Does anyone know what this axle mot advisory means?

jamesmorris86

jamesmorris86

jamesmorris86

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Joined
11 Oct 2008
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268
Hi,

I'm looking to buy my first car, a Mini Cooper. I've found a lovely clean one for a good price. I have checked the MOT online and has a good history.

The last MOT had one advisory - Near side axle slightly displaced.

Could anyone tell me what this means please and if it should be a deal breaker or not?

Really appreciate any help.
 
From that description, I would personally read that as "the front or rear axle is slightly out of line or off centre".
It could mean the near side wheel on said axle sits, slightly (possibly millimetres) closer to the wheel arch, than the other. Or, the axle could be bent. To spot this on an MOT would tend to indicate it was obvious and that the car may have had a knock. That's how I would read it anyway. It warrants further questions to be honest.

If you can inspect in person I would want to check for play in the wheel with it jacked up. Check it drives fine with no vibration and that the wheel does not look obviously nearer to a piece of bodywork than the otherside. I'd also inspect the CV boots to check if either have perished, as this would leave the joints open to wear, which may be related to such "axle" displacement if they meant that.

In summary, I wouldn't buy it without understanding what they meant or finding the "problem" myself. HPI check might be worthwhile but it won't show if the car had a previous accident unless it was written off and then repaired.
 
That means walk away

There are no shortage of decent used mini coopers about, unless its an absolute steal (ie 70% or less of equivalent cars) then its just not worth the risk
I have had 2 minis and the only criticism I can place is that when you do needs parts they are expensive, its small car but a premium one and hence it has premium car part prices.
Even getting them at a decent price 2nd hand can be tricky. I needed a new grill for the cooper myself and breakers wanted over £100. Damn them pheasants that lurk in some woods on my way home and decide they as a bird they should play chicken with me as opposed to waiting or flying to cross the road!
 
If I saw that I wouldn't even bother looking at it further.

Because it's a BMW really, parts are expensive, because BMW markup.
 
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Could mean almost anything unfortunately. Without looking at it or talking to the tester you are unlikely to really find out. Some MOT testers note the most bizarre things on tests.
 
Lopéz said:
Could mean almost anything unfortunately. Without looking at it or talking to the tester you are unlikely to really find out. Some MOT testers note the most bizarre things on tests.
Click to expand...

This, unless the car is crabbing along the road or for some strange reason the tester decided to do a four wheel alignment check I can’t see how on earth he’d even be able to tell.

I’ve had many odd things put on MOT’s over the years, on my current car one of its advisories states “starter motor runs after key is released”

Which is precisely what it’s supposed to do, you turn the key and the ecu turns the starter for however long it deems necessary to start the engine - 4 and 6 pot BMW engines don’t do this, you just hold the key yourself until it starts, maybe that’s what was confusing him?
 
It might be worth giving the front wheels a good nudge fore and aft with your foot... The rear wishbone bushes on the front are made from cottage cheese and when they need replacing they allow a ton of movement in the lower wishbone. You can imagine what that does for the geometry...

New bushes are cheap but its maybe 6 hrs work on jack stands on the drive to replace them... Probs 4 hrs garage labor.
 
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