MoT test today and I was expecting a fail or at least some advisories regarding suspension bushes / CV boots.

Nope - passed with flying colours with 155,000 miles on the clock!

Funny how according to a Skoda main dealer a couple of weeks ago I had the following parts needed replacing following a 'safety check' whilst they ballsed up the air con regass

1 split CV boot

Lower arm bushes (n/s & o/s) - both the front and the rear bushes

Rear suspension inner bushes (can't remember exactly which ones)

Corroded brake pipe

After it had passed the test I asked about these items and apparently they are all perfectly fine according to the tester, and the centre I use are renowned for being fastidious.

Just goes to show - if I was Joe Punter I would have forked out almost £500 at a Skoda dealer!

I was told by a Skoda dealer 2+ years ago that my NSF CV boot was split and my brake discs were excessively worn. I jacked the car up and had a good look at them myself, could find nothing wrong with any of them, nor could the (very good) local garage where its been MOT'd for the two subsequent years.

Amazing cars these Skodas, they must heal themselves...

I find the 'work generation' schemes run by the main dealers quite amazing!

You can have split CV boots and brake pads down to 2mm and they'll be OK for the MOT, it really depends on the inspection standard. A dealer will have a higher service standard than what a MOT tester is allowed to use.

You can have split CV boots and brake pads down to 2mm and they'll be OK for the MOT, it really depends on the inspection standard. A dealer will have a higher service standard than what a MOT tester is allowed to use.

hmmm... interesting, what standard do you think they would apply when the dealer does the MOT?

But the point is that they were not split.

I have had advisories before for CV boots showing signs of deterioration, no advisories this time. Also, they had the crowbar on the suspension and no play or visible signs of deterioration on the bushes.

Brake pads weren't mentioned??

The one t

hmmm... interesting, what standard do you think they would apply when the dealer does the MOT?

Depends who is paying the bill I find - if it is to go on the forecourt a lower standard than if it is a member of the public. And before anyone thinks I am just slagging dealers off I did work for 3 different main dealers over a 10 year period so have first hand experience.

hmmm... interesting, what standard do you think they would apply when the dealer does the MOT?

I don't know what they would apply, but on a MOT they should use the inspection methods and standards which are in the testers manual.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm

In the case of CV boots a cut/deterioration serious enough to allow dirt ingress, brake pads at less than 1.5mm of friction material and brake discs that are so worn as to be considered seriously weakened. This could quite easily mean that discs substantially below the manufacturers minimum thickness are fine for the MOT, but not so good from a performance viewpoint.

Regardless of the standards that may or may not vary, the point is I was told a CV boot was split, and it isn't. No arguing with that really.

In regards to the suspension bushes, the MoT station had the crowbar on them all and said they were all fine. Not in relation to MoT standards, but in relation to are they showing signs of wear/deterioration at all. Seeing as this particulat MoT station prepares rally cars I suspect they know what they are on about more than a main dealer in relation to suspension.

In both cases I left a main dealers with a quote for almost £500 in regards to these items not a month ago. They also gave me the impression that as they were done as part of a 'safety check' that they needed attending to urgently.

Let's just say it has left me with a sour taste in the mouth, and this particular dealer will not be visited again by myself.

Oh, and they reckoned it would cost over £450 to fix my air con when there was nothing wrong with it all which has since been verified by an air con specialist.

As I said previously, these 'loss leader' products they are pushing of air con services are nothing more than an excuse to generate additional revenue. Not a million miles away from the old KF trick of spraying a shocker with WD40 and telling you it was leaking and needed replacing.

I apparently had to get a cv boot replaced for my 1st mot, which the dealer happily relieved me of 140 quid for. Given all the other cons the shysters have tried to pull on me I'm pretty sure I'm hindsight it didn't need doing.

You can have split CV boots and brake pads down to 2mm and they'll be OK for the MOT, it really depends on the inspection standard. A dealer will have a higher service standard than what a MOT tester is allowed to use.

I should have also mentioned that the car went back to the same Skoda dealer approx 10,000 miles later and no mention was made that time about a spilt CV boot or worn brake discs, despite neither having been touched since the car left the factory. Equally the car went into a different Skoda dealer some months after that and they didn't mention any of these 'faults' either. I examined the discs again myself recently and they are still above the manufacturers recommended mimimum, nor are there are signs at all of the NS CV boot deteriorating, it looks in identical condition to the OS one - ie like new.

Complain people, complain!

What is it with us English, I'd be on the phone telling them of their inferior service with an email to Skoda UK to boot.

Just vote with your wallet.......

The problem is that practices like this just give the motor trade in general a bad name. I am sure there are plenty of main dealers and indies that don't operate like this, and others that do. I didn't start the thread as having a go at the main dealer, more a case of get a second opinion. I seemed to have turned it in to a whinge about the dealer though :wonder:

Agreed, but by letting them know where exactly they went wrong and the reason they've lost a customer at least gives them the opportunity to either:

1) Put things right in your paricular case, and/or...

2) To improve the way they conduct their business in the future for the benefit of everyone.

Edited 11 August, 201213 yr by silver1011

hmmm... interesting, what standard do you think they would apply when the dealer does the MOT?

Lower standard! I have experience of this, dealer does a service reporting several items that need urgent attention including drive shaft seals and drop links. 3 months later same dealer passes car on MOT no issues!!

Agreed, but by letting them know where exactly they went wrong and the reason they've lost a customer at least gives them the opportunity to either:

1) Put things right in your paricular case, and/or...

2) To improve the way they conduct their business in the future for the benefit of everyone.

As long as the manufacturers are pressuring dealers to increase the take from each job card dealers won't be able to amend the way they conduct their business even if they want to.......

I know a lot of dealers advise you of them because they have to think ahead to the next service. So with things like pads and discs, if they think they are going to wear before the next service is due, they'll tell you that they need replacing.

However, most of the time they feed you ****. A friend of mine uses a local Halfords Autocentre for his brakes because he says they are really good. Every time he goes in he's told he needs new discs as well, despite me telling him his pads AND discs are fine. Not to mention they charge £109 to fit front pads ONLY and the pads cost £19 direct from the manufacturer. (Vauxhall)

As long as the manufacturers are pressuring dealers to increase the take from each job card dealers won't be able to amend the way they conduct their business even if they want to.......

I've noticed quite large differences between the standard of service offered by different Skoda dealers.

I guess it's up-selling at the end of the day, at least they have to get authorisation from the owner before commencing with any work outside of the original job card.

Claiming work needs doing when it doesn't is inexcusable and if I was to experience it I'd be making some noise about it. I can also appreciate why someone wouldn't want to though.

Dealers are great at selling service items and none service items that aren't required.

When I had an a4 in for a recall, the garage refused it because it didn't have full Audi history, I grabbed a passing mechanic by the main reception and asked him infront of the service manager if the part being re-called would be checked or changed in the service (steering bush) schedule - no was the answer, the spas of a service manager still refused it!

Main dealers stay clear - overpriced, under skilled