MOT shock (1 Viewer)

[Geo]

I think it's a reasonable question so let me put it another way and remove the personalisation...

If I took my van/car to the mot and the geezer said when was the belt changed on your 1986 cortina and I said, never Guv don't believe in all that crap, could I be refused an MOT?

When will it lead to the Merc with the 200000 miles without a clutch being changed. And also I've seen sales rep cars cover 150k plus before an MOT is due without a cambelt change are they now dangerous?

I think the MOT business is past it's sell by date and needs a massive overhaul

Says a NHS Employee
Physician Heal Thyself oh:

 

[DavidG58]

Just a quick footnote from a very non technical, pay for everything to be done for me, driver

It does not help us when a Cam belt, which I already do not understand, suddenly changes its name to a Timing drive belt

I presume they are actually one in the same thing oh:

No wonder there is confusion, who knows what the mechanic in the OP called it

David

 

[jonandshell]

The correct term is timing belt.

Cam belt is sloppy DIY/motorfactor/bodge artist/backstreet garage language!oh:

Engines have either a timing belt, timing chain or timing gears.:thumb:

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[scotjimland]

Engines have either a timing belt, timing chain or timing gears.:thumb:

As do Singer Sewing machines..

 

[jonandshell]

And dont get me started on 'shock absorbers'!

They are bloody dampers! The roadsprings absorb the shocks, the dampers control the movement of the roadsprings and other unsprung suspension components!:shout:

Of course it doesnt help when the damper manufacturers call their dampers 'shock absorbers'!oh:

I suppose the term sounds more technical than 'damper', it helps the fastfit boys sound technically competent!

 

[SomeoneElse]

If EEC were allowed to dictate what went on the MOT you would be changing your vehicle for a new one every 5 years and the old one would be scrap value only. Be careful what you wish for - you may just get it

Well a couple of years ago the EU suggested changes to the MOT system. They recommended that cars should get their first MOT at fours years instead of three and then tested every two years until they were ten years old and only then at yearly intervals.

The MOT industry got rather upset because of the loss of income and jobs, or when the spin doctors got hold of it, the number of vehicle faults on the road.

We always seem to get the worst of the EU never the best.

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[greyman1]

i think that what needs to be taken into account here is the litigation /compensation times that we now live in ! every business [ inc mechanics] have to weigh up the potential profit of taking on a job, against the potential cost/loss if something goes bang either during, or after their involvement ! i think the op has got the original story somewhat muddled but it does highlight a very relevent issue. so if we take the case of a vehicle with a cambelt that goes in for a £35 -£50 mot it is certainly not unreasonable for the garage to ask or even seek proof that the belt has been renewed [if the manf requires it] because when the motor gets revved hard for the smoke test it is not unknown [esp on occasional use vehicles like motorhomes] for the belt/tensioner to let go ! the customer [esp the ones that say " its only done 8k in the last 6 years so why should i have to have my cambelt done!" would be the first to want to sue the garage for every penny possible ! thats a lot of risk for under £50 dont you think? in some cases garages are even shying away from taking on cambelt changes [ esp if the customer insists on supplying his own CHEAPO parts] for the very same reason . £100_£150 labour profit against a potential loss of thousands for a new engine YOU DO THE MATHS!! regards garry

 

[Munchie]

Well a couple of years ago the EU suggested changes to the MOT system. They recommended that cars should get their first MOT at fours years instead of three and then tested every two years until they were ten years old and only then at yearly intervals.

The MOT industry got rather upset because of the loss of income and jobs, or when the spin doctors got hold of it, the number of vehicle faults on the road.

We always seem to get the worst of the EU never the best.

Yet another misconception blaming the EU!!!

In France for a new car the first mot is at 4years and every two thereafter! Same with any vehicle sub 3.5te's!

So not the EU to blame but the UK!!!

 

[Geo]

Well a couple of years ago the EU suggested changes to the MOT system. They recommended that cars should get their first MOT at fours years instead of three and then tested every two years until they were ten years old and only then at yearly intervals.

The MOT industry got rather upset because of the loss of income and jobs, or when the spin doctors got hold of it, the number of vehicle faults on the road.

We always seem to get the worst of the EU never the best.

