M.O.T @ £9.99 would you be tempted...
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My car needs an M.O.T and i have to see my local free paper a local garage advertising m.o.t at £9.99 so i'm thinking how fantastic what a bargain, it is normally pay £50!
Car is 5 years old now and it sailed thru the the m.o.t twice so i'm all booked in at the garage.
Why am i apprehensive? Am i getting worried for no reason? It sounds to good to be true!
All sorts of things going thru my head why and how can they afford it, will they end up doing something to my car so i can get it repaired there and they can give me a hefty bill.... or is it they just looking for new business in this climate. They also have special offers on servicing etc.
Should i be worried? Would you book in when its that price or would you be like myself a bit dubious?
Responses (8)
Didn't think it would be under travel, flights & holidays but anyway...
I would call in and ask simple questions such as why this promotion is much cheaper than the normal price and ask to see how the whole contents of the MOT test
Thanks cs i did and it seemed genuine they said if it failed and needed something done they would price it and if i got it done by them its still the £9.99 and whatever i needed if i go elsewhere to get it repaired i can do that but pay another £9.99 for a re-test which is still cheaper and it is a full m.o.t taking an hour to do!
I also checked reviews online not from their website and there were only 12 but very good...
Many rears ago I had a Ford Sierra (I know) which ran as smooth as anything. After taking it to a 'cheap' MOT place they informed me that my front shocks were leaking and recommended replacement as a precautionary measure. I agreed as I was driving quite a bit each week and needed my car. After they changed the shocks it ran as smoothly as an unbalanced washing machine. I asked them to put my own shocks back on but they then claimed that they had to cut them off and had binned them. Eventually I had to accept a set of shocks that were still not as good as the originals. Now I always use a reputable garage (I hope) and don't look for the cheapest. The guys running that garage were put out of business (jailed) after many customers complained of being ripped off for unnecessay repairs.
Does that sort of thing still happen?
I used to hear about it but i thought it happened less and less i am a bit worried to say the least...
It's in a new industrial estate which i thought it might be cheap as its a new business but you can never tell who's at it as they say...
Its happening more and more...
The government needs to bite the bullet and regulate garages as most of them are a con and I speak from considerable experience.
It could well be a 'loss leader' Serena to bring new business in but I have my doubts. I am always cautious about the motor trade ( having worked in it ) and even with my lease car, I have seen the most fabulous rip offs carried out under warranty, just to generate income. I can only comment that the motor trade, in general, is there to generate income. You know the old saying, if it's too good to be true, it probably isn't. An hours' work for an MOT is unbelievably low for motor trade labour prices and I can only assume it's a leverage point to get repair work in. But I would say that every MOT station has the same option. MOT's, per se, and at normal prices, are a great earner as they are routine and simply labour intensive although the testing machines are incredibly expensive to buy ( particularly for carbon emissions ) and the bottom line is that £9.99 must simply be a new business generator as business is incredibly short for garages right now.
I'm so in two minds over this, Snoopy! Help! Will i take the risk and go for it?
There is other garages nearby also cheap not quite at £9.99 but £19.99. I usually need to travel and leave the car for a few hours at the other place at £50. This would be so handy I'm really stuck on this snoopy...
Have a look at this link Serena ...
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot
Check out the recommendation for 'Hidden Council MOT Centres'.
That was fantastic snoopy! I'm so glad you forwarded me the link as where it is booked in was on the website and a member goes to it and paid £15 at that time there and has never failed and his friend she goes every year never has failed an M.O.T!
Thank you Snoopy this has reassured me!!
The council run MOT stations sound like an excellent option. This is what happens in France where centres for the MOT equivalent (controle technique) are government run and do not do any repairs. You pay a fixed price and are given a recommendation for any repairs that should be done and those that must be done. You can then shop around for the repairs to be done.
Thanks sidesalad. I did notice that and checked it out last night and it was too far from where i am and it was quite expensive but it was the distance that was causing the problem to get to the nearest council station.
Snoops is spot on (as usual).
Hi serena1 i have a story similar to Sealate's below. Years ago when i first started in business i used to have my Renault van MOT'd by a main dealer and was always faced with a steep bill to replace some expensive part or another. After a chance conversation i was recommended to a small MOT station who only did MOT's and small repairs and then went 5 or 6 years without anything needing to be done. I learnt my lesson. Luckily now a neighbours son has set up his own business and i take all of my cars to him. Despite the average age of my cars being over 20 - if it aint broke don't fix it - they very rarely fail on anything as they are so well looked after.
