SL500 R230 failed MOT

chickensoup

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Just returned home from my local Poole Mercedes main agent with my failure slip for m.o.t, 2003 SL500, 29K. Failed on the number plates not having the little BS numbers on the bottom corner!! They admitted that the plates were totally OK to read with correct spacings, letters etc., but illegal without little code on. I also paid the usual £320 for an A service and received some recommendations from the m.o.t expert, air and fuel filter £235, spark plugs £359, brake fluid £154, front pads £182, put out an SRS light £220. Not impressed. The brake pads were renewed 3000 miles ago! There wont be a next time there!
 

Cole@MBS

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How much!!!!!

Sounds like Jacksons normal prices!!!

Welcome to the forums!!!
 

television

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The laws and the BS on the number plate are not law for the time being, as it has all been put on hold since 04 this year
 

Quick Silver

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The laws and the BS on the number plate are not law for the time being, as it has all been put on hold since 04 this year

This is correct , I have the full digest of all the MOT regulations as recently had problems with a local council MOT station that incorrectly failed one of my vehicles . There are publications called "matters of testing" which is sort of an in house info magazine issued by the vehicle inspectorate and contains all sorts of information and specific info for specific vehicle models including some Mercedes models which is on the Vehicle Inspectorate specific data base .
I have sent the local council a bill for loss of revenue , now lets see if they pay it . I have certainly chewed some arce at the council as I am really ****ed off about it as in 34 years I have never had a taxi fail an MOT nor had an advisory and some fu##### little jobs worth wanted to put me before the licencensing committee (made up of your local curtain twitchers) to explain myself .

The people carrying out the test at the local council are not experienced auto mechanics but have just been trained how to "carry out an MOT" AND LACK EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. This MOT Station is also not available to the general public .

Rant over ! But both barrels are still primed.
 
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star

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Just returned home from my local Poole Mercedes main agent with my failure slip for m.o.t, 2003 SL500, 29K. Failed on the number plates not having the little BS numbers on the bottom corner!! They admitted that the plates were totally OK to read with correct spacings, letters etc., but illegal without little code on. I also paid the usual £320 for an A service and received some recommendations from the m.o.t expert, air and fuel filter £235, spark plugs £359, brake fluid £154, front pads £182, put out an SRS light £220. Not impressed. The brake pads were renewed 3000 miles ago! There wont be a next time there!

Jeez, £320 for an oil change? £235 for air and fuel? What planet are they on? :(
 

jberks

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So did they pass it in the end?
Mines going in today and even if this was a true regulation and mine doesn't have this info I expect them to ring me and ask permission to replace the plates rather than simply fail it. After all, its a no-brainer.
As for the rest of the costs - I had a similar quotes so it was serviced at an indie for around half the price.

Brake pads seem to be an increasingly common fiddle at dealers. Probably because they'd use the excuse that it 'might' not make it to the next one and its something that we can't verify without taking wheels off. Plus its safety so most people say get on with it. Mine were declared in need of replacement some 16,000 miles and 9 months ago. In other words I've had another service since then. I'm still waiting for the warning light....
 
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television

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So did they pass it in the end?
Mines going in today and even if this was a true regulation and mine doesn't have this info I expect them to ring me and ask permission to replace the plates rather than simply fail it. After all, its a no-brainer.
As for the rest of the costs - I had a similar quotes so it was serviced at an indie for around half the price.

This is a true regulation,,as it stands they can only fail it for incorrect spacing or invalid characters
 

Alex M Grieve

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MOT Failure

I share the frustration with you - on all counts.

If they are going to be picky on MOT - and they clearly are - was the stipulation they required in force at the time the car was registered?

If not, then I believe they owe you an apology. After all, older cars can continue to use black and white plates as they were the vogue at the time the car was made.

Worth doing some homework, though as for Chris and Malcolm, this is not in law yet anyway.
 

television

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I share the frustration with you - on all counts.

If they are going to be picky on MOT - and they clearly are - was the stipulation they required in force at the time the car was registered?

If not, then I believe they owe you an apology. After all, older cars can continue to use black and white plates as they were the vogue at the time the car was made.

Worth doing some homework, though as for Chris and Malcolm, this is not in law yet anyway.

New laws were brought in last year on number plates,,they included the BS marking, any writing on the plate under the number, the flags etc on the left, along with illegal type characters.

In April this year these new laws were put on hold and do not apply yet, and MOT testers use their own discretion as to the spacing on the plate.

This information is on all computers in the MOT stations and you are allowed to read it
 
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chickensoup

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Thanks to all who have passed comment,
looking at the failure sheet again it does fit in with Malcolm's observation because it states that the " front and rear number plate characters were laid out in an incorrect format" which is a different reason from the verbal refusal I was given about the lack of BS numbers.
I think his M.O.T computer would not issue a refusal using the BS number problem so he had to issue the refusal saying that I had incorrect number spacings instead. If only I knew, at the time, that I was aloud to read the computer, plus the extra info given above. There is nothing wrong with the existing letter spacings.
All this was happening whilst I was sat in the reception in a leather tub chair in front of a battery of 10 to 12 office staff being shown a 3'X3' dvla wall chart explaining the law regarding the BS requirement on number plates.
Protest I may, but you must remember that I was in the presence of Jacksons of Poole main agent superior staff, 4" heels, slick black suit and big hair!
Yes I did argue, yes I did buy a new pair of number plates from them that they fitted sque wiff, yes I did purchase an extra unopened bottle of screen wash that I never ordered. Yes I did tell them that I would never step into their showroom again and pointed out that their cheif M.O.T man might generate alot of business for them in the short term but might lose more customers in the long run.
Indys here I come.
All the best everyone!
 

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