should these mot historys concern me about what im about to buy ? ?

[Jim Jamieson]

I have around a 95% pass rate on all my MOT's over the last 30 years.

Last year when I got my low mileage and immaculate V6 tested at a different garage, it was convenient as I was visiting a hospital nearby, anyway I received 12 advisories which is almost as many as I have received collectively in my life.

Some were contradictory ie brake pipes were painted yet the same brake pipes showed corrosion. This is only minimal surface corrosion on the rear pipes and fronts were replaced the previous year.
Also stated was front suspension arms showed slight play in a bush only to be contradicted with the same bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement. This applied to both sides making four advisories

Out of the 12 advisories received the only thing that will require attention is the two rear tyres which a year later do now require replacing.

My point is that if I were to put this car on the market these advisories would most certainly put most potential purchasers off the sale.

BTW in 2008 when the car had only covered 15,164 there was an advisory saying they had tested the sills for corrosion, Why !

I did receive a failure from my local garage saying it required new discs on the front. at 36k just after I purchased it. I disagreed but eventually replaced the discs but removed them the day after and used them on m diesel which did require new discs.

I no longer use this garage and three years later the "failed" discs are still on the car and were not even noted on the above list of advisories.

Yes the MOT history from Directgov makes interesting reading as does the vehicle enquiry (V888) on your car from DVLA which only costs £5. I have both on all my cars to add into the cars history folders.

[stockwell1]

I used the link too,told me a lot about the car....BUT..got the impression that the mot centres failed the car in order to get some work,as the same test centres passed the vehicle,but same mileage,ie..car didnt move from there...or am i reading too much into this?

Matt.

[sworks]

Originally Posted by stockwell1

I used the link too,told me a lot about the car....BUT..got the impression that the mot centres failed the car in order to get some work,as the same test centres passed the vehicle,but same mileage,ie..car didnt move from there...or am i reading too much into this?

Matt.

Happens all the time, car fails and garage repairs car then passes it

[Polly]

Originally Posted by sworks

Happens all the time, car fails and garage repairs car then passes it

Indeed you're right, because there are a lot of sharks in the motor trade.
Things like one number plate light not working?? Well it's still got one so its still working at 50% so should that not be an advisory? Perhaps that's a matter of opinion, but in any case why issue a fail when the tester obviously repaired it there and then. Same with the headlight adjustment, I smell a rat there, because the adjustment wouldn't move on its own, and again why issue a fail and then repair it there an then.
However to stick to the OP,s question, none of the faults would put me off the car, they are all standard faults, perhaps bargaining points, if maybe the tyres were still a bit worn, or you might argue that it needs new discs, but let's be honest, there must be hundreds of club cars that have hundreds of little extras, but are in no better condition, and not everyone can afford the top spec cars.

[rich17865]

My testing station would never fail on incorrect headlight adjustment, because they just make it correct while testing it. A few turns of a screw? The Allen and torx drivers are mounted on the wall next to the MOT test tools.

[Billy1mate]

[QUOTE=KLM;1972543]

Originally Posted by mcd840

hi, i got the info from the direct.gov.uk website using info about the car i am going to see tomorrow, tell me what you think of the advisory notices. thanks.

ta

There are plenty of better cars out there, this one looks to have been neglected
over a period of time.
Been unloved and just used by a cheap-skate owner.
You may as well look on this forum's section "Cars for sale"

Kev.

Not really, it's a 1 lady owner car who doesn't do any spannering, so this is what the MOT is finding. It is also indicated by the failure mileage & pass mileage being the same which means the garage has sorted the failure items. I think the brake pipes being advisory for so long may be the reason for her selling it as the garage may have advised her of cost of replacement. All IMO of course.

[dadragon]

All that these lists boil down to is the competence of the MOT testers. I have said before that I have not had an MOT failure in 26+ years and my newly acquired (last May) 75 Conny just sailed through and I even got a begrudging "good car" from the tester. I have in the past had bulbs blow at the station while being assessed and instead of a fail or advisory they simply change the bulb, tell me about it and I drop one in the next time I pass the place, no big deal. It's service like this that has made me use this particular MOT centre for the last 26 years. I did check the service history of my car (which is complete) and all previous MOT's and found one advisory from 5 years back which said "slight play in steering rack" which was obviously incorrect as no work has been done in that department and I checked the car myself and I found it was a mis-diagnosis, it was simply the small amount of play you get in the bottom knuckle joint where the pinch bolt goes through to secure the steering column to the rack and not even mentioned from my MOT centre as they know these cars and know that I would not bring a car with a faulty steering assembly into them. If I had paid attention to this advisory on the previous MOT I would not have bought it, but noticed on the MOT's after this advisory that there was no mention of it, must have mysteriously fixed itself!!!
Again these lists should be taken with a huge pinch of salt!!
Regards DaDragon

[dadragon]

MGJohn, that montego story made me chuckle as that's exactly what my tester used to do when I took my Mums old mini to him, I returned to the garage a few times and caught him closing the bonnet and said 'what you up too?". "oh you know the usual SU adjustment", if it's a bit sluggish on the way home just a couple of flats on the jet nut at the back and it'll be good as new" That's how MOT stations should be.
Regards DaDragon

[mcd840]

[QUOTE=Billy1mate;1974480]

Originally Posted by KLM

Not really, it's a 1 lady owner car who doesn't do any spannering, so this is what the MOT is finding. It is also indicated by the failure mileage & pass mileage being the same which means the garage has sorted the failure items. I think the brake pipes being advisory for so long may be the reason for her selling it as the garage may have advised her of cost of replacement. All IMO of course.

the cost doesnt seem to have been an issue, i have service reciepts here from £400 - £700, perhaps the garage sayed theres corrosion but plenty life left as yet in them, her only reason for the sale was that she had to convert to an auto, i will get the car up on the lift and look at them myself and decide whether i feel there worth changing, this car was wax sealed just after she got it, i would have thought that would have kept the brake pipes good and to be honest when i drove it i suddenly didnt care about the advisorys when i seen how good it goes, and lets face it, theres not many 05 diesels that have only done 52000, more like 152000