Near that MOT time of the year again :(

tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
hey all,

I need car advice (again)

so its MOT time in about a month and I have no idea where to take it, all the local garages have tried to rip me off previously, and I once got ripped off to max by a main dealer in Newcastle a couple of years ago.

I'm busy every day of week at the moment, so must commute the 20 miles to uni, so the local garages are not really an option, cant take a day off etc etc.

I thought about kwik fit, but obviously have heard the horror stories. Would anyone suggest going there for a service/mot? Or just MOT and attempt to service myself?

ahhh I hate cars.....

cheers for any advice
 
steaky360

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
Servicing your car should be simple enough and if you are not that bothered about the stamp from the garage then I'd seriously recommend doing it yourself.

As for the MOT - it doesn't matter where you take it (or rather... it 'shouldn't matter') if its going to fail on something, its going to fail. You should always get the opportunity to take the car away and make the necessary repairs yourself though obviously depending on what that is might mean you cant do it yourself though.
 
tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
thanks for the reply dude, will give ya some rep for the effort. :)

yeah I'm not really bothered about the stamp, probably going to have the car for a while yet, so it doesn't really matter.
 
steaky360

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
tom_gr7 said:
thanks for the reply dude, will give ya some rep for the effort. :)

yeah I'm not really bothered about the stamp, probably going to have the car for a while yet, so it doesn't really matter.
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:) cheers for the rep.

Aye, its only worth it if you currently have a full service history really.
 
tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
steaky360 said:
:) cheers for the rep.

Aye, its only worth it if you currently have a full service history really.
Click to expand...

no worries,

yeah I don't have a full service history, so i guess it doesnt really matter.

Torn between asking the regular local guy to do me MOT on a sat, or kwik fit. But I guess either can easily rip you off, cynical I know.
 
RS2OOO

RS2OOO

Gold Level Poster
If there's a "Just MOT's" near where you live, that's where you need to take it.

I've found them brilliant as they don't do repairs so they have nothing to gain by trying to rip you off, meanwhile, they will replace any bulbs or failed wiper blades for free in with the test.

They are generally far cheaper than anyone else too, particularly if you're able to book in advance.
 
steaky360

steaky360

Moderator
Moderator
tom_gr7 said:
no worries,

yeah I don't have a full service history, so i guess it doesnt really matter.

Torn between asking the regular local guy to do me MOT on a sat, or kwik fit. But I guess either can easily rip you off, cynical I know.
Click to expand...

As RS2000 has kinda just said, they can't really rip you off if you do the repairs yourself or take the car elsewhere to do them. If it is something small like a tire or window wiper etc. then its no problem to fix. If its a big issue (rust etc.) then maybe something needs to be looked at in more detail anyway!
 
RS2OOO

RS2OOO

Gold Level Poster
Personally wouldn't use kwik-fit.

Saying that makes me feel sorry for the few genuine franchises that do a great job, but the whole structure of the company is designed to get as much as possible out of every customer and there are plenty of horror stories.

I'm an ex mechanic but was working abroad when my missus car developed a brake problem. I diagnosed over the phone and told her what was wrong. A £35 part. For some reason she took it to kwik-fit and over 3 or 4 visits and a long story they replaced every part of the braking system except for the part that was faulty, costing over £380 on a car worth £450. In the end I phoned them and they agreed to replace the faulty part for free.... whilst doing the work they somehow convinced her to have her service done with them as it was due.

So, she then went on to pay for a full service, and she just assumed that included the cam belt because it was due on that particular service.

Well, they didn't do the cambelt and literally 2 Weeks later it snapped causing terminal engine damage. So 2 Weeks after spending the best part of £600 with kwik-fit, the car had to be scrapped!

A total nightmare.
 
tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
RS2000, gutted for you and that doesn't give me a warm and rosy feeling about kwik fit.

I'm thinking I will try and get the friend of a family member mechanic to get it sorted for me. But that doesnt mean he's not gonna rip me off either... haha
 
RS2OOO

RS2OOO

Gold Level Poster
Remember, not all mechanics are dodgy! There are plenty of genuine honest ones. I've met more good ones than bad ones, just the odd bad one gives the whole trade a bad name.

There's probably equal number of PC repair companies that are dodgy in comparison... there was one on watchdog recently iirc.
 
sted

sted

Rising Star
And this is why I'll probably never learn to drive, paired with the fact I'd probably never pass my test anyway. Motorbike license sounds promising though.

And to get someone you know to help is probably the best decision, should you be able to. There are so many people that will try to rip you off with this kind of thing, like you mentioned above that it's gotten to a point where they try it on anyone and everyone, not just women because they expect a lady not to know any better. They should be ashamed of taking such exploitations, I mean, it's not like mechanics are payed a tiny amount of money is it, or am I wrong? :S
 
tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
well the car passed the MOT straight away.... wooohooo BUT last night the one of the ignition coil packs has fudged up. No hope of getting a replacement on a sunday -.-
 
tom_gr7

tom_gr7

Life Serving
well I moan at the thought of public transport because well, I'm so used to my car :(

-I have to get up at half 6 to walk to the bus station,
-it will cost me nearly 10 quid.
-an hour on the bus, probably standing... for 25 miles...
-walk for another half an hour to where I need to be.
-to repeat on way home...


OR up at half 7/8 am plus 30 mins in the car... cheaper, comfortable, warm, radio, faster...
 
DeadEyeDuk

DeadEyeDuk

Superhero Level Poster
But, in a car you aren't treated to experience the many and varied people's that make up this land. You can't be sneezed or coughed on, you can't be talked to by someone that are pretty sure shouldn't actually be allowed on day release, and you certainly can't have to listen to da yoof playing their god awful wub wub music. The car is just so dull and lifeless. I mean sure, you'll live longer due to not being infected by even touching a pole, you'll avoid that awkward moment when you give up your seat to the pregnant woman that just boarded...that isn't pregnant, and you can put on some Kenny G without fear of a ritual knifing by the local 12 year olds. But apart from that...uhm...yeh, best off just staying in doors :)
 
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