Is There Any Need

[teacake44]

When you look at most cars that are on the road now, lots of electronics, fuel injection, sealed units of all kinds, does it really make any sense paying out £200/ £300 for a so called service.

Years ago when all cars had spark plugs, ( I know many do now) put they last a lot longer, points that wore out, or needed adjustment, most of the joints on cars had grease nipples to fill, so you could say it was worth paying out to have a service. Apart from an oil change, and filter, plus air filter, its just a case of keeping an eye on, break fluid, water, and oil levels, steering fluid. so is it really value for money. I don't think so.

[teacake44]

A good experienced driver/owner will detect most safety issues/ problems with a car, and know they need to have it looked at/ investigated, I can understand a new young driver/ owner not knowing, but even then, such as tyre wear, knocking, grinding sounds is within the scope of all to detect a problem. I know there is not to many around that only do M.O.T testing as a business, but I have one near me, his charge at the moment is £40, and for that you get the truth about your cars condition. If there is something wrong, he will fail it, if there's nothing wrong he will pass it, its as simple as that. If he does find a problem, lets say a near side front wheel bearing, you can then get a quote just to have that done, and nothing else, take it back and you get a pass, end of. Take it to a garage were the M.O.T is £28 and nine times out of ten you will get stung for work that's not needed. unless you know, and have trust in a guy you have been using for a number of years.

[10ClarionSt]

bhg481 @ 16.42 quotes a good description of most taxis in this country. And they are supposed to have a more stringent MOT test. I think most of them are being done by Stevie Wonder.

[teacake44]

10c your right, what you have there is friends of friends with a garage and M.O.T licence. nudge nudge, wink wink.

[tonyav]

Taxi MOT's are done by the local council in my neck of the woods.
https://go.walsall.gov.uk/taxi_vehicle_licence

I also have my MOT's done there, they don't do repairs so no axe to grind ie not looking for work.

[bhg481]

I bought my current car new in 2008. It had its first MoT at Halford's Autocentre for £30 with just under 60,000 miles on the clock, having had 6 new tyres, new wiper blades and new front brakes. Every subsequent MoT has been done at the same garage, the last one free because of an offer at Halford's, and has seen no failures or warnings. I'm now just short of 200,000 miles and I'm certainly happy to trust that a cheap MoT doesn't incur unnecessary work.

[tonyav]

Anyway MOT centres give advisories these days if the examiner feels that something will need attention in the near future ie worn brake pads, a leak of some type etc.

[KARL]

At 21.46 Tonyav points to something that I criticise: The UK's system of vehicle inspections is deeply flawed in that the vast majority of MOT stations also do repairs as their main business - this is a blatant conflict of interests, no ifs and no buts as the Man said.

[Zacs-Master]

My BM does 19,000 between services.

[tonyav]

The UK's system of vehicle inspections is deeply flawed in that the vast majority of MOT stations also do repairs as their main business - this is a blatant conflict of interests, no ifs and no buts as the Man said.

Yep, I agree.

[teacake44]

The council in my area contract the M.O.Ts out to garages.

[jno]

tonyav, I got an advisory last year that a tyre would need replacing any day. I didn't do it. This year I didn't get an advisory. I imagine it's healed itself.

[tonyav]

tonyav, I got an advisory last year that a tyre would need replacing any day.

Yeah but that's what the examiner that day thought, what did the advisory say, was it worn tread, cracked side walls or something else ?

[jno]

there's only the one examiner, a nice old Turkish guy. He didn't give details. He must have just changed his mind. The bribe had nothing to do with it, honest.

[tonyav]

LOL, or 20 pasha's ;-0