So. You are going to have the engine oil/filter, pollen filter etc. changed unnecessarily?
I can check tyre tread depth, working lights, indicators, screen wipers etc. for free.
Rust on brake pipes, chassis, rubber bush faults etc. not so easy but still not hugely age related for a garaged vehicle.
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I did use the term 'isn't necessarily..........'
The exhaust system could well have water permanently sat in it, if used only for short journeys (exhaust gases never get a chance to get hot enough to boil the water out) so the system will rust from the inside. UV doesn't do wiper blades much good, (obviously not a problem if garaged)
If the garage isn't properly ventilated, cars will sweat when put away in there (even worse when put away wet) 'Killing with kindness' is one expression I've heard. Car Ports are better really
Yes, OK, lights, tyre depth etc obviously be a problem, although in my experience bulbs work perfectly until the very moment they don't, which can be anything from 30 days to 30 years !
Petrol yes. Diesel, some cars as young as 8 yrs old are non compliant
I suppose you have to expect that functions that you need while driving are not buried several levels down!
My Renault mostly does that. For example most of the radio/music functions are also on a satellite by the steering wheel, heater a/c is knobs and switches, driving mode is a switch, there's not much that you really need to do while driving on the touchscreen except occasionally acknowledge a message that annoyingly won't time out.
Have to agree on sat nav though, which in its normal mode is doing a live Google search and sometimes won't let you interrupt it. It's good though as it'll find almost anything, lat/long, address, postcode, business name, ... from one search box. It found "Corton Beach" bang on the car park for example. nib
I quite like keeping service and MOT separate, used the same guy for ages, he knows I "go away" as a customer every few years when I change cars, but i come back when they get to MOT age, he's seen my last five cars.
Anyway, one year car had just been serviced and was days away from warranty expiring, I took it for its first MOT, it passed but he mentioned oil leaking from the seals of the rear diff (fancy one with two extra clutches for torque vectoring) I took it back to dealer, they had to replace the diff and both rear drive shafts which took them 2 days ... I think he saved me a small fortune that day.
:-)
Diesels. Minimum round trip would be 10 miles apart from collecting the Fish and Chips on Fridays. Rear box replaced on the Fiesta last year.
Agricultural barn so comfort not in the plan.
The VW put up a dashboard warning to tell me a *running* light was not working!
If you have an existing MOT that is valid they have *no legal right* to prevent you from driving it. And if they do, report them to the authorities.,
Discs and pads are a 4 hr job for a competent shop.
Still worth an oil change and general check.
No. Just go for the oil and filter. Leave air and pollen
No, you should be OK.
Well remember every windmill is another 0.1 penny on the cost of your electricity.
Although, it's not such a problem with brakes - as, if in doubt, you can just refer to the other side.
From HM Gov site
Driving a vehicle that’s failed
You can take your vehicle away if:
Otherwise, you’ll need to get it repaired before you can drive.
If you can take your vehicle away, it must still meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times.
You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle that has failed its MOT because of a ‘dangerous’ problem.
That works for front disk brakes, but not for many rear ones.
Some incorporate the handbrake self-adjuster on a threaded section, behind the piston. To get those to retract, you have to push them in (hard) and turn them at the same time. I have managed it on one car using a g-clamp, a very broad bladed screwdriver and a lot of iggling about, but the next one proved impossible.
I bought a proper rewind tool (like
I bought my Leaf when I was 81 and I can chime with Tim in that having tried to read the 300+ page manual I've forgotten most of it and I still don't know what half the knobs and buttons do especially as the icons on them don't make it blindingly obvious! For instance it has cruise control but I don't know which button sets it, so I just keep my right foot still. :)
I've never had a failure that would cause that.
I did ask one of the testers about that situation and he said, "At the end of the day, when I close up, the cars are left parked outside. If you've collected it overnight, I can only assume that you picked it up on a truck or trailer."
I mainly use testing stations that don't do any repair work - other than changing a failed bulb - as there is no incentive to fail something unnecessarily to get work.
Petrol from Euro 4 (2005/6), but diesels only from 2015 (Euro 6) IIRC.
For most cars you have to undo a couple of extra bolts in addition to the two when you change disc pads. It's not much more difficult that a pad change.
Some vehicles, and I can think of 2 offhand, where the disc is bolted to the back of the hub and the hub has to be removed. It all becomes a right royal pain if there's a driveshaft to remove as well.
I bought a kit that should just about to any rear caliper. I'm sure it only cost £20 or so.
My policy is to invest in the tools I need for a quick and safe job. Easily justified with the cost of alternative garage labour.
I would go further. Sometimes it can be quicker and more convenient to do the job yourself, taking into account the time in arranging, travelling and sometimes sitting around waiting for the job to be done.
Standard practice. But keep an eye on the master cylinder, which may possibly overflow. I use a repurposed kitchen baster to suck out any surplus fluid.
Also, be aware that you're likely to need a 7mm allen key for some of the parts. It's a size which doesn't come as standard with many sets.
They soon be falling off the trees - (sorry)!
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