45 replies to this topic

[998dave]

Mine failed today too, but no corrosion, (as I'd done all that).

Front O/S headlight too high, (adjust)
Front N/S suspension mounting, (bolt needs tightening)
Rear O/S brake recording little or no effort, (needs adjusting - cylinder checking).
Front N/S wheel bearing is rough when turned, (replace bearing)
Exhaust CO emissions excessive
Exhaust UBHC emissions excessive

Should be done this weekend, but in a story similar to your I bought my little blue mini as an MOT failure with 16 failure points, fixed them all, took it to my MOT garage, and they handed me a list of 14 more! fixed them and it's going strong now.

Dave

[stewart]

As said above take it to a few garages to get a few differant quotes!
My sportpack failed last year on exssesive corrosion around the offside seat belt anchorage! Which turned out to be a small hole about 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 in the sill!! So 5 mins with a grinder and a welder and its sorted

So not everything that is written on the fail pages is that big of a job
Good luck and dont give up the the little mini

[Minisniper]

""WHITE ROOF REFLECTS TOO MUCH LIGHT INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC!!!""

Haha, since when has having good paintwork been a MOT failure?!?!

Although I agree that MOT's are very important for the safety of all it does make me wonder about this particular Mot inspector, I have just spoken to a friend of mine who works for BOSH garages who is an MOT inspector and he said regarding the white paint that the guy is having a laugh and needs reporting

[MrMini]

Sorry i dont care what anybody says but certain MOT testers can be complete *melons* just because they feel like it. I went for an MOT once and i remember the tester walking into the waiting room an asking 'Whos is the mini?', i replied that it was mine and his reply was 'Ahhh how unlucky, still it could be worse'. So after an hour of listening to lots of revving, hitting with a hammer!! and various other worrying sounds the tester came back and said, 'Guess what mate your day just got a lot worse. You would be better off scrapping that heap'. I knew the car was going to fail because before the tester had even sat in the car he had decided that he did not like the look of it. I took my car to a seperate MOT station that did not do repair work, i.e. they cant make money from you in anyway other than charging you for an MOT, guess what? My 3 page long MOT fail sheet went down to just 1 problem, leaking rear brake cylinders. Hardly a reason to scrap a car eh? Once i had my green slip i showed the MOT tester my previous fail sheet and the guy said that half of it was utter crap and that he also noticed areas under the car that had been dented in and now had bare metal exposed due to something hitting the underside of the car with force. That would be the hammer i guess. The tester then noticed where the car had been tested and told me that they were complete crooks who create work so that they can line their own pockets. In fact the tester also told me that an elderly woman took her car there, had it fail miserably and then the tester offered her £200 for the car and then had it for sale with 12 months MOT for £1200 just a day later!!

[alicetheauto]

If you are driving a car spiritedly then surely you should notice if the rr subframe is that bad? Have a look underneath, look for the white chalk marks? Else go to a local garage.....

[Mutley_RIP]

Lesson to be learned from MrMini.

I bought my mini in Feb as a non-runner and it passed its MOT last week.

Its got an advisory on it even thought Its got a green sheet. That advisory reads "Unable to check sills as heavily undersealed"

Now should this guy had the correct tool for the job he would be able to see that they are brand new!

There are some utter crooks out there and I would urge going to another station if you could!

[mab01uk]

I think the White roof comment was intended as a joke..................................!!
With the latest computerised MOT system I believe it is now obvious to any MOT tester what your car previously failed on even at another Garage, so the days of finding an easier back street MOT tester who can turn a blind eye to the faults are gone. Few Garages today would risk loosing their valuable MOT licence just to help someone save a few quid and get a dodgy MOT.
If you genuinely think your Mini has been unfairly tested there is an official complaints/appeal process you can follow detailed on the MOT paperwork...........VOSA do investigate and take action if anything is found not within the rules.

