Tales from the testing lane.

[Barry Cade]

I'd better start this new thread, as promised.

 

Up and running full time now on the ATL(Much prefer the old way). New garage taking off and getting busy so I'm opening this to list anything interesting,surprising or downright Autoshite.

 

So far it's been all mainstream stuff, and surprisingly as we are doing MOT's for a tenner,mostly 3-5 year old stuff. Getting a frightening amount of failures on tyres- Failed a MINT MX5 last week on all 4- plenty tread and sidewalls perfect, but has deep cracks right down to the cords all the way round the tread, in the same place on each tyre (Yokohama's). Also had the same on Dunlops and Bridgestones,all about 3-4 years old. Very odd.

 

Headlights are an issue as well, these little self levelling boxes on the suspension with the little link rod seem to be very fragile,and causing a few failures. Halfords can't fit bulbs, and have ruined a few headlights that I have seen. Orange bulbs are still a stupid idea.Most people don't realise Mk3 Mondeo's have 3 taillight bulbs each side...

 

Emissions don't seem to be an issue at all now- most cars fly through the BET test with no effort, a few newish Diesels struggle but a thrash up the road seems to sort it.

 

Broken springs, very common- Fiesta's, 206's,Ka's, Vectra's,Corsa's- they all do it. 206 and Picasso Strut top bearings are a common issue too

 

I'll keep y'all posted.

[CortinaDave]

Broken springs. = because you are in Fife. The speed bump capital of Europe.

[Barry Cade]

They're just upside down potholes..

 

I did do a wee experiment tonight. I counted roadsigns, only ones facing me, between the New Inn and home. There were 89. And 3 sets of temp traffic lights.

 

Fife Council. You SUCK.

[Ghosty]

Why don't councils fill in potholes by digging up speed bumps? 

[Ratdat]

I've noticed how modern tyres seem to perish quickly. Not just tyres but also a lot of new rubber components such as engine and exhaust mounts. I had an old 10" crossply , circa 1973, that has been sat outside in my yard for probably the last ten years and there was absolutely no perishing at all. The rubber was still soft too.

[mat_the_cat]

Most people don't realise Mk3 Mondeo's have 3 taillight bulbs each side...

 

Presumably just an advisory, so long as at least one is working? Although tempting to fail them for obviously not checking their lights...

[KruJoe]

The size/shape of the red light showing at one side should match (mirror) the other. I don't think I've seen a Mk3 Mondeo this year with all six working.

[brickwall]

Most of what you've found Barry correlates with the national failure stats. Any Range rover Classics come in please let me know what they spunk on other than rot.

[hairnet]

Why don't councils fill in potholes by digging up speed bumps? 

not if its the brick ones

[derek9213]

Presumably just an advisory, so long as at least one is working? Although tempting to fail them for obviously not checking their lights...

 

you need a minium of 2 working mate as it needs to produce at least 50% of the light source

[Squire_Dawson]

I've noticed how modern tyres seem to perish quickly. Not just tyres but also a lot of new rubber components such as engine and exhaust mounts. I had an old 10" crossply , circa 1973, that has been sat outside in my yard for probably the last ten years and there was absolutely no perishing at all. The rubber was still soft too.

 

When it was time to have new rubber all-round on my car after returning it to the road for the first time in 20 years, the guy who fitted them remarked that the quality of the old Michelins it came with were superb, and tyres just aren't made the same any more. I ran around for a few weeks on the old tyres, which felt fine but had some micro-cracking to the sidewalls. A shame as they had lots of tread left on them, but when it comes to tyres I've always thought it to be 'better safe than sorry'. I must put photos up in the 'tyreshite' thread.

[Bren]

Any up and coming rot boxes we should know about?

[twosmoke300]

Mazda 3's seem pretty bad. Not the body so much as all the suspension and brake components.

