what would you do?

danb

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
53
0
Cambs
The LCR needed it's MOT so I booked it into a main dealer and had it done yesterday.
It failed on a bottom ball joint having excesive play (car has covered 30k) and they could replace it this Friday, at a cost of around £180. I thought it was a bit odd, no noises coming from the car, etc.

By coincidence the car was booked in for a service with Jabbasport today and I asked them to look at the ball joint. They couldn't find anything wrong, they commented that they had never had to replace this part on a Leon, especially considering the low mileage. Jabba found me an independant MOT garage so it could be tested this afternoon - and guess what - it passed. I told the MOT station after they had given me the certificate that it had failed 24 hours earlier and they couldn't believe it. They even put the car back on the ramp to see if there was something the dealer was seeing that they hadn't.

I called the dealer and told them I wasn't happy but the only response I got was "different MOT stations say different things" I don't accept this, 'excessive play' is not a borderline thing is it? 'Excessive play' should be easy to spot?

I called VOSA who say that because I arranged my own retest I couldn't appeal the origional failure, and therefore no disciplinary action could be taken against the dealer.

I guess I just want my money back, I feel that the dealer was touting for business.

What would you do? Anyone had this before?:confused:
 

RikH

Texas Cowboy
Oct 17, 2005
2,474
0
Yorkshire
id post who it was for the members that care about their cars
and never go there myself again
 

RikH

Texas Cowboy
Oct 17, 2005
2,474
0
Yorkshire
i just think its shocking
and it happens too often

such a shame that so many people just believe what they are told and are royally ripped off every day
 

danb

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
53
0
Cambs
i just think its shocking
and it happens too often

such a shame that so many people just believe what they are told and are royally ripped off every day

Cheshunt have got pretty good reviews on here when I searched.

I think I gave them a fair chance - the car was looked at by 5 people at Jabba, a tyre and exhast place and then re-MOT'ed by an independant VOSA garage. I understand they need to stand by their decisions but in the face of such obvious poor diagnositic I think it pretty poor. The VOSA chap just said Cheshunt were sharking for business, he was amazed at the cheek.:(
 

andycupra

status subject to change
i cant believe VOSA,
how having another mot check means you cant complain is beyond me, an mot doesnt change anything on the car, if they broke it down and re-assembled it fine. but they didnt. so its not changed the car.
surely you can still appeal or complain against them. id write to VOSA rather than just call.
 

paullec

Active Member
Nov 15, 2006
306
0
Birmingham
Vosa should be able to have words with them, shocking but you know dealers or anyone for fact might try it on :(
 

Jay20VT

The 'R' In CupRa
Jul 23, 2004
653
80
N.London
write what you did in your original post straight to SEAT UK via the webiste. Infact send then a link to this forum discussion!! DONT HAVE IT!!
 

Mitchy

TTRS
Oct 12, 2004
2,310
0
I dont mean to put a spanner in the works but the leons especially the LCR do suffer from ball joint problems. Do a search, numerous people have had them replaced!

The hard suspension setup, the weight and the big wheels cause increased wear in the ball joints.

Mine failed its MOT for exactly the same reason. The part itself costs about £35 and it should take about an hour to fit meaning around £85ish.

Try very sharp turns for example, up into a drive way, full left or full right and listen for any clunks coming from the front hubs. If your hearing a clunk, or a knocking noise when going up kerbs and into driveways or indeed a very sharp turn then yes your ball joint is knackered!
 

Leon Pete

Guest
That is a complete p*ss take especially when considering the mileage, but im sure this is fairly typical and the only way that the workshop in some of these dealers make money.

You should put everything into writing and inform VOSA offically.

Pete.
 

CHRIS200

Powered by Seat Sport
Oct 4, 2003
388
0
Fleet, Hants
Visit site
I had a similar sitution at Camb Seat. They said excessive play and that it would fail it's MOT when they did the service. The quoted me £72 to replace. Hours labour at £45 and the part at £32 inc VAT.

