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MOT Centre refusing to test a BEC?
asl - 29/4/11 at 07:54 AM

So I've just driven my Indyblade to Halfords to get it MOT but the grumpy tester is refusing to test it as it doesn't have a reverse gear.

Has anyone had this issue before?


David Jenkins - 29/4/11 at 08:00 AM

Find yourself a kit-car-friendly MOT garage!

I wouldn't go to Halfrauds for ANYTHING unless there was no alternative...


koiking125 - 29/4/11 at 08:03 AM

Dont see how they can turn you away if the car is fully registered/sva'd, lack of Knowledge i guess.


philw - 29/4/11 at 08:07 AM

Probably can't be arsed to push it in and out of the brake rollers.


asl - 29/4/11 at 08:12 AM

Thanks. There was another tester willing to do it but this old fucker just followed him around moaning and telling him not to do it. Amazing that he can simply refuse with no objective evidence as to why.


britishtrident - 29/4/11 at 08:13 AM

If no effective reverse which he discovered after starting the test he would have been within his rights not to complete test and charge you.


Mr Whippy - 29/4/11 at 08:17 AM

put a complaint in about him to the manager and take it elsewhere, though do mention the fact that it has ne reverse on the phone to the next place, even offer to assist in moving the car off the rollers etc

I have a very good garage for mot's that is quite happy to let me help, they do vary so worth looking around


Major Stare - 29/4/11 at 08:21 AM

I would speak to the manager and complain, if the reply isnt good enough, take it to head office. Give it the "time off work and fuel to get to the garage, attitude of the staff etc".
Then educate them that your car has no reverse, no reverse light and is exempt from that part of the test.


ReMan - 29/4/11 at 08:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
If no effective reverse which he discovered after starting the test he would have been within his rights not to complete test and charge you.


Really even with no legal requirement for one?


rusty nuts - 29/4/11 at 08:31 AM

Might be worth a word with VOSA? , I'm not sure but I don't think they can refuse to test it??


asl - 29/4/11 at 08:39 AM

Unfortunately VOSA are off today but they will be getting a call first thing Monday. He was a belligerent old sod! What a complete waste of a morning. The frustrating thing was the younger guy was trying to help me but couldn't find the car on the system to get the brake weight. I had all the docs for the car with it's gross weight but the old sod wouldn't let him use that for the brake weight. Aarrgghh


marcjagman - 29/4/11 at 08:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by asl
So I've just driven my Indyblade to Halfords to get it MOT but the grumpy tester is refusing to test it as it doesn't have a reverse gear.

Has anyone had this issue before?

Maybe it's down to insurance? He could have decided it's not fit for an MOT as it can't go backwards under it's own power? There are several reasons for refusal to do an MOT.


marcjagman - 29/4/11 at 08:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by asl
Unfortunately VOSA are off today but they will be getting a call first thing Monday. He was a belligerent old sod! What a complete waste of a morning. The frustrating thing was the younger guy was trying to help me but couldn't find the car on the system to get the brake weight. I had all the docs for the car with it's gross weight but the old sod wouldn't let him use that for the brake weight. Aarrgghh

Make it Tuesday, Monday is qa bank holiday (may day)


marcjagman - 29/4/11 at 08:44 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Might be worth a word with VOSA? , I'm not sure but I don't think they can refuse to test it??

Vehicle can be refused a test if it can't get in and out under it's own power, low on oil/petrol plus a few other reasons.


David Jenkins - 29/4/11 at 09:02 AM

My favourite place loves doing kit cars, bikes, trikes and anything else exotic! He always says that my car is nice and easy 'cos he can check the front suspension from above... and it's usually much cleaner underneath than most tin-tops.

I couldn't see him being bothered by the lack of a reverse, though you probably would have to help push it in and out of the rollers.

For anyone in South Suffolk/North Essex, it's Station Garage, Capel St Mary.


stevebubs - 29/4/11 at 09:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
If no effective reverse which he discovered after starting the test he would have been within his rights not to complete test and charge you.


Why? It's not a failure point...


stevebubs - 29/4/11 at 09:27 AM

Nationwide Autocentres had a reasonable (not great, but reasonable) reputation.

Now they're run by (and branded) Halfords, I can see them going the way of the last Halfords servicing business....


stevebubs - 29/4/11 at 09:28 AM

quote:
Originally posted by asl
Unfortunately VOSA are off today but they will be getting a call first thing Monday. He was a belligerent old sod! What a complete waste of a morning. The frustrating thing was the younger guy was trying to help me but couldn't find the car on the system to get the brake weight. I had all the docs for the car with it's gross weight but the old sod wouldn't let him use that for the brake weight. Aarrgghh


If he was that rude and belligerent, call Halfords head office...


stevegough - 29/4/11 at 09:30 AM

I think you are all missing the easy solution here - fit a car engine!!


AvonZX9R - 29/4/11 at 11:02 AM

Its definatley worthwhile getting to know your local independant garage - you never know when you might need them. Stay clear of most 'chains'.

If anyone is looking for a kitcar friendly MOT/Garage in the East Midlands then I would recommend David Drew in West Bridgford, Nottingham (next to McDonalds). They are great (they own a road legal Radical so know whats what). Hope this helps someone.


gingerprince - 29/4/11 at 11:18 AM

quote:
Originally posted by asl
Has anyone had this issue before?


Yep.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=89034&page=1


scootz - 29/4/11 at 11:27 AM

What was the outcome to your tale of woe Ginge?


jacko - 29/4/11 at 11:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by asl
Unfortunately VOSA are off today but they will be getting a call first thing Monday. He was a belligerent old sod! What a complete waste of a morning. The frustrating thing was the younger guy was trying to help me but couldn't find the car on the system to get the brake weight. I had all the docs for the car with it's gross weight but the old sod wouldn't let him use that for the brake weight. Aarrgghh


Do you realy want to go to a garage that has this attitude NO
The garage i go to is great and cant help enough they don't need the weight if they use a declaratory tool [ think thats what its called ] they do mine this way because mine has a LSD diff
Jacko


gingerprince - 29/4/11 at 01:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by scootz
What was the outcome to your tale of woe Ginge?


I didn't hear anything more of it - I did drive past a few months later and he was still there though...not sure whether he got any sort of reprimand or not.

But what I did get is a friendly new garage that I get the MK MOT'd every year and a good chinwag, as well as the wifes tintop MOT/Service.


david_hornet27 - 29/4/11 at 01:53 PM

Would agree with David Jenkins about Halfrauds. Don't use them full stop.

Sky high prices, staff with little or no knowledge of anything to do with cars.

Recently for the sake of convenience I reserved a product online for me to collect at my local store. When I went to collect it I queued to ask someone at the counter where I should pick it up, they sent me to the parts counter where I queued again. I gave the guy my reference number which he typed into his computer, he then went to the sales floor and collected the item from the shelf! I kind of expected them to have it ready and reserved behind the counter waiting for me, I could have saved myself time by not reserving and going in and collecting it off the shelf myself. Plonkers!

Another clueless company I would urge people to never use is KwikFit. Absolute numptys!


mad-butcher - 29/4/11 at 02:04 PM

The garage I use in Birkenhead for the family's tin tops Don't have brake rollers, they have 4 pads ( sort of like scales ) that they drive onto and brake, reverse off which gives a base calculation, this is then repeated 3 times, so they wouldn't be too happy having to push it off all the time, but what they did say was they would have to road test it and use another piece of kit ( as he said to me perks of the job, same piece of kit I think they are supposed to use on LSD cars )

tony