Car failed MOT, How much should it cost to fix ?

Cleverboy1991

57 Plate Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI.

My car failed it's MOT a week ago today ( last Thursday, failed on

•

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

I don't understand that one, the nearside bulb was a tiny bit duller than the offside but the bulb still works ?

•

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

•

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

will get the other side done as well

•

Central Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

I think he said it was a clamp that wants replacing, though there are no noises or anything from underneath the car.

Would you please give me an approximate price for each of the 4 components to be replaced/fixed ? an approximate price for each separately please for a small garage

thanks

edit: Oh, and when would be the last day for retest ? I did ring the garage to ask but they were quite rude and just said '' you;ll have to work it out, it's 10 working days from test'' not inc weekends

Thanks to all

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 1

IWMTom

Original post by Cleverboy1991

57 Plate Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI.

My car failed it's MOT a week ago today ( last Thursday, failed on

•

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

I don't understand that one, the nearside bulb was a tiny bit duller than the offside but the bulb still works ?

•

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

•

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

will get the other side done as well

•

Central Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pretty sure we've already discussed the issue with the bulb and headlamp aim. There are 10 working days allowed for a partial retest before a full retest fee is charged.

Reply 2

Cleverboy1991

Original post by IWMTom

Pretty sure we've already discussed the issue with the bulb and headlamp aim. There are 10 working days allowed for a partial retest before a full retest fee is charged.

Hey there !

I am still a bit confused by what he meant by nearside headlamp not working on dipped beam, at first I though he meant the side lights (yes I thought they were called dipped beams lol) but I'd only replaced those bulbs 2 days before, anyway they were both fine.
When I realised where the dipped beam bulbs were I checked them, and the nearside bulb was a tiny little bit duller than the offside, but still it did work !

Anyway I got the bulbs and decided to fit them both despite only failing on nearside. I found that the nearside was not pushed in place properly, it wasn't clipped in and was just balancing on.
The new bulbs don't look much different than the old imo, the new bulbs are 100 w.

Also I am wondering if the other failure for offside headlamp aim too high, could that have possibly been due to the bulb on the nearside having not been properly clicked into place giving a false reading ?

Or maybe I knocked the bulb when replacing sidelights ?

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 3

IWMTom

Original post by Cleverboy1991

If it wasn't in the holder properly the aim would have been wrong, yep.

Reply 4

Cleverboy1991

Original post by IWMTom

If it wasn't in the holder properly the aim would have been wrong, yep.

The bulb that failed for being aimed too high was the bulb that was inserted properly into the holder.
The bulb that was not inserted properly did not get mentioned as being aimed too high or low but it did get noted as headlamp not working on dipped beam , again perhaps due to not being in the holder properly but you could still see the light from it so don't see why he put not working

Reply 5

IWMTom

Original post by Cleverboy1991

We will probably never know; ask the tester why.

Reply 6

Cleverboy1991

Original post by IWMTom

We will probably never know; ask the tester why.

I'm just worried as he failed the bulb on not working, albeit was a bit duller than the offside bulb but still bright , what if he tries to fail it again on the bulbs despite having just fitted it with 2 new bulbs ?

So now that both bulbs are clicked I to place properly do you think the headlamp aim will now be correct and how can I confirm that ??

Reply 7

IWMTom

Original post by Cleverboy1991

Take it for a retest, I suppose? I'm not sure why you didn't just let the garage sort it; they'd usually only charge material cost to sort small things like bulbs.

Reply 8

Cleverboy1991

Original post by IWMTom

Take it for a retest, I suppose? I'm not sure why you didn't just let the garage sort it; they'd usually only charge material cost to sort small things like bulbs.

What I'm asking is now that it is fitted with 2 working new dipped bulbs it cannot fail on them can it ?

Zzzzzzzzzz

Reply 9

IWMTom

Original post by Cleverboy1991

What I'm asking is now that it is fitted with 2 working new dipped bulbs it cannot fail on them can it ?

Zzzzzzzzzz

You'd think that.

Reply 10

Cleverboy1991

Original post by IWMTom

You'd think that.

Any reason to suggest otherwise ?

Reply 11

Talon

Original post by Cleverboy1991

57 Plate Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI.

My car failed it's MOT a week ago today ( last Thursday, failed on

•

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

I don't understand that one, the nearside bulb was a tiny bit duller than the offside but the bulb still works ?

•

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

•

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

will get the other side done as well

•

Central Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

I think he said it was a clamp that wants replacing, though there are no noises or anything from underneath the car.

Clamps and things are a few £s each and shouldn't be too much effort to replace, you just need to get the access under the car to fiddle with it. Anti roll bar linkages are about £20 for a pair, it just depends on how long they take to fit really. It shouldn't take too long for someone competent who had the right tools.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 12

username1921011

Original post by Cleverboy1991

57 Plate Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI.

My car failed it's MOT a week ago today ( last Thursday, failed on

•

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

I don't understand that one, the nearside bulb was a tiny bit duller than the offside but the bulb still works ?

•

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

•

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

will get the other side done as well

•

Central Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Basically the bulb has been knocked somehow so its higher than its meant to be. Improperly clipped, shook out of place or otherwise moved. It's a two second fix, just replace it properly into the fitting.

The roll bar joint is loose. A loose roll bar will start to cause judder at higher speeds and make the car less stable if it comes too loose. Again, at worst you'll need a new roll bar and fixings. I have no idea how much on your car, but not that expensive.

Your exhaust has shook loose or the clamp has displaced or rusted. Clamp costs next to nothing. These are all really easy fixes and you should be happy tbh.