Took it to an independent MOT station and they passed the car with no comment on the ball joint. I also mentioned this too them, they also put the car back up on the ramp and had a look. There was a tiny bit of movement, so I played it safe and decided to replace the part. Bought the part from Camberley Auto Factors at a cost of £12 and then got it fitted and tracked. Total cost was £45 all in for the part, fitting and tracking.
 

danb

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
53
0
Cambs
I dont mean to put a spanner in the works but the leons especially the LCR do suffer from ball joint problems. Do a search, numerous people have had them replaced!

The hard suspension setup, the weight and the big wheels cause increased wear in the ball joints.

Mine failed its MOT for exactly the same reason. The part itself costs about £35 and it should take about an hour to fit meaning around £85ish.

Try very sharp turns for example, up into a drive way, full left or full right and listen for any clunks coming from the front hubs. If your hearing a clunk, or a knocking noise when going up kerbs and into driveways or indeed a very sharp turn then yes your ball joint is knackered!


I have had the ball joint checked out by 3 separate garages, including Jabba. They all say it's fine - no play in the ball joint.

It's my family car - my wife drives it most of the time with my 6 year old on board so theres no way I would compromise on safety.
 

jonjay

50 Years of 911
Jun 27, 2005
5,843
1
Essex
Seat in Cheshunt.
My god I bought my car from their and I thought their servicing etc was quite exceptional. They are quite a close group all been there for years I am sure you can sort it out with them.

I am really suprised because my best mate bought an LCR from them and I bought my FR and they always been quite cool people.
 
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danb

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
53
0
Cambs
My god I bought my car from their and I thought their servicing etc was quite exceptional. They are quite a close group all been there for years I am sure you can sort it out with them.

I am really suprised because my best mate bought an LCR from them and I bought my FR and they always been quite cool people.

This was my first visit to them so I can't really comment on previous experience.

At the end of the day there must be loads of people unhappy with their MOT result. However, in this case I feel that the decision wasn't borderline, they told me the ball joint was knackered - and it wasn't. There is literally no play whatsoever in the joint.

I intend to write a nice letter but at the end of the day they will stand by their decision, they have too really.

When I searched on here I found loads of good comments about Cheshunt which is why I was initially reluctant to name and shame. I guess you could have this experience anywhere really?:confused:
 

ajoellew

Active Member
Oct 24, 2006
123
0
Bristol
On a similar vein, my mate took his MkIV R32 for an MOT yesterday. He got a call at lunch time saying he needed 2 new rear tyres at £194 a pop:-o .

He told them he would sort out his own tyres and picked it up. We both had a look last night and I could literally lose the end of my finger in the tread that was so much left. :wtf:

I've told him to report them to VOSA, as not only are they failing cars that should be passing, they are charging outrageous prices for the work they propose.[:@]
 

danb

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
53
0
Cambs
okay - wrote a nice polite letter today to the garage asking for my money back, although I don't hold up much hope:confused:

i'll post if something interesting is mentioned!!
 

Triple D

Guest
Play in the ball joint etc is all a load of tosh imho, at work (we have lemorder steering parts, control arms ball oints etc etc) and when they come back in warranty we have to testthem. Now the maximum amount of travle the ball joint should have is 2mm, when we test them we rarely find them to be 1.5mm never mind 2mm. They think that if it moves slightly then it has excessive play, but infact they are perfectly fine and will continue to be for a long time. MHO anyways.
 

Dennis

Polisher
May 11, 2005
297
0
This is very serious.

Now the MOT system is computerised and MOT failure is caputed on the VOSA database for ever, therefore they now hold incorrect info about your vehicle.

1 write to VOSA advising your finding and especialy your concern re their process/rules re reporting iffy MOT testing stations adn that you want any record of the failure removing from all data bases etc.

2 report the garage to trading standards.

3 if you realy want to go the distance with his, get and independant engineers report to confirm the part is the orginal part from manufacture and it is servicable.
 
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