Incompetent garages!

[w00hoo_kent]

I'm not the expert some on here seem to be but from chatting with a friend who is a qualified MoT tester I thought you had to log yourself on to the system to start the test (starting a clock counting) and then had to log yourself off at the end. I may be misunderstanding it. It still sounds like BS that one tester would start the process, think they'd completed it sufficiently to tell you it was ready and had passed but be in a position where there was still stuff to do to sign it off so a whole new test had to be done. I'd suggest someone there still wasn't doing their job properly and if it was me looking to be out of pocket because of it I'd be asking searching questions ('cause I'm too well mannered to kick up a fuss!).

 

[User33236]

Unfortunately I do not know the ins and out of MOT testing and am having to go on what Mrs SG said the garage told today. Either way they are sticking to their 'difference of opinion between two testers' story.

On the upside they are picking the car up from our home later today and 'sorting it out' (whatever that means!). Will find out more tomorrow when they get back to her.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Unfortunately I do not know the ins and out of MOT testing and am having to go on what Mrs SG said the garage told today. Either way they are sticking to their 'difference of opinion between two testers' story.

On the upside they are picking the car up from our home later today and 'sorting it out' (whatever that means!). Will find out more tomorrow when they get back to her.

As I say, if they are sorting it out and not handing you a bill then I'd chalk it up to experience and if you're happy with the work just take the piss out of them for it the next few times you take it in. If they give you it back along with a bill for a new exhaust I'd be less likely to be happy about it.

I can hassle my friend about the actual process if need be but would naturally prefer not to bother if it's not going to make any difference.

 

[Pale Rider]

Seems a relatively harmless, if crass, foul up.

At least with this one you do have some traction should you need it.

The MoT licence will be precious to the garage and they won't want any hassle from those who issue and monitor it.

Seems likely the garage will sort it, but if they don't:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organ...test-operator-licensing-or-enforcement-action

 

[User33236]

Seems a relatively harmless, if crass, foul up.

Harmless because it was spotted. Not so sure it would have ended up that way though if she simply filed the paperwork as planned.

 

[TreeHuggery]

At least its getting sorted now, but yes you are right - seems to be that a lot of people haven't realised the law has changed a couple of years ago, and if your car has failed its MOT you can't legally drive it, unless taking it to get it fixed so it can pass its MOT.
The fact that an old MOT might not have technically expired is now irrelevant, as the failed one supercedes it. . Tbh although a pain, it does make sense, if it has failed a new MOT then it isn't roadworthy.

 

[Drago]

Apologies. Perhaps my previous post was not written as well as it could have been

My understanding is that the first 'pass' test was completed, but not recorded, due to the tester being called away. The second 'fail' test was carried out, in full, by a second person.

I would suggest they're pulling your middle leg. All the tests are electronically recorded, and the vehicles VIN has to be punched in to the computer before they even begin so they know what year it is, emission specs, braking efficiency, and any exemptions the vehicle may have. The MOT system simply won't allow a tester to open a record and leave it incomplete. Before Tester number 1 is able to conduct any more tests he must complete the record, which means he must record the pass or fail. If he passed it, he must record the pass. It smells, report it to the DVSA.

 

[NorthernDave]

I'm not the expert some on here seem to be but from chatting with a friend who is a qualified MoT tester I thought you had to log yourself on to the system to start the test (starting a clock counting) and then had to log yourself off at the end. I may be misunderstanding it. It still sounds like BS that one tester would start the process, think they'd completed it sufficiently to tell you it was ready and had passed but be in a position where there was still stuff to do to sign it off so a whole new test had to be done. I'd suggest someone there still wasn't doing their job properly and if it was me looking to be out of pocket because of it I'd be asking searching questions ('cause I'm too well mannered to kick up a fuss!).

I would suggest they're pulling your middle leg. All the tests are electronically recorded, and the vehicles VIN has to be punched in to the computer before they even begin so they know what year it is, emission specs, braking efficiency, and any exemptions the vehicle may have. The MOT system simply won't allow a tester to open a record and leave it incomplete. Before Tester number 1 is able to conduct any more tests he must complete the record, which means he must record the pass or fail. If he passed it, he must record the pass. It smells, report it to the DVSA.

I agree - this sounds fishy beyond the bounds of all reason and needs reporting.
Had you not noticed the paperwork there is every possibility that the first you'd have known about it would have been then the police stopped you for no MOT and seized your car.

I had a main dealer ring me to advise that my car needed new brake discs and pads in order to pass it's MOT. They got all confused when I asked if that was the same discs and pads that they'd replaced at the service they'd carried out less than 2 months previously...when they eventually rang me back after "looking into it" they gave me a load of guff about the ringing the wrong customer...

 

[mybike]

One service I had at the main dealer resulted in my Focus' handbrake not holding on a hill. I took it back and moaned and they fixed it, only to text me a week later to say I needed the timing belt changed. I was not happy with them.

 

[User33236]

Someone from the garage has just been round to pick up Mrs SG's car to get things 'sorted'. His story differs in some of the details and blames the 'workshop coordinator'. He confirmed that the dealership manager / owner (who called my wife yesterday to apologise) back begun looking into what happened and why.

He also added that the 'failed' status would have flagged up on their systems today (they MOT'd the car on 02/09/2104) and they would have got in touch. Sod the fact that she'd have been driving it illegally for the past 2 days!

On the plus side her car will be 'legal' again by the end of the day.

 

[Drago]

Strictly speaking, if it really is faulty she's been potentially been committing an offence since the fault occurred.

 

[User33236]

Strictly speaking, if it really is faulty she's been potentially been committing an offence since the fault occurred.

Exactly.

Thankfully though she only drove the car from the dealership to home (which I believe is OK but am happy to be corrected) where it sat on our driveway until it was driven, by dealership staff, back to the garage today for any repairs and re-MOT.

Like me she commutes by bike

 

[TreeHuggery]

thanks for the reminder about MOTs though - just made me realise, mine's due in a couple of weeks....

 

[Fnaar]

The Incompetent Garages would be a good band name.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

The Incompetent Garages would be a good band name.

They could be a Cars tribute band.