General Problems with the MOT test.

[RobL]

My MOT was due in mid June. I have been preparing the motorhome a Knaus Sunliner.
In the process of changing the ABS sensors I noticed the inner right hand CV boot is split.
The same boot failed the MOT 2 years ago.
I checked the job sheet ( attached) and it appears the repair wasn't done and the MOT pass certificate issued. I was very busy at the time and didn't check anything, I just assumed it had been done.
I've had other problems with the same garage.
Last year they repaired the rear brakes only for them to fail the brakes 3 months later the vehicle had only covered 1200 miles. 7 weeks after the the MOT the exhaust fell off, luckily the vehicle was stationary at the time. The support rubbers were completely rotten. I did make a complaint to the DVSA but they said it was more than 4 weeks after the test so there was nothing they could do.
This time I am making a complaint that the MOT was fraudulent in that the repairs weren't carried out and then the vehicle passed.
It's been two years so probably little hope in getting a result.
Has anyone else had this sort of situation and how was it dealt with?

 

[The Panda Nut]

I think you are a rare beast. Most just want a pass. I prefer things to be identified to me, as well but the test is to satisfy the authorities, not the owner/driver and after 2 years you wont get a result on this. At the end of the day keeping our vehicles maintained is our job and we cant rely on an MOT for that. The boot could have split yesterday even after replacement. If you dont trust them, I woulg go elsewhere. Annual service and checking is a must, and if thats not done right you have more reason to complain.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

As motor homes do tend to sit around for long periods usually in poor weather or parked on grass they do tend to have more issues such as rubber components going hard and then splitting relatively early or brakes rusting and pitting.

In the picture you’ve posted that does not look like an old CV boot, the clips also look relatively young it may be they did replace it and it has subsequently split again.

The question is why keep using them if you’ve previously had problems with them?

The MOT is a snap shot, there is no guarantee that the car remains roadworthy even in the days and weeks after the test

 

[RobL]

It is possible but seems a bit of a coincidence. Exhaust rubbers are vulnerable but they don't rot in a 7 week period to the extent the exhaust breaks away from the vehicle. I agree the MOT isn't fit for purpose.
I haven't used this garage since then.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I’m assuming the exhaust rubbers were not brand new 7 weeks previously, they are not a key component of the suspension or the brakes, they only have to hold the exhaust up and while I’m not an MOT inspector I suspect they get nothing more than a cursory tug by the inspector to make sure the exhaust is attached? @bugsymike might be able to say more on what is inspected.

When I worked in the trade I was tasked with taking a car up to another branch in stoke, and the car which had been MOTd and sat on our forecourt for a couple of weeks decided to shed its exhaust about 30 miles into the journey.

As I said it’s only a snapshot that at that moment in time the car was worthy to be on the road.

 

[RobL]

I’m assuming the exhaust rubbers were not brand new 7 weeks previously, they are not a key component of the suspension or the brakes, they only have to hold the exhaust up and while I’m not an MOT inspector I suspect they get nothing more than a cursory tug by the inspector to make sure the exhaust is attached? @bugsymike might be able to say more on what is inspected.

When I worked in the trade I was tasked with taking a car up to another branch in stoke, and the car which had been MOTd and sat on our forecourt for a couple of weeks decided to shed its exhaust about 30 miles into the journey.

As I said it’s only a snapshot that at that moment in time the car was worthy to be on the road.

 

[RobL]

These are the rubbers. The only half decent one gave up because it was holding the whole exhaust.

 

[RobL]

I think you are a rare beast. Most just want a pass. I prefer things to be identified to me, as well but the test is to satisfy the authorities, not the owner/driver and after 2 years you wont get a result on this. At the end of the day keeping our vehicles maintained is our job and we cant rely on an MOT for that. The boot could have split yesterday even after replacement. If you dont trust them, I woulg go elsewhere. Annual service and checking is a must, and if thats not done right you have more reason to complain.

I want the vehicle safe not just pass an MOT.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I want the vehicle safe not just pass an MOT.

Totally get it. Ultimately the MOT isnt a guarantee of this and you need a good garage and personal inspections first and foremost. Its annoying when they dont pick stuff up. My experience has been over 50 years driving that onlynonce did I feel teh MOT let me down when I dound severely cracked tyres the same day the car passed. MOT testers have however picked out at least 6 things I had missed over the years and at least one was safety critical. I think tou should discuss things with the tester. They may throw light on things. Im sure they want to not fail vehicles if possible but within the the rules. Ultimately probably not worth getting to steamed up about this. Bad for your blood pressure. And thats an expert on getting steamed up speaking.....

 

[bugsymike]

These are the rubbers. The only half decent one gave up because it was holding the whole exhaust.

Fair comment.
Some years ago when I was Moting, but generally a visual inspection including signs of exhaust leaks followed by a tug if suspicious of mountings like the perished ones in photo. Also checking rusty exhaust and mounts.
Depending on condition would dictate advise or failure.

