[TEST DRIVER]

It must be MOT time this year for the first UP GTIs that were sold in 2018. I thought it would be good to have some feed back on the subject, such as...............

1. Did you have the MOT and service done together.

2. Did you have this done at a main dealer or indie

3. How much did you pay for the MOT.

4. Did your car pass and any advisories.

I will not need an MOT on my UP GTI until 2022 and will probably use the main dealer and have it done at the same time as the cars service as long as they price match the MOT price which i can get done for £30 at the moment.

I have never paid full price for an MOT on any of my previous cars and they have all passed, other than a Rover Mini in the 80s that needed welding in the boot. The garage did the welding there and then and the car passed.

Just leave your feed back as and when you have the MOT. I am sure UP GTI owners will find this interesting.

You can also leave feedback on your cars service if you had it done at a main dealer or Indie, the cost, if you were pleased with the work carried out and how you were treated by the staff.

 

[The Doc]

Discounted MOT is a hook to get you in, then they find loads of stuff to replace which didn't need doing.
In the main dealer situation: warranty covered stuff if possible.

I'd prefer to pay full price for an MOT, but have a fair and unbiased tester.
The best place is a fleet garage, Eg public service fleet. They don't need you to make profit.

 

[TEST DRIVER]

I am sure that is the case with some garages Doc, but as i said i have never paid full price and my cars always passed. I never had a tester telling me the car needed work. My cars just passed and that was it for another year.

I used to go to one garage years ago where i did the inside part of the MOT. Things like turning on the lights, signals, rocking the steering wheel etc. while the tester viewed from outside. I even did the brake test on the rollers some years.

Yes i know council run test centres do MOTs. I have also been a few times over the years to a privately owned firm that only does MOTs, nothing else. Again the price was always discounted and my cars always passed.

 

[wellfan]

Discounted MOT is a hook to get you in, then they find loads of stuff to replace which didn't need doing.
In the main dealer situation: warranty covered stuff if possible.

I'd prefer to pay full price for an MOT, but have a fair and unbiased tester.
The best place is a fleet garage, Eg public service fleet. They don't need you to make profit.

I am similar to Test Driver, I never pay full price for any of our MOT tests. Actually been using our local ATS, purchase for about 18 quid via Groupon, never had any issues with the car being failed. But I always let the tester know that he need not price any repairs as I do them myself. ATS never charge for retest either, when they actually could. Wife's UP failed last year due to EML light which came on just as I was driving into the MOT centre, I fixed it myself, pre cat O2 sensor, and my other car had a snapped front coil spring, both were in the chargeable retest category, but no charge taken.
I suppose it is a bit of a lottery the annual MOT test. You can get ripped off anywhere. We have a Corsa that my son uses. Had a service plan with Peter Vardy (main dealer) cheap as chips at £11 monthly over five years, working out at £132 per service. Also MOT at £27. Anyway after the final service with them and just before the MOT was due, I was advised that the car's health check had found some necessary repairs for it to pass the MOT test, total cost, including VAT, would be £2800. New cat required, timing chain required replacement, and both front shockers were weeping, so needed replaced. I knew this was all cobblers, took the car home and checked it over before taking elasewhere for its MOT test, passed with no advisories. Car is now nine years old, and none of this work has needed done, so Peter Vardy were at it, also the timing chain has hee haw to do with the MOT test, and would have been covered by the Vauxhall Lifetime warranty, they should have known that as they had already renewed it a couple of years earlier.
Anyway, I could write a book about my dealings with those clowns.

 

[Mark.cup]

I've never been one for the half price MOT's both my sister's used such offers in the past and both came away with £400 plus bills. The place I use is full price but the tester is proper car enthusiast and will do odd little bits like adjust the handbrake if needed for free or charge you the price of a bulb.

Lots of places need to generate work off the back of the MOT often fabricated if the place I go says something needs doing I 100% trust it needs doing and for my own safety and that's worth paying for in my opinion!

They do undertake all repairs but are so popular they make a very healthy turnover just from the sheer number of MOT's they perform.

There really shouldn't be much wrong with any up GTi being so new the most likely fail would be something silly like wipers,tyres or a bulb hopefully most of us on here are more than capable of checking and replacing those items prior to presenting the car for a test

 

[freemansteve]

It's often valuable to have a relationship, of sorts, with the local individuals you deal with....

I am reminded that, on one occasion, I went for an MOT and a brake/tail light bulb literally failed after I got there. The guy just said, "yeah, I better bung you one in, to save you the trip home and back" - No Charge...

People are good if they know you are at least an occasional customer, IMHO, and you get on a level.... May not work as well in big towns and cities of course, because there is literally one born every minute in terms of "customers/victims" !

