Hitchcocks Forum

Just got my car through the MOT. On looking at last years pass certificate I noticed there were a couple of advisories relating to the rear suspension. Only minor things, and I didn't bother with them. On looking at this years pass cert there was no mention at all of these points. Test was carried out at the same garage, although by different mechanics. I can only assume that the tests proper name is Matter Of Opinion Test.

Our car developed an annoying tapping noise caused by the silencer hitting the chassis. Myself and several very experienced mechanics looked at the problem with the raised on a lifter, and put it down to a badly made exhaust system I had had fitted by a national company. "Adjusting" the rear fitting on the exhaust fitting cured the tapping. Come the next MOT passes no problem. Then when it came to a full service after the MOT the "back axle" was found to be broken in a place it was impossible to have found on an MOT inspection, or by the visual check and heaving about done previously. Luckily I found a pristine spare delivered to the garage for £134. (New component a £1000 plus.)

All mot stations have their pass/fail rate checked and also the advisories issued checked all done automatically by computer programme, if they don't fail enough or don't issue enough adviseries they get a visit from the man from the ministry to find out why.

Let's be honest.. the MOT has become a money machine...

Our local garage, owned & run by a father & son partnership, do the MOT alongside my cars' annual service. Billed for service only with MOT item marked foc.
No KwikFart, franchise dealers or the like for me