Omega Owners Forum
Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: atann on 19 February 2017, 23:12:04
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My normal mechanic wants to charge me £55, but Mr Clutch has an offer for £22, with no commitment to have any work done with them. With MOT's being so strict these days, does it make any difference which tester you use?
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For many years my cars were MOT'd at full price at a place that don't do repairs..... I was quite happy to pay that. He's since dropped his prices from the max he's allowed to charge.
The choice is yours :y
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I been using the same MOT Man for 8 Years, he charges me £35 per test, we have built up a relationship, so how can I say this, when it comes to minor fails that can be rectified by myself.............. it may need retesting......
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My normal mechanic wants to charge me £55, but Mr Clutch has an offer for £22, with no commitment to have any work done with them. With MOT's being so strict these days, does it make any difference which tester you use?
absolutely, this is why kwik*hit etc offer tempting prices -they will find all sorts of faults that a decent mot place won't. ideally find a place that only does mots i.e. doesn't do repairs then they have no incentive to pick faults
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Yep, my local village garage charge the full price, and I don't mind paying it because that's a reasonable sum for getting on for an hour of his time, the use of a 4 post lift in a warm workshop, a brake tester, emissions tester and so on.
More importantly, he's completely honest, knows that any advisories he gives me will be rectified next time he sees the car and therefore I don't get any hassle unless I deserve it. ;D
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Exactly the same here Kevin, and I'm more than happy to pay £50 for the privilege. He is also a top class mechanic and will give me advice, and even occasionally loan me tools when needed.
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Exactly as above, I happily pay the £48, knowing hes not trying to make work for himself.
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Lucky UK
We had to pay 90 Euro here for MOT (called TUEV here). The price is the same everywhere.
I always go to the same workshop. We know each other, it is a friendly atmosphere there, even the boss knows, I never will give my Omegas there to repair. But he accepts me as a self made man and no TUEV report will be followed by any repair order.
TUEV certifications in Germany are not given by workshops, but most workshops have contracts with free certificated experts. These experts are visiting the workshops every week and do the examination.
Of course you can go to organisations like TUEV or Dekra directly. The price is the same, but you stand in a long row of cars waiting to be tested.
Workshop testing is more comfortably, because you get a fixed time and you do not have to wait for hours.
Rolf
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I would say that a good relationship with your MOT tester is more important than price.
Although I am classed as Motor Trade, I never ask for a discount and pay £40 for my tests. I also go to a testing centre that is very strict, but due to the mileage we cover, I am happy to know that the car is in tip top condition. However, what makes the big difference to me is that my MOT guy will allow me to accompany him when doing the test, and he will point out to me various unrelated mot aspects that may or may not need attention at some point soon, and will allow me to rectify anything if needed. He is not afraid to fail something in front of me either.
For that, I am happy to pay the price - its quite a small one given a years ticket and a second set of eyes
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My MOT bloke won't test the Westfield without my help. ;D
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My mot place is a good relaxed atmosphere and the guys there only do mots no repair work carried out(apart from minor bulbs on the spot)
I have used them since they opened a couple of years ago and have taken friends cars there he used to be the owner of the garage who looked after SWMBO Omega when we had it
If something needs failing it will but if not then your good to go and for a Mere £39 im safe in the knowledge im well looked after (bonus free tea/coffee & Wifi) :y
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Parking brake: efficiency below requirements.
It that because I never use it? Never have on all my auto cars, as park is more than adequate?
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Yep. Mechanism seizes if not used and can be a pain to rectify. As for Park being more than adequate - to my knowledge its a small metal peg, holding 1700kgs. ;)
Having said all of that. I don't always use my parking brake either. ;D
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Parking brake: efficiency below requirements.
It that because I never use it? Never have on all my auto cars, as park is more than adequate?
It's not very good even when adjusted properly, which many mechanics struggle with for some reason. And as you say, rarely using it doesn't help.
At least the parts are cheap; new shoes and cable are about £25 each, if simple adjustment isn't enough.
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Parking brake: efficiency below requirements.
It that because I never use it? Never have on all my auto cars, as park is more than adequate?
Was that a reason for failure or just an advisory?
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I use my trusted local main Vauxhall dealer and enjoy my trade discount with them; MOT £27.
My car has never failed with them either. :y
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Parking brake: efficiency below requirements.
It that because I never use it? Never have on all my auto cars, as park is more than adequate?
Was that a reason for failure or just an advisory?
He says below efficiency requirement. So that'll be a fail.
So (having had this numerous times), check mech at each drum is free, check cable free, then adjust as per the guide
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Still in the shop, rear calliper sent away to be refurbished. New rear pads, Rear brake pipes needed changing. Brakes have been rubbish since I bought the car.
