Tension Mounts !

[onthecut]

Ho hum --- sitting at keyboard whiling away the last few minutes before taking the machine for its MOT. Can't decide whether the experience is better or worse than the wait in the dentist's waiting room. Both to be avoided if possible ! One big plus (which I think I share with Peter's) is the Bosch mechanical injection set up. In the event of more smoke than the man and his box of tricks will accept, it's only a couple of minutes to adjust it away. Should be a feature of all pumps !!!

Mike.

[Peter.N.]

Hi Mike

I've never worried to much about MOTs we have a very friendly local garage and he will look at the car and tell me what wants doing, I do it, take it back and it passes.

Dentists, used to be a different matter. After a few unfortunate experiences I used to dread going, but the one we have now is so good it doesn't bother me at all, not that I have as many teeth as I used to!

Hope the test goes OK.

Peter.

[onthecut]

Yes ---- Result. Happiness all round !!!!!!!!!

Not so much as an advice note. Still not particularly convinced they really know what they're looking at in the pipework department, but I'm not complaining. Also, as it was dry, the ABS light behaved. Think I'll just sit and look at that 2008 date for a while.

Mike.

[Ciaran]

I hate taking the car for its test. It's bad enough being relegated to the cordoned off waiting area with the other hapless owners, but seeing the machines pummel your pride and joy's suspension etc doesn't make it any easier.

I've had more enjoyable dental visits I think!
I wish it was like over there where you could hand it to a garage to do. Here, its done at purpose built government testing centres with computerised machinery. They really hammer the shit out of the cars too, its especially bad for older ones.

They've recently been forced to abandon their ludicrous diesel smoke test on the grounds of 'health & safety' (too much smoke for staff to breathe in they say), after they blew up some 4 year old Merc a few months ago. I mean blown up, bits of block embedded in the 30ft high ceiling of the test centre....

Mines coming up again in August and I'm dreading it already!

(Mind you, it got through without so much as an advisory last time, after sitting off the road for a year, but still!)


This post has been edited by Ciaran on February 26, 2007 10:42 pm

[Peter.N.]

Well, at least there's something good about living in this country, even if its only the 'one man and his dog' rural garage.

Peter.N.

[onthecut]

Hi Ciaran.

When was the smoke test suspended ? I've had a gander on Google and can see no reference to it being set aside ? It was over here some years ago after a few engines had similarly gone bang, but after it was reintroduced, I've heard nothing since.

Mike.

[Ciaran]

Hi Mike,

June last year, it seems.
They're citing health & safety grounds, i.e too much smoke being produced in the inspection lanes etc, but they don't mention the fact that this was hastily drafted after they wrecked quite a few cars, least of which being a newish Merc, and the driver promptly sued.

With any luck it wont be back.

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

Was reading a motor trade mag last week and they were all steamed up because the goverment is apparently considering making the MOT every 2 years to line up with EU practice.

Regards

XMexc

[onthecut]

Hi xmexclusive et al.


Good job they haven't let them look at the Boat Safety Scheme ----- test every four years !!
If there's one thing I'll never understand about the MOT, it's why they don't properly look at the brakes. With the steering and suspension they are the key safety issue, yet if the examiner can't see the parts without dismantling and they happen to produce an acceptable reading on the test rig -- that's OK. Bonkers ! I think were the test genuinely about safety issues, most reasonable people would accept a slight time / cost penalty just for the peace of mind of a professional 'OK' on the system. After all, if they are properly maintained, the bits should come apart quite readily.
Equally, if the manufacturers claims that ABS is failsafe in the sense it defaults to normal braking in the event of a malfunction are true, why is it included in the MOT at all ? I don't believe this failsafe line --- a couple of the 2.5s I've had have clearly, intermittently displayed the unnerving symptom of apparently releasing the brakes just on final approach to a stop line, pedal going down a bit, then reapplying. Maybe all over in a second or two, but enough to put you into the car in front were you too close. I'm pretty sure I've seen mention of this elsewhere on the forum, too.
Overall, I think MOT testers have a thankless job and it would be better all round if they were allowed to focus on genuine safety items. I'm still waiting in the real world to see anybody sit in their petrol car, going nowhere, revving it to 1500, then whatever the next figure figure is, etc. etc. Likewise, precious few of we diesel bods sit at the lights flooring the throttle and holding it there for two or three goes.
Incidentally (must stop rambling on, but can't resist this) -- re. Ciaran's point of the Merc blowing up and the oft discussed weaknesses of ZF auto boxes === can someone just remind me of the country of origin of these products. Thought they were famous for their 'engineering', or is that infamous ???????????

Mike.

[bigjohnh]

Hi all,

I am still amazed that the MOT test doesn't include a road test as surely this would give the tester a feel for the general state of the car and, with the proper equipment fitted, allow an emissions test in real driving conditions.

John