Nearly MOT Time

C

C58

Member
hey all,

just wanted to ask a bit of advice, as the post suggests its nearly time for my M.O.T. I have a kwik fit pretty much next door to my house but im put off from using them mostly because when i had a nail in my tyre last year i took it there, they said id have to buy a new one then tried to massively over charge me for it, when i said its fine ill take it else where they tried the old "well how much would you be willing to pay" ... as a sales person that just put me right off so going to give them a miss.

I dont have an indy close by but have a halfords auto centre who are offering £29 mots or £150 for an mot and a full service. Just wondering if anyones had any experience of them? im still 8000 miles sort of the 15,000 between services but want to keep up the yearly service of the car. any thoughts? also as im doing about 7000 miles a year do you think it'd be ok to leave the service another 12 months or should i just get it done this time?
 
I'd personally steer well clear of both of those, Kwik fit have ripped my dad off a few times and I wouldn't let Halfords touch my cars if they were the last place on earth. Go online and find a decent independent recommended garage near you or even better a BMW specialist. Also I wouldn't leave your car 2 years or 15k miles until you service, once a year or 7.5k miles is what I do on mine. A lot can happen in 2 years!
 
I've had my last two carried out at Halfords. Could watch them and had no issues, certainly no inventing work.
 
I've been to Halfords before and they failed my old e46 on the handbrake. It passed at KwikFit and they wanted to replace everything at great cost. Some may be better but some are work creators. Equally I had a local KwikFit who passed it no problem each time.
 
I might try Halfrauds for the MOT at £29, but I wouldn't let them do anything else to my Z4. :!:

As someone suggested, if you want an interim service try a search on the main forum page - General - Dealer Feedback for a good local independent (or add your location to your profile, then people may be able to make recommendations).
 
The MOT is cheap as it's a loss leader, it could easily end up costing you more in suggested work or having to pay for a retest elsewhere to pass it for something it shouldn't have failed on.
 
I go to an independent outfit that only does MOTs. I like the idea that if they come up with a string of things that need fixing, they won't benefit.

I also like them because for the 3 MOTs done since I have owned the Zed, it has passed each time with no advisories!
 
Generally speaking, i don't think many will give a good review of Halfords autocentre but on previous car i took it there for a couple services and had no problems at all. Your mileage may vary. I don't have many reservations with them to be honest but then i guess it only takes one bad experience to change that. On a full service, i would ask them what oil they are using and if you do go through with it, ask them to see the old spark plugs as to check they have changed them - they might just pull any old ones out for you to see but worth a shot.
 
Thanks for all the feedback, ive done a bit of scouting and theres an indy that specialises in bmws about a mile further down the road that also does mots, I called them yesterday and they offered a decent price on a service as well as inspection 1 & 2's so may give them a go, my only hesitation is that with the "creation of work" ... is an indy garage not more likely to invent stuff that needs to be done / fail an mot that may get passed at a bigger garage chain? I may have my perceptions the wrong way round but to me I would have thought an indy garage would be much more inclined to invent work that needs being done over a bigger name?
 
It's a crapshoot really - I'd go with the Indy, you could argue that as a new customer they will want to keep you coming back and treat you well. Who knows?
 
Where about are you? Maybe someone on here can recommend a good mot place if you say your location.
 
C58 said:
Thanks for all the feedback, ive done a bit of scouting and theres an indy that specialises in bmws about a mile further down the road that also does mots, I called them yesterday and they offered a decent price on a service as well as inspection 1 & 2's so may give them a go, my only hesitation is that with the "creation of work" ... is an indy garage not more likely to invent stuff that needs to be done / fail an mot that may get passed at a bigger garage chain? I may have my perceptions the wrong way round but to me I would have thought an indy garage would be much more inclined to invent work that needs being done over a bigger name?
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More likely to be the other way round. Folk will always use Halfords, KwikFit etc, but an independent will rely on reputation more.

Always exceptions to the rule though of course. Give us a bit more info as to where you are then as said we can maybe help more.

I always take my car to a MOT only place. IF BMW have an offer I will use them, which I did a couple of years ago and they passed after failing on headlight height. Also adjusted at no cost why surprised me.
 
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