Hi Folks!
On January 31st I will have had my K11 (which is my 3rd K11 - I had 2 in succession between 1994-2000 on Motability) called Milly for 1 year. Milly's MOT is due on 22nd January so I booked an MOT at my local authority MOT centre in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire for today. Being a woman I as concerned about being taking for a ride by a garage I read some advice about using local authority MOT centres on the Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert website:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot
The MOT cost £50 and if a re-test was required that was free. Whilst Milly was having her MOT the MOT centre manager told me that they can do small things like replace bulbs. When they finished they said that they found the following:
001 Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right [1.8]
My Micra had done exactly 11,200 miles on arriving at the MOT test centre, she is a 51 reg and has been owned by an old lady from new until last year when presumably the lady gave up driving. The day that I drove her home last year she had done 7068 miles ! VOSA has verified the mileage as accurate - and an HPI check shows that short after the lady sold her there was Cat. D damage to the offside rear quarter panel which was repaired and then Milly was sold on to me in January of last year. The cat. D meant that another MOT was required (the previous one was October 2011) and Milly was failed on the same thing to do with the nearside headlamp although this time they put nearside headlamp aim too low [1.8].
Today the people at the Hampshire County Council Test centre kindly adjusted the headlamp free of charge and passed Milly as road worthy whereas the garage that did the MOT on her in January last year failed her on this and the then owner was required to adjust the headlamp aim themselves and then re submit Milly for another MOT.
I have two questions:
Firstly how common is headlamp aim problems on the K11?
I was rammed by a speeding driver who was driving without due care and attention last year and also more recently caught Milly's offside front wheel in the edge of a newly created pothole which gave her a bit of a bump and wonder if either of these two events could have caused the nearside headlamp to move?
And therefore what is the best way to avoid the headlamp aim moving/changing beyond the legal allowance?
My second question is - Does anyone else have experience of using Local Authority MOT test centres?
I found the people at Bishop's Waltham MOT centre very friendly and helpful. They weren't patronising and even asked me if I was warm enough in the waiting area and if not then they would put the heater on for me! I will certainly go back there again.
Regards
Harley
On January 31st I will have had my K11 (which is my 3rd K11 - I had 2 in succession between 1994-2000 on Motability) called Milly for 1 year. Milly's MOT is due on 22nd January so I booked an MOT at my local authority MOT centre in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire for today. Being a woman I as concerned about being taking for a ride by a garage I read some advice about using local authority MOT centres on the Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert website:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot
The MOT cost £50 and if a re-test was required that was free. Whilst Milly was having her MOT the MOT centre manager told me that they can do small things like replace bulbs. When they finished they said that they found the following:
001 Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right [1.8]
My Micra had done exactly 11,200 miles on arriving at the MOT test centre, she is a 51 reg and has been owned by an old lady from new until last year when presumably the lady gave up driving. The day that I drove her home last year she had done 7068 miles ! VOSA has verified the mileage as accurate - and an HPI check shows that short after the lady sold her there was Cat. D damage to the offside rear quarter panel which was repaired and then Milly was sold on to me in January of last year. The cat. D meant that another MOT was required (the previous one was October 2011) and Milly was failed on the same thing to do with the nearside headlamp although this time they put nearside headlamp aim too low [1.8].
Today the people at the Hampshire County Council Test centre kindly adjusted the headlamp free of charge and passed Milly as road worthy whereas the garage that did the MOT on her in January last year failed her on this and the then owner was required to adjust the headlamp aim themselves and then re submit Milly for another MOT.
I have two questions:
Firstly how common is headlamp aim problems on the K11?
I was rammed by a speeding driver who was driving without due care and attention last year and also more recently caught Milly's offside front wheel in the edge of a newly created pothole which gave her a bit of a bump and wonder if either of these two events could have caused the nearside headlamp to move?
And therefore what is the best way to avoid the headlamp aim moving/changing beyond the legal allowance?
My second question is - Does anyone else have experience of using Local Authority MOT test centres?
I found the people at Bishop's Waltham MOT centre very friendly and helpful. They weren't patronising and even asked me if I was warm enough in the waiting area and if not then they would put the heater on for me! I will certainly go back there again.
Regards
Harley
