MOT Pass today then a problem

[colb]

In today to my usual test garage with the Z4, they were not as quick as usual, dropped off at 8:00 picked up 2.30, they tell me its a pass but they fitted a headlamp bulb, really strange that as I went round the car checking all lights the previous evening and this morning had no bulb out warning come up although I didn't use the lights driving to the test. The bulb was all of £1.99 on the invoice but was charged £16 for changing it with the MOT now being £45. I really think I have been done over regarding the bulb failing. Don't think I will be taking any of our cars there in future so thats 5 cars they won't be seeing going forward, be 6 when my Korando gets to three years old.
Paid up then went to the car, I had been waiting outside when I saw the tester drive out of the bay and park it outside so unlocked, got in and turned the key, all the dash lights came on but no crank. Went back in and reported the no crank, they came out with a jump pack but once connected under the hood still no crank. It wasn't until another mechanic came out and found the key transponder chip lying in the footwell the no crank was solved. Transponder put back in key and away it went first turn of the key. Looks like the tester guy had the key open itself and the transponder fell out, it had been glued in previously by me when I had the key coded a couple of years ago.
I reglued the transponder into the key shell using a hot glue gun when I got home. Not had the key shell open up on me so quite how he managed it is a mystery. No advisories on the MOT again this year so quite pleased with the result.
Only job I will tackle next is the exhaust downpipe bolts that are corroding away, already have replacements to hand and hoping to grind off whats left of the nuts then use an air chisel to drive the old ones out rather than resort to drilling them out.

 

[Chris_D]

Fekkers. Oldest trick in the book that!
I always make a point of arriving early at the test centre, testing all the lights in full view of staff and actually mentioning that I just tested all the lights before handing over the keys. It's no guarantee that you won't get fleeced but I've never had a bulb fail at MOT time.
You could always refuse to pay as most test centres usually advise if you have a bulb out and then give you an option for replacement especially when it's a xenon, before actually changing it of their own accord.

 

[bigwinn]

I had to use a ‘we only mot’ place in town as my usual guy was off for an op

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

 

[colb]

Been using the place for years for both my Z's and all of our family cars and never had a problem before this, now I didn't recognise the guy managing the workshop usually just deal with the main reception. It looks like they have undergone some staff changes and the way they run the MOT bay, main business is heavy commercial truck work. Wish I had asked for the 'failed bulb' now and see what they would have come up with. Preety sure it would have been working ok when I dropped it off. No way of disputing it, after all if they hadn't replaced it if indeed it had failed the car would have had a failed test. I am supposing they look on this sort of practice of doing you a favour and don't expect a customer to challenge them.

 

[buzyg]

I find it best for my sanity to take people and bills at face value, unless I can prove otherwise. Suck it in, smile and move on, is all you can do.

 

[Chippie]

I had a half price MOT done years ago, funnily enough they had to adjust the headlights as the beam pattern was out, so cost me slightly more than a full price MOT, never went there again, the best place to get an impartial MOT as at your local council testing centre, as they don’t do repairs there not trying to find work.

 

[Rockhopper]

Are headlamp bulbs covered by the bulb failure system? On many cars they are not. £1.99 is very cheap for a bulb anyhow.
Most MOT places won’t change bulbs during the test as they simply don’t have the time to do it as each test is programmed into the system and needs to start on time. It’s a reasonably fiddly job on a Z4 even if you are familiar with doing it

 

[srhutch]

I had to use a ‘we only mot’ place in town as my usual guy was off for an op

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

Did the car have an LSD?

 

[bigwinn]

I had to use a ‘we only mot’ place in town as my usual guy was off for an op

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

Did the car have an LSD?

nope

 

[buzyg]

I had to use a ‘we only mot’ place in town as my usual guy was off for an op

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

Did the car have an LSD?

Interested to know why you asked this question.

 

[Chippie]

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

I had that with an Audi S3 Quattro, apparently the four wheel drive system can effect the brake test or vice versa, they used to put something in the passenger footwell that measured the braking.

 

[Spriteracer]

As Chippie says. My local (very rural) MOT station has this device for 4x4s. Also many years ago when I raced the sprite in a roadgoing class we had to have an mot for eligibility even though the cars never went near a road. The tester used the same type of device because the car was too low to go on the brake test rollers.

 

[srhutch]

I had to use a ‘we only mot’ place in town as my usual guy was off for an op

The brake test was the tester driving it around the block…

Did the car have an LSD?

Interested to know why you asked this question.

Brake tester rollers can cause issues to LSD I’m guessing if there is a brake issue with the car so some MOT testers will use a brake test device which means driving the car. I’ve had it once with mine but he did only test it in their yard.

 

[enuff_zed]

Did the car have an LSD?

Interested to know why you asked this question.

Brake tester rollers can cause issues to LSD I’m guessing if there is a brake issue with the car so some MOT testers will use a brake test device which means driving the car. I’ve had it once with mine but he did only test it in their yard.

Yup my old 2.8i Capri always got tested with the accelerometer thing sat in the passenger footwell as it had an LSD.

 

[tug]

If it were me i would check that they have put the back cover on properly. The robbing cuffers.

 

[MikeyH]

Or if it is on properly not been touched? Any oily fingerprints?

 

[Robster68]

French version of mot test centres are just that,not attached to garages therefore eliminating this dodgy practice.

 

[Smartbear]

Interested to know why you asked this question.

Brake tester rollers can cause issues to LSD I’m guessing if there is a brake issue with the car so some MOT testers will use a brake test device which means driving the car. I’ve had it once with mine but he did only test it in their yard.

Yup my old 2.8i Capri always got tested with the accelerometer thing sat in the passenger footwell as it had an LSD.

I took my bmw r1200gs motorbike for an mot a few years ago & the tester fitted a portable logging device to the pillion seat then asked me to ride up & down the road and brake as hard as i dared.
I complied with the request & after returning to the testing bay asked why the bike couldn’t be tested on the normal rollers.
The tester said his legs were to short to reach the ground! :lol:
Rob

 

[Sticks]

I'm not sure any garage would rip you off for a measly £16.

Years ago I went to the local garage as one of the front indicator repeaters had failed. 'I'll have to charge you an hour's labour' £70. Hmm. A couple of years later it failed again so I took it to the dealer. They took out the holder, cleaned it up, 15 mins charged, £32. Fair enough, I though.

 

[deltasierra]

I’ve had good and bad MOT testers, some will fix small exhaust leak, change a bulb, or fill a washer bottle, some just fail it. When it comes to advisories it can be 6 advisories one year, no action taken, then none with a different tester next year. I now have a local garage who I trust, that gets all my repairs, if there is a problem he takes me into the pit and shows me what needs fixing.