General Is my car finished ?

[bugsymike]

Another option is to take it to your usual Mot Tester and ask his advice.
If he thinks the other guy is over the top ask DVSA to inspect the car and explain the reason, they may agree with first tester or they may have ago at him and suggest he uses a bit more common sense in the future.
If the car is likely to be scrapped you have nothing to lose.

 

[Twotone2]

The OP has a "do not drive" MOT .

I had similar last week on my van, Citreon Nemo 14 plate, hydraulic leak on the power steering (two hoses) so it needed a new steering rack, apparently one of the hoses is attached to the rack, and some other work a front coil spring and a couple of minor electrical faults with the rear lights.

I was quoted £900 plus a service @ £150 from my usual garage, the van had a service and MOT every year, anyway I sold it for £1000 to a motor trader.

I priced up the steering rack replacement with a local power steering company they wanted £450 plus vat, the rack itself was coming at £350 plus £100 refundable deposit once the old rack has been removed however the specialists couldn't do the work until the tomorrow and the rack wasn't available from the supplier I got a price from.

Wasn't worth getting the work done IMO there was some advisories too, two tyres, and brakes needing done in the future plus it was struggling to go into third gear sometimes so I ended up buying a new van which is coming tomorrow, hopefully.

 

[bugsymike]

The OP has a "do not drive" MOT .

Around our way at one time the local "Fast Fit Specialists" had a habit of getting a car in for a quoted cheap job then telling the owner their mechanic/technician had found dangerous faults that needed urgent repair, if the owner suggested they took it to their regular garage they were told they would have to sign a disclaimer to the effect that they were knowingly driving a dangerous vehicle on the road!
Few members of the public would chance this and so had to pay a massive bill for work that didn't need doing.

 

[Twotone2]

Around our way at one time the local "Fast Fit Specialists" had a habit of getting a car in for a quoted cheap job then telling the owner their mechanic/technician had found dangerous faults that needed urgent repair, if the owner suggested they took it to their regular garage they were told they would have to sign a disclaimer to the effect that they were knowingly driving a dangerous vehicle on the road!
Few members of the public would chance this and so had to pay a massive bill for work that didn't need doing.

Three times last week I was told the van was too dangerous to drive by three different places, my regular garage/mot station, the power steering specialists and Arnold Clark's van centre in Glasgow when I went to look for a new van the guy was like just watch the police don't catch you driving out of here in that van ( I'd knocked his deal back).

All three were basically trying to sell me something.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Around our way at one time the local "Fast Fit Specialists" had a habit of getting a car in for a quoted cheap job then telling the owner their mechanic/technician had found dangerous faults that needed urgent repair, if the owner suggested they took it to their regular garage they were told they would have to sign a disclaimer to the effect that they were knowingly driving a dangerous vehicle on the road!
Few members of the public would chance this and so had to pay a massive bill for work that didn't need doing.

Undoubtedly they do vary, I think because many are franchised so locally owned, but the story you tell here is a not unknown one.

If you have a local council workshop near you they often do MOTs but won't do repairs for the public so if it fails you have to either do them yourself or have them done elsewhere but, in my experience, you'll get a very fair test done as there's no percentage in it for them to fail the vehicle. other than that, find a trusted local wee workshop and stick with them.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Three times last week I was told the van was too dangerous to drive by three different places, my regular garage/mot station, the power steering specialists and Arnold Clark's van centre in Glasgow when I went to look for a new van the guy was like just watch the police don't catch you driving out of here in that van ( I'd knocked his deal back).

All three were basically trying to sell me something.

I think it's quite despicable to try to frighten people like that. On the other hand it's also very important that the workshop make the customer fully aware if there is something dangerously wrong with their vehicle

 

[bugsymike]

I think it's quite despicable to try to frighten people like that. On the other hand it's also very important that the workshop make the customer fully aware if there is something dangerously wrong with their vehicle

Since 1969 starting in the Motor Trade it has never ceased to amaze me the dangerous cra* that some members of the public knowingly drive or let their "loved ones " drive.

 

[AnthonyH]

Bringing this discussion around to the OP, isn't it likely that only one of the rear shock mounting areas would be badly corroded? Both seems a bit suspicious, but possible.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Bringing this discussion around to the OP, isn't it likely that only one of the rear shock mounting areas would be badly corroded? Both seems a bit suspicious, but possible.

I think it just needs to be closely looked at by himself or an independent third party

 

[Jockstrap]

I know nothing about appealing the MOT.
As it stands the dangerous defects must be rectified before the car is driven legally.
Despite conspiracy theories, the current location may not have any interest in doing any of the work.
Simple start is ask for a quote from current station. Peg in the sand.

 

[bugsymike]

I know nothing about appealing the MOT.
As it stands the dangerous defects must be rectified before the car is driven legally.
Despite conspiracy theories, the current location may not have any interest in doing any of the work.
Simple start is ask for a quote from current station. Peg in the sand.

In the old days you had to fill in a VT17 form I think.
Nowadadays it is online.
:-

Appeal if your vehicle failed an MOT​

You need to discuss your test results with the test centre before anyone starts repairs.


You can appeal against the failure if you think it’s wrong. Fill in the complaint form and send it to DVSA within 14 working days of the test.


DVSA will contact you within 5 days to discuss your appeal.


If DVSA decides to recheck your vehicle, you’ll need to arrange a date and pay the full test fee again. They’ll send you an inspection report listing any vehicle defects.


If your appeal is successful, you’ll be refunded the test fee.

​

 

[Jockstrap]

In the old days you had to fill in a VT17 form I think.
Nowadadays it is online.
:-

Appeal if your vehicle failed an MOT​

You need to discuss your test results with the test centre before anyone starts repairs.


