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thatwillbe
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| Joined: | Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
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Posted: Thu Jan 10th, 2008 07:56 pm |
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Hey thanks for all the advice people. I took it in and they told me the machine wouldn't let them do a retest as it was more than 10 days so it'd have to be a full MOT test and the full charge.
I though they meant they'd already tried to put it into the machine and seen it refuse and I knew that would be VOSA's fault rather than the stations fault so I agreed and said I'd take it up with VOSA cos their mainframe was wrong and hadn't taken into account the bank hollidays properly.
Then the guy tried it again (which turned out to be the first time he'd tried it) and it let him do a retest, he checked the replaced part and it passed. Best of all the garage don't charge for retests within 10 days so it was free.
I think the guy just hadn't taken into account the bank hollidays properly (they looked busy) rather than was trying to get the full charge out of me. He also seemed quite nice and he was the one who told me roughly how to fix the part in the first place so I'm inclined to trust him
Anyways - if it wasn't for your help and clarification I would have ended up paying another £~40, which would have made it cost the same price for me to fix it as it was for them to fix it, which would have made it a waste of time, except for the fun + new stuff learned in working out how to fix it (like don't ever try to syphon gear oil with a thin tube - it's so viscous it literally just drips out)
So... ta very much
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Johnboy
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Posted: Mon Jan 7th, 2008 10:36 pm |
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You have until the end of the 10th working day (not including weekends) to get it retested, as long as you give the station reasonable notice, they should be able to fit you in. If they are mega busy, it's a matter for their discretion. If they refuse to retest in time or are unwilling to extend the time limit because they are busy, then maybe they have too many customers and they dont deserve your hard earned. But i'm sure most testing stations are happy to play ball, good luck.
Last edited on Mon Jan 7th, 2008 10:36 pm by Johnboy
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thatwillbe
Member
| Joined: | Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
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Posted: Sun Jan 6th, 2008 11:09 pm |
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Hi - another couple of q's for clarification....
RE the 10 working days I have to represent the car
1. Day 1 is the working day after it failed the MOT. In other words the day it failed the MOT isn't counted as part of the 10 working days? Is that correct?
2. Is it..
a) as long as the car is returned to the MOT testing station before the end of day 10 the half price is charged.
or
b) as long as the car is returned AND tested before the end of day 10 the half price is charged
i.e. if there isn't an MOT slot available at that station on day 9 or 10, but they can fit it in the next day, is it OK (with respect to only being charged half price) for me to drop it off at the station before the end of day 10 and only be charged the half price
... thanks in advance for any help
Last edited on Sun Jan 6th, 2008 11:10 pm by thatwillbe
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thatwillbe
Member
| Joined: | Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
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Posted: Wed Dec 26th, 2007 03:19 pm |
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Thanks a lot for the replies and help - it's really appreciated
I decided to go the harder route and replace the full gaiter properly (Micra, K11, 1998) and do the other side as well as it it got an advisory for showing some wear. At the end of the day the only extra it's costing me is time and patience, which I have plenty of. They're entitled to charge me the extra £25 so I'm not saving anything by half doing the job so I might as well take my time and do it properly - besides, it'll be a voyage of discovery.
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Weetabix
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Posted: Sun Dec 23rd, 2007 10:43 pm |
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a) Not a minor item, so next day / free retest doesn't count. The test station may have their own policy for not charging for retests within a time-scale, but this is a commercial matter between them & their customers. b) The next working day is the next working day the test station is open to perform MOT tests. Bank holidays & weekends aren't working days. As your item isn't a minor item, the next working day issue is irrelevent. c) It's down to them wanting customers & competing with other test stations in the area.
d) Universal split gaiters are a waste of time. You'll only end up having to do the job twice. Fit a quality complete gaiter in the first instance. Your joint may give you a few years service yet. Clean it out & check it when you're fitting the new gaiter. Re-fill with the grease supplied in the CV gaiter kit...
e) Yes. f) Yes. PS What car is it ? Some vehicle CV gaiters can be changed far quicker than the repair times manuals state (if you have the know-how  )
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Johnboy
Member
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Posted: Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 05:42 pm |
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You are allowed 1 free retest. If you repair the car and take it back to the same testing station on the next working day, there should be no charge, however if the repair involves the dis-assembly of the braking system (e.g. discs, hub etc) then every item you remove will have to be re-checked.
If you replace to CV boot with a split type, then no diss-assembly is required, it might be a good idea to tell the tester what you've done, if he believes you and is happy with your repair, he wont have to check any other parts. Please note that you have to give the testing station reasonable time to conduct the retest, it's no good arriving at 10 minutes before the testing station closes, but i'm sure you appreciate that.
The mot price of £50.35 is the maximum that a testing station can charge for a class 4 (car). It is up to the individual garage to set their price, some garages charge more than others, but £50.35 is the max.
You can drive legally until Jan 15th (previous mot expiry date) on your old mot certificate.
If your CV joint is humming on full lock, it sounds like it is on it's last legs, but it could be running dry due to the boot being split, pack the joint with grease before you fit a new boot, it may prolong the joints life quite considerably. I would cut the old boot off before fitting a new one, but it's up to you.
Your free retest applies to the next working day (whenever the garage is open)
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thatwillbe
Member
| Joined: | Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 4 |
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Posted: Sat Dec 22nd, 2007 07:01 am |
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I've got a couple of Q's that I'd appreciate some advice on
I got my car MOT'd (Friday 21st) and it failed (front outer constant velocity joint boot split). It's a cheap part but takes a long (labour) time to replace so it's more economical for me to fix it myself than let the garage do it. I've already taken it off the garage premises as I knew I'd do the work myself (well really because I didn't realize it could impact retest costs)
My questions are...
a) If I fix it and take it back and they can retest before the end of monday (which would be the next working day), will it be a free retest (http://www.mottesting.org.uk/mot-retest-information-fail.html seems to say I don't get a free-partial-test-by-end-of-next-working-day because cv boot isn't on the list, the bit of paper I got says if I take the car off the premises I have to pay 1/2 the MOT fee for a retest anyway and doesn't mention partial retests)?
b) come to think of it, the garage isn't open on the next working day (monday). They're not open again until the 28th - so does that count as the next working day, or does monday still count (i.e. is it their next working day or the UK's next working day)
c) the MOT fee is £53.something but MOT garages always seem to charge £42.something. Why is that (out of interest)?
d) I'm almost sure that the CV joint will need replacing as everything I read seems to indicate that unless the split is caught very early the joint will be damaged. Also there's been a humming sound on that wheel on slow tight turns (e.g. U turn) for a few weeks. I'd like to get it through the MOT in the next 10 days (or next working day if it's a free retest) by fitting a split-CV boot (like item 320197432241 on eBay) while I find a 2nd hand/scrap half axle+CV joint+boot that I can fit it at my leisure (I don't need to drive the car day to day). Is that OK - is it likely to pass if I (correctly) fit a new split-CV boot, even though the CV joint underneath must be heading towards failure?
also...
My current MOT cert is (was?) valid up to Jan 15th 2008...
e) Is it legal for me to drive the car from the garage to my house (which I've already done, anyway)
f) is it legal to drive it until 15th Jan (I need to pick up the part and some tools, although I'm guessing regulations won't really care why), even if it failed the new MOT?
Thanks for reading my opus  and any advice
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