Whinge Bin Punto-ntial

I heard of a lad who paid £400 to have a wheel bearing changed in a Mk2 Fiesta years ago.

I lost count of the times I told my Ex's mum she was being ripped off by local kwikfit. £450 to do the discs and pads on a Mk4 Escort 1.4 Bonus, and that was in like 1994.

Its almost always when a lady takes the car in, the garage see a perect chance to take advantage of someone who doesn't know about cars.

Simple answer, don't let them take the car for MOT. Take it yourself

As to if you have any recourse, get a look at the reciept to see what was supposedly done
Then check its actually been done
You can't argue with their price mark ups after the fact,
but if they've charged for work they must have actually done it.

I'm always a little wary of the cheap MOT places as never had anything but issues. Take mine to Fastfit for the last few years and test is nearer £50-£60 but they never pick up anything silly only genuine issues.

Was fooled by one of those "we just do MOTs" places a few years back. Lots of slightly marginal fails which their sister garage next door just happened to have quoted for in case I was interested!?

There is an association you can report them to.... the MVRA but it depends on whether they are members as to what they can do. Here's the link.... www.mvra.com/index.htm

Also your local trading standards office. What you need to have is a fully itemised invoice listing all parts with prices and the labour time to do the various jobs. I can't see either how they could possibly make that amount look credible if they had to sit down and justify the total in an itemised form. You could also try your local paper but if they are regular advertisers they will no doubt refuse to run the story but if they do it will make a great story especially if she's doing work that is regarded to be low paid or she's a student.

Not saying she'll get a partial refund but at least it might give them something to bear in mind when the next 'sucker' walks through the door. On the up side..... it don't half make you feel glad you do your own maintenance.

I think the best thing is to take your car to a place that only do MOTs and no repairs. Nothing gained from failing it.
Doesn't help you now of course.
Maybe you could call and stop them if they've only done part of the repairs, same a bit of the cost. But they're likely to say "No do's, the car's all over the shop."

Officially if the car fails you are liable for partial retest fee, so they can make money that way

thing is a MOT test should take an hour, with all the associated paperwork, moving vehicles etc. Full price for an MOT is about £50 now? Which is what a lot of garage charge for an hour's labour and less than many charge...

Any garage which is doing MOTs at £25 is either not taking an hour to do them or has an unusually low labour rate if they are in proffit at that.

A retest isn't a big win for most garages as most don't charge full fee and in most cases they are required to do a full retest.

I am more than a little wary of cheap MOT places - they are either doing a crappy job of the MOT or they are out to con you. The MOT is a safety check. I want it done properly.

I am amazed how people who are into cars as a hobby / pseudo-lifestyle manage to get by without having a tame MOT station.

Place I go take mine I trust. OK I could save a few quid going somewhere else, somewhere closer may be more "convenient" but when they say its a fail, I know its a fail, and when they say its passed I know its all good. Plus they'll let me fix the car there and then if I can. Or occasionally they do it. I've asked why things were a fail before, and been told a good answer.

You need a good MOT place. Its just the law.

Get the hobby bit..... but not sure how you mean 'pseudo-lifestyle' .... am I missing out on something here? Please explain

Nope.... not missing out on anything then..... never been loyal to any brand..... I either like it or I don't irrespective of the badge on the front.