SORN

Hi,

My car has just failed its MOT. As the car is 10 years old and the repair costs are likely to be too high, I will be taking the car off the road and possible scrapping the car.

The tax runs out the end of next month, should I do the SORN now or wait a bit?

I assume, now it has failed its MOT, even though the old doesn't run out yet, I cannot use the car on the road anymore?

Cheers

Rob

Reply to
Hiram
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Hiram gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

When the tax expires.

Only if it's been flagged by the tester as unsafe to drive, or if the failures have highlighted it as beign unroadworthy. If the old MOT hasn't yet expired, and it's roadworthy, then it's still legal.

What is it, and what did it fail on?

Reply to
Adrian

Yes, failure cert marker as dangerous. Excessively worn steering rack.

  • Sharp edge OSF bodywork (rust hole) + Two front tyres worn.

Plus lots of advisories. Shame really, the engine is good on the car

- but it's a 98 Escort, and I reckon its not worth much than the repairs will cost.

Reply to
Hiram

Hiram gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Right. It's exactly as legal to drive as it wasn't when it went in there

- but now you don't even have the excuse of not knowing.

Do the world a favour. Scrap it.

Reply to
Adrian

150 a tonne at present
Reply to
Mrcheerful

I had a feeling it wasn't roadworthy, but I wasn't sure - but now I know, I'll not use it.

Yep, its going to happen. I think I'm going to get a motorbike again. 15 quid a year raod tax!

Hey, that's not too bad.

Reply to
Hiram

It's 200 quid a tonne here (Anglesey).

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Hiram gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

The fact there were two bald tyres didn't give you a clue?

Reply to
Adrian

They are both just above the tread bars - I think they are marginal fail/pass. They aren't completely bald.

Reply to
Hiram

Hiram gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

At least 1.6mm across 3/4 of tread width, visible pattern on remainder - same standard for MOT & legal min.

Either way, that's far too low for safe use in the wet.

Reply to
Adrian

that is a surprising difference, too far to worth the travel unfortunately. What is like in Anglesey? I liked snowdonia a few months ago. I am looking for somewhere peaceful to move to, away from the madness we have here, my choice would be Orkney, but my wife doesn't want to go so far, but Anglesey might be Ok. I'll do some research.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

Yep, very fair point.

Good job I never drove in wet then. :)

Reply to
Hiram

Orkney's not far; not when you've moved there.

I'm tempted by Orkney, but I think I'd want to spend a month or two there in the winter before committing myself to see if I can cope with only 5 hours daylight.

Reply to
OG

use up the petrol and get a refund on the tax disk if you post it before the end of June !

Reply to
mr p

Sounds like the time to plug my website:

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nicest bits are round the edge - bottom left corner especially. It's nowhere near as peaceful as Orkney, with a fair amount of traffic crossing the bridges at rush hour, but once you're away from Menai Bridge & Llanfairpwll... things are a lot more relaxed. Anyone thinking of moving here really needs to see it in all weathers as some seemingly nice bits can be very exposed when the wind blows. And some of the towns are very grim.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Just out of interest.

How much would a steering rack for a 98 Ford Escort cost, just parts?

I'm tempted to have a go myself. But I'll take my time, so the car would be off the road for a while.

Reply to
Hiram

I think all those had power steering, so a ball park figure would be about

150 quid for the rack alone, after fitting (should be same day ) you will need the tracking professionally reset (20 quid) You will need a good selection of tools and a ball joint splitter Without seeing it myself it is impossible to say, but often 'worn rack' is a way of getting a job at mot time. I have never had to replace a rack on one of that model escort, and I see dozens, so you might want to get a second opinion or a test somewhere independent.
Reply to
Mrcheerful

Yes it has power steering.

I think the MOT was accurate, in that something is worn on the steering mechanism. Something was said about the steering in the last MOT from a different garage. Whether it is the rack itself I'm not

100% sure to be honest.

I'd have to get some more tools, I don't have a ball joint splitter. On the complexity scale, how hard is it to change a steering rack?

I honestly don't know what to do wit the car. If I can do the work myself I think its worth keeping, taking it to a garage is going to cost too much.

Reply to
Hiram

Even diy on a car that old and valueless is actually uneconomic. If changing a wheel is a 2 and changing a clutch is an 8 (on that car) then changing the rack is about a 6, so fairly difficult. However what will you do if changing the rack doesn't fix the problem? You also need to think of everything else the car needs and will need in the near future. Only you can make the decision, but I would scrap it based on what you have said.

Reply to
Mrcheerful

It seems such a shame to scrap a car - I've done it before and I hate doing it. I like to repair things.

Initially I thought, yeah scrap it - then I started thinking, maybe I should repair it - now I'm thinking scrap it again.

Reply to
Hiram

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