The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

SiC wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 2:13 pm Windscreen wipers not clearing can either be them not moving, not covering the whole screen or simply the blades are knackered!

I inherited my Grandads old Laguna II the other week and I had it transported straight to my local garage for an MOT. Despite being sat up for at least two years, it only failed on wipers first time. Naturally as they were quite old, they'd gone hard and were not very effective. Garage stuck new ones on and naturally it passed.

In this age of computerised MOTs, MOT tester automated grading and DVSA random MOT station inspections, most testers like to do things strictly to the book. Especially here in Bristol where the DVSA is based.

That being said, going on the advisories, I would wager that it's either a new tester or one that is overly anal/cautious.

Testers have ALWAYS been graded and checked and testing stations that show a disproportionate number of passes (or fails) are investigated. Random inspections are also nothing new. I don't know whether they still do it, but back in the 80s when I was a tester they even used to send undercover "trap cars" in with a number of known faults to see if the tester concerned reached the same conclusion (or in some cases, could be bribed or cajoled into a pass!) I have actually SEEN both these with my own eyes, it's not an urban myth!

The latest trick, apparently, is to sit just down the road from a testing station with a laptop connected to the big computer and when a tester logs off on a retest, they roll in immediately and want to see the car that has just been retested. This to clamp down on the "trust retest" that was sometimes done for familiar trade clients to save them a trip back! I used to find this very useful myself as my preferred testing station is an 18 mile round trip, but it's no longer worth the risk for my tester so it doesn't happen anymore!

Steve

Carledo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:18 am I do know a guy who has had trouble at MOT time with both his locked down racing seat and 4 point harnesses since they don't conform to MOT regs. But are a must for the MSA rallies he also indulges in. I recommended a more sensible MOT tester!


Steve

I pretty sure that there is something in the manual that allows for that if the car is a 'rally' car, there is a section that allows removal of airbags etc. it would be worth carefully reading the testers manual and not relying on the word of any testers, there are some set in their ways and don't believe what the manual states, you (or your mate) can Email the DVSA MOT dept as I've done in the past for clarification

Where I live they randomly pounce on garages after a 3 hr ferry journey, they still do these spot checks - the ferry journey isnt a barrier to them.

Carledo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 11:32 pm

SiC wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2019 2:13 pm Windscreen wipers not clearing can either be them not moving, not covering the whole screen or simply the blades are knackered!

I inherited my Grandads old Laguna II the other week and I had it transported straight to my local garage for an MOT. Despite being sat up for at least two years, it only failed on wipers first time. Naturally as they were quite old, they'd gone hard and were not very effective. Garage stuck new ones on and naturally it passed.

In this age of computerised MOTs, MOT tester automated grading and DVSA random MOT station inspections, most testers like to do things strictly to the book. Especially here in Bristol where the DVSA is based.

That being said, going on the advisories, I would wager that it's either a new tester or one that is overly anal/cautious.

Testers have ALWAYS been graded and checked and testing stations that show a disproportionate number of passes (or fails) are investigated. Random inspections are also nothing new. I don't know whether they still do it, but back in the 80s when I was a tester they even used to send undercover "trap cars" in with a number of known faults to see if the tester concerned reached the same conclusion (or in some cases, could be bribed or cajoled into a pass!) I have actually SEEN both these with my own eyes, it's not an urban myth!

The latest trick, apparently, is to sit just down the road from a testing station with a laptop connected to the big computer and when a tester logs off on a retest, they roll in immediately and want to see the car that has just been retested. This to clamp down on the "trust retest" that was sometimes done for familiar trade clients to save them a trip back! I used to find this very useful myself as my preferred testing station is an 18 mile round trip, but it's no longer worth the risk for my tester so it doesn't happen anymore!

Steve

It's all very true that Steve, not an urban myth at all. We did have a trap car in once, but the previous tester had written "ministry car" in chalk underneath. Not that anything went on you understand

Tony.

dollyman wrote: ↑Thu Aug 01, 2019 10:17 pm It's all very true that Steve, not an urban myth at all. We did have a trap car in once, but the previous tester had written "ministry car" in chalk underneath. Not that anything went on you understand

Fantastic. I knew of someone with a works breakdown van (high-top job) that always had a rather informal MoT (he was a PSV inspector so it was always thoroughly inspected anyway along with the rest of the fleet). He went to the tester who scuttled outside and:

Tester: it's going to have to be a real one - VOSA is here watching me!
Customer: but it wont fit through the door!...
Tester: F***ing better do, I MoT'd it last year!

