My friend bought a R reg Puma on Wednesday. The (back street) garage he bought it from told him the previous day it had failed on some minor things and he would have it retested and passed for him by the next day.

Sure enough he bought it the next day complete with MOT pass. (The car had been off the road for a year)

I subsequently checked the MOT record on line and found that on 3rd November it failed for the following reasons;

Offside Rear sill Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.2) **DANGEROUS**Parking brake efficiency below requirements (3.7.A.9/10) **DANGEROUS**Nearside Rear hand Rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.A.4a)No Advisory Notice issued

The following day it passed (at the same MOT testing garage). I am not the least technically minded, so would like to ask - is it quite feasible that these faults were corrected in the space of the day (the corrosion in particular)? The fact that they were marked dangerous particularly concerned me, lest we be driving round in a death trap!

Any comments appreciated.

 

the welding could have been done in a day, the brakes could have just been shoes, cylinders and a new handbrake cable, so i'd say it could have been done in a day

 

It is possible, but unlikely, unless this was the only car they had in to work on.
As there is a corrosion question/issue, as well as other safety issues, I would just have a look yourself to see if there is any new metal been welded in, you will easily see the new patch with fresh underseal on it.
My suspicion is it's a dud MOT, if there are signs of holes/corrosion on the sill as marked I would be very concerned, these bits are normally marked in yellow marker.
If it transpires that it still has any of these faults I would be straight on the phone to VOSA, or the MOT inspectorate, as cowboys get the decent honest guy a bad name, and cowboys need to lose their license to do mot's.
Like I say though, if they had enough time it could defo be done in a day, maybe they are a genuine helpful garage, but looking will soon tell you, or if not confident get another garage/mate to have a quick look.
tabetha

 

Thanks.

 

could easily do it but it gets u thinking dont it

 

easy do that that in a day

 

do it in an hour, if they wernt gonna do it why would they have a fail on it

if its gonna pass without the work then it would already have a pass

if the handbrake doesnt work you know its not right and look on the inner sill for a hole

 

good point. as above, get another garage to look at it or try the AA if your not happy.

 

I rang the place that MOT'd it and they confirmed the work had been done before it was resubmitted - "Welded" he said.

Meantime had had a water leak problem (see my other thread). That cost £80 plus VAT to fix.

Then hours later started getting strange noises from the exhaust. Took it in to today to a more reputable garage to be looked at and they say it needs a new "back box" (there's all like fur coming out the exhaust now!) and preferably also a middle section - total cost incl VAT and labour £145.

They also looked at the "welding" mentioned earlier, and said it hadn't been welded but "filled with something".

Also, a strange noise coming from the rear was because the rear offside tyre has the tread running in the wrong direction (the tread on that one is almost illegal anyway).

£800 this car cost last week - is it looking like a bit of a turkey?!

 

Get on the phone to VOSA, arseholes like the garage that sold it and bodged it ILEGALLY, need putting out of business, alternatively pm me your reg number and I'll happily do it for you.
tabetha