Right so the other day my bready failed its MOT on both front wheel bearings. The bloke said it was dangerous to drive cos they were so worn and wobbly and all that.

So I had them changed, my dad took it for a re-test today and they failed it on something that wasn't even mentioned the first time (n/s front suspension top mount excessively worn).

Apparently the bloke at the garage said they didn't notice that first time because of the dodgy wheel bearings? Sounds stupid to me.

Oh and they haven't given me a fresh 10 working days to get it sorted, they're still using the old 10 days, so I have about 3 to get it sorted it out unless I wanna pay £55 quid again for another full test.

Personally I think the garage in question is run by clowns, but is there anything I can do about it? Such as demand a fresh 10 day period?

Sounds dodgy to me. What have they quoted for the top mount? Will they allow you to take it to another garage for the work?

Sounds like they just want some money out of you mate. I'd have everything they say is knackered double checked as i had a garage try this on with me when there was nothing wrong with the parts.

on the re-test i thought they could only check stuff on the fail sheet!?

I'd say it's a fair enough comment to say you might not notice a top mount is shot if the wheel bearing is totally gone, grabbing the wheel and wobbling it about, you'd not notice top mount moving if the wheel bearing is moving.

I'm sure they check everything again not just what it failed on the first time, so it seems right to me.

If you still think it's dodgy, take it to another garage and get them to give it a pre MOT check and see if they some up with anything?

on the re-test i thought they could only check stuff on the fail sheet!?

I think they have to retest everything.

I took my car to quickfit at the weekend as my exhaust fell off and didnt fancy limping it home for 20miles. They fix my car, i go to collect it and they say to me 'your car has a squeal - it sounds like its going to blow up' now every vauxhall I've driven has done this so said to the bloke, 'don't be silly they all make that noise' he tried to make out that due to it having 195000 on the clock it was going to blow up and needed work! Told him to shove it - it had a cambelt at 184000 and a full service in the past year!!

they'll do anything nowadays for a bit more of your money

and think the di*k heads have bent my aerial as well!

no they will generally only re-check the thing(s) it failed on if it comes back within 10 working days but like I said, a wheel bearing failed would hide a top mount failure and when testing for no wheel wobble they'll notice worn top mounts. I dont think there is anything going wrong here.

if car fails an mot on part mentioned and you take it back for a re-test then they should only inspect the part it has failed on.

its called a partial retest and the law states this, http://mottesting.org.uk/mot-retest-information-fail.html

have a read and have a chat with the garage

i work for vw and do have the know about this kind of stuff.

personally if my car would fail an mot on something then i will get the part done as it is clearly an unsafe item and i like knowing my car is healthy and that there is nothing dangerous that I'm unaware of, unfortunatly not every garage see's mot test's this way and they just see them as a money manking test, call the mot test helpline whilst your there and see what they say, I've got a feeling the garage might change there attitude when you let them know your doing this

Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm gonna take it to someone else and ask if they think it's an issue. I remember having those mounts checked less than a year ago because I thought they might've been effected by my lowered suspension, and the mechanic who checked said they were fine.

Second opinion, then I'll hit the garage with the law , cheers Jack.

Like that link says, a partial retest means they only check the parts that were proved dodgy, therefore them not noticing my top mount was a sloppy job? Regardless of whether they're after more money or not?

Edited 17 August, 201016 yr by Polo Will

just take it back and state the law to them. get it passed then take it somewhere else to get the top mount checked. top mounts do wear quickly on mk3 polos esp on lowered ones. some replacements have been known to fail after only six months use

agree with hayesey

eg. if your car was being retested because a wheel bearing was shot they would refail it if they spotted a leaking brake hose.. in your case a top mount

they dont go looking for faults but if there spotted or have a knock on effect to a previous fail then they wont grant the mot cert

its unfair to expect them to pass a car that has a problem that was concealed by a previous fault imo

£55!! fucking hell my garage does it for £35 £30 trade! and were lientient and don't rip people off some garages are soo wank

I'm with hayesey on this one aswell, it sounds perfectly plausible.

Had similar with a mini I recently got through an MOT, one suspension problem hid another which was only noticeable after the original thing had been fixed.

Sounds fair enough to me dude, the best place to take your car for MOT's is the local council where taxi's go, they ONLY do MOT's and no repair work so gain nothing for failing your car on things that dont really need failing, if that makes sence?

mots only declare your car fully road legal for the day it was issued, and the garage would be stupid if they let it go with a fault.

it would be a totally different story if you got pulled and questioned by the police or if you were in an accident and that was the problem, you would say that the garage should of picked up on it. they're in full right to do so.

and they can charge anything up to £55 for mots to the guy up there ^

My mum pays £55 for her mot, I thought it was just her getting ripped off lol I have not paid more than 35 and I don't see why you would pay more there are loads of garages that do it for 30-40£ there is even one that is £25!!

My mum pays £55 for her mot, I thought it was just her getting ripped off lol I have not paid more than 35 and I don't see why you would pay more there are loads of garages that do it for 30-40£ there is even one that is £25!!

its a compulsary on vehicles older than 3 years so in my mind it should be free.

but then isnt it a hunam right to be able to eat, therefor all food should be free......o i love my ideas sometimes hahahaha

vw will do your mot for £30, so long as its not one of their old decrepid offerings. think the limit was no cars over the age of 10 years old

we do it for 30. Wether its a full restest or just a partial retest is down to the tester, but normally if the works been done within the 10 days, itll be a partial retest.

£30 is mega-cheap! Vosa's recommended retail price is £54

I was under the impression £54 was a maximum figure...?

I'm sure they check everything again not just what it failed on the first time, so it seems right to me.

on the re-test i thought they could only check stuff on the fail sheet!?

I think they have to retest everything.

wrong, they only test what it has failed on but like others have said there would be no way to tell the top mount was gone as the play in the wheel baring would of hidden it, and it would of shown up when they tested for the wheel baring.

also why would they give you another ten day's? it clearly states that if your car fails you have ten days to get it retested, not ten day's every time it fails

£30 is mega-cheap! Vosa's recommended retail price is £54

Were probably the cheapest in bury! manor street