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[JamesV6CDX]

I was asked by SWMBO to look over her 2011 Astra J, prior to it's MOT this weekend.

We bought it directly from Eden Vauxhall 3 years ago. Paid over the odds - around £6,000 - but, it had one owner, 30k miles, etc, and was a good trouble free option. As part of the deal, it came with a "Lifetime Free MOT" at Eden dealerships. Of course, given my experience (and that of others) on here, I have always been highly suspicious of this, although it's not been an issue (until now). It's well known that main dealerships just do not apply discretion fairly, compared to other garages.

Anyhow, I had a look at the car, and other than a bulb which we changed, could not see anything wrong, other than the front tyres were a bit low on tread (although evenly worn). I measured them across the whole tyre, and although borderline - they are all 1.8+mm across the tread. So I say to her "you'll get an advisory on the tyres, but she should go through otherwise. Take it for the MOT and we'll get some tyres in the week".

To cut a long story short - they called her after the MOT. "Your car has failed, on the front tyres being under 1.6mm, and corrosion to a rear coil spring". She says to them "no worries, we'll come and pick it up, do the repairs, and bring it back for a retest".

"Sorry madam, we can't let you do that. The tyres are a "dangerous" MOT failure. The car is illegal to drive, so we are unable to release it to you until we change the tyres".

What an absolute bunch of lying, scheming sharks. Last time I checked, construction and use regulations were enforced on the roads by the police, not by car dealerships. Who are they to keep our vehicle?

Don't get me wrong - if there were a truly dangerous failure, like a broken wishbone, I'd get it, but.... a borderline tyre, which isn't even illegal anyway?

We are going to speak to them today, but if they want to continue to play silly beggars, I'm going to hire a car trailer from our local hire place (£35) and drag it away behind the Range Rover, and not give them the business over the principle!

I have found rear springs for just under £40 a corner, and they look remarkably easy to fit on this model... I'm guessing even for just two springs and two tyres, the stealership would absolutely spank us in the pocket?

Appreciate any views

[Viral_Jim]

As you say, it's a well known tactic to tout for business. My dad once had to sign a 'legal waiver' at shukers land rover to get their P38 back as the discs were "worn thin and dangerous" despite them not being able to tell him what thickness the discs were or what the minimum thickness was. But they were nevertheless adamant that overly thin discs could "crack or explode (!) Under heavy braking".

I'd be off down there to "discuss" at length with them, probably while leaving my car completely blocking the entrance to the dealership.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Id be down there asking to see the calibration certificate for the tyre gauge and then get them to show me where it's failed. If they can't do that, I'd be on the blower to DVSA and asking them to attend.

Be the biggest pain you can!

[Nick W]

As above, get them to show you why it's a failure and the paperwork why they can't let you drive it away.


Wear your work clothes when you do this...

[Marks DTM Calib]

I have to be quite straight here, putting a car in with tyres on the legal limit is asking for trouble, you are into measuring with a 5 quid DIY checker to a 10th of a mm, not surprised it failed to be quite honest.  (you may be surprised at the tyre price, nothing to lose by asking)

Corroded rear spring from my understanding is an advisory, its only a fail if broken, there are a few weasle words relating to 'seriously weakened' which is very 'wooly'

[JamesV6CDX]

I have to be quite straight here, putting a car in with tyres on the legal limit is asking for trouble, you are into measuring with a 5 quid DIY checker to a 10th of a mm, not surprised it failed to be quite honest.  (you may be surprised at the tyre price, nothing to lose by asking)

Corroded rear spring from my understanding is an advisory, its only a fail if broken, there are a few weasle words relating to 'seriously weakened' which is very 'wooly'

I don’t remotely disagree with you Mark. I share your view. Sadly, in the time I was given to check it, there wasn’t enough time to get tyres before the MOT.

You’re not entirely correct about a £5 device being used to measure it, though. It was the type that would hold up in court …..

[Nick W]

I have to be quite straight here, putting a car in with tyres on the legal limit is asking for trouble, you are into measuring with a 5 quid DIY checker to a 10th of a mm, not surprised it failed to be quite honest.  (you may be surprised at the tyre price, nothing to lose by asking)

I'd put money on James being more meticulous about his measurements than the tester.


It would be a really shitty gauge that's a whole 0.3mm out.


