Failing on MOT on rust?

[wrichardson1999]

Hi,

Rust has eaten into each of my rust arch's and I'm just wondering as it's due for it's MOT soon could it fail on rust? the rusts isn't on a supporting element of the car does this matter?

Should I just get it sorted before taking it to the test centre?

Also, £17 for an MOT test, does this sound to cheap?

Cheers

 

[andy_k]

they can only fail the car on non structural bodywork if it's dangerous - ie bits sticking out that could cut passers by or bits that are likely to fall off as you drive.

If you've got any doubt just cover the rusty bits up with a bit of tape for the MoT that way you are in the clear

That does sound cheap but I don't think there is a minimum they are allowed to charge so go for it.

My experience of these cheap or free MoTs is that they will give you a list of things that the car has failed on in order to get the car into their workshops. If it does fail and you think it's unjust then take it somewhere else and get a sceond opinion.

A local Rover specialist failed our old 825 saying the sill needed welding that would cost £250 so I took it to a friends garage got it up on the ramps and couldn't find a fault. I returned to the garage and asked the other tester that worked there to show me where the sill needed welding and he agreed with me and wrote out a pass certificate on the spot.

We got a written apology and a free service out of the garage as a goodwill gesture

Good luck

Andy

 

[wrichardson1999]

Excellent, thanks

Good tip about rust, though not convinced it's 2 sharp just doesn't look that great...,

They only MOT and dont' carryout repairs? strange I know but they are just a test garage, two guys, you drive in, 15-20mins later you drive out...

Can't see how they survive, they've been recommended as they are totally indpendant.

 

[jberks]

If they don't do repairs and can do it for £17 then there is something fishy going on. As above, I view any discount MOT fee with great suspicion as they have to try to fail you to recoup the cash somewhere. So much of an MOT is down to opinion that there is no wrong or right, leaving it wide open to the cowboys. I've had a car fail on a slightly leaking power steering pump (1/2 litre in 1 year type leak) Another wiped it down and passed it - and it isn't really a safety issue anyway.

As I understand it, an MOT these days takes over 1 hour, not 15-20mins. Think about it, there's getting it on a ramp, the suspension, joints to check, exhaust, all the lights including beam settings, tyres, the emissions, a rolling road brake check inc handbrake etc etc plus doing the paperwork all in 15-20 mins and for £17- I doubt it. There is no profit in that so unless there is a cheap car charity I haven't heard about, it sounds a bit too good to be true.
No such thing as a free lunch and all that.

 

[tom7035]

£17 for an MOT? Definitely sounds dodgy to me! Standard cost these days is £40. At my local garage it takes two men around 45 minutes.

 

[wrichardson1999]

agree but this station has been doing MOTs for the last 15 years or so..

one concern is that they arn't computerised yet? thought everyone was now?

MOT centre is called 'Heatpac' in Middlesbrough centre....

 

[Richard Moakes]

It's too cheap.

A real MOT costs over £40 these days.

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[TimN]

Most MOT stations do a free retest if the vehicle is returned within 14 days. Some are 7 days. The price ranges usually from £29 upwards. If you garage does not offer a free retest then you might be faced with another £17 for something quite minor. Check that it includes VAT. You might end up paying £39.95 which wouldn't be unreasonable.

 

[paulcallender]

I think I've heard of this garage! I believe the guy who does the tests, is known as "straight through Steve" in the local pubs, other MoT stations, etc.

 

[davidsl500]

My local MOT Station charges £25, just put through the SL and it took 45 mins and was spot on - apart from the tyres which I knew were near the limits. New tyres being fitted all round this saturday Goodyear F1's at £547.00 - ouch!


Going back some time - late 80's and MOT certificate cost £1.00 when MOT Charges were about £15-£20 so it is possible to survive without doing the repairs if you can process enough cars in a day. Dont know what an MOT Station pays these days - anyone know?

