MOT Pass!

Mako

Mako

Club Member
Feb 6, 2011
15,254
14,362
Milton Keynes
A couple of advisories: rear brakes low, and wishbone bushes "showing some deterioration but not resulting in excessive movement". Emissions were slap-bang in the middle of the allowed ranges.

The tester said that the wishbones might last for one year or five, but just needed keeping an eye on.



Two items of note:

1) Before he started the test, I pointed out my upper brakelight mask and offered to remove it (to avoid a fail and retest). He took one look at it and said, "Nope - that's perfectly fine in my opinion. Nice work, by the way." So there's a complient for you, Al. :)

2) The tester was a Ford man and a regular at Ford Fair - I had a look around his Sapphire Cosworth :D - and he said he's always had a soft spot for the Cougar. But what made him sad was the number of them that he sees in for test which have been abused and neglected. His opinion was that far too many people buy them because it's a cheap coupe', but have no idea what they're getting into or how to take care of it. Just run them into the ground. :(

Oh - and he also told me I need to buy an Ebony V6. Since that's advice from a professional, I guess I better do what he says. :geek:
 
Cheers Steve! In celebration of the pass, I gave old Mako a good warm bath to get rid of all the salt and dirt, followed by a coat of heated wax.

Going to have to remove the offside door handle now though and clean up behind it - you don't even want to know what I found clogging up the nearside. :sick:
 
Cheers!

The tester was a good bloke. He said that he obviously has to follow the letter of the law, but if something was marginal and not blatantly illegal, and was also something that's down to his judgement - he'd pass it if he thought the car was presented in good faith and would be fixed immediately.

He didn't have to do that for me though - that was his answer to a hypothetical question about my door handle, which was kaput up until this morning before the test.
 
Sounds like my tester - comments every year on how well looked after she is and that he cant believe she's that old. He also knows that i always do my advisories.

You'll know when the bones have properly gone as the steering will feel like somebody else has a steering wheel and is driving against you - ie. you dont feel quiet in controll anymore
 
localloon said:
Congrats matey, I'm hoping to make a similar post soonish ;)
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed for you!


ggsumo said:
You'll know when the bones have properly gone as the steering will feel like somebody else has a steering wheel and is driving against you - ie. you dont feel quiet in controll anymore
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - worth knowing what the symptoms will be when the time comes, (when my Mondy ones used to go, it felt like the brake disks were warped when braking).
 
Congrats on the pass, I'm getting my wishbones done as they were an advisory last time along with the droplinks. I hope my tester is as thoughtful as yours when the time comes.
 
Thanks again gents.

I think Maurice's suggestion of replacing the wishbones before they're completely shot is what I probably should do. If nothing else, it means I get to choose when I do it, not being forced to in the freezing cold next February...
 
Congrat there mako, i've got mine this coming Saturday, so i'm hoping its all good news :eek:

Mines a bit tracky on poor surfaces, so i'm hoping its not the wishbone bushes with the cost of those things, but just the fact its got 225 section tyres on the front as its fine on smooth roads, guess i'll find out in a few days !!
 
frosty2.0 said:
Congrat there mako, i've got mine this coming Saturday, so i'm hoping its all good news :eek:

Mines a bit tracky on poor surfaces, so i'm hoping its not the wishbone bushes with the cost of those things, but just the fact its got 225 section tyres on the front as its fine on smooth roads, guess i'll find out in a few days !!
Click to expand...

Best of luck! To be fair, mine tramlines badly (on standard wheels with 225s on) on poor roads, so if it's just that I wouldn't worry about it. The steering is very light for a big-ish car.

Also: thanks Mani. Needs a cambelt and some wishbones as soon as is practical. If it's going to stay consistent, that's going to be down to me keeping it that way.

Welcome back, by the way. Good to see you.
 
Congrats on the pass and I told you already you need a black V6 in your life. Black V6 FTW :)
 
Mine failed on Saturday on emmissions :( so that'll be a new cat for the cat to be fitted in next few days and the rear pads are almost non existent same again then :LOL:

Apart from that the legendary rear subframe could do with a coat of hammerite as its flaking, but no real dramas the man said....

Not so shabby for an almost 14 year old car i'm thinking :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.