You can appeal against the failure if you think it’s wrong. Fill in the complaint form and send it to DVSA within 14 working days of the test.


DVSA will contact you within 5 days to discuss your appeal.


If DVSA decides to recheck your vehicle, you’ll need to arrange a date and pay the full test fee again. They’ll send you an inspection report listing any vehicle defects.


If your appeal is successful, you’ll be refunded the test fee.

​

So the answer is discuss the MOT with the centre. Good to talk .

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

and for the time it's in dispute the car mustn't be touched so you can't start repairs - or other actions - until it's resolved. No good if you need the car in a hurry.

 

[Jockstrap]

and for the time it's in dispute the car mustn't be touched so you can't start repairs - or other actions - until it's resolved. No good if you need the car in a hurry.

The test was 30th January!
Missing something here.

 

[Intergalactic Ow Ow]

I'll start by saying that I can not see the attachment at the start of the thread. As others have said, you need to get a second opinion - it's worth its weight in gold sometimes. So, you have a current VALID MOT then do you but a recent fail? So your old MOT is still valid unless (possibly) they are trying to say that the car is so dangerous it can't be driven? On the off chance that you demand your keys back to your car and just drive it away to a prebooked test elsewhere and the place it's sat, actually call the Police then I would look locally to arrange someone to collect it. You can expect to pay around £30 - £60 for a local pick up and drop off.

Some of this work may not even need doing or if so, it may be substantially cheaper elsewhere. I wouldn't go throwing away an otherwise decent car (I assume it is) when the cost of buying a replacement and often, paying to fix other people's problems after just a few miles may end up being far, far more expensive than these repairs.

 

[Intergalactic Ow Ow]

I'd like to add... everyone knows about the fast fit centre taking the sixteenth letter of the alphabet but a more recent border line scam is that I have a work colleague whose Fiat 500 failed its MOT and was a very expensive repair. She was made up when the mechanic offered a few hundred quid to her for it. He felt bad apparently so said he could use it for parts and she could put the money toward something else. Two weeks later it was on the forecourt down the road for just under 3k. A quick check online and it's passed its MOT with flying colours...

Beware.

 

[Twotone2]

Just to clarify, my van failed it's MOT and it had a do not drive until the power steering issue was sorted however the MOT hadn't expired the MOT was due on the 14th February but it was in the garage for a service and MOT on the 4th and it failed then.

I was topping up the hydraulic fluid (£16 per litre X2) for about a week which was from about the 29th of January until I sold it on the van on the 7th of February.

 

[bugsymike]

Just to clarify, my van failed it's MOT and it had a do not drive until the power steering issue was sorted however the MOT hadn't expired the MOT was due on the 14th February but it was in the garage for a service and MOT on the 4th and it failed then.

I was topping up the hydraulic fluid (£16 per litre X2) for about a week which was from about the 29th of January until I sold it on the van on the 7th of February.

As I understand it, once a Mot inspection has failed the original certificate is no longer valid.
Presumable if involved in an accident then insurance would be invalid also.
In the 1970s we had a Chinese student customer whose car failed the Mot, we explained the situation , but something got lost in the translation as he later got stopped by the Police and produced the failure document, which must have helped them.
Many years later I took an customers Greek lodger's wife's car for Mot, it failed miserable, so I explained this and the likely cost of many £100s . His answer was "So if I give you £150 you give to Tester and he will pass it?" When told emphatically No! He replied "But this is what we do in Greece"
That was the end of the conversation as far as I was concerned!

 

[Intergalactic Ow Ow]

As I understand it, once a Mot inspection has failed the original certificate is no longer valid.
Presumable if involved in an accident then insurance would be invalid also.
In the 1970s we had a Chinese student customer whose car failed the Mot, we explained the situation , but something got lost in the translation as he later got stopped by the Police and produced the failure document, which must have helped them.
Many years later I took an customers Greek lodger's wife's car for Mot, it failed miserable, so I explained this and the likely cost of many £100s . His answer was "So if I give you £150 you give to Tester and he will pass it?" When told emphatically No! He replied "But this is what we do in Greece"
That was the end of the conversation as far as I was concerned!

It's not been the case for me previously. I've had fails whilst the old one is still valid and continued to drive for a week or so whilst parts have been ordered etc. also just read up on this and it seems to still be the case generally but the grey area would seem to be if you have a serious / dangerous "do not drive" scenario. I would imagine it may be illegal then to drive. .GOV website states that with a dangerous item on your test you "might not be allowed to drive the vehicle" until fixed. So my question is who determines if you can or can't? MIGHT is not can / can't.

 

[Twotone2]

It's not been the case for me previously. I've had fails whilst the old one is still valid and continued to drive for a week or so whilst parts have been ordered etc. also just read up on this and it seems to still be the case generally but the grey area would seem to be if you have a serious / dangerous "do not drive" scenario. I would imagine it may be illegal then to drive. .GOV website states that with a dangerous item on your test you "might not be allowed to drive the vehicle" until fixed. So my question is who determines if you can or can't? MIGHT is not can / can't.

My failed MOT stated

DO NOT DRIVE UNTIL REPAIRED (dangerous defects)

*Hydraulic fluid leaking continuously posing a serious risk to road safety (steering fluid) [8.4.1 (a) (ii)]

REPAIR IMMEDIATELY (major defects)

List of four defects follows one of which was power steering pipe/hose leaking (at steering rack)

My understanding is that the DNDUR notice means that the Vechicle can't be driven on a public road until it's repaired ie you can't take out of the garage/mot station.