 

[SLinKyjoe]

hope you ordered them from Mytyres.co.uk. you get them loads cheaper then my normal outlets round here. have ordered several tyres off them and they organised the fitting too. never had any complaints.

 

[davidsl500]

hope you ordered them from Mytyres.co.uk. you get them loads cheaper then my normal outlets round here. have ordered several tyres off them and they organised the fitting too. never had any complaints.

Mytyres quoted £465 for the tyres and the local "registered" fitter quoted £12 per wheel for fitting, so thats another £48 which equals £513.00. Problem is neither of the fitters local to me can handle 18" alloys - I would have to drop the car off and leave it with them.

My local wheel specialist isnt that much more expensive at £547 all in, will be there at 8,15am on saturday so that i can get to work on time and the tyres will be fresh of the press.

So i chose to go local - its just so much less hassle on this occasion.

Incidentaly, both the mytyres fitters list that they can handle up to 20" wheels - but those are steels. Alloys are "grabbed" differently and 18 inchers require big kit.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

ah! I see. that not too bad a price tho for the extra. i think Mytyes are a lot cheaper if you get standard sizes in mass market stuff.

i have just got Hankook tyres (set of 4) for the wrekage outside at £142 icluding fitting, disposal etc. they are 185/60/14. it was another £40-£70 for Goodyear, Michelin things. I could have saved £26 by ordering tyres i have never heard of.

the slinkymobile rear continetals at Mytyres are £146 each. Hankooks are £105.

 

[davidsl500]

ah! I see. that not too bad a price tho for the extra. i think Mytyes are a lot cheaper if you get standard sizes in mass market stuff.

i have just got Hankook tyres (set of 4) for the wrekage outside at £142 icluding fitting, disposal etc. they are 185/60/14. it was another £40-£70 for Goodyear, Michelin things. I could have saved £26 by ordering tyres i have never heard of.

the slinkymobile rear continetals at Mytyres are £146 each. Hankooks are £105.

My local man did offer the me Hankooks as well at a considerable saving of about £100 or so against the F1's. Trouble is it would just irritate me to read Hankook on the tyres when I parked up the SL instead of Goodyear or Michelin. I'm not vain, honest, as i sit here typing on my Gucci Keyboard......

The Hankook R104's came about 8th on one tyre test with the F1's at number 1 spot - so they did beat alot of big brands. Anyway as the SL sailed through the MOT it deserves a treat !!

 

[SLinKyjoe]

My local man did offer the me Hankooks as well at a considerable saving of about £100 or so against the F1's. Trouble is it would just irritate me to read Hankook on the tyres when I parked up the SL instead of Goodyear or Michelin. I'm not vain, honest, as i sit here typing on my Gucci Keyboard......

The Hankook R104's came about 8th on one tyre test with the F1's at number 1 spot - so they did beat alot of big brands. Anyway as the SL sailed through the MOT it deserves a treat !!

Hankook are, of course, the worlds biggest tyre manufacture. (So i am led to belive, this could well be duff gen) not that that means they are any good or bad. on the comparison test for my wrekage, they came out a lot better than the other makes for that size. they also perform better than my conti's on the slinkymobile. never checked the F1 or pilot sport rating as i was just looking at prices. cars only done 1170 miles. it aint gonna need any just yet.

as far as vain is concerned. i don't like having goodyear on my wheels. thats vanity. i always preffered that fat frenchman as they put little bibdenums on the tyre tread and i like asking people how many they have got. Sad!

 

[SLinKyjoe]

My local wheel specialist isnt that much more expensive at £547 all in, will be there at 8,15am on saturday so that i can get to work on time and the tyres will be fresh of the press.

.

still not a bad price when you consider the horror stories we often hear about tyres. people dont shop around do they. then when they do, they get the cheapest they can find saying "its only rubber"

it maybe only rubber, but thats the only bit that holds you to road, (Gravity, mass, air pressure excepted) and skimp on them and you skimp on your life expectancy.