MOT test time - Parkers, Walingham, Surrey - NOT IMPRESSED

Is the retest for cars that pass free? :)

--Nick.

That's a bit poor. I was reading the guidelines the other day and, IIRC, the DoT says that retests should be free as long as it's the next day and for a certain set of fails.

I think how it works is - if you leave the car for the repairs at the testing station (or take it back within a day - it's listed in the MOT regs on a poster on the wall or on the failure certificate) then it's free or a reduced price, if you get it repaired elsewhere or take it back after the time period they are legally obliged to do a full test - something like that

What did it fail on? Some things don't count for a free retest. It says on the back of the fail sheet what you can have a free retest for.

Also, most places will do a full test if the car leaves their premises and comes back for a retest. But that will be a free retest if it failed on the qualifying items.

Some places (typically small ones) will do a free retest anyway (eg the one I use, partly just for that reason).

cheers, clive

Yep, the garage I use gives me 14 days!

Si

I know that some garages have failures that they will or wont allow retests but I was clearly told today that without exception it is their policy never to give a free retest regardless.

Another point the failure I had which is a rubber mount on a wishbone is technically not allowed a retest it seems, however I asked when the next available test was and was told saturday afternoon, which meant conviently for them it would get them out of this: "if the vehicle is brought back to the same testing station and retested before the end of the next working day on one or more of the following items only No additional fee"

However I got home and asked a friend to call them and ask when they had the next space and was told "3.45 TOMORROW AFTERNOON" Hmm something not right.

Anyway I have booked an MOT elsewhere now, who are not so tight.

Ed

Same here, if you are a customer of the Yank specialist around the corner.

Gareth

Suspension items mean a full retest for which they are entitled to charge the full price for. Just shows you should always check on their policies first. Personally I always use somewhere that gives free retests for a reasonable period on all items. Preferably somewhere that does not do any repairs. The best is somewhere that does not charge at all until the vehicle passes, but they are rare !!

I usually take in for test at least 50 vehicles a year, mostly I am told what needs fixing and given a pass, but anything serious gets a fail and has to be brought back, but the retest is usually only on relevant items and is free.

MrCheerful

It is a legal requirement that vehicles which leave the test premises and return for a retest must have a full examination again. It is up to the garage whether they make a charge for this. There are a large number of items which can be re-tested free of charge wihin one working day. See http/

for all the relevantinformation on MOT's.

Why does a car that passes need a retest??

Donut...

If you do the work yourself, take it to another garage or take longer=20 than 7 days (think that's right) then you are liable for a retest at=20 the full fee.

--=20 Conor

If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done?

Only if thats what the garage want to charge -it is the maximum- they can charge anyting under that if they so wish Stuart

I direct you to the ":)" at the end of the sentence and:

--Nick.

When I took mine for a re-test, the examiner proclaimed that the problem wasn't fixed. I told him that the work was carried out as per their reccommendations. (The front brake balance was well within spec and he couldn't count properly) He just got cross and got out of the car and sat in the corner reading the daily paper. I went and saw the boss who promptly filled in a pass certificate after sighing and frowning.

I just needed to tell someone.

Years ago I had an old Bentley. At MOT time I took it to the local garage who did instant MOTs (quite a new idea then) which was actually a Renault main dealer. Rolling road brake testers were also quite recent. The mechanic pronounced it a definite fail as the front brakes weren't working at all, and that I shouldn't even drive it out of their garage until they'd fix it as it was lethal. The rear brakes were excellent, though, as was the handbrake. I coyly asked him why it hadn't leapt off the rolling when he tested the rear brakes, since they were so good. He said something about the weight of the car.

I had to explain that the footbrake didn't actually operate the hydraulic brakes at all, but did the rears through a mechanical linkage. The footbrake operated a mechanical servo which pulled on the twin master cylinders, but this servo only worked with the rear wheels turning - it was driven off the gearbox output shaft so the servo action was proportionate to speed. And didn't work the brakes at all with the car stationary. He wouldn't have it, but eventually the foreman ordered it to be taken out for a road test and the brakes checked in the old way with a Tapley meter.