The Omega was in for a service and MOT yesterday. It's very odd -having driven company cars for so long, I haven't had an MOT done on a car for something like 13 years!

Anyway, it got through OK (including the dreaded emissions test), and I was pleasantly surprised at the bill. Looking through it, it seems like Vauxhall dealers have reduced their rip-off quotient lately. Only 15 quid for oil? Only 3 quid plus VAT per spark plug? I'm sure it used to be more like 40 quid for oil (charged per litre) and a fiver a plug, when I was just signing the bill.

So, does the private motorist get a better deal? Or have the big companies suddenly got reasonable?

Phil, better off than expected -but Valentine's day looms.......

Here's a test for you...dent your car, and take it to a bodyshop.

Say you want to pay for it yourself...they'll say something like "yeah, we can sort that for about

True, true.

I once took my wife's car to get a dented door fixed, and the guy reckoned that, if it was insurance, he'd need to fit a new door. When I said it was cash, he happily beat out the dent for a really good price -and he had to polish the whole car to get the colour to match! Bargain!

Phil

I would say there are still lots of companies out there taking the mickey. I recently had my Astra MOT'd at a WJ Kings franchise dealer and thought that I would enquire about getting an oil change at the same time. The cheeky monkeys wanted

Its the hourly rate of the vauxhall dealer thats the problem.

:scared:

First MoT next month.

Yikes!

Guess mine will probably be the first Octavia vRS to get one.

:scared:

First MoT next month.

Yikes!

Guess mine will probably be the first Octavia vRS to get one.

Not far behind you, but yes I guess your first.

Here's a test for you...dent your car, and take it to a bodyshop.

Say you want to pay for it yourself...they'll say something like "yeah, we can sort that for about

First MOT comes up in June....

Unless you're very unlucky, it's rare for the first MOT to fail, apart from a moonshot mileage one. I well remember trying to get my old heaps through the test, praying that they didn't notice my dodgy welding........ Good job they didn't have emissions testing 20 years ago!

Phil