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Parking brake: efficiency below requirements.
It that because I never use it? Never have on all my auto cars, as park is more than adequate?
Simple - use it or lose it ;)
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I pay £35 and usually get to play MOT tester alongside him doing the lights and fast idle test
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Still in the shop, rear calliper sent away to be refurbished. New rear pads, Rear brake pipes needed changing. Brakes have been rubbish since I bought the car.
How will any of that make the parking brake work better?
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Still in the shop, rear calliper sent away to be refurbished. New rear pads, Rear brake pipes needed changing. Brakes have been rubbish since I bought the car.
How will any of that make the parking brake work better?
He fixed that, just needed cleaning up and the rear disks were o.k, needed a clean as well.
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For 10 years I remained loyal to a local outfit, who changed me £45 'trade rate' for MOTs on 8 cars a year. I am still learning that loyalty is never rewarded in this world; they failed cars on more and more trivial things, and kept me waiting every time, slipping in other cars before me. Eventually I tried a smaller less busy MOT shop, they charge me £36 pensioner rate, and try to get my cars through the test if they can. They are never rushed, and have plenty of parking space. I should have changed long ago.
The same applies to car insurance and energy suppliers, and probably several more regular purchases.
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Looking at it from the other side, as a trading small printer, I must admit to charging what the market will stand, and accommodating a customer who finds he can get a job cheaper elsewhere.
I have insured 5 Omegas with Admiral Multicar for the last 5 years, and the premium has gone up every year. This year they wanted £3500. I sought prices elsewhere and got it down to £1461 (Hastings Direct and esure). I rang Admiral to advise them I would not be renewing with them, woman asked what price I had been offered. I told her. Oh, she said, we can match that. What! I said, you quoted £3500. Market forces, she replied. Thank you, I replied, I will bear it in mind.
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Looking at it from the other side, as a trading small printer, I must admit to charging what the market will stand, and accommodating a customer who finds he can get a job cheaper elsewhere.
I have insured 5 Omegas with Admiral Multicar for the last 5 years, and the premium has gone up every year. This year they wanted £3500. I sought prices elsewhere and got it down to £1461 (Hastings Direct and esure). I rang Admiral to advise them I would not be renewing with them, woman asked what price I had been offered. I told her. Oh, she said, we can match that. What! I said, you quoted £3500. Market forces, she replied. Thank you, I replied, I will bear it in mind.
Yes, you must shop around. I use the AA as my broker, whilst getting comparison prices from GoCompare. Between the two I seem to end up with a competitive price. :y
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Still in the shop, rear calliper sent away to be refurbished. New rear pads, Rear brake pipes needed changing. Brakes have been rubbish since I bought the car.
Vented discs on my Omega, calliper beyond repair. Can't source a new one for vented discs anywhere. Even Vauxhall don't make new calipers for vented discs, have ordered one of EBay part number-9195054 if it helps anybody else with this problem.
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Yup... modified and fitted early Monaro VXR calipers... same diameter discs, only they have 18mm venteds... so caliper carriers need trimming to fit the 20mm Omega discs :y
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For 10 years I remained loyal to a local outfit, who changed me £45 'trade rate' for MOTs on 8 cars a year. I am still learning that loyalty is never rewarded in this world; they failed cars on more and more trivial things, and kept me waiting every time, slipping in other cars before me. Eventually I tried a smaller less busy MOT shop, they charge me £36 pensioner rate, and try to get my cars through the test if they can. They are never rushed, and have plenty of parking space. I should have changed long ago.
The same applies to car insurance and energy suppliers, and probably several more regular purchases.
I put my above thoughts to a friend at a meeting last Thursday, he said he took his car to Fourth
Avenue Autos for MOT, they were handing out vouchers at a local chip shop offering MOTs for £35. I commented there was a van parked in a layby sign written 'MOTs for £35, service and MOT for £99', I wondered whose offer it was. I passed it again today, it was Fourth Avenue Autos. They have changed their tune.
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Advisory rear tyres near legal limit. Had this on the previous mot, only covered 1500 miles since then. How many miles do you think I've got before they need replacing? Fronts have 7mm each, would it be worth rotating them? On rear-wheel drive, what's more important front or rear tread levels?
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If they were near the legal limit 1500 miles ago, then they must be even nearer the legal limit now, although just legal maybe?!?
It's a 'no brainer', to me anyway, put some new tyres on the rear to replace the worn ones, and then you will have the better tyres on the rear which is the best position to put them.
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Just realised I let the 3.2's MOT run out, by a shocking amount. :o :-X
Confused it with the motorbike ::)
Wish they would send a reminder! Booked in for this Friday.