Problem with your car?

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

Evening Guys!

So I put the car in for it's m.o.t today...and low and behold, the bloody thing failed!

I asked the obvious question (What did it fail on?) to be told that the front brakes need cleaned.

O.k so I get that they might have some grit stuck around them from the winter or whatever but surely that's not a reason to fail?!

I asked for the bit of paper they give you (the one with the green, orange and red boxes on it) after a m.o.t so I could see exactly what was wrong with it but they said because I've not paid for it yet (it's going back on Friday so they can clean the brakes) they'll give me it on Friday. I had my card ready to pay but she told me not to bother and they'd just give me one bill instead of 2.

[oscar]

Re: Problem with your car?

I asked for the bit of paper they give you (the one with the green, orange and red boxes on it) after a m.o.t so I could see exactly what was wrong with it but they said because I've not paid for it yet (it's going back on Friday so they can clean the brakes) they'll give me it on Friday. I had my card ready to pay but she told me not to bother and they'd just give me one bill instead of 2.

This is the bit that would worry me - they wont gove you the fail sheet until they have fixed it and it has passed?

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: Problem with your car?

I posted over here if it's any use to you?

#1607

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

Thanks Guys,

I'm glad I can at least put petrol and screenwash in myself

[alland]

Re: Problem with your car?

Angelic I am not sure what the garages defines as dirty front discs, it's a new one on me !

The brake disc is exposed to the weather but every time you apply the brakes the brake pad cleans the disc surface as well as stopping the car !
You can get dust build up on the rear if it is fitted with brake drums rather than brake discs, but you can't get dust build up on exposed discs.
The only other thing they could object to is if there is any rust build up on the the disc surface, which would indicate a faulty brake caliper, and certainly not just be a case of simply cleaning the discs.

But whatever the reason for failing the car, the MOT test is logged by computer directly to VOSA at the time of the test, if they carried out the MOT procedure by the book, they should have issued you with a fail certificate stating the exact reasons for a refusal to pass the car.They cannot log the vehicle out of the VOSA computer system until they produce a pass or fail certificate.

All sounds a bit dodgy to me.

PS. £60 for cleaning a pr.of brake discs is taking the piss, even the apprentice could complete that task within the hour.

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

I knew the price was a bit steep but there's not much of a choice around here, it's the cost of the labour that brings everything up. I don't even know if that includes v.a.t - I was too scared to ask hahaha!! I could have driven it to the nearest city and got it done for cheaper but then then I'd have had to consider the cost of fuel!

I figured that if the 're-test' is free then paying the £60 seemed the better option than dragging the 2 kids to the city for an hour or so paying 141.9p/l for petrol!!

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

Just got the bloody thing back...and they fitted new brake pads without telling me!

There was a note on the work sheet to say that they had to phone for authorisation before carrying out any replair...obviously they don't really care about such things.

£58.00 labour
£32.72 parts
£54.85 m.o.t
£18.14 vat

£163.71

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

And the 'advisory' said it needs 2 new tyres...they'd be tyres 5 and 6 that I've 'had' to put on it!!


I'm away to let off some steam I think - between this f00king garage and my 'little angels' I'm ready to go and get pissed!

[swanfan]

Re: Problem with your car?

There was a note on the work sheet to say that they had to phone for authorisation before carrying out any replair...obviously they don't really care about such things.

You could've refused to pay for that as you didn't agree to it being done.

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

You could've refused to pay for that as you didn't agree to it being done.

And if they didn't hand over my key...?

[swanfan]

Re: Problem with your car?

And if they didn't hand over my key...?

It is a difficult one to prove that, your word against the garage.

And if they didn't hand over the key you pay 'under protest'.

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

They had it written down that they had to call before doing anything...maybe I should have refused to pay for the brake discs hahaha!

[swanfan]

Re: Problem with your car?

Next time, if you go to htat garge that is try this:-

Discuss the symptoms and the likely costs of the repair with the owner, clarify whether the price is just for the materials or includes the labour and also whether VAT is included. Try to obtain a written quotation which specifies what repairs are necessary, what parts may be required (ask for the old parts to be given back to you) and also includes a price for the work. If this is not possible, obtain a written estimate and give a maximum amount that the garage can spend without your authorisation.

[Angelic]

Re: Problem with your car?

It's a Ford garage...I'm not sure the owner would be available

[swanfan]

Re: Problem with your car?

It's a Ford garage...I'm not sure the owner would be available

Doesn't have to be the owner.

I'm assuming no other garages nearby or you wouldn't be going back?