Passed my MOT

[Samson]

Well I just thought I'd get my releif off my chest.

I've got a Ford Focus, silver, leather seats, lovely car etc etc...but..

It's been pretty problematic since Day 2... literally, it's a friday afternoon car, for example, the day after I bought it, the fuel pump died, costing me a whacking great £250 on top of what I'd just paid.

Over the course of the year I've had the car, pretty much anything can can go wrong between 70k and 90k miles, has gone wrong -- HT leads and plugs died, coilpack, all breaks (discs, calipers & drums), clutch, air con, power steering leak, electrics failure, new hub & bearings etc.

Yesterday, it failed it's MOT, just as I expected, I'd lost faith, however to get it through was easy, just some new disc's on the back breaks, track rod end and headlamp adjustments... on top of that, after the repairs he re-MOT'd it for free!!

It passed with very minor advisaries, the brushes on the back suspension are playing a little, and the exhaust is leaking a touch at the front, but nothing to worry about.

I'm so bloody pleased again I've got a fully MOT'd car, it feels safer to drive with the new breaks & track rod end, so I'm going to give it a good clean and take it for a spin this weekend with some friends.

Hopefully I'll have a year or so now of relatively trouble-free motoring! To think a month ago I was going to sell it for peanuts and get something clapped out and old... maybe I'll stick with this a little while longer!

So here's my releif:

WOOHOO!

[Hightower]

Something clapped out and old?! My car cost me £400 and other than the usual MOT's and tyres, I've spent nothing on it in nearly three years. Sometimes bangers are the way to go.

Congrats by the way

[El_Nombre]

Woah - bad luck with that car, but good news on passing.

Makes me grateful for my clattery old Chavalier. Almost.

[DSapseid]

Dont all test centres offer free re-tests inside a few days?!?!

[Samson]

Dont all test centres offer free re-tests inside a few days?!?!

Maybe they do now. I was glad of it anyrate.


I think if I was to go with an old banger, even if I hardly spent a penny on it for a few years I'd miss the solidness and safeness of my Focus, airbags everywhere, good suspension and all that.

[Sirbendy]

I'm sure that's only if they do the remedial work.

Mine dropped the MOT before last on the passenger front wishbone - A known Vauxhallism. They whipped it off and replaced it, free Retest, bish bosh all done.

In all the time I've had this car (5 years this year), it's cost me for new front springs and struts, and new drums and disks/pads (essential at 80k for my peace of mind), a backbox (£25), 3 sets of "cheapest of cheap" tyres (and tracking at the same time), 2 new steelies (pothole), that wishbone, a timing belt and a thermostat. I'm not counting the blown headgasket at 100k after fording the old girl "windscreen deep" by accident..heh.

12 years old next year, and still spot on. Bangernomics FTW.

Here's a tip for older Vaux owners..if your grey plastic trim (bumpers/arch spats) are going white, hit em with a heatgun. Mine look brand new, and I did them 2 years back..it's only the top layer that goes manky.

[dezt]

I was really unlucky, my head gasket blew last month, £275 to repair, then the MOT was due this month, MOT wasn't too bad, £85 for a bit of welding and a bush to be replaced and it passed. The garage did say the emissions were borderline, so they advised me to buy a new car before the MOT runs out, fills me with confidence....

[Hightower]

I think if I was to go with an old banger, even if I hardly spent a penny on it for a few years I'd miss the solidness and safeness of my Focus, airbags everywhere, good suspension and all that.

I know what you mean - but I think I really fell on my feet when I got my car. It has the usual mod-cons i.e. Airbags

It only had 30,000 miles on when I got it nearly 3 years ago - not bad for something 11 years old (and no, it hasn't been round the clock. The engine is imaculate )