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bimmer
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Posted: Thu May 20th, 2010 06:14 pm |
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that's cool. 
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kit1958
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Posted: Thu May 20th, 2010 02:23 pm |
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| Sorry bimmer misread the origanal post, must go to specsavers!
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bimmer
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Posted: Thu May 20th, 2010 07:11 am |
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hi, honeycomb plates are allowed before Sept 1st 2001. 6.3.3 in manual.
http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m3s06000301.htm
Last edited on Thu May 20th, 2010 07:25 am by bimmer
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kit1958
Trade Member
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Posted: Wed May 19th, 2010 09:09 pm |
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Good luck with the appeal regards tow ball, but just looking at the inspection manual, the font of all tesing wisdom, it quite clearly says "a reg plate clearly displaying a honycombe or similar effect background"
This info is availabe via the VOSA web site for anyone to see as is what all us mear mortal testers must work to.
As I said good luck with your appeal let us know how you get on
regards, Kit1958
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Portybear
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Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 05:43 pm |
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The pleasing thing was that when I phoned for the 3 quotes for the towbar ball removal, it was MOT stations I phoned and they were non too pleased at what had happened and said I should pursue this. There are a lot of good guys out there and I know they are not all the same. I just happened to pick the dodgy one. One of the guys I spoke to has been testing 25 yrs and has never had an appeal lodged against him. He actually said that now Vosa are involved the place I went to could find themselves in big trouble.
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Spunkymonkey
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 04:42 pm |
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Good luck with your appeal, Portybear. Sadly, no matter how professional most testers are (as you can clearly see in a place like this*), sometimes - just like in any trade - there will be people who try to bend the rules.
At least with the MOT scheme there's an official procedure for challenging them when needed, which has to be better than letting the reputation of the whole industry suffer because of the few!
* incidentally, I'm allowed to say that cos I'm not one 
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Portybear
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Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 04:28 pm |
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I had quite a day yesterday sorting this out with the Mot testing station.
At first I phoned them up to challenge the fail because of the honeycomb effect on the plate but they were having none of it. I also asked them to look at thier charges for removing the two bolts to release the tow bar ball. Again no joy.
2 hours later I appeared at the testing station and asked for a form to appeal (VT 17)
The guy who owns the place comes over and says "we've looked into it and you are right about the number plate" I just said I know I am. But I'm concerned about how many number plates you are insisting people get replaced.
I then asked him for the old number plate they just ripped off. The guy went through the bins and it came back in 4 bits. He said sorry it was broken. I said don't worry mate it'll be easier to package. What do you mean easier to package? I said I've to send it with the appeal form to VOSA. Let me tell you his face was a picture. He was gutted.
He called me a sad Barsteward. (Never worked in a bar in my life) That just happened to be getting recorded on my moby. LOL
I'll come back on when trading standards are done with it and let you know the outcome.
Bottom line is that greed has caught them out.
I'm going into get my new honeycomb plate fitted tomorrow. They got one online. I'm tempted to re-attach the towbar ball before I go back in.
Last edited on Wed Apr 28th, 2010 04:30 pm by Portybear
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Spunkymonkey
Member
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Posted: Wed Apr 28th, 2010 04:01 pm |
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From your description I'd question whether the towbar obscuring the plate would be a fail anyway? The RFR gives:
d. faded, dirty, delaminated, deteriorated or obscured, (for example by a towbar) so that it is likely to be misread or is not easily legible by a person standing approximately 20 meters to the front/rear of the vehicle
I know they've removed the height restriction on policement but, unless they're actively recruiting midgets, seeing it from ground level is only an issue after you've just run them over, in which case they won't be "standing"
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Portybear
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Posted: Tue Apr 27th, 2010 04:15 pm |
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Got it sorted out as far as the plate is concerned. It's in the hands of Vosa who have said the plate was okay and should have passed.
As for the 2 bolts, thats now in the hands of trading standards. I had to get three seperate quotes from testing stations and work out an average price to give a guideline on a 'fair' price as they put it. All three said the same... free of charge. They can sort it out now.
Contacted the testing station they are going to refund for the number plate and they now have to source one with a honeycomb background to put things right.
So guys and girls, if your vehicle was registered before September 2001 you are okay to have honeycomb number plates on the back. They are not illegal and not a fail.
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rocky69
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Posted: Tue Apr 27th, 2010 03:33 pm |
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The plate was a fail, sticky ones are ok prividing they are carrectly spaced etc the rest of the problem is outside our remit, but did you not challenge the bill at the time, oh the binding brake has to show up on the brake tester really to be a fail.
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Portybear
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Posted: Tue Apr 27th, 2010 07:03 am |
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Hello from Aberdeen.
Advise needed here folks.
Yesterday I took my Frontera Sport in for MOT. It was registered in 2000.
As the heading says one of the fails was that my number plate had a honeycomb background. The tester said it would have to be changed. The plate was literally ripped off the vehicle whereupon it snapped and another sticky backed one was made up and put in its place.
Question: Was the honeycomb one illegal bearing in mind its a 2000 Fronty and are sticky back plates legal?
One of the other things it was failed on was the towbar ball impeaded the plate if looking at it from ground level. Fair enough I thought so asked them to just remove it when doing the number plate. A charge of £22.50 + vat was applied for taking out the 2 bolts. Can they charge that amount for taking out 2 bolts. It seems a bit excessive. I watched them doing the job and it took no more than 20 seconds using thier air gun.
The other issue I have is regarding the brakes. Before I took the vehicle in for test I got all 4 discs replaced and new pads were put in all round. The tester claims that one of the wheels wasn't freewheeling properly and that there was slight resistance. He said he'd have to do a brake service to recify the problem. Again is there no leeway bearing in mind the discs and pads are brand new and done less than 50 miles.
Advice would be much appreciated on these matters.
Portybear.
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