 

[RobL]

It's just this particular garage really. It's a husband and wife team or was. The husband apparently buggered off and did something else, he'd had enough. She hasn't a clue, thinks she knows it all and believes everything the staff tell her.
My daughters run a business and took their vans there. They gave up eventually because they would end up with a nice new shiny part but with the fault just the same.
They had a problem putting the van in gear. They replaced the gearstick which cost £300. When the van still wouldn't go into gear they suggested a new clutch was needed. Turned out when they took it somewhere else(the alarm bells were ringing) it just needed the clutch hydraulics bleeding.
On another occasion they failed the rear brakes on the mot..Two weeks later my daughter noticed a bag in the back of the van. It had brake parts in it. They hadn't fitted them and issued the pass certificate.
There response was oh bring them in we will fit them.
They feel responsible because they recommended them to me.
It's really put me off garages now. I'll do all my repairs into future. There's no back up if things go wrong

 

[bugsymike]

Please don't think all garages are like that.
Before I retired I had most of my customers for well over 25 years and some I had known since 1969, I never had to advertise, all my business came through word of mouth.
My customers trusted me and my work and I knew them and that their cheques wouldn't bounce
One time I had a debt collecting agency ring me trying to get business saying "a small business like yours must have loads of bad debtors", I replied "I have only had three bad cheques since going self employed in 1982 and I got everyone back as all my customers were known by my other customers." . They gave up after that!

 

[RobL]

Please don't think all garages are like that.
Before I retired I had most of my customers for well over 25 years and some I had known since 1969, I never had to advertise, all my business came through word of mouth.
My customers trusted me and my work and I knew them and that their cheques wouldn't bounce
One time I had a debt collecting agency ring me trying to get business saying "a small business like yours must have loads of bad debtors", I replied "I have only had three bad cheques since going self employed in 1982 and I got everyone back as all my customers were known by my other customers." . They gave up after that!

I'm sure there are good ones like yourself. Unfortunately where I live there isn't much choice with garages that can handle that size of vehicle.
I'm also retired so have the time, I quite enjoy doing mechanics, will save a pile of money and peace of mind the job will be done properly and not supporting ignorant w****rs.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I'm sure there are good ones like yourself. Unfortunately where I live there isn't much choice with garages that can handle that size of vehicle.
I'm also retired so have the time, I quite enjoy doing mechanics, will save a pile of money and peace of mind the job will be done properly and not supporting ignorant w****rs.

Best course of action if you feel they dont make a reasonable effort to deliver a service equivalent to what would normally be expected of a trained competent person, is a letter or email to trading standards. If its serious, or if there are other flags on the business, they will investigate and take action. I can accept genuine mistakes and the odd glytchbutbrakes need to be right.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I want the vehicle safe not just pass an MOT.

This I can completely understand.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a garage that appreciates this.

These days if a garage says to a customer ….needs fixing then a lot of people will just assume the garage is trying to up sell them.
Many garages therefore don’t bother now and just fix the thing the customer wants fixed and will point out anything dangerous.

You need to find a garage you can build a rapport with, explain your expectations and that you’re not afraid of spending money to make sure the van is well kept, and if you find a good garage they will look after you. Finding and building that relationship is quite hard though

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I'm also retired so have the time, I quite enjoy doing mechanics, will save a pile of money and peace of mind the job will be done properly

if you’re able to do a lot of stuff yourself, brakes, springs, shocks, bushings, etc then you will save yourself a fortune.

Looking at that CV boot I think it is new but I wonder if they have used one of those devices that stretch the boot to fit over the CV joint rather than just pop the joint off, and they actually split it or damaged it in the process.

Person 1 does the MOT says it need a new boot
Person 2 does the boot and damages it but tells person one it’s had a new boot fitted.
Person 1 doesn’t look assuming all is good and signs off the MOT.

This is not an impossible scenario as retests often only look at the bits that needed repair, and if the repairs are done in house they may not look at them at all

 

[bugsymike]

There is a lot of pressure on staff to do jobs under "book time" to earn bonus etc. Something I never had to do.
I once looked into a job at a Renault dealership that was offering almost double the local garage wage, luckily I went during the dinner break and talked to the staff, the consensus of opinion was that only one member of staff ever got near that wage and he was so far up the bosses ****** you couldn't see his feet. Bare in mind this the 1970s and PC had not been invented.

 

[Twotone2]

I’ve been going to the same garage for about 20 years, all of our cars go there, it’s a one man business with one other mechanic they’re also an MOT station and hand on heart the guy’s as honest as the day’s long.

He runs his business like I run mine (SE plumber sole trader) ie you phone him up he books you in you go and collect the car and pay him. The end! Until next time and repeat.

He’s just serviced and repaired my daughter’s 15 plate polo, £345 I think she said, new hand brake cables adjusted the hand brake and the service he did some other stuff too, she’s delighted her car is safe cause ‘Jim’s looked at it’.

She had the car MOTed back in April think her bill was less than a £100.

Unfortunately the guy’s near retirement age and I don’t think the other mechanic has the means to buy the business which is a shame cause he’s a good guy too.

Not the first time I’ve taken my van to him for something simple and he’s just waved his hand when I tried to pay him.

 

[RobL]

if you’re able to do a lot of stuff yourself, brakes, springs, shocks, bushings, etc then you will save yourself a fortune.

Looking at that CV boot I think it is new but I wonder if they have used one of those devices that stretch the boot to fit over the CV joint rather than just pop the joint off, and they actually split it or damaged it in the process.

Person 1 does the MOT says it need a new boot
Person 2 does the boot and damages it but tells person one it’s had a new boot fitted.
Person 1 doesn’t look assuming all is good and signs off the MOT.

This is not an impossible scenario as retests often only look at the bits that needed repair, and if the repairs are done in house they may not look at them at all

I think you are right. It looks like a screwdriver has gone through it.

 

[RobL]

I've had a reply from the DVSA, as I thought they don't want to know.
I thought I would post photos of the rear brakes, this is after the so called "stripping, cleaning and adjusting" The clean looking brakes are my repair.
Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.