MOT what to do??

[mercmadjim]

Right, the MOT is out on my 03 plate C180k next month, the question is where do I take it for the MOT??

Option 1. My local MB dealer is doing MOT's for £35.

Option 2. Any Billy backstreet garage for about £48.

My worries are MB dealer may fail the car to make work, or as I have found Billy backstreet gets in my car in dirty overalls whilst smoking a ciggy and puts dirty handprints everywhere!! that happened last time!! but not in my Merc.

Any opinions welcome.
Thanks

 

[lulu]

The 'worst' MOT failure I had was when I took my Golf (long time ago) to the VW main dealer. They failed it on a very small star craze in the front number plate (less than a finger nail in size and in the white bit, I almost couldn't see it until it was pointed out).

Billy backstreet every time now. I don't need people being that anal.

 

[Jay Gee]

Might be worth investigating if you have a Council run MOT station in your area-something along the lines of an HGV VOSA station.Standard rates,and no vested interest in 'finding' a fail.I've seen something about these somewhere.I'll have a go at finding it.

 

[television]

You must have an alternative to those 2

 

[mercmadjim]

You must have an alternative to those 2

There is Malcolm, there is a Vauxhall main dealer and a Ford main dealer, also close by is a quick fit and there is a garage beside's Halfords which was a Halfords and then it was AA and now it is something else, they wear Stetsons .

The way I see it is, Billy Backstreet just does MOT's, no repairs so they will not make work, but they show no care for your car, if its a £500 car then its not a problem.
Quick Fit is a non-starter.
The Vauxhall and Ford dealer are going to be about the same as the MB dealer, but without the knowledge of Mercs.
And the ex Halfords, AA place robbed me a couple of years back, and I never forget.

 

[Jay Gee]

Hello!! There seemto be two council MOT places in your county.Cornwall Transport Organisation Engineering,Cornwall County Council.Bodmin 01872 327827 or Scorrier 01872 327335.

 

[roadhog]

And the ex Halfords, AA place robbed me a couple of years back, and I never forget.

I took my Saab to a Nationwide/AA/ex Halfords with the aid of one of these.

Cheap MOT, OK service. Happy days.

My W124 went to MR Clutch, £25 MOT courtesy of a parking sticker ad, the unmentionable will be going there next week as well because I went back and got another ticket for 20p.

Every little helps, all I want is the certificate. I make sure my cars are roadworthy myself.

 

[jberks]

I've had my last2 MOTs done at the main dealer. The last one was FOC as part of a service deal. My Dad's had his 02 E class also done at the main dealer FOC. Always passed.
I have been caught out by a Ford dealer once but not a merc one.

 

[philharve]

Conflict of interest

Hi mercmadjim

My indie's premises is an official MOT testing station but I always take my car to another MOT testing station. Conversely, my MOT testing station is a non-franchised garage (any make & mode) and can undertake most repairs on most cars, including Mercedes.

I would not describe either undertaking as 'Billy backstreet' and the fact that either can perform MOTs underlines their professionalism. 'Billy backstreet' implies to me an inadequately equipped garage with badly trained staff and poor discipline: mechanics smoking in a garage!!! Would any Mercedes owner trust their pride & joy to such an establishment?

I choose to have my car repaired & serviced at one garage and MOT'd at another to avoid any possible conflict of interest.

My Mercedes dealership can also perform MOTs but I regard them as the worst option of all. They are just too expensive. They keep trying to entice me back with a various offers and I suspect the recession has resulted in many of their customers going elsewhere for less expensive service & repairs. They sell cars too and I wonder if that side of the business has been adversely hit by the recession? I would guess so.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[discoking]

Right, the MOT is out on my 03 plate C180k next month, the question is where do I take it for the MOT??

Option 1. My local MB dealer is doing MOT's for £35.

Option 2. Any Billy backstreet garage for about £48.

My worries are MB dealer may fail the car to make work, or as I have found Billy backstreet gets in my car in dirty overalls whilst smoking a ciggy and puts dirty handprints everywhere!! that happened last time!! but not in my Merc.

Any opinions welcome.
Thanks

I wouldn't worry too much where you take it aslong as it's a reputable dealer/indie because the days of making work up to increase bills etc are long gone.This is for the most part due to the strict rules VOSA have now and the fact that if you are not happy a quick ring to VOSA will put the willy's up the testing station.The tester may advise certain things but they wont fail things for the sake of it.

Servicing is different tho where they will probably present you with a list of what 'they' reckon should be done to your car and will more than probably use words like 'xxxxx is worn and needs replacing' which is probably utter nonesense because everything on an older car is worn .

But anyways back to the main point,I wouldn't worry about going to anyreputable testing station be it a main dealer or a local indie.

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
I always take it to a garage that only does MOT's and nothing else, so there is no don,t that if it fails that there not just trying to get the work to repair it.

