How shafted was I... MOT

[ukbrad]

Took car for MOT, failed on suspension but the garage couldn't book me in until end of October. Took it to another garage as the 2 week free retest had timed out, asked them to fix suspension and then MOT....

This garage deemed that the brake pipes were too corroded, all 6 of them, despite the other garage only giving an advisory for them. Asked them to do the work as I couldnt drive it away and was charged £360 just for the brake pipes which I've been told can usually be solved with sandpaper and grease.

How shafted was I, how much would you expect this job to usually cost. At £800 in total on a 2008 this has to go down as my most expensive MOT yet.

[Mike]

So you had an advisory on the brake pipes but you didn’t think to have a look at them before you took it elsewhere? A fool and his money…

[Altransit]

Sandpaper and grease is only a temporary solution for corroded brake pipes, maybe just to get it through an MOT so that you can replace them in your own time before the next MOT. I did a similar "bodge"on mine back in 2019, but the pipes needed to be replaced last year, so you're only really delaying the inevitable.

With an older vehicle, it's bound to happen that it will get more expensive at MOT time, especially as the MOT gets tougher year on year.

[dumper]

When I first started work on new vans and cars we used to spray grease on them and every service that was before Ford started fitting the plastic coating to them we sprayed them as well but even that only prolonged the life of them even now I still spray the copper ones that don’t need it .As for taking it to a different garage it’s down to the individual tester they are going to give it a full test and will have a different view when I used to prepare psvs and hgvs for test you would allways get your work mates to have a look round before they went and they would pickup something that maybe advisory. As for the guy who tested it he did the right thing it’s he’s job that’s on the line.

[ukbrad]

On reflection I should have taken it back to the same garage.

Don't expect to get many more years out of the old girl, assumed they all followed the same guides but guess at some point their own opinion comes in to it. Lesson learnt.

Sounds a lot for brake pipes I know it's not a very nice job to do. Would you say that was about right for 6 brake pipes.

[dumper]

Yes there is a testers manual as a guide but it’s still down to the testers opinion you can challenge the decision if your not happy when I used to take hgvs to the ministry test centre you could get the technical officer out for he’s opinion sometimes he would pass it and sometimes not .

[Mike]

Would you say that was about right for 6 brake pipes.

Vauxhall Astra, yes. BMW 5 series, no. But my crystal ball has been a bit flaky this month so I can't really tell you if it's expensive.

[ned]

Brakes and tyres are something you don’t really want to scrimp on (yes I know I’ve let tyres run low) but you’ve got to think brakes are one of those things that keep you out of the ditch or the arse end of some shitbox car.

[ukbrad]

Would you say that was about right for 6 brake pipes.

Vauxhall Astra, yes. BMW 5 series, no. But my crystal ball has been a bit flaky this month so I can't really tell you if it's expensive.

As this was a Ford Transit forum, thought it was pretty self explanatory what I was talking about.

[Mike]

As this was a Ford Transit forum, thought it was pretty self explanatory what I was talking about

When was a Transit a car?

Took car for MOT,.

I appreciate that you’re not that bright, but I gave you credit for knowing the difference between a van and a car, it seems that I was wrong.

[ukbrad]

Apologies for making a mistake. Took the car and van in on the same day, and wrote the wrong word, it happens occasionally to us dimwits.

Kind of came here for help, not for a smart arse keyboard warrior to make unhelpful remarks. Maybe join Twitter or something if that's your kink.

[Mike]

Apologies for making a mistake. Took the car and van in on the same day, and wrote the wrong word, it happens occasionally to us dimwits.

Kind of came here for help, not for a smart arse keyboard warrior to make unhelpful remarks. Maybe join Twitter or something if that's your kink.

If you can’t take what you give, you need to have a word with yourself

[V184]

Apologies for making a mistake. Took the car and van in on the same day, and wrote the wrong word, it happens occasionally to us dimwits.

Kind of came here for help, not for a smart arse keyboard warrior to make unhelpful remarks. Maybe join Twitter or something if that's your kink.

Just ignore him he does his best to ruin what is a very informative forum

[Mike]

Just ignore him he does his best to ruin what is a very informative forum

Just remind us how many forum ‘holidays’ you’ve had? Your silence will tell people all they need to know

[V184]

Just ignore him he does his best to ruin what is a very informative forum

Just remind us how many forum ‘holidays’ you’ve had? Your silence will tell people all they need to know

Just the one that you instigated