I have two sets of paperwork in front of me.One is a failed MOT test, complete with about 15 reasons why, and a summary of work needing to be done including a service totalling some £800. The MOT was carried out BY the SAME garage that proposed the work.The other is a passed MOT test taken elsewhere,for the same vehicle on the following day, showing no work needing to be done at all. One advisory was picked up.. and the comment was 'I saw where they had marked that pipe, but they did not scrape away the flaking paint as required by the test to see whether or not it was corroded: there is superficial corrosion, yes, but I would not consider it an MOT failure'Of all the other 'failures' the comment was either 'its not part of the MOT test' or 'it is part of it, but the vehicle is well inside the statutory limits'The only work billed in between was on the handbrake - the claim is that they were stripped, the pads deglazed and the charge was £75. I am more or less sure that the only thing that was done was to tighten the handbrake cable.The company involved is the biggest name in vehicles in Cambridge BUT it was not at the Cambridge branch - it was at the Bury St Edmunds Branch. I have never had problems with the Cambridge based franchises.I will never ever use the Bury Franchise again unless I find the service manager has been sacked.I would welcome feedback on whether or not it is worth while pursuing this, and if so what methodologies would be recommended.I am slightly acquainted with the man who owns this car group.

Some years ago what I recall to be official figures suggested that thefailure rate of 25 percent should in reality have been 6 percent.I guess it's a well-known problem that no-one's doing anything muchabout. There are too many get-outs, such as "well, that was the stateof the vehicle when we saw it".Terry Fields

where should I take this?

Dec 15, 2011 42 Replies

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F 14 years ago

Some councils run their own stations for their own fleet testing and will test, but not repair, private vehicles.

If anyone wants a test done anywhere near Leeds, go to Aldridge Brothers in Rawdon. Absolutely as straight as they come. No connection other than that of a regular user over more years than I care to remember!

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Nick 14 years ago

This came up somewhere on UK usenet recently. This link gives a full list of them:

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Mark 14 years ago

do MOTs when they don't.

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