"Shonky" the CX - given up :-(

[lanciamatt]

Also some testers forget that your testing a car at minimum standards, not service levels, 

[captain_70s]

That fail doesn't look that bad.

A couple of ball joints, brake pipes, some dust covers and some leaks. The advisories can get fucked. The only real concern is the rot towards the arse end, the rest is just general wear and tear on a 35 year old car.

I wonder if the "leaks" could be cured by simply cleaning the components if it isn't dripping any noticeable fluid? I want to know what a "slightly defective" headlight lens is?

[Joey spud]

I ran my own Garage/Mot place back in the 90's and one of my testers could go a bit ''maximun attack'' if something old and obviously unloved turned up at the door.

Bread and butter stuff he was fine with so anything that was more mature and going to be smoothered in underseal hiding iffy welding or leave piles of rust behind i would tend to do (he was happy and i was happy he wasn't getting stressed).

To gain a Mot a vehicle has to pass a very low mininum standard you can have lots of corrosion,many leaks and wear in various components and still justifiably pass the test.

The testers manual says the examiner should use their knowledge, experience and judgement to assess if the condition of a component has reached the stage where it’s obviously adversely affecting its functionality or likely to adversely affect the roadworthiness of the vehicle.No dismantling is allowed,corrosion should only be assessed using the blunt ended assessment tool and firm thumb pressure.

Anything covered over with trims or grease/underseal has to considered to be satisfactory and passed (although an advisory note covers your arse).

I think a lot of younger examiners are testing to a far higher standard than they should be,maybe it's because most of their testing is done on modern stuff that doesn't rot or drop fluids so anything a bit obscure throws them into a panic/cover my arse mode.

Finally if an unknown sheddy looking vehicle turned up for an MOT at my premises i would straight away be wary as to whether it was a Ministry plant (i don't know if they still do this) and be a bit more thorough and add more advisory notes than i would with a scuffy van that came in every year owned by a local builder.

So a 30 year old lhd diesel Citroen with bashed up bodywork /odd panels and a long expired mot would i suspect put many a tester into maximun ''cover my arse/over zealous'' mode.

 

[lesapandre]

The drop fluids bit is particularly true. Not many  50's to 80's (90's?) cars are going to be oil tight...XK engined Jaguars dropped oil from new and I can remember my dad's Austin Cambridge had a drip tray under it from new too. 

If you look at old b/w street scene pictures from years ago the kerb area was always a mass of dropped oil.

Its not environmentally good or particularly healthy having used engine oil in the environment but these are historic vehicles and should be judged by the standards of their times. 

 

[anonymous user]

I can remember the drip trays under the new cars in the showroom in the 1960s.

[Joey spud]

Then the Japanese arrived...

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, captain_70s said:

That fail doesn't look that bad.

A couple of ball joints, brake pipes, some dust covers and some leaks. The advisories can get fucked. The only real concern is the rot towards the arse end, the rest is just general wear and tear on a 35 year old car.

I wonder if the "leaks" could be cured by simply cleaning the components if it isn't dripping any noticeable fluid? I want to know what a "slightly defective" headlight lens is?

Yes for the 'leaks' a good wiping before MoT can do wonders. 

[Joey spud]

Any mot testers please don't take offence.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

I think Mr. van Delft is going to make an offer for Shonky.

[rickvw72]

Years ago I bought a VW T2 bay window camper. I got it running and took it to my local tester (I was an apprentice mechanic at the time).

I thought I’d get a failure list to work to.
 

On my return to collect it end of day, I got the 3 page fail certificate. Tester says “ive chalked the welding so you can see it”

Outside in the yard the guy had drawn a line all around the outside of the van, on the yard itself.

[LightBulbFun]

42 minutes ago, rickvw72 said:

Years ago I bought a VW T2 bay window camper. I got it running and took it to my local tester (I was an apprentice mechanic at the time).

I thought I’d get a failure list to work to.
 

On my return to collect it end of day, I got the 3 page fail certificate. Tester says “ive chalked the welding so you can see it”

Outside in the yard the guy had drawn a line all around the outside of the van, on the yard itself.

reminds of a very similar joke

you know its bad when the MOT man takes his chalk and just draws an out line around the car

[rainagain]

For the head lamps as they’re hard to get hold of, I’d be tempted to remove them and then clean them within an inch of their life. Polish the front and back to black the rear and then tell him they’re good second hand units. 

[simon8201]

4 hours ago, anonymous user said:

I can remember the drip trays under the new cars in the showroom in the 1960s.

As the son of a BL and RR dealer I can remember this in the seventies and eighties!