When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car

It's like waiting for a job interview......

Hope you have more luck than I did recently. Local stealer phoned to tell the missus mine would be over a grand to get it thru MOT.
When I rang up they quickly backtracked and said no no, they were only advisories.
I asked how much to get it thru the bare minimum and as told £300.00 including the MOT cost so I said fine, get on with it.

The lady then phoned an hour or so later saying oh dear, sorry, made a mistake it's actually 600.00 quid! I stuck to my guns and several phone calls and rows with her and the head guy there, the head guy conceded if that is the price I was quoted that is what I should pay and I paid the agreed £300.00.

What a joke....

I take ours (5 cars in the house) to an elderly gentleman a few miles away, have done for years, we have a chat, a cup of tea, and we go through the car with a fine tooth comb. He knows he has hardly ever got any work from the MOTs from me, I know the car is safe when he's finished.
Works well.

Not the cheapest, doesn't need to advertise. Ministry guys hate him - his establishment is down a back street, not a slick tiled operating theater, but clean enough, with free tea, and an old setee for the ladies. Just up the road is a purpose built MOT testing station / repair shop run by a large outfit, they have complained that he lowers the tone of MOT testing, so he gets regular surprise inspections.

Funny thing the large outfit regularily have ramps empty, he has a waiting list, now which do you think is lowering the tone of the MOT?, punters seem to be voting with thier feet.

If you are worried, take the car to the council run MOT testing station - where they do thier own vehicles, they aren't in the business of repairing punters cars, just give a service for a set fee. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

As from 18th of next month my dear old Series One does not require an MOT to be legal....woo hoo £50 saved!

Luckily the FL2 sailed through with no advisories. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

HE PASSED!!!! NO ADVISORIES £45 AND LEGAL FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THEY LIKED MY HEADLIGHT CONVERSION AND DID THE BEAM PATTERN TEST AND IT WAS ALL FINE HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

LIKE YOU ABOVE SNAPPA IVE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE WITH THE STEALERS SO ENDED UP TAKING IT DOWN TO A LOCAL BLOKE AND HE SORTED IT OUT FOR ME.

 When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car

and my landrover ice hat came in the post today  When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car

Andy131 wrote:

and an old setee for the ladies. Just up the road is a purpose built MOT testing station / repair shop run by a large outfit, they have complained that he lowers the tone of MOT testing, so he gets regular surprise inspections.

Hope the surprise inspections dont coincide with when he got a lady on the setee?

Moneysavingexpert recommends getting mot done at local council test centres - they don't do repairs so not looking for faults to boost profits

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

I usually get first mot done at dealer within 3 year warranty on the basis if they find anything it will be done free  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

My 07 FL2 has always passed its MOT first time with no advisories. It is 'looked after' and has rewarded me by being totally reliable - just get to expect it. I wish our D3 was the same Glad OP's went straight thro'

JST wrote:

As from 18th of next month my dear old Series One does not require an MOT to be legal....woo hoo £50 saved!

harveyg77 wrote:

JST wrote:

As from 18th of next month my dear old Series One does not require an MOT to be legal....woo hoo £50 saved!

How do you get away with not needing an MoT?

He's scrapping it and getting a new one I expect

Cheeky monkey! There is a change in the law. As from 18th November 2012 any car or motorcycle first registered before 1960 does not require an MOT. The government say this is because such vehicles are owned by enthusiasts who keep them up together and the fact that such vehicles barely register on the stats for accidents. Personally I am a little more sceptical. I think there may be an element of the MOT becoming more complicated and younger MOT testers never having come across such vehicles and their little built in quirks. For instance, the amount of play in my Series One steering is a lot!...but that is the way there were from new and a new steering box would not fix it. It would also be interesting to look at the brake efficiency levels of old bikes on which a block of wood being shoved into a vee groove served as brakes. You also have to look at performance figures. My Series One would be absolutely flat out at 60mph if you ever daft enough to try it. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

JST wrote:

... such vehicles barely register on the stats for accidents

That's 'cos barely any of them actually run, and those that do seldom get driven because they're so uncomfortable, slow, dangerous, etc.

There is, really, little point in an MoT for such vehicles, as few would ever pass anything worth testing against.

There's also the real danger of damaging the vehicles during testing - remember a while ago there were problems with older diesel engines consuming themselves whilst being revved for the emissions test?