Mondeo MOT / gearbox oil questions

Hello,

My 60 plate Mondeo failed its MOT, which I was not expecting.

The garage said that the car failed because the headlights were not aligned and the wipers were smearing.

It also had an advisory that one of the exhaust brackets was broken.

This was at an independent garage that I had not used before. I bought a new pair of wipers from a Ford dealer, though I think they smear just as much as the last pair. I think it is just that time of the year when there is salt and spray on the road. Perhaps the original pair were just a bit dirty?

The garage charged me £10 plus VAT to adjust the lights and £15 + VAT to weld the exhaust. Does this seem reasonable? I know it is daft to ask after I have paid but I'll know for next time.

How easy is it to align headlamps? I presume you cannot DIY as you must need some sort of chart on the wall to align them to?

The garage also said there is a slight leak from the gearbox and they recommended changing the oil for £100+VAT.

How often do you think you should change the gearbox oil? Is £120 a fair price? I am assuming that it is quite tricky to get to and DIY and that it is easier for a garage with a lift or pit?

Thanks, Stephen.

Reply to
Stephen
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The lights and exhaust charges seem very reasonable to me. They are not going to get rich at those rates. Can't comment on the GB oil price, it would have been high in the old days but there may be an under-tray and access might be much easier with a ramp, also it may be an (expensive) synthetic oil. I'm sure Mr C will be along shortly to confirm.

If it was somewhere offering a "cut price" MOT, they need to improve their margins somehow and dodgy wipers or headlight alignment are an easy way to recover costs.

A friend does all of mine, and he charges the full official price, but (say) a number plate bulb replacement only costs the price of the bulb.

Reply to
newshound

My MOT station does the headlamp aim as part of the MOT.

£15 to weld the exhaust seems fair but I'm wondering what liquid gold they used for the gearbox.

Did they sort out the leak? Gearbox oil isn't normally subject to a service interval. BICBW

Reply to
Fredxxx

Headlamp aim at Halfords Autocentres (not a shop that fits the bulb incorrectly) £15 PER LAMP! It's a rip off. If you have 4 headlamps with individual adjustment that would be £60. Most modern cars have adjusters that do the whole main and dip assembly as one unit £30.

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Minor adjustments are considered OK. But many won't touch them as they are so easy to break.

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Test changed last year. Allows lower aim but no "white light" in the 0% vertical and the 0.5% horizontal lines for Euro "E" beams.
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Reply to
Peter Hill

Hallfords? Ha ha ha hee hee hee!

It's a rip off. If you have 4 headlamps with

Reply to
Graham T

It was £40 for the MOT. I was happy to pay the modest sum for the welding as I do not have a lift to get under my car and I do not have a welder. I would rather pay £15 to fix that now, rather than have the DPF fall off later.

I was less sure about the headlamps because in the past, they were realigned free of charge during the test but that was some years ago when I lived somewhere else. I don't know how much work is involved in alignment.

Reply to
Stephen

The leak was an advisory that I have not got round to yet.

The mechanic said that there is not a service interval but he did say he changes it frequently in his car. I got the impression he might even change his annually.

I think he said he offered to change it for other customers when they have a new clutch but he said many do not take him up on the offer.

Is it quite inaccessible? I'm thinking like welding the exhaust, getting to it might be much easier for a garage with a lift or a pit rather than a DIYer.

I'm still not sure whether to drain and replace or just to top it up.

Reply to
Stephen

Did you notice the headlights out of alignment when driving on a dark road with no street lighting? Did one have a different aim to the other when you parked up facing a wall?

Headlights don't go out of alignment unless something is damaged or broken. But can be a nice little earner at MOT time to claim they are.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)
[...]

Since MOT's went on-line, the time for each one is carefully controlled. It can't be shorter than a certain time, and neither can it be longer. Consequently, testers are not supposed to do any remedial work.

I have mine done at a friendly place where I know one of the testers, and where they don't do repairs. He had to fail a car he was doing for me for headlight misalignment, align it, then book it immediately for a re-test.

He's such a nice chap, he still only charged me trade price, and just for the original test.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

I've had such service at a couple of garages that I've used and it's the so rt of thing that earns loyalty in my view.

One failed the car due to damage to the inner tyre wall and so he fitted th e spare for the immediate retest to pass. Not only that though, the tyres w ere directional and the spare happened to be the wrong way round for the af fected side of the car so he swapped the refitted the tyre and rebalanced t oo - all for nowt!

Mathew

Reply to
Mathew Newton

Grrr.. Should've proof read it. What I meant was he switched the tyre round so as to roll in the right direction (not fitted a new tyre as my first explanation might've implied!).

Reply to
Mathew Newton

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