Garage serviced the car then failed the MOT.....

[PhilBy]

Yesterday my sister took her car to the garage (From where she purchased it from new) for a pre MOT service & its first MOT. They have charged her �156 and failed the car!

The car failed on one tyre (low tread) and the air bag warning light was flashing. The warning light was pointed out to them when she dropped off the car and was informed this would be fixed at an extra cost of �30.00 + VAT They never fixed the fault as they claim they did not have enough time!?

My questions are: A) Should they have done the MOT knowing the car would fail & B)Should they have fitted the 'never used' spare wheel durring the service? Basically they have allowed her to drive away in un-road worthy vehicle after they have completed a service on the vehicle and have told her she will have to pay full price for another MOT.

BTW. This is a main dealer garage and not some back street outfit.

Look forward to hearing any views. Many thanks.

[DirtyHabit]

She bought the car from them new and that is the level of customer service......they are rubbish.
Didn't have time to carry out work she had agreed to and then fail the car for work they had not carried out. Complain to the Manager and if she is not happy don't use them again.

[stanleyman]

I think the problem here is that what should have happened is that she put it in first for an MOT to find all the faults then the garage informs the customer who gives the go ahead for the necessary repairs which would then be done to obtain an MOT.

A service first is not necessarily going to pickup MOT faults that can't be found until the MOT procedure has been followed but if she had left the car with them to do the work she should not be charged for a second MOT.

[stanleyman]

I should add that under the new online MOT system the garage have to log on while doing the MOT and can only do it between set times which may account for them not having time to finish other jobs at the end of the day but they should have explained all this.

[PhilBy]

I hear what you are saying stanleyman but it was the garage who told her to have the car serviced just to make sure all was in order before the MOT. I'm starting to think the garage was over booked and they have rushed through the jobs...... wouldn't surprise me if the service was also a rush job and they never even noticed the worn tyre!?

Personally I think she has been treat badly and hopefully will find another garage.

[Ward-Minter]

If it was the spare tyre that failed then take it out. You don't legally need one but if one is present it must comply.

Further, compare the experience to a private doctors. If I went for a full health check knowing I am a overweight or have a smokers lung and he examines me, I would still have to pay him.

And for the price of it he will tell me I am fat and have bad lungs but won't do anything about it will he?

[DirtyHabit]

I have had second thoughts about this. As far as the tyre is concerned, they probably had no choice but to fail the car. Yes they could have changed on the new spare and placed the worn out tyre in the boot. That would still make it a MOT failure because the spare being in the car has to be legal also. But I do think the service department should have corrected the air bag light and perhaps made some effort to contact her regarding the tyre and give the chance to authorise it's replacement.

[stanleyman]

If the garage suggested the service then it should never have left the garage without an MOT certificate. I think you should complain as they have not finished the job and are in breach of contract.

I still think they would have to do the MOT first to find out any problems unless this is just a ploy to get a service job that is not essential for an MOT certificate and as you say ran out of time.

[PhilBy]

I got my sister to talk to the manager this morning and he phoned her back within 30 mins.

Apparantly the garage had two mechanics who failed to turn up on Saturday morning and consequently this caused an increased work load on the other mechanics. He has agreed that it 'appears' she may not of received the highest level of customer service and as a courtesy gesture they will repair the air bag warning light and perform a second MOT free of charge (She will have to pay for the new tyre)

He did add that the garage had no authoristion to fit a new trye to the vehicle but agreed that MOT'ing the car with known faults did seem like a waste of time.

My sister is the type of person who gets highly stressed over the slightest of issues but is now happy with the above and will continue to use the garage.

Many thanks for your views, especially stanleyman to whom I owe a virtual handshake.... Cheers.

[spaced]

what make of car is it? My instincts tel;l me that it is probably a french car?

[PhilBy]

Sorry spaced but no coconut today...... it is a Nissan.

[spaced]

extremely surprised by that.