MOT Pass

Just been quoted £95 total to blast and coat 2 trailing arms and 2 king pins.

They are specialists who won’t stuff up the machined surfaces. Cost then is in dismantling and reinstating. You’ll probably end up with new backplates and wheel bearings.

I’d clean up yourself for now. And keep an eye out for a decent secondhand pair you can have blasted etc and swap in later at your leisure.
 
My z3 has failed it's mot due to rear trailing arm rusted through, damaged covering allowing deterioration to go unnoticed. Struggling to find secondhand parts that are any better. BMW price astonishing £1500 plus vat each. Looks like it's going to be scrapped
 
Ian Hornby said:
My z3 has failed it's mot due to rear trailing arm rusted through, damaged covering allowing deterioration to go unnoticed. Struggling to find secondhand parts that are any better. BMW price astonishing £1500 plus vat each. Looks like it's going to be scrapped
Click to expand...
@Lee may be able to help as he has a project underway that may reveal spare parts.
 
I’m taking a pair of trailing arms off at the moment. Well I’m stripping the whole tail end.

Perfectly doable but you have to be very patient and persistent to get the bolts out.

I’m doing it piecemeal rather than dropping the whole axle as I don’t want to touch the exhaust.

You should clean up any replacement arms regardless of how solid they are. Otherwise you may get an MOT advisory just for surface rust. That’s why I’m doing mine at the moment. The car is rock solid but there’s more and more ar*e covering going on with surface rust these days
 
If you're unhappy with the outcome of an MOT test, even if it passes you can complain to the DVSA.

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
If you're unhappy with the outcome of an MOT test, even if it passes you can complain to the DVSA.

Tony.
Click to expand...

I reported an MOT station earlier this year for falsifying work, Caught them red handed.
 
t-tony said:
If you're unhappy with the outcome of an MOT test, even if it passes you can complain to the DVSA.

Tony.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure where the blame lays. But I do know there are very different standards around with what gets noted as an advisory for surface rust.

I’ve used the garage for years and I’m reluctant to stop going there. But they have a new tester who does things very differently to the old one.

In fairness they have offered to do a free pre-MOT to flag advisories so I can rectify them before it’s recorded at the test.
 
Is the new tester just that, a "new" tester?

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
Is the new tester just that, a "new" tester?

Tony.
Click to expand...
Yes he is. Fresh out of training school. I was told as I am an enthusiast he thought he’d put down everything he possibly could to help me identify necessary work as well! I had a long conversation with the workshop manager who I know well and that’s when he offered the free pre-MOT.
 
There's one where I worked who is still the same Rob, advises corrosion on coil springs, amongst many others. Bloody pointless.

Tony.
 
Surely all mot testers should be singing off the same hymn sheet? Where's the fairness if you have one doing one thing and one another.
 
The vast majority of the MOT outcome is down the testers experience and opinion, as in any walk of life people have differing opinions.

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
There's one where I worked who is still the same Rob, advises corrosion on coil springs, amongst many others. Bloody pointless.

Tony.
Click to expand...
Rear beam, trailing arms & springs. He goes to town for a mere hint of surface rust. The workshop manager says he understands what I’m saying but can’t interfere. And because he’s so efficient and does a good job he’s going nowhere.

The bottom line for me is my cars are well maintained and safe. But the MOT record now suggests otherwise. Meantime a rust bucket taken somewhere else has no advisories.

One of my cars went from 0 advisories in 2017 under the old tester to 13 in 2018 under the new one.
 
mrscalex said:
Rear beam, trailing arms & springs. He goes to town for a mere hint of surface rust. The workshop manager says he understands what I’m saying but can’t interfere. And because he’s so efficient and does a good job he’s going nowhere.

The bottom line for me is my cars are well maintained and safe. But the MOT record now suggests otherwise. Meantime a rust bucket taken somewhere else has no advisories.

One of my cars went from 0 advisories in 2017 under the old tester to 13 in 2018 under the new one.
Click to expand...

2 things you can do, complain to DVSA or, accept it. The garage owner cannot say anything to the tester as when he is testing a vehicle he is technically working for the government.

Tony.
 
t-tony said:
2 things you can do, complain to DVSA or, accept it. The garage owner cannot say anything to the tester as when he is testing a vehicle he is technically working for the government.

Tony.
Click to expand...
The garage is honourable and the tester is too. I otherwise have a good relationship and wouldn’t want to spoil it.

But the test allows a wide variation in interpretation.

Anyway, back to the OP’s issue. Find a decent pair and clean them up before fitting!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top