[MikeM]

I've just had my MOT done. Passed OK but report said the two 'lower arm rear bushes starting to split' and 'slight dampness on rear shock absorbers' plus rear pads approx 75 to 80% worn.

Now last Monday I had my car given a full 4 year service by a local independent garage who I do trust and have heard a lot of good things about. I will be going back to them next week to understand why the above weren't picked up by them-they should have shouldn't they?. Before that any advice on:

1. rear shocks going after 4years/40k miles-is this usual/unusual?

2. lower arm rear bushes? Again should these be expected to last longer than they have?

3. Rear brake pads-afaik these are the originals. If they are 80% gone should I expect a service report to tell me this or do they have a lot more life in them (relatively)?

The MOT was done by my dealer-for free because I bought it from them but they were £140 more expensive on the service cost which is why I took it elsewhere..

I'm a bit because of what I will now have to pay out but all things on cars wear out, -I'm just a bit surprised that they are doing after four years-but then again I really am no expert.

Thanks for any advice

Regards

Mike

 

[CAM4V]

I've just had my MOT done. Passed OK but report said the two 'lower arm rear bushes starting to split' and 'slight dampness on rear shock absorbers' plus rear pads approx 75 to 80% worn.

Now last Monday I had my car given a full 4 year service by a local independent garage who I do trust and have heard a lot of good things about. I will be going back to them next week to understand why the above weren't picked up by them-they should have shouldn't they?. Before that any advice on:

1. rear shocks going after 4years/40k miles-is this usual/unusual?

2. lower arm rear bushes? Again should these be expected to last longer than they have?

3. Rear brake pads-afaik these are the originals. If they are 80% gone should I expect a service report to tell me this or do they have a lot more life in them (relatively)?

The MOT was done by my dealer-for free because I bought it from them but they were £140 more expensive on the service cost which is why I took it elsewhere..

I'm a bit because of what I will now have to pay out but all things on cars wear out, -I'm just a bit surprised that they are doing after four years-but then again I really am no expert.

Thanks for any advice

Regards

Mike

Well to (try) and asnwer your questions...

1) 40k does sem a tad premature, however all things are relative I suppose and depends on how the cars been used, e.g. towing etc. etc. 'slight dampness' could mean anything though, I'd have suspected a more definitive 'rear shocks are leaking' would be more in order. What I suggest is you pop your head under and monitor them closely. I had BOGE shocks on a Volvo and within a year they had a dampness on them, I thougth this was a prelude to them leaking, but they never got any worse over the next 2 years (car then sold)

2) Indeed I would have expected these to last longer,,,, again dependant upon use, but are these a problem on the 75? (other guru's?)


As for the rest, I suspect your local (trusted) garage would have picked up on any faults had these been significant. I would presume the rear pads are not to their minimum thickness as yet, and I guess he should have spotted them if they were getting low, but perhaps thay ain't as low as all that.

I reckon going back to the trusted garage and a freindly enquiry with the mot report sheet would yield useful info, you may find that it isn't as bad as all that, conversely it is as it says and they missed it, in which case then you know the general standard to which the garage operates, and its up to you to decide if you carry on using them.

Hope that sheds some light on it for you.

CAM

 

[MattL]

if it passed the mot then why would the guy who serviced it have any reason to tell you about the things on the mot report unless he was trying to con you into getting more work done.

Who is to say the MOT guy isnt??!

 

[MikeM]

Cheers Cam and Matt Good advice. I'll have a friendly chat with the garage..............

Regards

Mike

 

[MikeM]

Update

This morning I took the car back to the garage who serviced it and I'm glad I did. They had a good look at it and reported:

1. rear shocks-absolutely nothing leaking or wrong with them!

2. lower arm rear bushes-no cracks, in good condition and definitely no need to replace!

3. Rear brake pads- nowhere near needing replacement!

So why did the Dealer (who did the MOT free as my car qualifies because I bought it from them) say what they said?

I'll leave it up to you to decide but I know what my money is on.................

Thanks again for the advice

Regards

Mike

 

[MattL]

As i suggested then Mike. Alot of MOT places are like that. Bet you wont be using them again.

I had the one place tamper with my bulb to throw the beam pattern out just so they could fail me, hoping i would ask them to fix it! When i asked what could it be...they suggested a faulty light unit (which i thought strange). So i drove off checked and found the bulb wasnt secured in the unit and took it back. I know it was ok before....bulbs dont just fall out!! They werent happy but F all they could do.

 

[MikeM]

As i suggested then Mike. Alot of MOT places are like that. Bet you wont be using them again..

Cheers for that Matt

tbh I expected better from an MGR dealer. It's their loss now though as they wont get any more £ from me...................

Regards

Mike

 

[RichK]

Bet that was a relief eh Mike !

Just goes to show though. Quite worrying really !