhere else to fix it, or if it's indeed fine to get home.

Arghbloodyhouse

Herzlos said:

How were the tyres and the brakes?

I'm starting to wonder if the tyre garage is lying to you and passed you onto a dodgy garage for the suspension because they've got wind of you being a desperate stranded tourist.  I wouldn't assume the MOT is wrong because what's the incentive for him to give you a fake pass when he could have billed you for a small fortune in repairs? The fact he's already done minor stuff makes me think the car is actually fine.

I'd cancel any work planned with them, and get the AA to come back and give it an inspection. Then you can look at whether you want to find somewhere else to fix it, or if it's indeed fine to get home.

The work has now been done. It's possible the tire place was having me on about the tires, but they didn't pass me onto a named garage, just told me to find someone so I took it to quikfit. Quikfit noticed the suspension and brakes.

I didn't really think the first mechanic was lying.... Just that maybe he's !!!!!!? He's seen my car several times over this year because I kept hearing strange noises and he always tells me it was just a build up of dust etc and nothing really wrong. I use him because he gets me in quickly and is extremely cheap, but maybe he's not the most careful chap?

These things leave me lost to be honest. Anyone of these guys *could* be lying and I wouldn't have a clue.

NSG666

Give the garage who did the mot a call and say thanks for passing my car but I've just had to have this that and the other done and I'd rather have given you the business - then see what they say.

sheramber

caprikid1 said:

Never underestimate the likelyhood of garages to lie.

I had a leading garage describe my tyres as bald when I was in earshot, I had depth checked them the previous night and they were adamant, in the end they got the depth gauge out, betweem 3.5-3.8 across the two tyres they were discussing. Don't get be wrong not fantastic but not bald in the way they described them and nowhere near an MOT fail.

An exhaust can drop off any time !

When our car was serviced at the dealers they phoned to say one of his tyres was illegal. My husband had checked them all the day before and it was not illegal. When he told them that they did not argue.

Ebe_Scrooge

Arghbloodyhouse said:

  so I took it to quikfit. Quikfit noticed the suspension and brakes.

There you go then.

QF do have something of a reputation for magically finding things wrong that absolutely must be fixed right away otherwise you'll die in a horrible car crash.

AdrianC

MOT standard for tyres is the same as the legal limit. You've never ONCE looked at your tyres in a year?

The MOT tester does not - is not ALLOWED to - dismantle anything, or do anything bar look at the car and give a few things a light prod.

Frankly, I'd not give certain fast-fit chains the time of day...

GrumpyDil

Adrian has a point as I was quite surprised to discover this year that they can look at your shocks and admire how shock like they look but not actually check them in any meaningful way.

So yes it's possible to pass an MOT with some quite poor mechanicals. 

AdrianC

If you want to see EXACTLY what's tested in an MOT, how, and what the criteria are for a fail... in clear almost-layman language, then...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles

Retrogamer

It's really strange for a garage you pass a car with obvious faults. It puts them at risk, and they are passing up potential business by not pointing out the faults.

jimjames

Arghbloodyhouse said:

Herzlos said:

How were the tyres and the brakes?

I'm starting to wonder if the tyre garage is lying to you and passed you onto a dodgy garage for the suspension because they've got wind of you being a desperate stranded tourist.  I wouldn't assume the MOT is wrong because what's the incentive for him to give you a fake pass when he could have billed you for a small fortune in repairs? The fact he's already done minor stuff makes me think the car is actually fine.

I'd cancel any work planned with them, and get the AA to come back and give it an inspection. Then you can look at whether you want to find somewhere else to fix it, or if it's indeed fine to get home.

The work has now been done. It's possible the tire place was having me on about the tires, but they didn't pass me onto a named garage, just told me to find someone so I took it to quikfit. Quikfit noticed the suspension and brakes.

QuikFit would try to sell you new brakes on a brand new car if they could. I certainly wouldn't use their sales techniques as a way to assess the quality of a garage doing an MOT. The original garage were doing you a favour but not finding unnecessary work and maybe you should consider using them in future.