On the other side of the coin if OP knew brake light was out why not fit it before Mot. Retest should be free anyway if faults rectified within 10 days.
True enough regarding replacing it. She only told me the morning of the test. We went and bought the bulb but we simply ran out of time. I've done this before though (taken the bulb in). It's effectively me authorizing them to fit the bulb, and charge whatever labour it is, (15 minutes work at whatever their 1/4 hour rate is?). That would have been fine.
Supposedly, the re-test is free if I took it back in 10 days, but it's the test itself that's free. They can supposedly charge time (?) which on the wall is priced at half the test fee.
This is why i only take my car to a no pass no fee mot garage, and a mot garage that only do mot's and not one that fixis cars as well.
Unfortunately, they're in limited quantities outside London. My nearest is Mansfield which is a decent 70 mile trip. It might be worth the effort though in the future....
I work in an Mot centre and we don't charge for retest also if customer is present or had left phone number once test is done we would ask before removing air freshener or replacing bulb. You would not believe how many nutters there are who would have a complete headfit if you moved anything in the car or did anything else to the car to pass it, even though it is to save them the hassle of retesting. Some would accuse you of making stuff up just to inflate their bill even if is only a couple of quid for a bulb. In this guys case he told them it needed a bulb and even gave them the bulb to change so I cannot see why it was failed and I would also have a rant if it was me
I was present. I stayed at the test centre with my partner. Normally, I'd go away but this time I actually stayed. I would have happily told him to remove the air freshener and he already knew he had prior authorisation to fit the bulb. So long as he didn't charge an entire hours work, which no self-respecting garage would I'm sure.
I find it weird that a garage can just do a mot
in NI you have to take it to a government centre
Test £30.50 and retest is £18.50
and if you have bulb out you might just get away with it, but it should be a fail
Seems like a far better system to me. Would also reduce the amount of 'MOT'd by my cousin' cars on the road (of which in England there are literally hundreds of thousands, if not near millions) that are actually unsafe.
over here in canada i would have failed it for the bulb as well,but would have given them the option of replacing it and then,if nothing else was amiss,passing it.anything constituting a repair would have to be authorised first.
He had prior authorisation to change the bulb. I've done this before when I knew a bulb was out, and so long as they don't charge a ridiculous amount for time, I'm happy. This is the first time it's ever happened.
Mot`s are nothing more than a money making stint for private garages, There should government controlled centres where everyone take their car to it, and only then will we get some kind of system that is both fair and consistent when it comes to mot`s, Its been proved time & time again, Take a car that has passed in one mot garage, and take it straight to another mot garage, and there is a fair change it could fail, so where is the consistency in this system, NONE, Money making exercise... nothing more.....
Hard not to agree with this comment, especially after my experience yesterday.
Ultimately, I've gone a different route with this. I was tempted to take it back at 2pm to get it done at the half price re-test by the same garage..... but my principals are principals.... and I stand by them.
It's booked in at my local friendly garage that I usually use. Friday 9am.
I really hope the other garage goes bankrupt.... and I say that with absolutely no sarcasm whatsoever.
