MOT sorted on my old Z3!

[gookah]

Im lucky my local garage is great. He knows I will fix problems myself but he has a reputation for being fair.
Last year at MOT time I asked him to spend an hour having a good look over the car to make sure everything was good

You mean like they do in an MOT?

He did that and passed it and charged me just £60.I was happy with that.

My garage does the same, describes it as an MOT test, and charges me just £33, I'm happier with that.. :-bd

 

[DangerousDave]

Im lucky my local garage is great. He knows I will fix problems myself but he has a reputation for being fair.
Last year at MOT time I asked him to spend an hour having a good look over the car to make sure everything was good

You mean like they do in an MOT?

He did that and passed it and charged me just £60.I was happy with that.

My garage does the same, describes it as an MOT test, and charges me just £33, I'm happier with that.. :-bd

There are lots of things that an MOT does not cover. An MOT is for safety items only.

£60 for a full vehicle check incl an MOT slip is a good price. Lots of peeps pay £150 for an RAC check which is a lot less stringent.

 

[gookah]

aaahhhh, so it was more than just to pass an MOT then...

 

[TWO]

Just had mine MOT'd and it failed :-o ..............

First, for a small gauge in the front tyre (directional) side wall. It was a good excuse to get a pair of Falken Ziex ZE912's which really has improved the problems of tramlining :-bd

Second, windscreen wipers, which I am blowed that I can see any differrence between old (no splits, not worn and rubber still soft) and new. :-?

Third, the thing that got me was that MOT inspector insisisted there was a leak from one of the brake servors and that it would need booking in 'for investigation work' with no time limit!..............'we cant tell until we find it' The guy sat me in the car to press the brakes with a comment, 'can you hear that noise?'.......NO...........second time 'can you hear that noise?'.......NO...........third time he started to look a bit gaunt, and suggested that he would put it down as an advisory when the Zed was retested......if I got first & second done.

I got the tyres & windscreen wipers replaced and collected the MOT certificate........................which had no mention of the 'advisory' brake servor.....only an advisory on front slightly pitted brake discs, ............which were never ever mentioned at all in the previous conversations.

I was just glad to take hold of the MOT certificate and get out of there. #:-s

Needless to say I cannot recommend this 'approved' BMW agent based in Chelmsford.........please PM me if you wish to know the name..........don't want to be done for slander :-ss

Just had the Zed MOT'd for 2013 at an independent MOT station and the car passed with flying colours and no mention of the clap trap about any leaks from the brake servors :-bd

Lesson now learnt...............only take the car to an independent MOT station who does not have a vested interest in making speculative suggestions for additional work [-x

PS The car started first time (not even a turn over of the engine for a couple of beats) after 6 months SORN.......cant wait for more days out in the sun

 

[GazHyde]

Lesson now learnt...............only take the car to an independent MOT station who does not have a vested interest in making speculative suggestions for additional work [-x

Wise words.

That said, mine failed this year on the hand brake. Expensive quote from the garage I used for the MOT, but no quibbling over a free retest after I did the work myself. Encouragingly when I took the rear brakes apart they were completely shot.

I guess there are reputable garages out there, but it's bloody hard finding a decent one in the first place.

 

[colb]

MOT today used a local place that I have never used before £30 fee.
Booked it in a week ago and turned up at 8am as arranged, straight in and did it whilst I waited, passed with no advisories, best customer service I have had.
Newport, South Wales
http://www.motcentrenewport.co.uk/index.html

Colb

 

[Loz3]

Wise words.

That said, mine failed this year on the hand brake. Expensive quote from the garage I used for the MOT, but no quibbling over a free retest after I did the work myself. Encouragingly when I took the rear brakes apart they were completely shot.

I guess there are reputable garages out there, but it's bloody hard finding a decent one in the first place.

I'd like to hear more about your rear brakes as I'm getting a rotational noise from the rear driver's side and yet the pads are like new. Had the wheel off at a garage and checked. I wonder, could it possibly be bearings?

 

[GazHyde]

Loz3

My issue was that the hand brake was almost non functional. The garage suggested its most likely the rear shoes, but could possibly tighten the adjusters and hope it would pass a retest.

Ended up changing the shoes, discs and pads on the rear and all was well. Didn't have any odd noises from mine though.

What noise does yours make? Clicking/grinding/whining?

 

[Loz3]

Interesting....

Its a soft grinding sound like the pads were catching on a roughed up edge of the disc but both disc and pads are well inside serviceable parameters. I tried lifting the hand brake everso slightly while driving and the noise went away. I now have found if I lift the H/B to the first notch it is quiet. So, I am "guessing" that the problem is in the handbrake cable in that it is too slack on the driver's side at least? this makes sense as when I applied the brake while rolling it seemed only to bite on the passenger side so I guess it needs adjustment? Any tips? is it a diy move for a rookie?

 

[Aceman]

The brake shoe adjuster inside the drum probably needs adjusting. This can be done without removing the rear disc by putting a screwdriver through the inspection hole and flicking the adjuster up or down, not as easy to do if you have not done it before but tbh I think you could probably do with the discs coming off and s good clean out of the drums which can get clogged up with brake dust/rust if they haven't been off for a few years.

 

[Loz3]

local NATIONAL garage offered to strip clean and grease for 20 quid. think it would be worth the dough. cheers!

 

[Brian H]

Interesting....

Its a soft grinding sound like the pads were catching on a roughed up edge of the disc but both disc and pads are well inside serviceable parameters. I tried lifting the hand brake everso slightly while driving and the noise went away. I now have found if I lift the H/B to the first notch it is quiet. So, I am "guessing" that the problem is in the handbrake cable in that it is too slack on the driver's side at least? this makes sense as when I applied the brake while rolling it seemed only to bite on the passenger side so I guess it needs adjustment? Any tips? is it a diy move for a rookie?

Remember the rear has both brake pads (outside the disc) and brake shoes (inside the drum of the disc), pads are for the foot brake shoes are for the handbrake (apologies if you already know this).

local NATIONAL garage offered to strip clean and grease for 20 quid. think it would be worth the dough. cheers!

Sounds like a good deal, well worth £20.00 as they will spend a good hour doing this properly and you do not get your hands dirty. As Aceman said you can adjust the handbrake via the adjusters but a PITA to find if you do not know where they are located in the drum.

 

[Loz3]

Interestingly the noise has now gone away even with the handbrake fully depressed. I shall still go for the strip down as it makes sense to prevent rather than cure, but nice to know it is not the bearings!

 

[amancuso]

Wow you guys go through a lot to get your cars on the road. Over here in New Jersey, if your car is a 1996 model year or newer, the only thing it needs to pass is an emissions inspection. No Check Engine light = pass.

 

[Woody100]

Took my car for its MOT last week just before I sold it and it passed with no advisories, I did take it to a MOT inspection station only which I found locally by chance and they were great
The guy did say that in his opinion many garages that both MOT and have workshops do bank on the work which they highlight during the MOT (obviously!!!)

From now on I will be taking all my vehicles to him and the MOT was only £35.