bloody Nationwide Autocentre !!

I use my local garage that way I know an idiot won't be conducting the test.

reg ("reg" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

It's an as-seen-on-TV large chain. Of _COURSE_ they're expensive and crap.

I had a place in Sheffield about 10 years ago fail a very very tatty, rusty, no bumberd Celica...he failed it saying it was a death trap and shouldnt be on the road, i knew that was wrong so i got intouch with the local place down Handsworth, a gov inspector went over it, passed it...called in the MOT guy and made him sit the tests again..

the car looked like a bag of s*it, no doubt ,but was solid and safe...

ive had cars turn up & thought bloody hell !!! but sail through the mot & on the other hand you get a decent car turn up & fail miserably, you never can really tell from just looking at it.

...No *what*?

Si

Some staff in the fast fit type outlets are forced to meet sales targets, so anything and everything usually fails and the customer is offered a loan to have it done. I know this goes on in two local garages, a Chevrolet and a vauxhall main dealership. Trading Standards put cars through after complaints. My old car was also released from Lookers with a 12month MOT, it had a broken spring and the mechanic had overfilled it with oil and didn't put the rear brake drums back together correctly! It had also been taken on a 25mile drive, I was told it was to test the brakes. I recently had more problems with Lookers overfilling cars with oil, so if you get your car serviced there have a check. The disclaimer on the service form is "parts replaced IF required", so you're paying for them under a "one price" scheme whether they use them or not. It's usually 1 litre too much oil. My local Lookers used to forget to change oil/air filters and spark plugs. They often lied even when presented with the evidence. Apparently a blackened air filter didn't need changing.

I investigated one garage after selling a car with an MOT when it shouldn't have had one. The most obstructive people were VOSA, they were never the slightest bit interested in the details or the main dealers involved. The police were more interested! I went after another Chevrolet dealer that put an MOT on a car with faulty steering and tyres that were on the minimum tread. It's very difficult to have a garage prosecuted for the various scams and stunts they pull unless it results in an accident.

You're better off finding a local garage with a skilled mechanic rather than a sales person who can only replace easy parts.

it had no bumpers

And I use my local council depot - £50 for the test (so no discount, well, only 35p), but they're well known for being impartial as they don't do any garage work - just MOTs (and Taxi checks). So far, my 1998

Whether it's just that I'm paranoid, but it certainly makes me feel happy knowing they don't get any extra money for failing it.

No you're not being paranoid. I, and I suspect lots of others here can quote many stories of dodgy MOT fails from garages that just want the repair work.

In our town we have a large independent test station that has built their reputation on the fact that they do not do repairs.

BobC

Nationwide often lack real world experience. They quote for work without knowing what needs to be done so what might be a simple taper bearing adjust will turn into two new bearings both sides and probably a suggested brake job.

My car passed but i was told it was "bloody dangerous" as the proshaft center bearing rubber mount had failed and was quoted =A3350 for a recon propshaft. I think they thought that the bearing itself had gone but it hadn't and new bush was =A315.

I've also had a car pass there with a rear suspension arm worn so much that the wheel moved about 1/4inch top and bottom and with a catalytic converter that had fallen out.

It just depends how arsed they can be on the day.

I'm supposed to get discounts for being a club member but they refuse to give them to me now "because I never give them any business". Trouble is they're convenient.

i've seen tests from other test stations, how the f*ck they still have thier licence is beyond me.

do they carry out the proper re-test criteria as per the VT30 & charge accordingly for the re-test ?

In my case (it's a council depot), I would expect they would apply the criteria correctly - which rules out certain bits as it'll always have to leave the station to get repairs. But I think that the cost of a half (or even full) retest is offset by the amount I've saved in the past by not having unnecessary work done.