MOT Woes

[taffy1967]

I knew it was a bad omen when my grease gun failed last night. I was in the garage and I had my Minis front end in the air whilst I was greasing the suspension, but the lower N/S ball joint was refusing any grease and so I kept forcing the grease in and then the flexible hose on my grease gun ruptured and that was the end of that.

I've still got the original steel end somewhere safe, but it's so safe I couldn't find it and so I had to reluctantly give up. So yes it was my fault for leaving it until last minute.

Anyway on to the actual MOT and we left our Mini with the testing garage at 10:30am and then set off to Halfords of Pontypridd to buy a replacement flexible hose for my grease gun (what a joke and I'll start a separate thread about that incident).

So okay my Mini failed on a few things and this is what's written on the fail sheet: -

Reasons For Refusal Of A Test Certificate

001 Offside front lower suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.3)

002 (Both rear inner wheel arches) suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

003 Offside front (floor) suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

004 Nearside rear (floor) suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

005 Nearside front (floor) suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

006 Indicators faulty

Still, at least it's only one page?



Mind you, there's nothing wrong with the indicators as their working perfectly as usual. So they must have tried the hazards and didn't flick the switch off properly? Either way the indicators work fine with the engine running or not.

I just can't believe there's so much welding needing doing after a mere 12 months and my Mini is always garaged and looked after (serviced regularly).

But perhaps due to the fact I'm always having to drive though puddles of water in our lane (a problem that's been there for a few years) means the underside is getting wet and staying wet when garaged? I do drive very slowly down the lane though.

So we had a quote from the garage a few doors up from the MOT tester and he reckoned it's going to cost between 250-300 quid.

But I'm taking it to my local trusted body repairer tomorrow and he's going to give me a quote too.

I was also told about a bloke in my area who is dirt cheap at welding cars. But the trouble is we've used him in the past for mine and the Mini my sister owned and we had a couple of bad experiences and so I really wouldn't want to trust him again.

Anyway it's not the end of the world, but I feel stupid now because we're going on a family holiday to Tenby at the end of the month and so money is tight as it is.

Bloody Minis, if only I didn't love the little bleeders so much.

[taffy1967]

Oh and I just knew it didn't bode well because I had my annual check up at the dentists prior to picking up our Mini and my teeth are fine.

But I need to take some anti-antibiotic's for a month, use a special mouth wash every morning when I brush my teeth and I need to also visit the dentist every 3 months for a scale and polish because my gums aren't too good.

I hate having a scale and polish though, because apart from the horrible pain I'm left with a mouth full of blood and bits.

I don't know, if I was a household pet I'd probably get put down to save the suffering.

So what a rubbish day and I've already been out the garden and downed 2 beers and had a Cigar to help calm me down.

[dai9fxey]

It isn't raining up your way yet then.
Not a good day for you so i guess you're allowed a couple of beers to make up for the MOT fail.
It's worth the effort though Mate. Dig deep.

[taffy1967]

No it's been quite a nice day weather wise here and yes it's definitely worth it as it's a lovely car to drive.

I'll have to start doing the lottery and then if I win I can re-shell it. Plus buy several others of differing ages/types.

;D

[boycie101]

gutted for you mate but like you said could of been alot worse, last yr's mot on medusa was £550 + that was no welding just stupid head gasket probs + emmissions + 2 gaiters that were'nt even broken + ball joints

[Phil J]

Always sad but it could have been a lot worse, I mean you could have needed a filling or something

Seriously though, it will be money well spent as it's a mini worth taking care of

[taffy1967]

Yes I know it could have been a lot worst, but you just don't expect things to need sorting after a mere 12 month.

But as for the dentists, I'd have rather had a filling, because I'm doomed to visit the dentist every 3 months now for a torture session with the hygienist.

Otherwise my teeth may come loose and fall out. I don't know, I think I'd rather a set of false teeth instead of the scale and polish misery.

;D

[taffy1967]

I've just done a bit of digging around and I found my last years MOT fail information recorded in my old thread here: -

southwalesminis.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2491

Which is: -

001 Offside front lower suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.3)

002 Offside rear (outer arch in two places) subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

003 Nearside front (wheel arch) subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2)

004 Nearside front constant velocity joint gaiter split (2.5.C.1a)

005 Offside front wheel bearing feels rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

006 Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.A.4a)

007 Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.A.7a)

008 Parking brake efficiency below requirements (3.7.A.9/10)

This is my main cause for concern from that thread: -

I'm a bit annoyed that they failed it on the 'offside front lower suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint', because they failed it on that last year and I've only done little over 3,000 miles since the new ball joint got fitted. Plus they've been regularly greased too.

So in 2007 the offside front lower suspension arm ball-joint got completely replaced due to failing the MOT. In 2008 it failed the MOT again and needed a shim taking out and now this year it's failed yet again and will hopefully just need another shim taking out.

So even though it's regularly greased, just why is that part needing so much attention all the time?

[taffy1967]

Anyway it's booked in for repairs next Thursday.

The local body repairer I always tend to use has quoted me 160 quid and so I'm happy with that.

[Phil J]

thats not too bad mate, the ball joint issue is a strange one though

[taffy1967]

Yes it is and I just don't trust garages either. The one I used to use for the MOT had a little waiting room, so you could watch them checking your car and they failed it on that ball-joint last year.

Okay if it's not been installed the correct way (& reamed? if that's the correct word for the polishing bit?), then pretty soon it will need shimming.

But I can't see why it would need shimming twice, especially since it's well greased and hasn't had that much use.

Oh well it's not the end of the world and perhaps they didn't use 'Quintin & Hazel' balljoints in the first place.

[taffy1967]

Well it's all sorted now and I have another 12 months MOT.

Mind you the body repair shop owner was telling me it might be worth considering buying a replacement Mini Heritage shell, because a fair bit of welding needing doing on my Mini.

But he assumed the Heritage shells were only a couple of hundred quid.

Still perhaps I'll get lucky and my numbers will come up on the lottery. But for now I'll have to get off my lazy backside and get busy rust proofing what steel is left on my Mini.

[Phil J]

Good news Taffy


Personally I wouldnt buy another shell, just think how much you would be able to restore on yours for the same cost, And then it will still be original

Easy way to think about it, is the fun of driving it worth the expence? Answer will always be yes easy for me to say as Corina's hasnt been touched since before we went on hols and I have to make a start on it next week

[boycie101]

good to here it lives for another 12 months mate

[taffy1967]

That's true and I won't be touching my Mini until we get back from our short break in Tenby next week.

I took the rear seats and side panel trim and stuff out, so the body shop wouldn't be wasting time. Plus I'm really fussy and I've kept the screws and stuff safe.

To be honest he's the same bloke who fixed up my first Mini which was a 75' Mini 1000 and that was back in 1985. Even back then he told me not to spend too much money on that as the shell was starting to go.

But I was still seeing that Mini running around up to 1992 (which was the last time it got taxed going by the DVLA Vehicle Enquiry site), so he must have done a good job on it anyway.

[taffy1967]

Aug 28, 2009 23:52:08 GMT 1 @boycie101 said:

good to here it lives for another 12 months mate

Yes and here's to the next 16 years of happy ownership. I hope.

;D

[boycie101]

lets hope so + more taffy

[dai9fxey]

Sweet.
You know it's worth it.