Post by skintagain on Sept 6, 2015 1:28:17 GMT 1
My 2004 Astra Estate had it's MOT in July which it failed, it was at a Halfords MOT centre and they quoted me just over £1000 to do the repairs to which I replied I had someone to do them for me, anyway the list included the front brakes, as these had been done 2 weeks before the MOT that immediately set alarm bells ringing, you need 2 new headlamps I was told the MOT guy tried to adjust them but was unable to get them right, my friendly mechanic adjusted them no problem and set them perfectly, corroded brake pipes, these had been replaced with copper ones two years ago so just needed a rub and they looked like new, a broke rear spring, that was true so all in all repairs cost a whopping £45 and sailed through it's MOT at another centre and they shook their heads in disbelief at the Halfords report sheet.
Time for a car update I thought though my old Astra was still good with plenty years left in it I sold it and bought a slightly newer 2006 Astra 1.7 cdti hatch back, it is a very nice car but I don't like it as much as my older one so I thought I would get something completely different, so I went and bought a SAAB 9-3 1.9 TID it's a 2005 model 10 service stamps. every year for the last 5 years it was serviced even though it done less than 2000 miles between MOTs, 1 previous owner 80.000 miles just had timing belt and water pump done on 73907 miles and serviced 3 more times since and the last one on 78850, because that 78850 miles service was last year I got it serviced again and replaced all filters and oil, now the good part what goodies this car has, electric windows front and back, electric heated mirrors, heated rear window which is normal in most cars and heated windscreen which is not in many cars, front and rear fog lights, heated leather seats, driver and passenger arm rests, cruise control, climate control, auto or manual air con, traction control, steering wheel controls for cd radio or phone connected by blue tooth and voice activated controls for phone or to turn on cd player and you can tell it what tracks to play, a computer that tells you everything from current MPG to wind speed, rain sensors and intermittent wiper time adjustment and lots of other crazy things, and to top it off this car got top awards for safety, so you will be asking how much did this cost £1184 bought at auction and that was all in with auctioneer fees the lot, it is the most comfortable car I have driven, came with all the books and service book and all old MOTs.
The moral of this thread, don't trust well known auto centres that also do MOTs, and you can get a fantastic car cheap.
Time for a car update I thought though my old Astra was still good with plenty years left in it I sold it and bought a slightly newer 2006 Astra 1.7 cdti hatch back, it is a very nice car but I don't like it as much as my older one so I thought I would get something completely different, so I went and bought a SAAB 9-3 1.9 TID it's a 2005 model 10 service stamps. every year for the last 5 years it was serviced even though it done less than 2000 miles between MOTs, 1 previous owner 80.000 miles just had timing belt and water pump done on 73907 miles and serviced 3 more times since and the last one on 78850, because that 78850 miles service was last year I got it serviced again and replaced all filters and oil, now the good part what goodies this car has, electric windows front and back, electric heated mirrors, heated rear window which is normal in most cars and heated windscreen which is not in many cars, front and rear fog lights, heated leather seats, driver and passenger arm rests, cruise control, climate control, auto or manual air con, traction control, steering wheel controls for cd radio or phone connected by blue tooth and voice activated controls for phone or to turn on cd player and you can tell it what tracks to play, a computer that tells you everything from current MPG to wind speed, rain sensors and intermittent wiper time adjustment and lots of other crazy things, and to top it off this car got top awards for safety, so you will be asking how much did this cost £1184 bought at auction and that was all in with auctioneer fees the lot, it is the most comfortable car I have driven, came with all the books and service book and all old MOTs.
The moral of this thread, don't trust well known auto centres that also do MOTs, and you can get a fantastic car cheap.