Always the drama queen me
Would you like to give these chaps another year on the road
To maybe try an Emergency stop in front of you or yoursoh:

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[Terry]

Always the drama queen me
Would you like to give these chaps another year on the road
To maybe try an Emergency stop in front of you or yoursoh:

I miss these post from you Geo :Sad:They /you should return them just to keep me amused -these are things we as the public never see but I bet you see weekly if not daily --I am afraid some vehicles only see the garage once a yr and if it was not for the mot would never see one
terry

 

[gradyp]

Always the drama queen me
Would you like to give these chaps another year on the road
To maybe try an Emergency stop in front of you or yoursoh:

Those photos are unbelievable , if didn't see the photos you would not believe it

 

[Geo]

Those photos are unbelievable , if didn't see the photos you would not believe it

Yes,
Its what we Testers waste our time doing, protecting you from these half witsoh:
Geo

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[lorger]

We use a small independent HGV mechanic for our MH and trust him with our lives if he said something needed done I'd trust him. I would recommend people to find a garage with a good reputation and start using him you'd be amazed at the service you will receive compared to big nationals.

 

[Jaws]

I REALLY hate putting my van in anyone elses hands.. Simply do not ( usually ) trust any bugger..
But would happily let Geo loose on it cos he is proper old school .. A decent job and more importantly someone who knows more about chucking spanners than 99% of the muppets who cannot change a wheel without looking it up on the service disk !

 

[Munchie]

I REALLY hate putting my van in anyone elses hands.. Simply do not ( usually ) trust any bugger..
But would happily let Geo loose on it cos he is proper old school .. A decent job and more importantly someone who knows more about chucking spanners than 99% of the muppets who cannot change a wheel without looking it up on the service disk !

Agreed!!! That is why we go to him when we are in the UK! :thumb:

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[Janine]

Can I just give a :thumb: for 'Diamond' Dave Newell. Great service and honest as the day's long.

He takes the vehicle next door to the Halfords MOT place but they know that they won't get any remedial work that needs doing so win/win for the customer.

 

[haganap]

Says a NHS Employee
Physician Heal Thyself oh:

And yet you dont answer with your "normal" response of doing battle with no wit but choose to ignore the question asked?

Can you refuse an MOT test certificate if I aint changed my timing belt for the past 15 years? or can you refuse simply to just test it? I think it was a fair enough question but note you resort to your usual dig.

Well a couple of years ago the EU suggested changes to the MOT system. They recommended that cars should get their first MOT at fours years instead of three and then tested every two years until they were ten years old and only then at yearly intervals.

The MOT industry got rather upset because of the loss of income and jobs, or when the spin doctors got hold of it, the number of vehicle faults on the road.

We always seem to get the worst of the EU never the best.

seems a fair plan to me. :thumb:

A car on our rotten pot holed roads can be as knackered in 6 months of sales rep driving as Mrs Smith the retired pensioner who goes shopping once a week. No MOT testing is either fool proof or indeed thorough enough, yet Geo seems to think that by needing an overhaul I am immediately going for destruction of the MOT test and not infact whats needed which is a better more thorough and expensive MOT test and in fact testers.

 

[scotjimland]

some more horrors

Broken Link Removed

Broken Link Removed

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[jaygee]

Reading this post and many preceding ones over the years there seems to be much confusion over what an MOT involves, to those of you who are not testers i suggest you go to the gov web site for enlightenment but would just like to add a few points
You will see that there is a fair amount to consider even before the tester starts the test, engine condition is just one of them.
Over the years more so of late the MOT has evolved so that it now almost unrecognizable from the early days and the safety standards are laid down by the governing body. Their are regular updates which we have to practice and adhere to and all the testers that i know are very competent at there job, unfortunately there is the very small minority that lets us down but this seems to be the way in most things.
There was much decision to go to 2 year testing which to date has been stopped,it was not about the loss of income to garage owners but the safety of your and other road users vehicles which was paramount in this decision, although the previous pics may have shocked some of you this is what testers see all day long and much worse.
If you have the time to go through the testing manual then give a thought to those of us who have to adhere to it when carrying out MOTs

 

[jaygee]

And Paul, I would issue a refusal to test your vehicle if timing belt hadn't been changed for 15 years

Sorry mate

 

[pappajohn]

And yet you dont answer with your "normal" response of doing battle with no wit but choose to ignore the question asked?

Can you refuse an MOT test certificate if I aint changed my timing belt for the past 15 years? or can you refuse simply to just test it?

I believe its a simple refusal on the grounds the belt COULD snap and the garage become responsible for subsequent damage.

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[haganap]

And Paul, I would issue a refusal to test your vehicle if timing belt hadn't been changed for 15 years

Sorry mate

I believe its a simple refusal on the grounds the belt COULD snap and the garage become responsible for subsequent damage.

