Passed

[nickguzzi]

The old bus (anyone actually use that phrase any more?) passed its 3rd MOT yesterday.

I had used a place in Leicester for quite a while. Never had a fail. Never had a problem. Never paid more than £25.

After the move last year, I was prepared to go back over - its a reasonable drive - but as we have decided to make a last minute trip to see the sister in Frankfurt and take the time to traverse the Alps and do a bit of exploring in the Luberon again, time was of the essence. So I booked in at Michael Wicks in Wisbech.

Had a service there earlier in the spring, so I know they are helpful and friendly. And proved to be again yesterday.

While I went and had a breakfast at Morrisons opposite, they did all the work. You know the outcome, but did have an advisory - they don't remove the undertray. I know!

No advisory for the HIDs or smoke as a result of the stage 1 from Shark (but that is because there is none).

Chuffed for passing, and chuffed it only cost £25.

Now get the Vehicle Ownership Tax paid on Friday (for October) at the local post office and will be ready to roll.

[Chris]

Michael Wicks did my wife's scenic and were very helpful. I don't usually use garages that do mots and can also do the work as in my eyes there is more reason to fail you..as they can get the work done. I usually go to the MOT place in March as unless its tyres (pretty obvious fail) then they aren't interested in the other bits as they only fit tyres and do mots.

Wicks were good though and like you say are cheap!

[BrownBarge]

Michael Wicks did my wife's scenic and were very helpful. I don't usually use garages that do mots and can also do the work as in my eyes there is more reason to fail you..as they can get the work done. I usually go to the MOT place in March as unless its tyres (pretty obvious fail) then they aren't interested in the other bits as they only fit tyres and do mots.

Wicks were good though and like you say are cheap!

The place i use is the same, tyres and MOT's only. I suppose garages wont fail cars just for the work incase vosa check up but you never know

[nickguzzi]

When I was an apprentice, we all had a bit of a bonus doing overtime when the MOT was changed from the old "10 Year Test" to the the current three year.

The criteria have changed a lot, and fortunately things have been tightened up considerably.

Since 1965 when I had my first bike to the other day, I have never had a vehicle fail. Bike or car.

I have never heard of any case where a vehicle was failed purely to bring in more work. It may happen, but it has to be pretty rare for real cases not to be banded about. Or maybe I've been lucky.

That's proper real cases not just sour grapes because their car did not pass.

There are a lot of real idiots about (not on here, obviously - just their mates) who think they know something about cars but it is so often a thin and fragile veneer.

['daiking']

I use a place local to my work that seems fairly straight. My wife's K11 micra failed it's MOT last month and they quoted £400 to pass plus I needed to source a few parts from a breakers. I said go ahead as £500 was better than trying to buy another small auto for a grand.

Anyway they tried getting the middle exhaust and back box off but couldn't and said they'd have to start at the manifold and replace it all and the cost wasn't worth it. I said I'd phone around and see if I could get some parts from the breakers. Transpired that the breakers said we can stick an exhaust on for you. The parts are a bit ****ty so we're used to taking them off and putting replacements on. My garage said go for it, so I did. They walked away from a couple of hundred quid of business I'm not sure the boss fancied trying to do.

Anyway the breakers got the old exhaust off quite easily and put a used middle and back box on for £70 and a couple of other bits my wife had broke. And my garage didn't even charge for a retest after doing a bit of welding they needed to do.

The car went from write-off to another years ticket in the space of an afternoon. I'm not sure who was more surprised, me or the boss of the garage.

And a very big shout for Just Nissan in Bolton who saved our micra from a scrapyard like theirs.