 

[jp williams]

Might be worth investigating if you have a Council run MOT station in your area-something along the lines of an HGV VOSA station.Standard rates,and no vested interest in 'finding' a fail.I've seen something about these somewhere.I'll have a go at finding it.

In my opinion,this is the way to go.I`ve done it twice and very successful on both occasions !!

Billy Backstreet is not an option and finding a Mercedes Dealer you can trust is rather difficult.
Good luck.Please let us know how you get on.

Rgeards
John

 

[Alex M Grieve]

In my opinion,this is the way to go.I`ve done it twice and very successful on both occasions !!

Billy Backstreet is not an option and finding a Mercedes Dealer you can trust is rather difficult.
Good luck.Please let us know how you get on.

A chilling indictment of the MB dealerships John, but if people are thinking it, then "the perception is the reality", and all will be "tarred with the same brush"!

It is certainly not the outcome that those who have spent a lifetime building and cultivating the brand had hoped to achieve. But tactics like switching the mileage on ASSYST, thereby ensuring more frequent servicing (income) do nothing to reassure.

 

[television]

A chilling indictment of the MB dealerships John, but if people are thinking it, then "the perception is the reality", and all will be "tarred with the same brush"!

It is certainly not the outcome that those who have spent a lifetime building and cultivating the brand had hoped to achieve. But tactics like switching the mileage on ASSYST, thereby ensuring more frequent servicing (income) do nothing to reassure.

All of this is like kicking the oil manufactures in the balls for all of their efforts in new technology, here are MB taking us back to the days before synthetic

 

[television]

A chilling indictment of the MB dealerships John, but if people are thinking it, then "the perception is the reality", and all will be "tarred with the same brush"!

It is certainly not the outcome that those who have spent a lifetime building and cultivating the brand had hoped to achieve. But tactics like switching the mileage on ASSYST, thereby ensuring more frequent servicing (income) do nothing to reassure.

All of this is like kicking the oil manufactures in the balls for all of their efforts in new technology, here are MB taking us back to the days before synthetic oils and the advantages that came with

 

[stuartmac]

Hi,

Council run MOT station
I've seen something about these somewhere.

MoneySavingExpert advises using these. Only snag I can see is, if something does fail, you've no chance of leaving it for them to fix so you get a free retest.

Regards,

 

[television]

Hi,


MoneySavingExpert advises using these. Only snag I can see is, if something does fail, you've no chance of leaving it for them to fix so you get a free retest.

Regards,

All cars no matter where they are taken have to put online as soon as the car enters the MOT station when under going the test, there is no way around it, if in doubt of a component that may fail, then you ask a tester before the test.

 

[roadhog]

...if in doubt of a component that may fail, then you ask a tester before the test.

Or replace it.

 

[jberks]

I wouldn't worry too much where you take it aslong as it's a reputable dealer/indie because the days of making work up to increase bills etc are long gone.This is for the most part due to the strict rules VOSA have now and the fact that if you are not happy a quick ring to VOSA will put the willy's up the testing station.The tester may advise certain things but they wont fail things for the sake of it.

Servicing is different tho where they will probably present you with a list of what 'they' reckon should be done to your car and will more than probably use words like 'xxxxx is worn and needs replacing' which is probably utter nonesense because everything on an older car is worn .

But anyways back to the main point,I wouldn't worry about going to anyreputable testing station be it a main dealer or a local indie.

I thought this too but learned a hard lesson with my Ford. Failed on a very slight seep from a power steering pipe. It lost around 1/2L a year in fluid, would whine when low and I'd top it up. Dealer failed it and quoted me £400 to fix. I rang Vosa and discussed it with one of their inspectors. Whilst he did feel it was a bit strict, an MOT is down to the opinion of the tester so he couldn't argue with the result. So, the same car can legitamately fail or pass and both inspectors can be right. A 'bit of play' that as has been said, would be normal on most of our cars can be cause to fail but equally can be considered perfectly safe and passable. Just depends on his opinion. Clearly there are some things, weak brakes, bald tyres etc that are clear cut but most failures are on joints and play which is very subjective.

In some ways I think the main dealer may be a better bet in this instance. It doesn't look good for the marque to fail a car. Much better if the owner tells his friends, my x year old merc always flys through its MOT.
Then it can also be argued that you should use the tattiest garage you can find. If they spend their lives testing wrecks, a decent merc may look fantastic to them.
It all depends on the testers motivation. If he's under pressure to book some work, you'll probably fail on something. If he's had a row with the Mrs this morning, same applies. If you've had a chat and he likes you - pass..
Bit of a lottery really.

 

[mercmadjim]

OK, I thank all of you gentlemen for your input, I scoured the internet and found a garage about half a mile from where I live.
The workshops were spotless and the staff friendly, the owner introduced himself, and in conversation he told me he services quite a few Mercs in the area, and always uses genuine parts.
They MOTed my car, and when I picked it up it had seat and floor protectors on.
And my car passed the test, happy days...anyway thanks again to all who contributed.