Problem with your car?

[MrsD]

Re: Problem with your car?

thank you Handy and Allan, I'll have a look in the morning. I've been driving it for about a month and the MOT is end Jan, and the alloys are certainly not spanking new.

Mr D is upstairs in the huff now.........................men!!!

[Handyman]

Re: Problem with your car?

Hi Mrs D, can you get the tyre size for me to look at. The size is on the side wall of the tyre. It should read something like
185/60 14. As Alland says providing it doesn't extend beyond the wheel arch or snag the bodywork or suspension then there is no problem. Boy Racers or 4x4 off roaders who fit a wheel rim larger or smaller than that originally fitted run the risk of throwing out the speedo reading. As Speedometers are not tested as part of the MOT (they should be working)then if the readings out it's up to you if you exceed the 10% error allowed at the moment.

I have to admit it sounds like total BS, but if you get me the size I will try to get a word with one of the local tyre fitters. (I get them lots of work off Lady Hooray )

BTW £120 seems reasonable for a small service providing they have done Air, Oil (Fuel) and Plugs. It's the 20% Vat that bumps it up.

Regards, Handy

[MrsD]

Re: Problem with your car?

I guess it was a minor service, don't know what they changed as they never told us. The shitty woman did say to MR D that the tyres would be an instant MOT failure if we took it back to have it MOTed as they were the wrong size. They are alloys but look fine, no sticking out and strangely enough it had just passed an MOT when we bought it. I think I'm more annoyed at Mr D for not questioning her than anything, I'll phone in the morning and chew a few ears. I hardly use a car now and just want to get from A to B quickly safely and with the minimum harassment, how hard can it be?

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

I hate cars!

Bought myself a wee runaround as I work from home now and don't need a car all the time. Anyway its a wee Fiat Punto, got her serviced to-day and the garage says all four wheels are illegal because they are a wee bit bigger than normal (they are alloys), I've checked the MOT rules and no where does say this, who is right? by the way they took 120 for the serice is that reasonable?

MrsD, there is no VOSA restriction on the size of bigger aftermarket wheels fitted as long as they do not extend beyond the outer wheel arches and are free of fouling on the inner wheel wheels arches or any other component such as the suspension/brakes ect.

£120.00 for a service ? well it depends on what work was carried out on the service.

For a general minor service at a non dealership garage which would consist of -
Engine Oil change
Oil filter change
Air filter change
Spark plugs replaced (if a petrol engine)
And a visual check and top up of stuff such as antifreeze, screen wash and check brake pads/brake fluid, lights ect.
Then the average charges in our area by a reputable independent garage who employ skilled mechanics would be around £95.00 +vat and I would say that would be a maximum charged.

On the other hand if extra items such as brake pads have been replaced, then £120.00 would not be considered excessive.

Of course if you had it in a main agents dealership they tend to charge more than the independents due to higher staff wages/ site overheads...and their No1 priority..... bigger profits !!

[diddlydee]

Re: Problem with your car?

£120 service doesn't sound too bad, especially if you account for air filter, oil filter, oil change, sundries (windscreen wash/brake fluid etc...) plus the labour and visual checks that they do - was it a full service or interim?

[diddlydee]

Re: Problem with your car?

Surely if they are too big, the speedo would read incorrectly, as the radius would be bigger? That might be where legality comes in?

How about safety also; would a wheel that is too big be able to be fitted correctly (bolt threads etc?)

Dunno, just a couple of thoughts.....

[Deepie]

Re: Problem with your car?

I hate cars!

Bought myself a wee runaround as I work from home now and don't need a car all the time. Anyway its a wee Fiat Punto, got her serviced to-day and the garage says all four wheels are illegal because they are a wee bit bigger than normal (they are alloys), I've checked the MOT rules and no where does say this, who is right? by the way they took 120 for the serice is that reasonable?

Sorry Mrs D no nothing about cars but sounds a bit steep £ 120

[MrsD]

Re: Problem with your car?

I hate cars!

Bought myself a wee runaround as I work from home now and don't need a car all the time. Anyway its a wee Fiat Punto, got her serviced to-day and the garage says all four wheels are illegal because they are a wee bit bigger than normal (they are alloys), I've checked the MOT rules and no where does say this, who is right? by the way they took 120 for the serice is that reasonable?

[PlanB]

Re: Problem with your car?

Looks like all the family are going to have to travel on the near side!

Or up your intake of Green & Blacks to balance the weight

[cymruambyth]

Re: Problem with your car?

Looks like all the family are going to have to travel on the near side!

[PlanB]

Re: Problem with your car?

Hi I'm back again.......
The latest problem isthatthe car has failed it's MOT due to a broken offside rear coil spring. The garage has said that they need to be replaced in pairs? Is that true?

Thanks

I had the same thing at MOT time. The KwikFit garage said I only needed one spring replaced to pass the MOT but he recommended doing both (twice the price!) to save me having to return another day. I have no problem in making another visit when the job is needed so I only had one done. That was over a year ago and no lopsided feelings yet

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

The springs fitted when new have an identical poundage rating per spring for a particular vehicle, over a period of time due to the load weight of the vehicle they sag and lose some of the poundage rate as the spring coils become aged, therefore a new spring does have a different lb rate than the older one still on the car.

Makes sense I suppose!

Though a couple of my friends are .... fairly hefty. I expect that would counter act my repairs!

[SXGuy]

Re: Problem with your car?

Does anyone here have an expierence with using bio deisel in a BMW 320D 06 plate? Read conflicting views all over the net.

Some say its fine providing the filters are changed every 10k miles, others say something about needed to upgrade the fuel pipes due to corrosion?

I aint an expert so i have no idea!

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Hi I'm back again.......
The latest problem isthatthe car has failed it's MOT due to a broken offside rear coil spring. The garage has said that they need to be replaced in pairs? Is that true?

Thanks

I would always advise a customer to replace both springs on the same axle. eg. two front or two rear.

The springs fitted when new have an identical poundage rating per spring for a particular vehicle, over a period of time due to the load weight of the vehicle they sag and lose some of the poundage rate as the spring coils become aged, therefore a new spring does have a different lb rate than the older one still on the car.

Changing one spring will affect the balance of the car and could also cause uneven tyre wear.

[cymruambyth]

Re: Problem with your car?

£45 per spring £180 in total ie both springs.