Brake fluid contamination?

[Scooba_Steve]

called up to say it’d fail it’s MOT without a brake fluid change

That is worth reporting in itself - that's not how it works. If it fails, it fails. Repair then do a retest.

already started on this

You're not liable for any work carried out without authorization. Though the remedy will realistically be via small claims.

an extra £70

I hope you paid under protest, that would help if you do actually want to try and recover any money.

loathed to have an unnecessary fight with my only convenient garage

At the end of the day, are you going to trust them again? Even if we assume the best case, that they took a sample, work was still carried out without prior auth.
Is the perceived convenience worth the premium you're paying?

[Robster68]

The French system is better mot stations do mot’s only.They are unable to repair faults,eliminates this dodgy practice.

[DMike]

The French system is better mot stations do mot’s only.They are unable to repair faults,eliminates this dodgy practice.

Same in Finland. And because the inspection stations are private companies, which you can choose from, they have become quite constructive even when delivering advisories or fails.

[MikeyH]

This is such a sad state of affairs. Some years ago I would take 2 cars and my work van to the local garage in our village, he seemed a reasonable chap and we became quite friendly. The MOTs were carried out by a different place some miles away so no monkey business. On the last occasion I took my wife's car in for the MOT he was using someone more local and when I rang him to ask if the car was ready to pick up he said yes but it needed a tyre replacing, (I had checked at my tyre place before taking it in and they said it would pass). My instant reply was I hope its not a Chinese one (having had a bad experience previously). He got quite shirty on the phone but like you I did not wish to upset my local and convenient garage. However when I went to pick up the car he was still being shirty saying "A tyre is a tyre, they are all the same". Now even I know this is a load of old crap, I had the tyre replaced at my expense to match the others and have not been back since. So he has lost service and repair work on 2 cars and a van. Who knows if he gives a dam.

[MikeyH]

I have just looked on our Teignbridge council website and they do MOTs for the general public, not sure what they are like or if they are any less prone to being naughty. Maybe councils near other members also do this. If so has anyone experienced them and what are they like?

[Smartbear]

I have just looked on our Teignbridge council website and they do MOTs for the general public, not sure what they are like or if they are any less prone to being naughty. Maybe councils near other members also do this. If so has anyone experienced them and what are they like?

I’ve used a council MOT testing station in Chelmsford - no silly advisories & they never undertook repair work which i think had a lot to do with it.
Rob

[srhutch]

The French system is better mot stations do mot’s only.They are unable to repair faults,eliminates this dodgy practice.

There are plenty around that do mots only. I always take mine to one for this reason.

[Robster68]

The French system is better mot stations do mot’s only.They are unable to repair faults,eliminates this dodgy practice.

There are plenty around that do mots only. I always take mine to one for this reason.

So we all agree then that the French system is better unless you want to get ripped off.

[Mike6]

Obviously a con as I said before but spare a thought for MOT stations in general. For a few years I was getting advisories on both my cars that examiner had been unable to fully inspect underbody due to presence of plastic covers (forget the code number for the advisory). When I mentioned it to them they said that they primarily did this for particular makes of Vauxhall and Jags as they were classic for having rotten subframes and brake pipes hidden by the plastic trays. This year they didnt use this advisory and they said it was because instructions now were that if they suspected rust problems hidden by the trays they should refuse to proceed with the MOT until the owner had represented the car with the offending covers removed. They said that undertrays hide some appalling corrosion which was dangerous but their hands were tied as some cars had undertrays covering almost the entire underbody.

[colb]

Got caught with the Z4 last year at mot garage Ihave used for years for the Z3 and the family cars (4) charged me an hour's labour for putting in a supposed failed headlight bulb.All checked evening before an all was well and no bulb out warning when I dropped it off. Smelled a rat but couldn't prove anything. Not been back now use another test only place just around the corner from the original. Suspect it's something the new manager has brought in took an instant dislike to him. That's 6 cars they lost out on from me.