^^^ Depends how they do the brake test.
My brother gets his 15 year old beater Merc E-class MOT’d at Mercedes for £50. Included is a free reflash of the ECU, and inside/outside valet to get rid of the crisp packets, and all the posh pastries he can put away while waiting in the lounge.
I’d bet you can’t buy a chew for a penny anymore. If I’m wrong please send a hundred and I’ll send a pound.
Just looked up the price of penny washers _________ M6 are £7.99 per 100 ( @Screwfix )
Back to MOT price:- I use my local garage. Full price, but I’m in with the mechanic, phones me 15 mins before and says he’s ready,
I would have failed on a sidelight bulb but he just popped one in (no extra charge), no drama.
None of this “can’t take it away nonsense”, more use common sense.
If it failed on a suspension issue then I would trailer it on to my “tame racing driver” for repair and “fast road” reset (6 miles on) and call on the way back for MOT cert.
Anything else then I’d be happy for him (LG) to do it or I’d take it home and repair myself.
Paul G
Patrica had her Mk3 2.0 ltr MOT this week…£35, passed again no problems, plus they carried out free headlight alignment!, you can also book online which makes it a lot easier…
Ive had too much experience of cut price MOT’s being used as a fishing expedition to find work. Been using the local authority MOT station for a few years now. Always pay full price. They don’t do any repair work, so don’t look for work to do. A good honest MOT, which is hard to find these days.
Once took an old mk1 escort to 4 different MOT stations in a single day. Got a pass at the last one. But the 3 before gave me a list of work needed doing before it would pass. All 3 lists were different. The price of saving a few quid can cost a small fortune.
Did you not see those in the dish on the counter? If not, you missed your extra penny discount!
I’m sorry…I digress I know…but it all brings back so many 50’s/60’s memories like Izal slippery loo paper that either slid off or your fingers went through.
That’s mygut feeling about most cut price MOT offers - they’ll just find “something” to fail it on then get some business from you, I’ve got a suspicious mind.
I use the same garage I get to do any work on my car, good honest mechanics who give advice as well. My last MOT I failed on emissions & had a back box fited at the same time - no charge at time - took car back a week later - engine flush & passed MOT & they forgot to put fitting the back box cost on the bill - I pointed it out to them and obviously paid it - I coul have saved myself an hours labour costs but I’d rather keep a good garage & mechanics than rob them of a small amount of cash then be constantly wondering when they’d remember - plus I’m honest to a fault anyway
Not for me, but if you use Halfords for your MOT, get it free with ANY purchase.
I had a cheap MOT done at Halfords once. I thought they were very nit picking. It was a Skoda Octavia and they failed it for the indicator repeater in the door mirror not being bright enough. One side was a bit dimmer. They wanted £130 to fix it. I bought the part myself which was £32 but had to wait a couple of days for dealer to get it so missed the deadline for free retest. Vowed never to use them again. I use a local garage who charge £30 and are very fair.
Ian
My local Kwik Fit is within a walk of the house and MOT is £25 if booked online. I have use them for various things over the years (although not tyres which can be expensive) and they have always been honest and fair and not suggested doing work that was unnecessary. Halfords have been offering free MOTs recently as long as you buy something (anything) and you could always use your MX5 OC membership for 10% discount. Also there is a local MOT centre locally in Redbourn which works on a conveyor belt type of system where you turn up without needing to book and MOT done while you wait - however is more expensive and they cannot do any repairs although you can bring back for free re-test within the week. My Eunos was done there recently and I watched the whole process through a huge glass panel - they were reassuringly very thorough and spent longer on mine than the other cars there but it passed without any advisories - huge relief as was just before my European road trip a few days later.
The problem with Kwik Fit, Halford etc, is that they are very variable due to the vagueries of the staff. I had company cars for years and have used lots of different branches of the main players. Within the same company I have encountered really good branches and really dire ones.
Completely agree. We are lucky as both the local Halfords and Kwik Fit have good staff retention and are both excellen. I know Europarts is generally cheaper but I much prefer shopping at Halfords and have saved a stack with OC discount
Sailed though the Service and MOT at Milcars Watford, £39 for MOT and £109 for the ‘service’ (oil change and full check - lots of boxes ticked).
Three points of mild amusement.
The service assistant could not believe I had driven top down in shirtsleeves on the bright sunny day at a balmy +13C, when he was freezing in a thick overcoat inside the showroom. I didn’t mention the wonderful heating system on the MX5.
The free coffee machine had a fault - milk line disconnected so one had to be nimble with the cup to catch all the elements of a Latte. Service desk did not know; “We’re not allowed to use that machine.”
They could not find the puncture-repair-goo bottle, despite it being strapped in the approved place beside a new Halfords bottle, both lurking behind a string-plug repair kit - three different ways to fix a puncture. (A very thorough inspection…)
All in all a good day; friendly people, easy traffic, lovely weather, right result for the ten year old car.
Nice one, Richard…
Used Formula One for several years for my other car. Never a problem, but a change of staff caused unrest. I always had an oil/filter change with the test, scrabbling about in the driveway now being embarrasing, but they forgot it once. And again the next time. Being a forgiving gent I gave them one more chance. They forgot again. Now trusting the MX5 to Halfords tomorrow - mainly for convenience. Did someone mention the club card discount? Any reduction helps - don’t know what I’ll do if BBC cancel free TV licence.
It’s been asked before, the answer was, the 10% Halfords OC discount is for instore purchases only, in other words not garage services.
Personally I’ve never used Halfords for work on any of my cars but my daughter does and she’s happy so far with their service.
As mentioned above, 9.00 am today at Halfords. Got there 8.56, on the ramp at 9.00 precisely. Nice elderly gentleman (called me ‘Sir’ rather than 'awoyte maaan, ‘ows it goin’?) did the test, all OK with no advisories. £35. I’ll go there next year. Off to our favourite Italian restaurant tonight, 54th anniversary. Seems longer. Won’t be the fabled Billy Joel’s ‘A bottle of white, a bottle of red’, Celia doesn’t drink because she likes to remember how I let her down in company (for later ridicule) and I’m driving. Still, arancini, canelloni and sea bass have their attractions. She’s getting ready now; now I remember the Why, just got to dig a bit for the How. Happy days.
It doesn’t get much better than that! Happy Anniversary!
Enjoy your evening!
As has been advised may times you were never legally allowed to drive an unsafe car on the road even to a place of repair.
Any car driven on the road must be roadworthy, no change at all to since May, as regards the legality of driving any car that was or is unsafe.