Good for you. there aren't enough complainants in this country and companies can think they can get away with whatever the hell they like. Although firstly i would have had them for free re-test when bought in next day although they didn't have any slots and secondly why the original tester didn't pick up these new found 'advisories'

Reading the MOT guide they don't class Saturdays as a working day so having it re-tested Monday was always going to be OK. If I get anywhere I'll then be contacting Trading Standards/Vosa as that old MOT poster in their reception area could be seen as being misleading to say the least. The extra advisories are rather concerning, why did the first chap miss them?

When I was in the reception area I was hearing the staff selling people the idea of changing brake discs/cambelt changes, mr & mrs Joe bloggs will never know they're being screwed.

I'd contact Vosa anyway. The more complaints to them the better, the testers won't want to lose their licenses.

Theres a VOSA centre half a mile away so I'll go have a chat. Ive unfortunately just read a different and the original government MOT poster as per...

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20test%20fees%20and%20appeals%20aPR%2010.pdf

Its says the same as the one in the Halfrauds waiting room that 'Headlamps - not aim' in the list of free re-tests so I might be pi55ing into the wind wanting to make a complaint.

Cunning Halfords autocentre with their mot

The other day i booked my fabia for mot, drop it of and came back after 5 hours.

Guess what: it did fail its mot. Failures: front spring coil, two tyres, 3 bulbs, track rod, light adjustment, front light insecure. For all this pleasure ‘polite’ Halfords colleague explained why it failed and what it will cost me 700 hundred pounds including vat to put my fabia on the road. He explained that if spring coil is to be changed on one side then another one have to be done as well hmm and top bearing of course! The only things i have to agree with this ‘clever’ man were that bulbs needed replacing and that one of the head light holders was broken(5 drops of super glue) and yes the spring coil.

Track rods- cost me 13 pounds, and 14 minutes later replaced my self, spring coil: 49 pounds and 20 for replacing. Tyres: went to the local garage, ask the question about the tyres-he said-actually your tyres are still ok, but just in case had another set of four at home-so job done. Head light: took it out, glued the loose part, and replaced the bulbs and looks like new. Tracking done.

Went to just mots, and 23 minutes later passed!, so 150 pound versus mighty Halfords of 700 pounds. You do not need to be brain sergeant to understand that Halfords are full of ‘cleaver ‘ people

Thank you Halfords again, and see you never!

TBH I don't see why anyone would knowingly drive, never mind take a car in for an MOT, with 3 dud bulbs. Particularly when you seem able to replace them yourself.

Dont go to a garage unless you trust them 101%.

I spent around £50 for my council run mot centre to do mine last year, cost more but they will only fail it if it really has failed and dont fix cars themselves so have no interest in making £££ off you because they think they can fiddle things..

More info here...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot

IIRC, heavily discounted MOTs attract points from VOSA - as do complaints.

Anyone know how to find out if a test centre is green, amber or red?

Anyone know how to find out if a test centre is green, amber or red?

Now MOT centres forced to display a rating on their premises would be a great idea, like the ones displayed in takeaways.

They are not called Halfrauds without reason as I have heard of several circumstances about work not required.

OK this was another fast-fit centre some 20 years ago.

I had an Astra that was not running right. The centre was offering a tuning check and minor adjustments for £10 or £15.

When they called and said come down I found they had all wheels off the car - it was in for tuning nothing else remember.

In their opinion I needed new discs and pads, drums and shoes and wheel cylinders. The MOT was only perhaps 3 months old and yes very slight leak on one wheel cylinder.

The quote was something like £350. I told them to reassemble, paid the £10 / £15 and cleared off.

To top it all the car ran no better but acquired a starting problem.

A friend of a work colleague with many years main dealer had just set up on his own after falling out with a recently opened dealer for being told he was too fussy and slow.

He checked the car and all that was needed was the one wheel cylinder. So long as I kept the car I never had a MOT fail on brakes nor needed any parts changing.

As to the starting problem they had adjusted the wrong screw on the carburettor - remember them....

Much more recently I had a friend who also used the same fast-fit centre when they moved to the area and every year had a MOT fail. They were then recommended an independent garage who both charged less for services and MOT plus they never again had a MOT fail.

Indeed this centre was prosecuted by trading standards.

Of course wrong to tar all fast fit centres with the same brush but I will always find an independent by word of mouth as the best never need to advertise, the down side if you have a problem is usually a few days before they can book you in.