 

[wellfan]

I've never been one for the half price MOT's both my sister's used such offers in the past and both came away with £400 plus bills. The place I use is full price but the tester is proper car enthusiast and will do odd little bits like adjust the handbrake if needed for free or charge you the price of a bulb.

Lots of places need to generate work off the back of the MOT often fabricated if the place I go says something needs doing I 100% trust it needs doing and for my own safety and that's worth paying for in my opinion!

They do undertake all repairs but are so popular they make a very healthy turnover just from the sheer number of MOT's they perform.

There really shouldn't be much wrong with any up GTi being so new the most likely fail would be something silly like wipers,tyres or a bulb hopefully most of us on here are more than capable of checking and replacing those items prior to presenting the car for a test

Not sure what age you are, possibly a lot younger than me as you sound very much like my son. Not sure how you can generalise how MOT stations operate on the back of two of your sisters bad experiences and your few positive experiences. Why did they not take their cars for a second opinion to the place you use? Anyway, this could get a bit messy as there are so many opinions about MOT stations.

 

[Rav3177]

In all honesty if you look after your car then MOT time is nothing to worry about. However if you book your car in for a mot and it's got a crack across the screen in the swept area, cords exposed on tyres and no lights working and just to top it off a engine management light on then your car deserves to fail anyway.

 

[Mark.cup]

I'm not sure what age has to do with it.... I'm 45 not 18 just for reference! And of course they could have done exactly as you said but obviously the garages different local ones may I add new A they wouldn't do that and B they would panic and just pay on the spot. It is pretty widespread I had another friend who was told by the Renault dealer his car needed new discs and pads for its MOT I advised him to get a 2nd opinion and it was total nonsense he then went back to Renault and they said they had made a mistake! As mentioned if you build a relationship with a MOT station when you find a good one sometimes it starts with a gut feeling and then turns into a total trust and respect in both directions 👍

I've a got a 16 year old Renault Clio 182 that has failed one MOT on a track rod end other than that I've only ever had advisories regarding tyres or slight play in another track rod end all of which weren't a fail at the time but were rectified instantly even with a fresh MOT certificate in my hand. Not by the MOT station but by my stepson who is a mechanic

 

[Mark.cup]

All I was saying basically is there are good and bad MOT stations and finding the former is a god send!

I've probably had 30 plus visits to MOT stations being in a multiple car family and owning several cars very long term myself so I've had more than a few positive experiences but then I've stuck with 2 excellent MOT stations for the past 12 years 👍

 

[Percy247]

I try and do my own servicing and brakes etc. once our cars are our of warranty. I use the MOT as what VW calls it's "inspection service" and then try and sort any advisories out myself.

I prefer to pay full price for an MOT as some garages in my experience do use 1/2 price MOT's as bait to drum up additional work.

A few years back and last time I took advantage of such an "offer" the tester failed the Mazda 6 I had then. He said all the brake pads where below the legal limit and quoted a spectacular price.

I asked him if he had removed the wheels and he replied no. I questioned how he could check the pad depth without doing so and that I would be doing my own brake work! Reluctantly, he retested the car and passed it. I have not been back since.

As Steve says, get to know your local independent and try and build a relationship.

Let them do the hard jobs such as wheel bearing or suspension work whilst letting them know you can do the easier jobs. They get your business and are less likely to rip you off.

 

[monkeyfiend]

Bringing it back on topic...
First MOT on my Gti was 2 weeks ago.
The (independent) garage next door to where I work have always done all of my families cars and always at £20 a time.
I gave the car a clean and a check over the weekend before, and it went through with no advisories.

As it's not a lot different to my old 60psi UP, I service and maintain it myself now the warranty period has expired.

 

[WIdnes GTi]

I will never use a main dealer for an MOT. The wife had a 4 year old Audi A4 avant (3.0 V6 TDi 22k miles only!) she took it to the main dealer and low and behold a rear shock absorber was leaking, they sent a video with the technician saying how bad the damage was and how unsafe it’d be, especially as he noticed the child seat in the car and he couldn’t live with himself if anything happened (I swear they were the words he used when he phoned up the missus!) I was in work and got the dreaded, but not unexpected call off the missus, needless to say after parting with my hard earned I never went back. I since when back to my local garage, only to be told, “it’s amazing what a little spray of WD-40 on a shock absorber can do!” I am not saying that that was the case, but it certainly made me think!

 

[TEST DRIVER]

Had my annual service today on my UP GTI. The car has only done 6400 miles and will not need an MOT until next year 2022.

I took the car in to my local VW main dealer at 8am and the car was ready at 12 mid day. I just stayed in the local area and had breakfast in one of the cafes. Then used my bus pass for a bus ride to one of the local tourist spots. A nice village with shops and a steam train.