I too would be dubious of a £9.99 offer unless i knew the place. Best thing to do with something like this is to get recommendations from friends, ask who they use and are they satisfied.
But at least if you did go there and were unhappy about the work they say needs to be done on your car then you can always take it elsewhere for a 2nd opinion and are only £10 down!!
Hope your car passes. Please let us know the outcome, we're all rooting for both you and your car. :-)
I hope you have read my new thread above i would be interested in hearing your views on it, Bonz.
How very appropriate - if it ain't broke, don't fix it - which is why I'm so suspicious of offers like this. All the same, Serena seems to have found a genuinely good one. Good luck.
They wont carry out any other work without your consent so it looks like you have found a real good buy.
Thanks noddy. The owner said he can do it at this price as he receives the volume and he did indeed! He had a manager and about 8 boys so it was busy enough.
I presume you passed??
If so you had a right result, an MOT for £10 well done :-)
Difficult to see how he can make any money at that price. An MOT done properly takes about 45 mins, so if he only gets £10 that's minimum wage for the mechanic and a £5'er for his overheads!!
Which garage serena?
Not down in Thornliebank is it by any chance - what a bunch of chancers - they certainly changed their tune when i went in to complain in my police uniform! hehe
The best garage to go to is Eaglesham - very honest and reliable or if you dont mind slightly higher prices a place in East Kilbride.
I have used all the garages in Glasgow and most are a ripofff.
The £9.99 is just a con to get customers in - garages like that will usually find a fault even if the car doesnt have a fault!
I have been there!
Little tip - get onto ebay and buy that parts and take them to the garage - For instance - new petrol tank for my rover £150 - ebay £48 - New brake shoes £70 - ebay £15.
Hope that helps!
Yes Omen it is at the spiersbridge roundabout (car care)...
I do like a policeman's uniform...lol!
Thanks for the tip buying the parts and getting a garage to do it but i do need to sort it out soon as m.o.t only has about a week i think...
Like i said i struck up a rapport with the actual owner and we knew so many people in common and my friend tyre place in busby gives me good price for my tyres and I've sent so many of my clients there and given so much business and explained this to this guy he now wants my business and therefore giving me a good deal. So i can send folk his way...
I do honestly believe i need brake pads and suspension as the cracked wheel and my car not driving right since so i knew it in the back of my mind.
Incidentally, what garage in eaglesham as i do not know eaglesham at all...
Yip car care is the one tried to rip me off!
Shoddy mechanics on the fiddle as suspected.
He left his mercedes smartkey in the hire car they gave me - i was so angry with them that i chucked his smartkey in the river!
Mention it to him he will probably remember me!
If its the same guy - bit of a gray spaniardo/italo looking git with black curly hair by any chance?
No its a guy about 50s small, heavy, glasses strawberry blonde hair(pc)...
Sorry that should have been greasy not gray and he had black hair.
Obviously i was dealing with one of the other guys.
Cant really remember it was quite a while ago but i wouldnt go back!
I do know an absolutely honest and brilliant Merc garage in East Kilbride.
Pricey but they do a great job and one of the only ones i would ever take my car to if i couldnt ifix it myself - which rarely happens! Did I mention there is nothing like spending a day covered in oil under a car in the wind and rain on a saturday!
>)
Ok back to the drawing board for me!!! Aaarrgggh!! Lol
After having a sleepless night on this matter. I did go today to the garage and was impressed i did wait in the waiting area and was so put at ease when i saw many vulnerable customers coming back to pick up cars and so many sailed thru and paid the £9.99 and was delighted wish it was the same for myself!!
I get a re-test free regardless of where i get the work done. What it has failed on i did expect as those of you that on the forum regularly will have noticed my posting on the potholes which i hit on a rainy day about 4 weeks ago. It seems not only have i got the cracked alloy thats twice in the same wheel in the matter of months! Well there has been further damage as i gathered to the suspension last year both front arms on both sides needed replaced due to the conditions of the roads. Now i need nearside front lower (front arm), offside front lower (front arm), offside front lower (rear arm) and front brake pads!!
I usually need front brake pads every year. I am quoted £90 + vat for brake pads and 3 x suspension arms £92 + vat.
