New MOT format

[myglaren]

Jim, I've been using HP printers (Linux friendly) for the last fifteen years and haven't seen any evidence of them fading, although some of the DIY inks do a bit.

Must be the Linux influence Steve

I do have Windows computers here too and they were networked in to the printers too.
Easier to install on Linux thought

I once printed a picture of a red 205 GTi (my own actually!) using an HP inkjet and pinned it to the wall of my office. In a coupe of years it had gone from being a red 205 to an orange 205, just as they do in real life

Well there you are then! Realism

Oddly, on the parts of the picture that had sellotape on them there was no fading at all...

Tape protected the image from the bleaching effect of UV.

[Northern_Mike]

It's printed on a laser printer with an approved toner so fading should not be a great problem. My last ones were printed on very thin paper though... But then it only has to last a year...

My favoured MOT garage has not put his charges up. The charge is still £35 as it has been for ages. He finds he gets a lot of business from repair work by initially charging a small MOT fee to entice the punters through the door and then offers repair work at a very competitive price.

Hmmm. Hmmm.

I never use an MOT station that also does repair work. It's asking for trouble.

Just last year a friend of mine who has a 406HDi took her car for an MOT at a local MOT station that does repairs. It failed, and they quoted her £550 for the repairs.

I had a look at the things it had failed on - a balljoint, a rear suspension linkage, loose exhaust, CV boot and emissions, and could not find anything amiss. There was no visible smoke for a start...

Anyway, I took it to a trusted Citroen/Pug specialist in Slough, who took it to his MOT tester, who does not do repairs. Lo and behold, it passed with not even an advisory.

I did take the MOT back to the original testing station and demanded the test fee back, or I would report them to VOSA. They paid up. I reported them to VOSA anyway. They no longer do MOT testing. Apparently I was not the first complainant..

Drift Road MOT in South Berks is a good place for testing. Two older testers, don't do repairs, and can test anything other than HGVs. Know their stuff - for example a 2CV with slight play in the kingpins would pass there, as they all do that. A lot of places would fail it, when it's not a problem at all.

[R9UKE]

Exactly why I think the rest of the UK needs to adopt Northern Ireland's system. Dedicated government run test centres

[CitroJim]

I never use an MOT station that also does repair work. It's asking for trouble.

Indeed Mike and I'd never use one that I didn't know. My local knows me, admittedly as that crazy bloke with the old Citroens who repairs autoboxes for fun, and he knows that I present my cars to him in good order and any faults he finds will be sorted by me so he stands to gain nothing by trying on any funny business. Not that he would in any case as his local reputation shines very brightly and he's always packed out with work.

The point is that he is a business and his business is fixing cars. His experience is that in the main cars are very poorly maintained and in general you don't have to try very hard to genuinely fail them. He is, of course, very happy to do the remedial work - after all, that's what keeps bread on his table but because he is a local small business there is no way he would go out to rip anyone off. Bad news travels fast in this small town.

I' not saying all are like my local and I'll take a wager that a high percentage of garages try it on after 'sizing up' suitable targets. So Luke, I do agree wholeheartedly that we ought to do as you do in NI and have government run stations. Nobody would loose as good small businesses will still get the remedial work to do but without the ripoff risk. It can only be good really.

Trouble is in the UK as a whole I can't see it happening any time soon so we have to make the best of what we have. My advise is to stake out a good small local outfit with an excellent reputation; not hard as people soon moan loudly if they think they've been treated less than fairly by a garage.

[spider]

Had forgotten about the 'new' (new) style of certificate, just received one.

Am surprised its not coloured at all though, its just a standard printout and looks a bit cheap to be honest. Although to be fair it is just a "receipt" I guess given that the real data is electronic now.

[JohnD]

Yes! I got one last week for my Saxo. Couldn't help but notice that inspite of more test points, time allowed for the test was still the same, and the cost was still a handy £38. Will see what happens in two weeks when the C5 goes in. Towbar, electrics and HID lights. Also minus its FAP