Quick MOT question

[amazingtrade]

My dads Ruster is due for its MOT in a couple of weeks time, its had a new cat convertorr, new lambda sensor so I am hoping it pass the emissions etc. The cat heat shield is ratteling so I know this will need fixing.

The question is the passanger door only unlocks from the inside, you can lock it from the inside and out, but you can't unlock the door from the outside. I have read the MOT guidelines in the Haynes manual but it dosn't mention locks. Is this an MOT failure point?

 

[Mr Perceptive]

To my knowledge not a failure, don't think testing whether the locks work ok is part of the test.

BTW I had a 1970's sports car that just had a blank on the passenger door (no key hole) you could only lock/unlock from the inside. Never failed an MOT in my time (up to 2002)

Hope That Hslps

Mr Perceptive

 

[A.N.]

Amazingtrade, is the car in q a rover?

i dont think the pass side door lock will come under the mot test tbh.

dont mention it, leave it unlocked and see if its pick up on the test.

A.N.

 

[amazingtrade]

Yeah thats my dads plan, just to leave it unlocked.

Its an N Reg Escort 1.6LX with 81k on the clock. Its seen better days, but its used as cheap reliable transport with a bit of comfort. Its just things are quite at the moment and my parents can't afford the MOT so I am hoping not much needs doing to it. Last year it needed new lamdda sensor and cat convertor. The only thing I know needs doing is the loose heat shield, I haven't tested the shocks yet but they haven't been replaced since the car was new and its speed bump central round here.

 

[A.N.]

i was on my way to work this morning, and the car sounded like the exhaust was made of broken glass!! took it in, and the garage said the cat had broken up inside! needed one asap, relieved my wallet of 122 quid. i go away on friday too, so less beer for me!

mot in april, a feeling that my brakes need doing! more bloody money! lol

 

[amazingtrade]

i was on my way to work this morning, and the car sounded like the exhaust was made of broken glass!! took it in, and the garage said the cat had broken up inside! needed one asap, relieved my wallet of 122 quid. i go away on friday too, so less beer for me!

mot in april, a feeling that my brakes need doing! more bloody money! lol

I think my dad paid about £130 for his cat and £150 for the lamda. We don't use that garage anymore because my uncle did the serving this year and discovered that same garage didn't bother setting the gap on the spark plugs which was why the engine was running a bit rough.

My uncle did the service and the total cost was £20 for the oil and filter, he sandblasted the plugs, the car has never run better.

For this reason I don't trust any garages anymore, I am sure there must be some decent ones though.

I always get suspecious with stuff like lambdas because its an invisible part and if it goes you don't always know, although my dads car was hunting badly when this failed.

My dads cat is just ratelling, it still has a 4 year warranty running on it though. I think my dads spent around £1000 on garage bills since we got the Escort in 2002, part of this was the previous owner decided to get the rear breakes fixed as Quickfit, they messed it up and the car needed £300 on rear bearings and entire new brake assemblies. This may sound a lot but this includes general servicing, a new cam belt, new tryes, new exchaust etc. On a brand new Mondeo you will pay £4000 in the first year just in depecreciation.

Thats what I love about my bus pass, it costs around £420 a year but I don't need to worry about MOTs

Sorry gone a bit off topic here.

Note to self: Stop watching top gear.

 

[mr cat]

i was on my way to work this morning, and the car sounded like the exhaust was made of broken glass!! took it in, and the garage said the cat had broken up inside! needed one asap, relieved my wallet of 122 quid. i go away on friday too, so less beer for me!

mot in april, a feeling that my brakes need doing! more bloody money! lol

yeah, that happened to my trusty old Peugeot 306XR just before Xmas...I had already arranged to put it in for a full service - and put in a new front pipe and cat...that was 305 quid...sigh....

 

[Sid and Coke]

£150 is a hell of a lot of money to replace a Lambda sensor , £25 - £50 is much closer to the mark from any decent Motor factors or online retailer . ( 'Cheap lambda' is a good phrase to start your search ). They are no more difficult to replace than a spark plug and you can even get a good idea of their performance using a multi meter and a small butane torch to see if they are basically working or no.

 

[amazingtrade]

Thats one of the reasons we don't use them anymore. Although £270 for an MOT, shocks and a rear and middle box isn't exactly cheap either.