Suffice to say, the light bar was never quite the same again but they did manage to get it in!

Steve

Brilliant Steve, it's really amazing what goes on in mot garages....... Or used to.

Tony.

They still use 'trap cars' on a regular basis but now change cars more often than they used to do but its more likely that an inspector will just turn up and watch a customers car being tested.

you can tell a DVSA inspector he will be the one wearing a hard hat

TrustNo1 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:16 pm They still use 'trap cars' on a regular basis but now change cars more often than they used to do but its more likely that an inspector will just turn up and watch a customers car being tested.

you can tell a DVSA inspector he will be the one wearing a hard hat

Makes sense, most things that can be thrown in a garage could hurt!

One place I worked, when I was just starting out as a tester, had a very unusual testing method. Since they had 5 qualified testers and only 1 pit and roller brake tester, we all pitched in at once, one tester inside the car, one down in the pit one on the outside at ground level, one manning the rollers and one writing (this was long before computer printouts when all was done by hand) whilst the others shouted out faults to the scribe! As a consequence we could do an MOT from start to finish in sub 5 minutes and I learned how to write very fast in block capitals but still legibly, a talent I have retained to this day! The company didn't operate a booking system, it was just join the queue and wait your turn. On Saturdays and Sunday mornings the queue was often up the drive (6 cars) down the road (another 7 or so) and round the corner (a few more) As you can imagine, we did an AWFUL lot of tests in a day! Which came to the attention of the ministry who investigated by sending in a "trap car" a Sandglow Marina 1.3. The guy just stood around (as all customers did) while we got busy and timed us with a stopwatch in his pocket. After we'd finished, (it failed, miserably) he declared himself and told us we'd done the test too fast for accuracy, even though we'd found all the faults they knew about and a couple they didn't but agreed were kosher! So we got a verbal wrist slapping but no further action was taken!

Then a few months later, we were graced by a rather attractive and well endowed young lady with a dog rough MGBGT, rotten in all the usual places and with the kingpins hanging off and several other expensive problems, who tried to "charm" us into passing the POS. Fortunately, we politely declined as this was also a ministry trap! A rather unsporting one, I thought!

Steve

Just had my company car put through it's first MOT, fleet car so I had to take it to the local Kwik-Fit
I booked it in many weeks in advance for 10:00am. Dropped it off the night before. Called at 11:00, not ready, "could take an hour to do an MOT"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11:30 I wandered in still not ready. If I could wait another 20-30 minutes they would change a tyre at 2mm. I waited.
They really are crap.

I had the same problem with mine. Booked in for puncture (no spare) got there, sorry sir, we hav'nt got a ramp free for about 3hours. What about using a jack say's me? Sorry sir not allowed to, health and safety. I told the guy exactly what i thought and booked it to be done on the drive. half an hour later van turns up from same branch and does the job...... WTF!!!!! Total bunch of useless w*****s.

Tony.

dollyman wrote: ↑Sat Aug 03, 2019 6:58 pm I had the same problem with mine. Booked in for puncture (no spare) got there, sorry sir, we hav'nt got a ramp free for about 3hours. What about using a jack say's me? Sorry sir not allowed to, health and safety. I told the guy exactly what i thought and booked it to be done on the drive. half an hour later van turns up from same branch and does the job...... WTF!!!!! Total bunch of useless w*****s.

Tony.

This is TOTAL BS by Thicktwit, H+S my arse! My local independent tyre shop has 4 bays and only one ramp (mostly used for exhaust work) the rest is done on jacks! When they are very busy, cars are jacked up all round the yard!

Often when I go in there, I jack the car up and remove the wheel myself to speed things along! If more than one tyre is involved I may put some back too! Though they do insist on checking the wheel nut torque themselves so there's no loose wheel comeback!

Steve

Still on C&C: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C885157

The listing predated the eBay auction ending, however refreshing the page today I noticed its changed price from £1500 to £1495. So possibly it is still not sold?

I think it's got to well known now

Tony.

SiC wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:47 am Still on C&C: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C885157

The listing predated the eBay auction ending, however refreshing the page today I noticed its changed price from £1500 to £1495. So possibly it is still not sold?

"Now needs another MOT and will try to do this next week."

If he does that I expect someone will have it same day