And 1.8mm is still legal, even if a firm advisory is in order along with some discreet selling up. The real problem here is the bullying attitude of the garage, instead of that. I've always been surprised by main dealer's prices on tyres - surprised by just how much more they charge than anybody else does. But the service advisor is just another salesman whose job is to get as much money out of you as they possibly can.

[YZ250]

The .gov website shows the wording below. If what the dealership is saying is true, surely they'd end up with a car park full of failed mot vehicles. Some mobile tyre fitters are reasonably priced, you could book one of them to turn up and add another vehicle to their chaos. 
The wording will cover garages that do not have repair facilities.

Taking your vehicle away for repairs
You can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid.

If your MOT has run out you can take your vehicle to:

have the failed defects fixed
a pre-arranged MOT test appointment
In both cases, your vehicle still needs to meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times or you can be fined.

[henryd]

I have to be quite straight here, putting a car in with tyres on the legal limit is asking for trouble, you are into measuring with a 5 quid DIY checker to a 10th of a mm, not surprised it failed to be quite honest.  (you may be surprised at the tyre price, nothing to lose by asking)

Corroded rear spring from my understanding is an advisory, its only a fail if broken, there are a few weasle words relating to 'seriously weakened' which is very 'wooly'

I don’t remotely disagree with you Mark. I share your view. Sadly, in the time I was given to check it, there wasn’t enough time to get tyres before the MOT.

You’re not entirely correct about a £5 device being used to measure it, though. It was the type that would hold up in court …..

Its still a £5 tool they use though

[Marks DTM Calib]

I have to be quite straight here, putting a car in with tyres on the legal limit is asking for trouble, you are into measuring with a 5 quid DIY checker to a 10th of a mm, not surprised it failed to be quite honest.  (you may be surprised at the tyre price, nothing to lose by asking)

Corroded rear spring from my understanding is an advisory, its only a fail if broken, there are a few weasle words relating to 'seriously weakened' which is very 'wooly'

I don’t remotely disagree with you Mark. I share your view. Sadly, in the time I was given to check it, there wasn’t enough time to get tyres before the MOT.

You’re not entirely correct about a £5 device being used to measure it, though. It was the type that would hold up in court …..

It wouldn't hold up in court, not a chance, your arguing about measurement deltas to which the measurement devices cannot work at.

For example, even a PCL (half decent quality) manual device is only specified to +/- 0.25mm accuracy, the digital ones 0.2mm 

To me its a fair cop, needs tyres, just get it out the garage (which you are entitled to do and they cannot stop you doing), sort, and return for retest (as its always good to rub salt in the wound) 

Clearly with the work you do/did, best doing so inside the law so trailer might be advised.

[Raeturbo]

Get a wheel with a just legal tyre on from the scrapie’s or borrow one, and fit the spare, then take it away (bloody bastards)

[Rangie]

Go in demand your keys & drive out dodgy bastards.

[johnnydog]

I agree with Marks observation that you left the margins a little fine on the tyres, especially knowing that new tyres would fitted, had it passed, soon after the test, with them as you say being only 0.2mm over the legal limit. Did you actually measure absolutely all the way round each tyres circumference and across their whole width, to ensure there wasn't any area of tread that may have actually got down to 1.6mm?
Many franchised dealers will now match tyre quotes from other tyre outfits for like for like tyres. It would have to be a quote from a tyre supplier and fitter, not an online supplier where you have to arrange fitting yourself.
Although their actions may have left a bitter taste, if they won't match any quotes, you haven't lost anything in taking it away as it is, and then doing the springs (if you consider it necessary) and tyres elsewhere prior to a retest.
If you have got the evidence that the tyres were in fact still  legal, and that your 'corroded' spring isn't severely weakened, I'd love to be a 'fly on the wall' when you go in to put your case forward....

[Andy B]

.....
Did you actually measure absolutely all the way round each tyres circumference and across their whole width, to ensure there wasn't any area of tread that may have actually got down to 1.6mm? .....

legally it only needs to be across the middle 3/4's of the tyre

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-safe#:~:text=Tyre%20tread,and%20passenger%2Dcarrying%20vehicles%20%2D%201mm

Tyre tread
Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle:

cars, light vans and light trailers - 1.6 millimetres (mm)
motorcycles, large vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles - 1mm
Mopeds only need to have visible tread.

There must be tread across the middle three-quarters and around the entire tyre.

[Andy B]

Not at a main dealer, but a MOT station I used a lot, but if I knew that something iffy before hand I've pointed it out first asked the tester if it was even worth beginning the test.