So, these new MOTs ..

Tyres at the legal limit, or even close to it, would be unsafe on a motorway or any fastish during a thunderstorm.

One day the age of the tyre will be part of an MOT. Can't think why it isn't now because tyres more than 7 years old definately get hard.

Wouldn't want to be in a car on a fast road in wet weather if it had ancient tyres, no matter how much tread was left.

Well, if you will insist on owning crap unreliable cars, what do you expect ?.

Then how can they keep the car?

You think they are likely to explode or something?

Only a fool drives fast in a thunderstorm.

Of course the wet weather performance is poorer with a worn tyre, but no need to hype it up.

I suppose they have parking.

How stupid are you, really?

On a scale of 1-10? 1 on the Richard scale.

I suspect garages that want repeat business may adopt a Nelsonian approach.

I use one that does repairs but they have never failed the car on anything that needs repairs even though they have warned about the cracks in the tyres after seven years.

Some places do the job properly, some don't.

Some try that one with TV licenses.

Not the way Fiesta springs fail at 3/4 of the lowest coil. The roads are littered with them. When shock is fully extended the spring is still fully seated in the perch. If a spring was broken so far up that it came loose when car was jacked then I'd agree that on full bounce it could escape and would be a danger as you suggest. (and yes I do understand the phenomenon called spring surge)

I've now found the definitive MOT test manual

i: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

Major

ii: main leaf fractured

Dangerous

A coil isn't technically a "main leaf". When a main leaf fractures it allows the axle to move. Even transverse a leaf spring is almost always part of the axle location.

If main leaf is broken this loses the connection to one side of the car, axle collapses.

Broken side will slide out and your wheels will splay as it falls on to the arch.

On the front it's going to be an interesting ride if this one breaks.

Longitudinal loses axle location fore and aft.

The MOT test however has very different ideas about what constitutes danger than you, and in the UK it's the MOT that rules. All those are possible to drive, but a lot would be classed as dangerous by MOT standards. I guess y ou could probably drive all those in SA.

NT

not all do.

NT

FFS, who says they will keep the car? It's the owner's responsibility to move the piece of junk.

Stopped by plod? More chance of winning the lottery.

Ah - right. A banger fails the MOT and the tester says it is too dangerous to drive. Owner then walks away. Good luck to the garage getting the removal costs back.

Dump it in on street parking. Next.

Ah - right. So they haven't actually hung on to the car, then? And since you can prove it was in their custody at the time, they'd be liable for anything after that.

You must be a push over for garages.

Hey stupid, I am not the one saying that they would keep the car. Clue is in my sentence (which you uncharacteristically *didn't* snip) beginning, "FFS..."