[huntface]

Sorry i dont care what anybody says but certain MOT testers can be complete *melons* just because they feel like it. I went for an MOT once and i remember the tester walking into the waiting room an asking 'Whos is the mini?', i replied that it was mine and his reply was 'Ahhh how unlucky, still it could be worse'. So after an hour of listening to lots of revving, hitting with a hammer!! and various other worrying sounds the tester came back and said, 'Guess what mate your day just got a lot worse. You would be better off scrapping that heap'. I knew the car was going to fail because before the tester had even sat in the car he had decided that he did not like the look of it. I took my car to a seperate MOT station that did not do repair work, i.e. they cant make money from you in anyway other than charging you for an MOT, guess what? My 3 page long MOT fail sheet went down to just 1 problem, leaking rear brake cylinders. Hardly a reason to scrap a car eh? Once i had my green slip i showed the MOT tester my previous fail sheet and the guy said that half of it was utter crap and that he also noticed areas under the car that had been dented in and now had bare metal exposed due to something hitting the underside of the car with force. That would be the hammer i guess. The tester then noticed where the car had been tested and told me that they were complete crooks who create work so that they can line their own pockets. In fact the tester also told me that an elderly woman took her car there, had it fail miserably and then the tester offered her £200 for the car and then had it for sale with 12 months MOT for £1200 just a day later!!

I have always and will always take my car to place that has no vested interest in repairing it.

Years ago my mother dropped her TR7 off at an MOT station. I think it was the first or second MOT after she'd had a Grinnal ground up rebuild.

Failed on front shocks. These shocks were brand new Spax that had supposedly failed after about 1000 miles. Anyway she didn't think anything off it until a friend of the family's BMW 325 failed on exactly the same thing. He being a bit more savy demanded that he have the failed parts as he'd take it up with the manufacturer. "Err....we've binned them sorry."

Anyway, many years later, when I worked in a pub I heard the same story about the same MOT station. A mechanic who drank in there chipped in and said "You know he's had his licence removed 6 times."

[cagy]

This new computerised system was supposed to get rid of the dodgy MOT guys but it's done nothing for it if i were you i would seriously get a second opinion!!!


Craig

[Teapot]

It's a real downer when you're trying to keep your mini up together on a shoestring and some drongo treats you and your little mate like something the crusher spat out.
On the other hand ... if this nasty guy finds something truly dangerous, you have to bite the bullet. It might save your life, or someone else's.
When we were househunting down here Mrs T was viewing the properties and I was viewing the garages. When I walked into the local one (est 1947, family run) the first thing I saw was a green Riley Elf up on a ramp. The next thing I learned was one of the bosses has a Sunbeam Stiletto he's restoring not very quickly (six years and counting). The next thing I found was one of the mechanics used to grasstrack race an 850 mini They MoT most of the old cars in the neighbourhood including an aluminium-bodied XK ?120? which they are terrified of damaging so the owner brings it in all by itself on a Saturday morning. So you get the picture. I wouldn't let Huey out of my sight in an unknown repair shop.
Hope you get it all sorted soon.

[mymini007]

I want to know how the MOT test orange meter works?
my mini indicators were more orange than the ones on the volvo but the mini failed and the volvo passed

[Frog]

[quote name='Lews_mini' date='May 5 2009, 04:29 PM' post='1442903']

This M.O.T tester sounds like a right div. Unfortunately there are certain mot testers & mechanics out there that absolutely detest mini's. Thay will try anything they can to be little the car & owner. But then there are the realists that appreciate that a mini's brakes wont be that great, it will have a bit of rust here & there etc,etc. My advise would be take it somewhere else for a second opinion. Maybe someone in the scene might know a decent garage/ mot station in your area.

[Lews_mini]

Hey all,


well after a chat with the old man im sorry to say it's come down to this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...em=110386325394

A very sad day for me, but I just cannot afford to keep on throwing money down the well.

Lewis

[cagy]

i really don't know what to say i hoped you wouldnt do this and that you would get a second opinion!!



Craig

[Teapot]

UNJ = unjust!