Thank you, it was a simple question just asking for a simple answer

 

[Techno]

Just buy a 3 litre comfortmatic you know it makes sense lol

Edit
With shit loads of payload too
Even less stress:thumb:

 

[Techno]

My new best friend at Moderna MOT Ltd tells me anything I need to do and gives me 14 days to correct anything with no extra charge.EDIT unless I fix it wrong of course oh:
I've only had two dodgy testers in nearly 40 yrs and last years was one of them

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[jaygee]

My new best friend at Moderna MOT Ltd tells me anything I need to do and gives me 14 days to correct anything with no extra charge.EDIT unless I fix it wrong of course oh:
I've only had two dodgy testers in nearly 40 yrs and last years was one of them

You have only 10 workings days to correct faults and submit for a retest otherwise a full test has to be carried out!
And what is a dodgy test?

 

[TheBig1]

You have only 10 workings days to correct faults and submit for a retest otherwise a full test has to be carried out!
And [HI]what is a dodgy test?[/HI]

over the years I have had more than one MOT test done that claimed vehicles needed unnecessary work, accompanied by a "very competitive quote" to have the work done by the same garage that carried out the test. thankfully such occurrences are now pretty rare and I am thankful to have the knowledge that was needed to know a garage had tried a con.

couple of years ago my wife took her 3 year old car in for its first MOT. the garage failed it and said it needed suspension bushes doing. I didnt do them, but I took the car to another garage....it passed with no advisories. same car passed MOT tests in subsequent years to without failure for the same bushes. I considered writing to VOSA and dropping the dodgy garage in the mire. however it was going to take more time and money than it was worth including an extra vigilant VOSA inspection. so i just let it go but mentioned it to friends in the trade. apparently the guy that did the test (the owner of the garage) lost his ticket soon after anyway due to whatever reason. maybe somebody else reported him. that was just one of a few over the years though

these days I get my cars and vans MOTed at a local garage that I know and trust. they are so busy that they dont need to create fake faults to repair

 

[Techno]

Last year despite passing he tried to play on what he thought might be my ignorance by telling me my handbrake cable was stretched and might be expensive because it was alko and my track control arm bushes were badly warn but he could do them at around £600
I knew he was talking bo••ox and no surprise that my new man this year agreed, all he found is a slightly warn ball joint.

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[Bulawayo Lass]

So if an item passes it's MOT check for arguments sake a timing belt but breaks within a short time of check what is the score....MOT people to pay?
In fact the above question could also apply to a car service checked item as well

 

[greyman1]

like any busness, a garage should only be responsible for any work [inc the supply of parts] it carries out for you. this is why they will not fit cheapo parts. however, this does not stop some customers from trying to hold the garage liable for anything that goes wrong in, or around the garage premises ! their attitude is "it happend whilst in your care , so you or your insurance can pay" ! at very least, this results in a disgruntled customer and at worse it can result in a nightmare battle, involving insurance companies ,solicitors etc etc ! whatever the outcome, a
busy garage just doesnt need the aggro !! regards garry

 

[Geo]

So if an item passes it's MOT check for arguments sake a timing belt but breaks within a short time of check what is the score....MOT people to pay?
In fact the above question could also apply to a car service checked item as well

The score is Fate 1 you Nill

In the early days of emissions testing a very very small number of cam belts snapped during the test especially diesel tests

Due to an anomaly in what was then the Dept for transport rules the MoT station Could be held liable for the damage

This of course soon led to a number of claims followed by the possibility that MoT Stations would refuse to test these vehicles, thus leading to transport meltdown, the threat was so serious that the DFT suspended the emissions test for diesels for a good few months.
When they re introduced Diesel emissions there were set in place a number of guide lines along with some legal testing of the claims and it was found that nothing contained in the actual test or testing methods, would or could be the reason for belt failure.

The most likely reason was failure to maintain the vehicle to Manf specifications and service intervals
Im aware of only one or two successful claims in the very early days before the reviews

To even start a claim of any description your belt would need to break during the actual test, even then you would need to prove the Garage did something wrong to cause the breakage

Did you Know Mot Testing stations get Brake pipes bursting on them during brake testing on a far far more regular basis than cam belts, its why a lot of testers seem paranoid about brake pipes over 50% of the pipe is not visable to the tester due to routing , dirt and heat shields etc.
Yet the tester has to sign his name to say he is happy with the result.
Is it fair, or is he liable if a brake pipe fails an 10 mins later in a section he cant even see

After a service the garage is not responsible if you get a puncture on the way home and more than like not responsable for your radio packing up the next day or your wife refusing marital rights.
Lets keep it real folk.

You will see I have gone to great pains to answer a real and deserving question:thumb:

Haggers trick question was ignored, because 1986 Cortinas dont exsistoh:
Even if they did I dont know of anyone who'd keep one 15 years
Geo

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