Iva Derby

[richyb66]

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The more observant amongst you will have noticed that this is an early post for an 8am test today. I came home from hols in Wales yesterday afternoon a few days early to pick up a hire trailer and spent the afternoon and evening finishing off a few odd jobs and cleaning the car. The trailer was too big to fit in the garage overnight so I had the car ready to load up first thing and boxed the trailer in on the drive with a couple of cars. All I had to do this morning was load up and fill up the Hood on the way to Derby (about 30 miles from Tamworth).

 

I left home at around 6-50 and stopped off at Donnington Services for fuel, which is when I noticed a slight fuel leak. Due to a schoolboy error of not brimming the tank beforehand, the fuel sender unit was leaking a bit (about half a litre maximum before the fuel level was below the leak). I was fairly convinced that the sender unit would seal ok as it had a new Genuine Ford seal but obviously not.

 

It was around 7-20 now so I had a couple of choices:

 

1. Phone and cancel

 

2. Effect a roadside repair.

 

I went for Option 2, removed the boot carpet and cover from the sender unit and set to work. Initial attempts at nipping down the bolts had no effect so the seal was possibly distorted so I removed the sender unit completely, cleaned it all up and re-assembled it with a liberal coating of silicone gasket sealer. This appeared to do the trick as jiggling the tank to slosh the fuel didn't produce any leaks.

 

By now it was getting late, around 7-55 so I quickly got cleaned up and at just after 8 (the time, not the mint) I rang VOSA HQ to ask them to let Derby know I was running late. After about 5 minutes they got back to me and said that if I could get there within the next 10 minutes, I'd be OK. This looked unlikely, but I set off anyway.

 

I would have been OK had it not been for the Sat-Nav on my phone taking me on a tour of the outskirts of Derby. I did see one single sign for the VOSA test centre and the mighty Nokia Maps obviously knew a cunning short cut as it lead me down back streets and onto a residential caravan park. A bit more ducking and diving (and by now largely ignoring the vocal directions) and I met a dustbin wagon on a narrow residential street. The driver knew the location of the test centre, mere minutes away and in fact very close to a location of mine just 10 minutes earlier.

 

Basically I arrived at 8-45, the lady there was very understanding but I'd missed my slot for the 4 hour test and they couldn't fit me in.

 

I was then bent over a barrel and rogered for another £450 test fee as I'd missed my initial test and there are no refunds. My new test date is Monday 10th October at 8am again, at least I know where the test centre is now (something that the VOSA lady kindly pointed out to me).

 

The moral of the story is don't fill up on the day (I could have easily done so last night). I assume they can test a car with pretty well any other fault other than a big fuel leak so this isn't something you want to find out on the day, it's not like I could have just drive there and had it tested as is - they'd have probably called the Fire Brigade.

 

At least I have another day off work to look forward to (unpaid sadly - ouch!), and I'm sure that one day I will laugh about the £1000 in VOSA test fees. I was an avoidable mistake so I feel a complete tit and it's give my wallet another kicking it really didn't need. I was beginning to think running an Audi S6 was expensive, suddenly it's looking pretty good value.

[Guest Alan_builder]

What a shame. Hope the other half was out when you got back as I bet you felt like kicking some one.

 

So how come VOSA were not working on the other tests scheduled for the day and had you sit there for 3 hrs until they got to the end of the other tests scheduled for the days work? Ok Just wanted £450, bet if you had offered the guys £200 you would have been done, but not literally!

[Thrashed]

Gutted for you Rich.

 

But i am now going to fill my tank full and test for leaks and doing that this weekend!!!

 

Catch up soon.

 

Steve

[Thrashed]

Gutted for you Rich.

 

But i am now going to fill my tank full and test for leaks and doing that this weekend!!!

 

Catch up soon.

 

Steve

[richyb66]

What a shame. Hope the other half was out when you got back as I bet you felt like kicking some one.

 

So how come VOSA were not working on the other tests scheduled for the day and had you sit there for 3 hrs until they got to the end of the other tests scheduled for the days work? Ok Just wanted £450, bet if you had offered the guys £200 you would have been done, but not literally!

 

Luckily we don't have any pets, but the first cat I see today could get a right shoeing!

 

I should have told them I wanted to speak to the tester, then kept him talking for 4 hours, after all, I paid for 4 hours of his time!

 

Clearly it was my own fault, but the system does seem a bit unfair.

[Guest rwh]

Absolutely gutted for you Rich. What a total rip off, I wonder what they did for the 4 hours that they should have been working on your car. No doubt you can buy an awful lot of tea for £450!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However that is a lesson for us all to learn (even if it was a costly one for you. Hope you get through first time when you take it again.

 

Bob

[fry61]

Brim full & fuel half way up the neck was our biggest problem when building;took several attemps so when finally O.K did not take apart again to correct under-reading fuel gauge. We did not fill prior to test (thermal expansion worries) but took extra can full so tester could have tank filled to his satisfaction.

Hope you get through next time.

[Shaft]

Sh1te day then mate is an understatement I suppose, Derby city centre is an absolute nightmare any time off the day, I'd suggest leaving home at 6 and take a brew to sit and enjoy at the test centre carpark, far less stressfull.

[RedTrev]

No way.... gutted for you Rich, what a calamity, and I agree, it seems so unfair to lose the lot!

 

 

A few hours OT will sort out the loss!

 

Keep your pecker up mate,

 

See you Monday

 

Trev

[Redspec]

Looks like a 3hr PRE iva should have been on the cards, why could they not let the tester spend a couple of hours looking over the car and giving advice on what needs, if any, changing. At least that way the next test sould be 95% there????

[Guest mower man]

I'm really sorry for you ,it does seem very unfair ,Iwould be sending letters of complaint immeadiatly to the station manager and also further up the tree ,it may well not even get a reply but at least you have tried.Please do not think the next bit is a get at it's trying to be help full ,I presume you journeyed up the 42 to the M1 and upto the Donnington exit ? ,surely the A 38 would have been a far better route to Derby from Tamworth ?. I do hope you get some satisfaction [i personaly do not under stand the validity of this so calld testbut unfortunately the faceless one trying to make us into a seem nanny state have landed us with it ] I have freinds in Tamworth so may be able to meet up one day ---Regards mowerman [mick]

[Guest big kev]

This is what made the British car industry so great

[RedTrev]

 

 

My new test date is Monday 10th October at 8am again, at least I know where the test centre is now (something that the VOSA lady kindly pointed out to me).

 

The moral of the story is don't fill up on the day (I could have easily done so last night)..

 

"Gladiators, are you ready?"

 

 

.....all fuelled up?..... Good luck for tomorrow, Rich

[Guest rwh]

Good luck for tomorrow Richy. Look forward to hearing that you passed.

 

Bob

[richyb66]

Thanks for the good wishes guys. I've got everything crossed for tomorrow and I'll stick a post up as soon as I can after the test.