I was kept up to date with phone calls, texts and a video report, so all i can say is excellent customer service from Michelle on reception and good work from Barrie the Mastertech. They also left a 1 ltr bottle of screen wash in the car for me hardly used and a full compliment of paper work to show the work carried out which included fitting a new Pollen filter as well as a full history of all the services carried out from day one.

They could not find anything wrong with the heated seats and the Mastertech said they are working as they should. I did think at first when Michelle said the switches are working as they should that she thought it was just the switches that were at fault, but i told her the switches work ok, they do turn the heat on and off, but hardly any heat comes through. She went to check again with Barrie the Mastertech and he said everything is working as it should, the correct heat output, thermostat etc. Therefore i must be expecting too much and thats the way they are. I am very pleased with the cars heater which is roasting hot and the Air Con is ice cold, so for the amount i use the car ( less than a Thousand miles this year ) I will just accept that the heated seats are like that. They do give some heat so i will leave it at that.

I have only just noticed there is a Black plastic box on the floor under the front passenger seat which i guess is something to do with the heated seats. All the wires are connected correctly with nothing adrift. I am not going to drive my self mad over the heated seats any more and just accept that they are working as they should.

The car was running like a dream before the service and after the service the car is still running like a dream. I had the Air Con on as i drove home and the car was like a fridge.

I know people on here give bad reviews on VW main dealers, but i have nothing but good things to say about my VW main dealer. I am not going to mark them down over the heated seats as i am sure they are working correctly as they said they are and its just me expecting more heat from them. In all other aspects the staff are polite, friendly, carry out the work in the time scale they say they will and provide an excellent service. Well done.

I did not have to pay anything as i have a service plan all paid for so that was even better.

 

[Charliefarlie]

I just had my 2nd year service carried out at a VW approved independent. Service was very comprehensive and done to a standard even a pedant like me was happy with. The Tech even turned on the water temperature display which is done via VCDS. Because they are VW approved they registered the service on the VW digital computer system.
All genuine VW parts used and 0W30 502 spec oil. They even fitted a new sump plug not just a washer.

Car was not cleaned as per my request. They did however hoover the carpet on the passenger side because of the dust from changing the pollen filter.

Cost was£155 inc VAT. VW wanted nearly 250.

 

[Sean66]

Check your oil level straight after a service as as my VW dealer managed to over fill mine by 1/2 litre.
DIY from now.

 

[TEST DRIVER]

How is everyone getting on with their first MOT at three years old and service? Did your car pass the MOT and did you have the service and MOT carried out at a VW main dealer or an Independent?

I am going to book my GTI in for the first week of September at my local VW Main Dealer when my car will be three years old, but the car has only done just over 7000 miles and will not do much more before September.

This service will be the final one with my service plan so i will only have to pay for the MOT. The dealer has advertised another service plan for the next two years (2023 and 2024) that includes breakdown and MOTs but it is far too expensive. I will ask them the price of a service plan just for the services, but if it is still too expensive i will use the VW Independent not far from the main dealer for the next two years.

 

[TomRZZ]

How is everyone getting on with their first MOT at three years old and service? Did your car pass the MOT and did you have the service and MOT carried out at a VW main dealer or an Independent?

I am going to book my GTI in for the first week of September at my local VW Main Dealer when my car will be three years old, but the car has only done just over 7000 miles and will not do much more before September.

This service will be the final one with my service plan so i will only have to pay for the MOT. The dealer has advertised another service plan for the next two years (2023 and 2024) that includes breakdown and MOTs but it is far too expensive. I will ask them the price of a service plan just for the services, but if it is still too expensive i will use the VW Independent not far from the main dealer for the next two years.

I had my first MOT in October at a littler MOT centre locally and it passed with flying colours. No need to go to a specialist or vw garage for the MOT, just go where ever is cheapest.
The best place to go is your local authority MOT centre as they have zero incentive to find faults, the only issue is mine is a bit of a faff to get booked in with and they can't carry out any required work if there is an issue (but there really shouldn't be with a 3 year old car).

As for servicing, I took advantage of a Black Friday deal in 2021 from my local VW dealership which included 3 additional years servicing (2 major and 1 minor) for a flat monthly fee of, I think, £16? This exludes certain ancillary parts (air con and cambelt isnt included for example) but after checking the cost at local specialists it did turn out to be a good deal so went for it and will be keeping an eye out for black Friday deals to reapply when it comes to an end 😀

T

 

[Sean66]

With regards to the VW servicing just check for basic mistakes like over filling oil level , leaving air box breather pipes off ect ect as soon as you’re home or even better before driving away from the service centre

 

[freemansteve]

Yep, mine was done a couple of weeks ago at the local Skoda dealer - no issues. They did a decent end-of-warranty free check (with video), fixed the creaky steering, washed the car, gave me a loaner for 2 days, and charged £45. I'm happy enough, although £45 is 2 months of petrol! I'll get it serviced nearer the end of the year....