I'm not knocking it but I've imported 30-40 vehicles from the US and found things like track rod ends that have so much slack the car could barely be kept in a straight line (and one that was so bad the track rod actually fell off!). There's been threads on the other side where people have said that they've lost all their brake fluid because one of the short steel pipes at the back has rusted through. These are things that the MoT test would pick up on before they became dangerous. That's what it is, it's a safety test. The object of it is to make sure the vehicle isn't a danger to the driver or anyone else. Originally it was almost solely brakes, lights and steering but other things have been added over the years so seatbelts (driver safety in event of an accident) and body/chassis structure were added (Will it fall apart on you? Will the jagged edges of rusted bodywork rip a pedestrian apart when you hit them?) and exhaust (will it gas you while you are driving along).

I agree that there are some testers that seem to use it as some sort of power trip or will try to make the rules up as they go along if they don't like the look of you, but mainly it's a pretty good indicator of the state of a car and how well it has been looked after. You can also check the MoT history online for a car so you can see what it has needed in the past. If a car goes in and has a number of advisories (things that it will still pass the test but will need attention soon) and you see the same advisories the following year, you know the owner doesn't really care about it.

Ours is much more than that, it is a safety check and includes almost all of the vehicle. The full testers manual is https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles which shows how to test and what is a pass, fail or advisory. Although emissions are part of it, they aren't done through OBD but by putting a probe up the exhaust and measuring the emissions. It can be a bit of a pain but it at least means that you are told about rusted brake pipes or fuel lines before they start to leak and anything else that you may not have noticed but could be dangerous.

How did you get round the reversing lights being on when they shouldn't problem?

I don't know, as soon as the live auction started you can't see it online. I didn't bother going as standing around in the rain in Wisbech didn't really appeal.....

Didn't reach the reserve so not sold and will be in next weeks auction.

Yes, they keep changing the name, Ultimate, Platinum and I think you are right, the last ones I bought were Laser. Yes, mH4 for dip/main and H1 for main (I've still got standard Halogens in there, main is so good anyway, although it does look a bit odd with the different colour light from the two). I've used 100W bulbs in the past in other cars but they were 100/55W so no different on dip, just higher wattage on main which is good anyway.

The way they work is that they need to show a certain number of fails otherwise it looks like they are not doing the test properly. My tester got an inspection and was asked why he never failed anything for blown light bulbs. He told the inspector that he just fitted a new bulb and passed the car. He was told what he should do is fail it, fit a new bulb then retest so the percentage of fails accurately reflects the number of cars running around with blown light bulbs.

Government site takes 2 or 3 days to update so it won't show the pass (and fail and subsequent pass) for a couple of days.

As I regularly drive through the night on the Continent where there's no streetlights (and on a cloudy night with no moon it can be completely black), the lights were great on main beam but when dipped I may as well have switched them off! As much of my long distance driving is done on the wrong side of the road, rather than a stick on mask or bit of tape, I've painted out my lights so I've got a flat dip too. I tried the Osram bulbs and that made a huge difference and using the front fogs as well gives a good spread of light and doesn't appear to dazzle anyone coming the other way (nobody has ever flashed me anyway). I had one of the Osrams blow so put a standard one in until a replacement arrived. Driving into my driveway, I've got a window directly in front of me so could see the reflection of the lights. The Osram side was a bright blueish white while the standard 55/60W bulb in the other side looked a dirty brown colour in comparison.

My missus used to work on the same theory. She had a Merc C180 auto with the foot operated parking brake. I took it in for MoT and it did virtually nothing so failed. Got back home and told her that it had failed on handbrake, "But it hasn't got one?" was the reply. Had to take her outside and show her where it was. She'd never used it once in the time she'd owned it as that is what P is for surely?

Usual problem is the tabs at the bottom break off. It would be reasonably simple to take a fibreglass mould off one but I'll not sure what you'd use to replicate them. Fibreglass would be too thick.

StrangeRover wrote:

Yanking it on while moving wouldn't do the UJ's much good i'd of thought!

That's why it's done at walking pace. It'll put less strain on the UJ's than me towing 3.5 tonnes up the side of a mountain......

I seem to remember there was someone (in Malaysia) that was doing replacements in glass fibre. Found a link to them but the website appears dead. Part number is AWR2092 which supersedes to FAV101210 but all the usual suspects show it as out of stock..

Mine just yanks on the handbrake while driving along at walking pace. Still almost puts him through the windscreen. If some idiot that hasn't read the testers manual tries to test on rollers, it will try and climb off them as by turning the wheels on one axle, it'll turn the others as it's permanent 4 wheel drive so the front wheels will be driving it along.

Take it back and ask that it is tested by a competent tester. The headlights only need to be self levelling (and have wash/wipe) if fitted with HIDs, which it isn't (or shouldn't be), as you say, there's no adjustment on many other cars, if the aim of the lights is correct then it doesn't need an adjuster as the suspension self levels and keeps them pointing where they should. I assume he also fails all models of Mercedes too as you can't open the petrol flap on them when the engine is running either. Did he try to test the footbrake on the rollers? If he did, you'd best send the bill for a new viscous coupling to him (https://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/viscous-couplings/range-rover-viscous-coupling.html) as that's the easiest way to destroy one there is. Sounds like idiot is being polite, total dickhead is the description I'd use......

There's a pair of two way connectors under the seats, one for each element. Check for continuity and you'll probably find at least one is open circuit. There used to be an excellent step by step repair guide but that was one of the things that was removed from .net and the saved pdf file doesn't seem to include it (or at least the copy I have doesn't). After fixing 4 breaks and still not getting continuity, I fitted an aftermarket pad.

Elements fail because people will insist on sitting on very thin bits of wire that breaks them. There's a separate element in the seat base and backrest wired in series so as soon as the base element breaks it all stops. They can be repaired or fit an aftermarket pad.

Osram Nightbreaker Ultimate bulbs and use the front fogs to give a wide spread of light directly in front of the car.

X8R.....

Sticky solenoid then. If the valve plunger is gummed up it will open sometimes but not always. If you've got a manual shut off on the multivalve at the tank, you can close that, remove the solenoid coil and slacken the brass tube it sits over. You'll vent off a pipeful of gas but once vented you can unscrew it completely and clean the plunger. If you've done that at the tank already, chances are it's the front one. That would also tie in with it not working after it's been left so everything cools down and the heavy ends that are sticking it solidify and glue everything.

I was about to say it never had any but having just checked the parts manual it does show them. I've seen mention in the workshop manual of "remove undertray (where fitted)" suggesting that they were only fitted for some markets, but I've owned 4 P38s and worked on many more and never seen one with undertrays. Sling them in the nearest bin.