MOT Nightmare.

[F Body]

Took the old Gal for an MOT on Monday, she had covered 629 miles in the last 12 months
I have used the same Garage for ten years now, although they failed Jamie's Camaro for corrosion, which after following his rebuild thread could be classed as an understatement

Now as usual I changed the red american spec rear lights to the euro spec orange rear lights (here is a picture from years ago)

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So I leave it with them all day and I get a phone call, need to talk to you about you car ???

Do you have any evidence to support the mileage, yes thanks more evidence than just about any other car on the road ! Why ???
Well if we enter a low mileage into the DOT computer system now, it has to be justified WTF !
It seems that the previous 10 MOT's don't count anyone

We also have a major problem with your number plates ? So despite it passing numerious previous MOT's, they now pick up the spacing
The regisitration legally is FBZ 28, however it has always been spaced FB Z28 for obvious reasons.
So not wanting to get into a pissing match, I said no problem I have a spare set of plates (lying) I can come down and change them. It's not the only problem he said ?
The letters are not the same size ?  Now this number plate has been on the car 9 years I think (years old picture)

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He say's that the "Z" is bigger than the other letters ? I get down on my knees and honestly tell him, I can't see any difference ??????
He says well I have measured them all and the "Z" is 1.2mm bigger WFT
So I say well what is legal allowance, he say's there isn't one and shows me the computer screen which states "All the numbers and letters must be the same height".
We then move onto the front number plate, illegal size, illegal letters, illegal spacing, again passed since fitting :

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So I say do you appreciate that the car was made in US where a front number plate would not be fitted and with the air intakes it is impossible to fit a larger number plate without blocking the flow ?
Basically no

We then move onto the front left light, it looks like the car has been in a major accident !  I can assure that it has never been in an accident
What's the problem ??
The light beam is all wrong, it looks like it's pointing down.
Well it's never be hit and looks fine on the road in the dark, Oh he say's may be the light housing has warped in the sunshine over the last few years ?
What whilst it's parked in a windows less garage under a tight fitting cover unless it was outsdie doing 629 miles over the last 12 months.


I ask him to show me the beam pattern on the alignment m/c, but he say's he hasn't got time due to other bookings.

So the next comments floor me

If you say that you will change the number plates and fix the light, I will pass it

So has the current computerized system really removed all variation
Do you have to verify the mileage

Fair cop on the number plate spacing, but I just don't understand the headlight beam issue, it looks fine on the garage wall from about four meters (i.e matches the left side)

[art b]

bloody hell what a day ...

is it a new mot inspector...

[art b]

unbeliveable...

when ya see some of the pos on the road....

[F Body]

Quoting: art b

is it a new mot inspector..

No but me thinks they have had a VOSA inspection or similar, he wouldn't sign it off until I was sat in it with engine running !

[Cunning Plan]

Wow



Was it a new tester?

Is the garage under new management?

It sounds like jealously in that he was trying desperately to find something wrong with the car, so he does not have to pass it.

I have not heard anything about low mileage cars being further questioned?

Name and shame the garage chap so that we know not to go there!

[Roadkill]

What a dumbass.

Questioning the validity of the mileage when clearly you'd only done 600 since the last one !

Just sounds like the poor ****** didn't get his end away last night and wants everyone else to suffer.

[art b]

my tame mot tester,
is not so fussy ...

[FUBAR]

Damn he must have really been in a Bad mood that day!!!

What a frikken Tool

[Cunning Plan]

Why are you up at 01:07am?

[Andy]

Name and shame?

I'd report the mileage thing to Vosa as that sounds like bollocks. What right does he have to make you validate the mileage or even be expected to keep a record. It is what it bloody is!

[Jamieg285]

It was a different MOT tester there when I had mine done this year.  No comment was made about my pressed metal plates, but that maybe because he didn't get that far after failing it on the rust.

Was it Tim or Mr Vass that did yours?  (can't remember his first name - the actual owner who I'd hardly ever seen before).

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Why are you up at 01:07am?

Thats fairly normal, but yesterday it was because I didn't get in from work until 12:45

[F Body]

Quoting: Jamieg285

Was it Tim or Mr Vass that did yours?

Mr Vass who isn't the happiest chappy in the world

[art b]

mr vass would be a little less happy if you report him to vosa for a lack of consistancy ....

then he would have to go and do a vosa examination,
and possibly get points on his mot license ...they dont like an appeal ...

id be looking for a mot station that actually appreciate good cars..

they must also have too much time on their hands,
if they have time to measure a letter thats 1mm too big,
and then talk bollocks about a light fitting.....daft cants...

time for a letter to vosa....

[Jamieg285]

Quoting: F Body

Mr Vass who isn't the happiest chappy in the world

Agree, he's a miserable bugger and is putting me off going back there again.

I'll have to find another site when the time comes.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: F Body

He says well I have measured them all and the "Z" is 1.2mm bigger

Thinking about this . . . what measuring device did he use to measure it ?

Even a steel rule @ 21*C is only +/- 1mm.  To get to 0.2mm you'd need a vernier and that won't work across a flat surface !

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

a vernier and that won't work across a flat surface

Why does it not work?

You can just place it on something and move the 'claws' to the top and bottom of the object to be measured?

[art b]

Quoting: Roadkill

Thinking about this . . . what measuring device did he use to measure it ?

his knob....

[Roadkill]

CP, that relies entirely on his opinion of where the letter starts and finishes.

He probably used a tape measure and guessed it from there ..... He's probably not far wrong but he's certainly not right and couldn't claim that level of accuracy .....

[Cunning Plan]

Quoting: Roadkill

CP, that relies entirely on his opinion of where the letter starts and finishes.

Right, I understand now as there is no physical 'start' point that he can 'leaver' against.

Quoting: Roadkill

He's probably not far wrong but he's certainly not right and couldn't claim that level of accuracy ....

Yes and considering some of the number plates out on the road, FBody's is clear and tidy, almost stock, apart from the horizontal spacing, I would have said it was a normal number plate. It certainly is not a reason to fail the car.


So, FBody, what is going on now?