[Barry Cade]

Funny, came home with this in my head to post up here. Be very VERY careful when buying a Mazda, they rot worse than a 3 week old corpse. EVERY car I've failed so far has been a Mazda. You have been warned.

[Barry Cade]

Mazda 3's seem pretty bad. Not the body so much as all the suspension and brake components.

I fitted a towbar to a 3 a couple of months ago, a 2009. There was very little left behind the bumper....

[twosmoke300]

Must be the Ford influence

[saucedoctor]

^ Shit! Don't tell me that! My sister has a Mazda 5, and she just bought a Ford-era Volvo from me.

[Timewaster]

I called in to see my tame mechanic recently, there was a very clean 55plate Mazda 6 sat outside in the sunshine. I quite liked them when they first came out so gave it a second look.

 

"Do you want to buy it?"

 

He asks me. No supprise there, he asks me that all the time and has sold me some right shit over the years.

 

"Be quick though, it's getting scrapped tomorrow!"

 

It had come in for an mot and they had failed to find very much in the way of a floor.

 

The poor sod who owned it had only had it 6 months and had borrowed the cash to buy it in the first place.

[Barry Cade]

Not seeing it on Fords of the same age. Mazda rust is very localised in places, and the cars look 15 years old underneath when they are just 5. Horrible to do suspension work on as everything is just covered in rust, the flaky kind where the metal comes away in wafers. Shame as they make some really nice cars.

[Mr Livered]

Good heavens, a 55 plate?!

 

I'm a bit worried about my 53 plate 323F. It's a bit on the rusty side underneath, but passed an mot recently so hopefully it'll be ok for a while. I resent having to do welding and rustproofing on the car I consider to be the "modern" of the fleet, though I realise that it's no spring chicken by most people's standards.

[twosmoke300]

I expect suspension work on them will be like it is on the mk1 focus back end . Every bolt seized into the Bush sleeve. Grrr

[Timewaster]

I've read the whole thread again and can't find the word "KA" anywhere.

 

Some mistake surely? Or have they become extinct already?

[Barry Cade]

Not too many left around here. Had 1 in so far, which went straight to the scrappy afterwards, but surprisingly not for rot.

[twosmoke300]

Like Hoover is the generic term for a vacuum cleaner , ka is just a given for rusty shitter

[Hendry]

I fitted a towbar to a 3 a couple of months ago, a 2009. There was very little left behind the bumper....

I nearly bought (as in was signing finance docs then discovered they were quoting flat rate instead of APR and walked out) a 2009 3 Takara 2 years ago, reading this I'm glad I didn't now. I knew the 6 was bad but thought they'd sorted it on the 2 and 3.

[Barry Cade]

3's seem to be OK, but feel VERY tinny and cheap. I've tested a few and all were fine. 10 or 11 plates though.

 

Tested a Suzuki Swift yesterday which was 2011 and 42k!  Bonnet was very near seized and was flexing the inner wings when opened and closed.and even stayed up on it's own without a prop...had a sticker saying it was serviced in February....

 

 

Edit- 2's. Mazda 2's. 3 is the Focus sized one.

[mat_the_cat]

Ah, but if it's not mentioned on the service schedule to lubricate the bonnet hinges....

[dome]

That's worrying about Mazdas. My missus has a 3 year old 2, should we burn it now?

[twosmoke300]

No , get it rust proofed

[oldford]

I've failed a few this week, a XF with a rear brake hose fouling on the parking brake mechanism, a XJ with a front brake hose fouling on the tyre on full lock, an Octavia on an anti roll bar link boot & a sharp edge (bumper corner sticking out) and a 2010 Mercedes E350 convertible on a rear tyre and an indicator repeater, it also had slight kinks in all of its inner wheel rims.

 

Reference the speed bumps, with large diameter alloy wheels and low profile tyres, you need to inspect very carefully any areas of wheel damage as cracked wheels are not unknown.

 

Talking of tyres, people just don't seem to check them.