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[Gaffers]

I had my S-Type fail it's MOT last weekend due to "Mandatory wing mirror cover missing" and it was given a code 001.  Now I have checked all the VOSA information I can gather and nothing mentions that the mirror cover is mandatory just that there should be not sharp edges from damage or corrosion.  The car was side-swiped by a lorry recently and it knocked the cover off although the mirror itself didn't break. 

I checked it myself and none of the edges are sharp and none are really protruding to the point where they could cause injury.  Do I have a case for an appeal to VOSA, should I?  I know I could just slap on a new cover and get it passed but if they have made an error of judgement then I would consider fighting it.

Thoughts from the masses? 

[Kevin Wood]

That doesn't sound right to me. As far as I can see you can only fail on mirrors if they are missing or damaged / insecure such that the view is impaired. Furthermore, you only need 2 mirrors in total, so assuming your internal rear view mirror and one of your door mirrors is present...

I know a colleague got through with a heavily "duck taped" door mirror recently.

[Bigron]

Stick a Tupperware bowl over it and save yourself some aggro!
Also, if you fight them, you may not be welcome for any future MOTs?

Ron.

[zirk]

I know a colleague got through with a heavily "duck taped" door mirror recently.

Tried that in my youth, with a dodgy Tyre, never got through the MOT though. 

[Gaffers]

Stick a Tupperware bowl over it and save yourself some aggro!
Also, if you fight them, you may not be welcome for any future MOTs?

Ron.

Thought about that but Jag drivers have certain standrds to maintain, wot wot.   

Besides, they have lost me now for other reasons so I do not envisage going back.  Either way I leave the UK middle of next year my give-a-carp-o-meter about burning bridges there is pretty low

[tunnie]

Did you ever sort the XJ-R you had?

[Gaffers]

Did you ever sort the XJ-R you had?

Kitty went on to a new owner a few weeks ago.  Gutted I didn't have the time to get her back on the road.

[neil74]

My sisters astra just passed with its nearside mirror cover missing. but it did fail on the flexi joint in the exhaust and both track rods had excessive play .

[TheBoy]

The 001 just means its the first item on failure list I believe...

[ronnyd]

The 001 just means its the first item on failure list I believe...

Correct.

[Gaffers]

Well, I slapped on a new wing mirror cover and took it the get the headlights checked (somewhere else).  "They are if anything a little too high"  he said.  "Shall I bring them down?".  I told them no thanks, took it back for a retest at the original place and hey presto, no problem with the headlight aim height despite having not touched it.  So, is it:

a)  defective testing equipment,
b) operator error,
c) one of those subjective items that testers use to get an extra cheeky tenner out of a test fee,
d) an assumption that I have fixed it, tester can't be arris'd to check it, just ticks a box and goes back to his fag break?

[TD]

Well, I slapped on a new wing mirror cover and took it the get the headlights checked (somewhere else).  "They are if anything a little too high"  he said.  "Shall I bring them down?".  I told them no thanks, took it back for a retest at the original place and hey presto, no problem with the headlight aim height despite having not touched it.  So, is it:

a)  defective testing equipment,
b) operator error,
c) one of those subjective items that testers use to get an extra cheeky tenner out of a test fee,
d) an assumption that I have fixed it, tester can't be arris'd to check it, just ticks a box and goes back to his fag break?

I thought, on a retest the tester only checks what he failed previously......

The garage I take my car to for servicing/repairs has a laser guided alignment tester for the headlight aim....

The garage I have to take it too for an MOT (council approved) has a cracked lens in their ancient headlight tester and has been like that for years.....but it seems VOSA doesn't object to it (as they must have had inspections over the years!)

[Gaffers]

Well, I slapped on a new wing mirror cover and took it the get the headlights checked (somewhere else).  "They are if anything a little too high"  he said.  "Shall I bring them down?".  I told them no thanks, took it back for a retest at the original place and hey presto, no problem with the headlight aim height despite having not touched it.  So, is it:

a)  defective testing equipment,
b) operator error,
c) one of those subjective items that testers use to get an extra cheeky tenner out of a test fee,
d) an assumption that I have fixed it, tester can't be arris'd to check it, just ticks a box and goes back to his fag break?

I thought, on a retest the tester only checks what he failed previously......

The garage I take my car to for servicing/repairs has a laser guided alignment tester for the headlight aim....

The garage I have to take it too for an MOT (council approved) has a cracked lens in their ancient headlight tester and has been like that for years.....but it seems VOSA doesn't object to it (as they must have had inspections over the years!)

It originally failed not just for the mirror cover but for headlight aim low on both sides.  Sorry, should have made that clear.

[TD]

Well, I slapped on a new wing mirror cover and took it the get the headlights checked (somewhere else).  "They are if anything a little too high"  he said.  "Shall I bring them down?".  I told them no thanks, took it back for a retest at the original place and hey presto, no problem with the headlight aim height despite having not touched it.  So, is it:

a)  defective testing equipment,
b) operator error,
c) one of those subjective items that testers use to get an extra cheeky tenner out of a test fee,
d) an assumption that I have fixed it, tester can't be arris'd to check it, just ticks a box and goes back to his fag break?

I thought, on a retest the tester only checks what he failed previously......

The garage I take my car to for servicing/repairs has a laser guided alignment tester for the headlight aim....

The garage I have to take it too for an MOT (council approved) has a cracked lens in their ancient headlight tester and has been like that for years.....but it seems VOSA doesn't object to it (as they must have had inspections over the years!)

It originally failed not just for the mirror cover but for headlight aim low on both sides.  Sorry, should have made that clear.

Ah ok....Then it could be A or B, but then again the second place you took it to, could also be A or B