Online MOT service scam?

[SqualidChimp]

I booked my MOT for today through an online MOT service who come and pick your car up and drop it off afterwards. I had heard they charged silly amounts if any work needed done but having prechecked I was fairly confident nothing major was wrong. So. I got a phone call saying that the car had failed due to the following: (ok, either I cant use image tags or Im not allowed to post images...)

CHECK & ADJUST: HEADLAMP ALIGNMENT (MOT FAIL)
REMOVE & REFIT: DISC - FRONT (PAIR) (INCL. PADS) (MOT FAIL)
REMOVE & REFIT: DISC - REAR (PAIR) (INCL. PADS) (MOT FAIL)

1. It has auto-levelling headlights. Which work, as far as I can tell. That alone might not be suspicious. Things break after all.
2. Front discs were new 2 years ago, and looked great. Pads replaced January this year and little use. Again, maybe. Things do fail over time after all...
3. It has rear drum brakes. Hang on a sec...

"Do you want to go ahead with the repairs? That will be £659.73"

I nearly choked laughing. Except for the part were I still had to pay the MOT fee before they would return my car to me.

How do I proceed from here? I would like to a) get my money back; and b) inconvenience them as far as possible for wasting my time and presumably ripping other people off a lot. They have a decent trust pilot review score (which is one of the reasons I went ahead with them as well as the pick up and drop off service). Just raging really since now I wont be able to drive my car. MOT expires on Friday.

 

[Orionaut]

IMG links don't seem to work

 

[PiKe]

You can legally drive it to the MOT testing station without an MOT, just take it to a local council operated MOT center.

When it passes, approach the shysters and ask for a refund.

 

[Orionaut]

You can legally drive it to the MOT testing station without an MOT, just take it to a local council operated MOT center.

When it passes, approach the shysters and ask for a refund.

The Council MOT stations will (Well Should anyway) do it strictly by the book.

You may pass on the things you have been failed on. But you might well fail on other things that the shysters might have overlooked.

 

[tom_e]

Report them to VOSA for failing it on something that doesn't even exist on the car.

 

[paintguy]

Report them to VOSA for failing it on something that doesn't even exist on the car.

This.

It may not particularly help your situation but may help prevent others from falling foul of these scammers in the future. VOSA take these things very seriously.

 

[eviled]

scam, report to the ministry, they are very strict.

In the meantime I would be tempted to report them to the local police if they won't return your car

 

[ZeeWrath]

Can you paste what it says it failed on from this? https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

 

[Iamzod]

Whilst it's under £100 you could pay on your debit card and attempt a chargeback. I have done it a few times for things like a £40 sat-nav & software update disc that were not as described.

 

[L0rdMike]

 

[Iamzod]

Out of curiosity, how are the fails worded on the online MOT checker?

The same?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Cars with auto levelling headlights are exactly that, auto levelling. That's not the same as alignment.

 

[Fr0dders]

in my experience headlight alignment is a great way of garages clawing back money when they offer a discount MOT.

Offer the MOT for £25, then tell everybody that comes in they need headlights adjusting to pass the MOT for £25. Most will just pay to get the pass and think nothing more of it. I had it happen more than once.

 

[SqualidChimp]

Can you paste what it says it failed on from this? https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Hmm interesting! Substantially different wording from what they gave me back in their report, in caps above. From that check I got:

• Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect both (1.8.A.1b)
• Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
• Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

 

[kindai]

Take it to another station and ask them to MOT it, see if the notes compare...

 

[Dr Who]

Hmm interesting! Substantially different wording from what they gave me back in their report, in caps above. From that check I got:

• Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect both (1.8.A.1b)
• Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
• Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

You should have received an MOT refusal Notice with all that exactly written on it.

 

[bremen1874]

Hmm interesting! Substantially different wording from what they gave me back in their report, in caps above. From that check I got:

• Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect both (1.8.A.1b)
• Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
• Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

If you want the car back you'll need to pay for the MOT and then sort it out afterwards. When you get the car back you'll receive the actual failure notice.

The wording on their report is what they're suggesting is required to fix the problems identified during the MOT (as quoted above).

The disc vs drum on the rear could just be someone with fat fingers.

The amount they're quoting for the work seems heavy but without knowing what the car is there's no way to be sure. It's an amount of money where'd you'd want a second opinion anyway.

All of the faults identified can quickly and easily be checked and aren't subjective.

 

[Gaygle]

I can't see how fat fingers can be attributed for them quoting for rear discs and pads! Not to mention they haven't actually failed it on rear brake discs and pads they've failed the parking brake efficiency and brake imbalance.

I'm not normally one to scream "SCAM!" but the whole thing sounds suspicious at best. It is a garage favourite to quote discs and pads at any opportunity they got then charge £mental for it. *IF* there is an imbalance, it could be a slightly seized caliper in which case replacing the discs and pads isn't going to do anything.

£660 for front discs and pads and imaginary rear discs and pads is crazy.

The OP should reupload the photos/fix the tags.

 

[pigeonguyuk]

This is the reason I'd never take my car to anywhere but a council MOT centre as they DONT offer a repair service they are not going to go looking for things that they can make a quick buck on by saying it needs replaced. They are not going to be bias.

Also most council MOT centres work on 10min time slots so they don't have time to go through things "slowly" so they can actually miss things and pass when it wouldn't have. This happened me and a new fault was picked up when checking if he other fault was replaced. They tried to fail me but got this overturned by the MOT centre manager as I then requested a full FOC retest to make sure nothing else had been "miss" (questioning their working standards) the response was we are 2 busy to do that so as they refused a full retest there and then and prove of the original failures being fixed my MOT certificate was promptly produced.

Most branded dealers are billing close to if not over £100/hour including VAT so to see a quote of £660 isn't a surprise. £250 for 2.5 hours labourr then £400 for parts if using "dealer pricing" rather than your local autoparts shop.

 

[Orionaut]

• Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect both (1.8.A.1b)

Sounds like incorrectly fitted bulbs, easily done on modern cars with crap access to rear of headlights.

• Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
• Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
• Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

Some/all of the above is likely to be more than mere worn disks/pads/shoes/drums.

I suspect that the hydraulic system (Calipers/caliper sliders/Cylinders/etc) will need checking out too, perhaps handbrake cables as well. Full accurate diagnosis unlikely until work actually gets underway and disassembly has taken place. Expect updates as this progresses whoever ends up undertaking the repairs.