I took my car to a new MoT tester today and it failed on several accounts.

Most seriously, for front brake imbalance (28%) and severe juddering on the near side. While I have my concerns about the efficiency of the braking - it pulls up at low speeds but needs a lot of pressure at higher speeds to stop rapidly, there is no judder and the braking doesn't pull to one side.

May I have your opinions on what repairs are needed - caliper overhaul/ replacement, master cylinder, ADS control, servo?

Macpherson struts have excessive movement at the upper attachments.

The mounting plates are some 5 - 10 mm above the body mounting and have been ever since I bought the car without them being questioned in the previous two or three tests.

Can the securing nut be tightened down to make the mounting plate be flush?

Lamps failing to flash. When the hazard warning lights are used they flash for a while and then stay on. Until the car 'recovers' the same happens to the indicator lights. They suggest that the relay needs replacing (which I think is part of the hazard warning switch).

Is that the likely solution and is it possible to just replace the relay?

They also said that all the indicator lights need replacing showing white light in one case (even though it is showing yellow to me) or 'slightly discoloured'

Thanks for your comments in advance (I've got 10 days to sort it out!).

Hazard lights - I think you're correct about the relay and about the location.

Indicators - replace the bulbs, which shouldn't cost more than £4.

How comes they are saying its juddering and you are not? Could you take it elsewhere for a 2nd opinion?

If it is indeed juddering then you probably have a warped disc on one or both sides. Check the run-out of both with a dial gauge and replace if necessary. While checking the discs remove the calipers and check they slide properly on the guide pins - its at this stage you will be able to see if one is seized and decide to repair/replace.

If you got any service records with the car when was the brake fluid last bled?

As for the suspension I would check yourself whether the struts actually move at the top (with car jacked up and wheels off), if they do then its possible your top mounts have deteriorated but if they're solid then I would say your MOT tester is wrong, I've seen plenty of these cars with the caps sitting a bit above the top of the bodywork

well first thing is get it scanned on vag com, it will be able to see what errors are occuring (if sensor based) on the brake system, sounds like it could be the mc, it might just need bleeding of course, its difficult to tell without scanning first. Juddering is possibly a warped disc or pad build up on the disc surface.

As far as the top mounts go, there is a cap that sits over the strut tower, they dont sit flush, as they are sat on the top mount, the top mounts however are a weak spot on these and do need changing periodically. Its strut and shock out to do this, though the top mounts from people like AVS are not expensive.

Flasher relay is easy to change, its in the hazard button, just pull it out carefully, and replace, make sure all the bulbs are good first, as the system detects load and if a bulb is down it will flash fast, the relay is another weak spot and is more than likely the culprit.

The way that the top mounts are checked is to let the suspension hang and lever upwards with a bar under the tyre. When the test is logged on the tester will see some Vehicle Specific Information (VSI), It's sometimes useful stuff where they state that Fiestas can have upto 10mm vertical and 7mm lateral movement on the front struts or that you can fail 3 door Corsa for externally cracked B posts. I don't recall this for the Octavia1, but the tester will have it on his check list.

Brake judder shows on the Roller Brake Tester as a fluctuating reading, it could something as simple as the pads sticking in the caliper, which could also account for the imbalance.

Just checked it over.

The suspension moved 7mm vertical. No idea about lateral.

The disc is smooth, shiny with a minimum of scoring and 21.3 mm thick whereas the tester says the inner face is heavily corroded. ridged, grooved and worn but not seriously weakened.

Pressed the caliper in, difficult to say whether it was sticking because of the back pressure, but it pushed in smoothly once I was able to get enough purchase, there was nothing to suggest that it didn't work freely.

So I think it is a case of giving the car to an honest tester. Good by Autocare Europe of New Malden and your supposedly cheap MoT tests..

Just to make one thing clear, MoT, is that some inspection that you have to take your car to every year, to make sure it is safe on the streets? Just wondering how it is between countrys.

MoT = Ministry of Transport test - now refered to as VOSA test, and yes, on the cars third birthday onwards it is tested once a year for roadworthiness.

New discs & pads and top mounts available relatively cheaply at a certain online auction site. Just make sure you buy a reputable brand... can't afford to mess with brakes.should take roughly an hour to do the pair yourself. Top mounts a bit more tricky to change but much much cheaper, if they even need doing. Indicators dont sound like too much trouble either. You know what you are doing next weekend now. lol

buy from avs (vw spares) have a search online, they are good, cheap, reliable and sell good quality parts including febi and beru

good quality parts including febi

Meh.

See, we've disagreed on something. Finally...