MOT

[TW]Fox · 12 May 2011 at 20:09

BigglesPiP said:
I don't see why you're persisting here, your dad's dirty diesel failed the gas test, then it was driven, then it passed.

It's not a diesel.

It was driven to a test centre - where it was immediatly tested on a while you wait appointment. It failed. It was driven home.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER - ie, the engine was off and it had DAYS TO COOL DOWN it was driven a much shorter distance to the main dealer, who tested the car, which passed without issue.

The key point here is that a perfectly serviceable car with no faults was driven to an MOT test centre, and a test was then performed, which it failed. This shouldn't happen - a car should fail the MOT if it has a fault or something wrong with it, not if it is in full working order!

Fr0dders · 12 May 2011 at 20:11

i'm with biggles here

an emissions test is monkey work. You press the relevant buttons on the machine and it does the test.

Its not like they were arguing over something subjective, like tyre tread depth or brake pad thickness, which can be measured at different places to give different measurements.

[TW]Fox · 12 May 2011 at 20:12

You are with Biggles?

So you think it's acceptable that a car should fail a test when it is perfectly serviceable and has no faults?

Clearly, something went wrong with the way the test was carried out, or it wouldn't have failed. A point the MOT centres head office later agreed with when they refunded the test fee, in full.

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:13

How close to the test limits was it when BMW passed the car?

The original test could have been just over and the BMW test just under the test limits.........

[TW]Fox · 12 May 2011 at 20:14

Firestar_3x said:
How close to the test limits was it when BMW passed the car?

Absolutely nowhere near. And given the instructions to BMW were 'Please repair this cars emissions fault' if it was borderline you can be sure they'd have started replacing parts

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:15

Sounds like a fundamental mistake was made by the original tester then, or the BMW dealer wanted to keep you happy and just passed the car.

DM · 12 May 2011 at 20:19

Firestar_3x said:
Sounds like a fundamental mistake was made by the original tester then, or the BMW dealer wanted to keep you happy and just passed the car.

See i dont believe that main dealers "just want to keep you happy" , they got too much to lose and a repair job to gain.

Fox's dads car just suffered idiot MOT tester if you ask me.

BigglesPiP · 12 May 2011 at 20:19

What makes you think that driving it back from the 1st place, then waiting a few days, then driving a shorter distance to the new place cannot possibly clean a dirty CAT or lambda probe etc...?

Because it can.

Do you have anything to show that the 1st spot did something wrong? For example:
-Failed to stick the probe in enough and let air in thus failing on lambda reading. Printout will show this.
-Failed to run high idle after initially failing? Printout may show this.
-?

BigglesPiP · 12 May 2011 at 20:21

DM said:
hey got too much to lose and a repair job to gain.

There's little money in repairs. Dealers want to service cars all day. I don't think BMW cheated to keep Fox Sr. happy.

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:23

DM said:
See i dont believe that main dealers "just want to keep you happy" , they got too much to lose and a repair job to gain.

Fox's dads car just suffered idiot MOT tester if you ask me.

That's assuming they actually bothered to test the car too.

DM · 12 May 2011 at 20:24

BigglesPiP said:
There's little money in repairs. Dealers want to service cars all day. I don't think BMW cheated to keep Fox Sr. happy.

No i dont think they did or would bother cheating on behalf of dad of Fox either, why on earth would they, thats all they need a nice headline announcing that.

[TW]Fox · 12 May 2011 at 20:25

BigglesPiP said:
What makes you think that driving it back from the 1st place, then waiting a few days, then driving a shorter distance to the new place cannot possibly clean a dirty CAT or lambda probe etc...?

Because it can.

So the CAT got 'dirty' for the first time ever and then miraculously cleaned itself. Yes, thats more plausible than the fact that the MOT tester didn't do something.

Do you have anything to show that the 1st spot did something wrong?

Yes, an MOT failure report for a car with no faults.

Perhaps he didn't warm the cats up sufficiently before he did the test? Who knows - all I know is that the a car with no faults was presented for an MOT and failed it.

DM · 12 May 2011 at 20:27

Firestar_3x said:
That's assuming they actually bothered to test the car too.

But they would bother, and they did, because multi million pound business's do not bother to cut an easily found out corner to keep mr Fox happy or save a few quid and a bit of time.

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:27

DM said:
No i dont think they did or would bother cheating on behalf of dad of Fox either, why on earth would they, thats all they need a nice headline announcing that.

Because they had too much work on, MOT tests are boring and earn the garage zip, they know the cars well looked after, kept the LAMBDA probe up the previous cars exhaust they've just tested etc.

All garages take shortcuts regardless of the brand they display over the entrance door.

DM said:
But they would bother, and they did, because multi million pound business's do not bother to cut an easily found out corner to keep mr Fox happy or save a few quid and a bit of time.

Yes they do loads of garages do it, that's why TV shows have been made about it in the past and why those who know and check what work has been done at the main dealer will spot things like them not bothering to change air filters and the such.

Princey · 12 May 2011 at 20:28

[Hijack]

I'm due and MOT and I've heard there can be issues with having an LSD when doing the handbrake test? Something about applying the handbrake when the rollers are going around and not from a stop. Any truth in this?

[/hijack]

DM · 12 May 2011 at 20:29

Firestar_3x said:
Because they had too much work on, MOT tests are boring and earn the garage zip, they know the cars well looked after, kept the LAMBDA probe up the previous cars exhaust they've just tested etc.

All garages take shortcuts regardless of the brand they display over the entrance door.

Yes they do loads of garages do it, that's why TV shows have been made about it in the past and why those who know and check what work has been done at the main dealer will spot things like them not bothering to change air filters and the such.

Let me get this right before i jump in, this MOT centre is actually part of a BMW main dealer yes?

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:29

I assume so yes.

[TW]Fox · 12 May 2011 at 20:31

Firestar_3x said:
Because they had too much work on, MOT tests are boring and earn the garage zip, they know the cars well looked after, kept the LAMBDA probe up the previous cars exhaust they've just tested etc.

All garages take shortcuts regardless of the brand they display over the entrance door.

If it was a genuine MOT failure they'd have made a fortune replacing all the cats or something - there was no benefit to the dealer of passing a car that would otherwise fail.

DM · 12 May 2011 at 20:31

Firestar_3x said:
I assume so yes.

Then i say you are wrong, because no franchised main dealer is going to risk being told to sling their hook by BMW over an MOT.

Firestar_3x · 12 May 2011 at 20:39

The choice on what to shortcut is down to the guy being paid 18k - 22k a year to sit in cars and enter numbers in a computer, he doesn't care about BMW's reputation all he wants to do is get his remedial tasks done and move onto something more interesting.

Garages take shortcuts with loads of service related items so why should MOT testing be any different.