There really is no hope...

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Deleted member 26715

Guest
Have never known an MOT inspector do anything like that. The garage would loose a few points for that, If it happenend to often they would loose there license.
Quick Fit used to be well known for advising things needed changing when they didn't but not heard they went as far as failing cars to get trade. I do know of a couple of people who bought tyres from them & got a voucher for £10 for their next MOT. When they took them they were advised the brakes needed changing even when we'd replaced one set the week before.
 

Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
I can believe that; quite a few people these days do not even know how to fill up the windscreen washers, let alone check for anything else.

I told a colleague today that I'd just bought a welder. She said "what's a welder?". After explaining that it is used for joining metal together, like in factories, you'know, it makes a really bright light? She still didn't know what I was on about.
 

slowwww

Veteran
Location
Surrey
My previous car was a VW and because this was still under warranty used to service this at the local franchised dealer.

It seemed that because I dropped the car off while suited and booted for work, they immediately assumed that I knew nothing about cars and tried to get me to agree to spurious work that never needed completing.

My favourite was the call from their service manager informing me that my brake pads were 80% worn and so as a convenience to me (!) proposed to change them to avoid the need for this to be done mid-term before the next annual service. I told him that this was a miracle, as following the same triage process at the previous years service he informed me that they were 90% worn, and so in the past 12 months 10% of the brake pads must have grown back!!
 
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Electric_Andy

Heavy Metal Fan
Location
Plymouth
Just to add to the rogue garage stories, my Uncle took his old land rover to the same garage every year. I think they got sick of him arriving with dirty/oily vehicles, but for whatever reason they started to say things needed doing when they didn't. They then failed it one year because the cab frame had been welded poorly and it was "dangerous". The garage asked my Uncle who'd done the welding work, and he replied "you did, last year". They still would not own up to having done the job, but like many people my Uncle didn't want to report them, which is I guess how these places keep ripping people off and getting away with it.
 

lane

Veteran
as it's a chav mobile with enormous alloys fitted but that was her decision to fit them in the first place and would the money spent on stupid rims, exhaust and bodykits not be better spent on actually maintaining the car properly? Why buy an expensive, quality car like a BMW and then not maintain it?



I think that you have the answer here
 

yello

Guest
I can believe that; quite a few people these days do not even know how to fill up the windscreen washers, let alone check for anything else.

That's very much the truth. And I have some sympathies. Why should they know? I try not to expect a level of knowledge from anyone, no matter what subject* (Easier said than done, I know) So I consider it very much possible that someone could run the tyres to the point of baldness without being aware. That said, as a rule, people tend to be aware of their limited knowledge - and that's partly why MOTs exist, to cater for that lack of knowledge.

I know of someone who called out the recovery service out for their car - it had a flat battery. They had another car, and a set of jump leads. They also have a sloped driveway which their car was parked at the top of. They pay for a recovery service so why not use it - was their thinking. They're not alone. I guess you just shrug your shoulders if you don't get that way of thinking.

*Due to my background in computers, I tend to get calls from people asking for help with their PCs, internet connections, smartphone, tablets etc. The things that people don't know/understand is sometimes surprising (and I'm not being arrogant, I'm truly not) I do sometimes wonder how they have managed to muddle through so far - but the fact is that they have, so... you take from that whatever you will.
 

Joey Shabadoo

My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
I had an uncle in the AA with loads of such stories. One I remember was the airline pilot in an XJS that had run out of fuel - he didn't know it had two fuel tanks.
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
They had another car, and a set of jump leads.
Why? not the 2nd car, a set of jump leads if you don't know how to use them
 
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Deleted member 26715

Guest
A very good question. I got the impression that they didn't want to use them (or didn't know how) and preferred to call the breakdown service.
I must admit I have heard stories of ECU's being spiked if jump leads are used incorrectly, never experienced it myself, but was advised to turn on the side lights on a modern car before connecting the leads so if there is a spike the lighting circuit deadens it.

An ostensibly intelligent friend connected up black to read and red to black and narrowly avoided setting fire to both cars
I find that hard to believe that would be the result, having seen it done, although the person did get some battery acid on them which could have been a lot worse.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
I must admit I have heard stories of ECU's being spiked if jump leads are used incorrectly, never experienced it myself, but was advised to turn on the side lights on a modern car before connecting the leads so if there is a spike the lighting circuit deadens it.

I find that hard to believe that would be the result, having seen it done, although the person did get some battery acid on them which could have been a lot worse.

Fire would be a real risk with maybe 1000 Amps current through the wires - the insulation was smoking I gather. A car battery short can melt chunks out of a spanner
 
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