Information: MOT enquiry: 855 T5 96

[slipkid]

Hello people, just a quick question regarding MOTs. Does anyone know if engine sub frame bushes are part of the test. I only ask as I couldn't find anything on the interweb. All of the engine mounts have been changed (front and rear bottom mounts and the right side) new cv joints and gaters, delta link bushes etc. the only ones I'm worried about are the subframe because they have splits in them but the engine does not move. Hope this all makes sense and someone with MOT knowledge could let me know
Cheers Slipkid.

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Splits / cracks would be acceptable, any movement would need to be addressed

[slipkid]

Thanks for that, was just a bit concerned as the 2013 regs are a lot stricter than the used to be.

[t+m]

you should be fine with the subframe bushes,best thing is to put it in for the test and address it if it fails,no point doing a load of work that may not be necessary.Much of the test is subjective,i recently pre-tested a car(a fiesta) and thought it ok.The owner went to halfords autocentre( big discount on the fee) and came away with a great long list.I re checked it and couldn't agree with the tester on any of the failures so the owner went to the local independent,full price £58 and came away with a pass and no advisories.
I'm of the opinion,having seen this scenario many times,that the discounted garages often issue a failure(which could have been an advisory) and hope to get the repair work to make up the profit whereas the full price independent would rather issue a pass and not have you blocking up the test bay for 40mins on a free retest when he could have been making money doing a full price test for someone else.This is also backed up by the types of failures that get issued such as brake pads low or discs below minimum thickness,easy big profit things and when you measure the discs they are well in spec and the pads have 8mm on them.
Also the tester is not allowed to remove wheel trims to check the pads(and you can't always assess them from behind the wheel) so they poke a finger through and feel the lip on the disc and decide its too thin.Usually this is done when a woman takes the car in.
When i was a trainee many yrs ago the manager of the workshop would spray oil up the shocks and call the customer to the ramp and show them the "leaking"shock,
there are a lot of scammers in the trade and the managers of the national chains are under huge pressure to meet targets on all sorts of things from tyres to pads to wipers.
My advice is avoid the big-boys, kwik fit,halfords,especially mr crutch and find a local independent and build up a trust with them.

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by t+m

you should be fine with the subframe bushes,best thing is to put it in for the test and address it if it fails,no point doing a load of work that may not be necessary.Much of the test is subjective,i recently pre-tested a car(a fiesta) and thought it ok.The owner went to halfords autocentre( big discount on the fee) and came away with a great long list.I re checked it and couldn't agree with the tester on any of the failures so the owner went to the local independent,full price £58 and came away with a pass and no advisories.
I'm of the opinion,having seen this scenario many times,that the discounted garages often issue a failure(which could have been an advisory) and hope to get the repair work to make up the profit whereas the full price independent would rather issue a pass and not have you blocking up the test bay for 40mins on a free retest when he could have been making money doing a full price test for someone else.This is also backed up by the types of failures that get issued such as brake pads low or discs below minimum thickness,easy big profit things and when you measure the discs they are well in spec and the pads have 8mm on them.
Also the tester is not allowed to remove wheel trims to check the pads(and you can't always assess them from behind the wheel) so they poke a finger through and feel the lip on the disc and decide its too thin.Usually this is done when a woman takes the car in.
When i was a trainee many yrs ago the manager of the workshop would spray oil up the shocks and call the customer to the ramp and show them the "leaking"shock,
there are a lot of scammers in the trade and the managers of the national chains are under huge pressure to meet targets on all sorts of things from tyres to pads to wipers.
My advice is avoid the big-boys, kwik fit,halfords,especially mr crutch and find a local independent and build up a trust with them.

Well I took some of your advice and left the subframe bushes as I think I was worrying over nothing. I had my MOT today at my local Halfords as I have used them before on my 440. The car passed with Zero advisories and a complement from the tester saying the car has been well looked after and he could find no faults even on non MOT checked items. Happy days. Thank you all for your advice.