Reply 13

Cleverboy1991

[QUOTE=GonvilleBromhead;74026532

1.
]Basically the bulb has been knocked somehow so its higher than its meant to be. Improperly clipped, shook out of place or otherwise moved. It's a two second fix, just replace it properly into the fitting.

2.
The roll bar joint is loose. A loose roll bar will start to cause judder at higher speeds and make the car less stable if it comes too loose. Again, at worst you'll need a new roll bar and fixings. I have no idea how much on your car, but not that expensive.

3.
Your exhaust has shook loose or the clamp has displaced or rusted. Clamp costs next to nothing. These are all really easy fixes and you should be happy tbh.

1. I've replaced the headlight bulbs, the bulb on the nearside did work but was not seated/clipped in correctly, though it was still visible so don't know why it failed

2. Actually I think he was referring to the drop links, I've replaced those.

3. I don't really get why he failed it on this. there was no rattling or noises from underneath as you would expect from an exhaust not adequately supported. I took it to 2 different garages today who had a look and said the exhaust looked fine in that nothing was loose. However they said the exhaust flexi was totally gone and blowing and should have failed, but there was no mention of this on the MOT. I have known about the bad flexi for a while but was going to wait to swap it until MOT unless I thought it got too bad. I was surprised this was not mentioned on the MOT.
I went back the garage who did the MOT today and the guy who did the MOT showed me where he had failed it, it was just before the back box/silencer?? I felt it and it did not feel very loose at all, a hangar or whatever was partially broke but the exhaust was certainly not loose enough to warrant a failure on the list.

I'm not sure the hangar/bracket can come off or if it is fully attached to the exhaust and therefore needs welding or somehow try to put a big jubilee clip/clamp over existing one if possible ??

Reply 14

Joinedup

It'll be hard to tell what the original headlight aim problem was now you've fiddled with the bulb - used to be able to home test this by pointing the car at a wall and measuring where the centres of the beam were. you could still try this and see if the nearside looks very wonky or not I suppose.

suggest inspecting the exhaust bracket and seeing if you can see what the problem / missing part is.

Might be worth seeing if you can check the Haynes manual out of your town library - my nearest library has a lot of the popular models. The Haynes will tell you how to do most of the jobs that are worth tacking at home.

Reply 15

Cleverboy1991

Original post by Joinedup

1.

It'll be hard to tell what the original headlight aim problem was now you've fiddled with the bulb - used to be able to home test this by pointing the car at a wall and measuring where the centres of the beam were. you could still try this and see if the nearside looks very wonky or not I suppose.

suggest inspecting the exhaust bracket and seeing if you can see what the problem / missing part is.

Might be worth seeing if you can check the Haynes manual out of your town library - my nearest library has a lot of the popular models. The Haynes will tell you how to do most of the jobs that are worth tacking at home.

1. spoke to MOT tester today regarding headlight aim , he said he'll sort it on the retest but never said he would charge. I'm guessing not as he offered and it is a very small job.

2. regarding exhaust I don't really get why he failed it on this. there was no rattling or noises from underneath as you would expect from an exhaust not adequately supported. I took it to 2 different garages today who had a look and said the exhaust looked fine in that nothing was loose. However they said the exhaust flexi was totally gone and blowing and should have failed, but there was no mention of this on the MOT. I have known about the bad flexi for a while but was going to wait to swap it until MOT unless I thought it got too bad. I was surprised this was not mentioned on the MOT.
I went back the garage who did the MOT today and the guy who did the MOT showed me where he had failed it, it was just before the back box/silencer?? I felt it and it did not feel very loose at all, a hangar or whatever was partially broke but the exhaust was certainly not loose enough to warrant a failure on the list.

I'm not sure the hangar/bracket can come off or if it is fully attached to the exhaust and therefore needs welding or somehow try to put a big jubilee clip/clamp over existing one if possible ??

Reply 16

username1921011

Original post by Cleverboy1991

1. I've replaced the headlight bulbs, the bulb on the nearside did work but was not seated/clipped in correctly, though it was still visible so don't know why it failed

2. Actually I think he was referring to the drop links, I've replaced those.

3. I don't really get why he failed it on this. there was no rattling or noises from underneath as you would expect from an exhaust not adequately supported. I took it to 2 different garages today who had a look and said the exhaust looked fine in that nothing was loose. However they said the exhaust flexi was totally gone and blowing and should have failed, but there was no mention of this on the MOT. I have known about the bad flexi for a while but was going to wait to swap it until MOT unless I thought it got too bad. I was surprised this was not mentioned on the MOT.
I went back the garage who did the MOT today and the guy who did the MOT showed me where he had failed it, it was just before the back box/silencer?? I felt it and it did not feel very loose at all, a hangar or whatever was partially broke but the exhaust was certainly not loose enough to warrant a failure on the list.

I'm not sure the hangar/bracket can come off or if it is fully attached to the exhaust and therefore needs welding or somehow try to put a big jubilee clip/clamp over existing one if possible ??

It failed because it's sitting too high and is blinding other drivers.

I've never had a drop link referred to as a roll bar linkage (but I don't work at a garage and the one I go to are top guys, they lay everything out very clearly so if that's solved it for you then no problems)

On my cars (results may vary) the hanging mounts are loose - doesn't require welding to the piping. I assume its because if the exhaust has too much play it'll whack into uneven road surfaces and bounce against the car weakening the pipe and eventually tearing your exhaust off (I had a peugeot with awful poor quality exhaust mounting and the actual piping fell off twice).