MOT emissions tests

fraudulently)

Perhaps what's required is government run vehicle test centres that don't have any vested interest in repairs, so in the event of a failure they just give a list of any faults, which the vehicle owner can then get fixed at a garage of their choice.

All MOT testers are qualified. And it's hardly rocket science conducting an emissions test - it's done by a computer.

The message from "Ivan" contains these words:

Such things do exists - there's one here in Telford. He charges full whack but you get a fair, honest assesment of your vehicle.

The other choice is to go to the local bus servicing garage. They usually do cars as well - but don't advertise the fact. Since they only fix buses they're not trying to get business. Frank at Cricklewood Bus Garage is particularly helpful - not a soft touch but practical and realistic.

Interesting Guy, I didn't realise such places existed.

Experience tells me that the insurance companies are desperately in need of a similar setup.

A couple of years ago I had a bit of an altercation with a Vauxhall Vectra on a roundabout, my car (a Vauxhall Astra estate) required about £7 worth of indicator glass, whilst the Vectra suffered a couple of scratches and a scuffed rear wheel trim. On the notes which we exchanged the driver actually wrote that there were no dents only scratches, which IMHO looked like more of a job for a bottle of 'T' cut than the near 800 quid bill the insurance company eventually picked up!

Terry D ( snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Probably the same people who decide the "ridiculous", "totally arbitrary" limits on brake efficiency, tyre wear and windscreen cracks. Are they "totally unacceptable", too?

The engine probably wasn't anywhere near warm enough.

^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Fast-Fix (erm, is that "close but not quite"?) and Fraudulent in the same sentence? What a surprise!

The model of it must be an approved type for MOT purposes. They've been accused of abusing a monopoly in the past, they control it so tightly.

Every three months.

MMmmm. Requiring tens of thousands of pounds worth of fragile specialist kit so you can charge a capped maximum amount for work that requires specially qualified staff and brings a far higher risk of being robbed. That'll be why there's so many new MOT stations springing up.

From you... The man who seems shocked at being fleeced by Krap-Fit.....

So take it somewhere else, somewhere reputable, perhaps even a test station that doesn't do repairs.

"To save 40quid a year, I'm going to waste thousands of pounds per year in pointless depreciation"

No car maintained to a proper standard - above and beyond the "bare minimum to keep it running" bodging that most cars get - will have a problem with a fair MOT.

Anything petrol pre-92 doesn't require a cat. Anything diesel only requires a smoke opacity check.

Which would be at least 31 years old now.

Yes it must be. My BMW has passed its emission test several years running and the computer printout says "No Cat fitted" - when there 100% certainly IS one :-) It's a damn good engine mind you.

Its records probably say there's no cat needed for its age. Of course several makes were fitted with cats before it became mandatory.

Should be if it's a BMW. That's what they do best.

Same in Hull.

I agree with this, I take my car to a place that ONLY does MOT's, nothing else.