I actually got talking to the owner and it turned out we knew so many friends in common and the garage i normally use for tyres he is in cahoots with! So he is was being very friendly to have my business. He did not pressure me whatsoever and actually gave me the invoice regarding costs and his words were confidently "go and shop around, I've given you a good deal and i will hear from you on monday". I came home and called my usual garage needless to say he sounded a bit miffed he didn't actually need to say it but i explained it was £9.99 mot and close to my house. His prices were higher and when i told him the other prices he said he couldn't match it as i wouldn't be worth it so i proceeded to call the owner of the garage and charmed him and asked if it was the genuine parts and he assures me it is as i was sitting i did hear the guys saying to the other customers that too. The car i drive is a Mercedes C200 cdi and it is now 5 years old. The guy has no doubt it was the roads that have caused this damage and will give me a receipt explaining it for my documentation to the council if need be and i asked how long will the work take and he said he will give me a run about car so that i can do my clients and i think he has taken a liking to me and never seen him as much as giving any other customer the same service shall we say...
I need to make a decision over the weekend and I'm getting a good vibe but it is a lot of money what do you all think? Times like these being single is a nightmare if i had a husband partner etc i wouldn't be so confused!
Do you think this is reasonable?
I build kit cars and rebuild cars for a hobby and those prices are not bad at all - you could find cheaper on ebay thats what i do and have saved about £2000 in the last 2 years.
Yes husbands are sometimes handy when it comes to DIY and Car mechanics - some can even do the mechanics as well - not many but some!!!
>;o)
lol
Dont say im not good to you.
Brake pads
Suspension arm
Don't forget he's quoting for all work including labour. Either he is very good or he knows you are available ( I mean that in the nicest possible sense)
No i think thats only parts!
You may be right but my experience is they quote the cost. But good question. Ask!!!
I was sure it was the total cost parts and labour but i will confirm mon morning! He is giving me a good price and says his mark up is 6% and he can afford to do this as he gets the volume of customers in the door...
We did struck up a rapport and when i called him after i got back on fri tea time he was closed but kept me chatting on the phone for half an hour and i now know he is single, has an Alsatian dog and i know the street he says in near me... Oh dear... lol!
He assures me its merc genuine parts and when I've called merc garage their quote was £140 for the arms and £169 for brake pads and my other garage that I've used in the last 5 years is £120 for arms and £95 for brake pads.
Omen, that is really good idea to buy the parts and get a mechanic to fit them. I will look into that tomo or i don't know whether to go ahead with car care...
Oh and when i got off the phone to car care fri i asked how long the job would take he jumped in don't worry i will give you a car to run about in....
What's your views Omen, Sealate and bonz or anyone else?
You must be on for a shag there methinks!
Better make sure its not sale or return!
lol
I am sure for that price he will definitely expect something more!
Now if he looks like Gerard Butler you are onto a winner!
Alsatian dog - perfect - means he is a bit of a mans man!
Sounds pretty good!
Only other question is does he have a large or small watch?
Lol!!!
Definitely no chance of that!! Shall we say not my type... You have to see this guy...
Yes but he might have a nice personality or a humungously erect weenis!!!!
>;o)
Having met him sadly he is just a flaccid little cock in my opinion!
>;o)
Oh my Omen!!!
Wait till the girls read this tomo!!! Lol!!!
I contact the garage and i was told it's GSF A.T.E products which is suitable for my car so now i'm not sure what to do £92 + vat x 3 for suspension arms and £90 + vat for brake pads so at £440 for parts and labour so its not the genuine mercedes parts as i thought initially so i wonder if this is still a good price...
I've not committed myself as time is running out i will contact another garage...
Just order it off ebay - I gave you the links and take it into Eaglesham garage with the parts -= he will check mind you and the parts might not actually be necessary - never heard of so many arms needing replaced at the one time - should only be two?
The brake pads are only a few quid and brake pads are brake pads.
Knew it wouldnt be genuine merc parts!
So he basically lied - lol
If you need to save money the ebay parts are fine - but if you can splash the cash then genuine merc parts guarantee peace of mind!
I've contacted the Eaglesham garage today and they were very keen to get me in but he also says he doesn't use Merc parts but says his parts are £140 inc vat for each arm and £150 for labour but i might take it in just to make sure I do need the whole three arms done as last year it was a cracked wheel and both suspension arms! I suppose I can go and let them price it I just don't want to be under any obligation...
As I said before if you are strapped for cash take the car to Eaglesham - get a quote and in particular exactly what parts are required - part numbers etc then go to ebay and buy em or i can help and search for the right ones you will save quite a bit./
Did you even look at the links i pasted????????? - it was only £32 per arm!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
>:-(
I am afraid mercs are expensive for parts - always have been always will be - you shoul dhave bought a Rover or a Vauxhall!!!
lol
>;O)
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