MOT Query

ANSWER : Hi there. If the hole is just in the muffler then you only will need to replace that. The pipes will not need to be replaced unless they are showing signs of weakness. It is important that you get this taken care of as soon as possible as that leak can cause further issues. You can purchase a new muffler at the dealer or most exhaust shops will have replacements available at a much better price.

ANSWER : You will need to have a body repair shop inspect the damaged suspension to see if it is repairable. I know in some countries you cannot do certain structural repairs, meaning the vehicle would have to be removed from the road. That being said, have a shop inspect it to see if it can be repaired and you’ll be able to get a quote from them once they’ve looked at it.

ANSWER : Like any other luxury brand, a Land Rover’s cost of maintenance is above average. This is due to parts being specialized, and a lack of aftermarket replacement part options; but also simply because of the name. Land Rovers are typically good vehicles in regards to reliability, however, there have been some electronic issues with sensors and wiring harnesses being damaged due to heat exposure. Overall, it’s a fairly good used vehicle to purchase; however, without being there to complete an inspection or looking at service and repair history of the vehicle, it’s hard to give you an accurate estimate of future repairs costs.

ANSWER : It’s very unlikely that your vehicle will pass a MOT inspection if it needs to be bump started. Having to rely on bump starting your car to get it running isn’t really considered safe, so it’s doubtful they will allow it to pass in that condition. I would suggest having the starter replaced by a qualified technician first, because even if you decide to sell the car, it will be worth much more in starting condition than not.

ANSWER : Hello. Yes bad tie rods are a valid reason for a vehicle to fail MOT. The tie rods are part of the steering rack. The steering rack consist of two inner and two outer tie rods. Generally you will only have to replace the steering rack itself if it is leaking. Normally a worn tie rod would be the cause for steering rack failure, replacing the tie rod should enable you to pass MOT.
A thorough site to order parts from is rockauto.com. Though I suggest that you have a technician evaluate your vehicle to tell you which tie rods you exactly need before purchasing any parts.

ANSWER : Anti-roll bar links, also called stabilizer bar links, are generally fairly inexpensive to fix, though I can’t actually quote a price since you appear to be in Europe and our service only works for the United States. The cars we get here are mostly the same, but there are differences, and anti-roll bar links could be one of them. I would suggest contacting a qualified, trustworthy technician in your area to obtain an estimate for repair of the Golf you’re looking to buy.

ANSWER : There is the chance of human error while recording or reporting the information made available. When you have the actual car inspected you can ask the repair technician if anything seems as if it had been tampered with. Vehicles these days are designed to make it much more difficult to do and I’m sure there may just be a problem with the reporting. I suggest having a certified mechanic, like one YourMechanic, perform a pre-purchase inspection on the car to assess its overall condition and give you some peace of mind.

ANSWER : Hi there. How did you determine that cylinder 2 is misfiring? Is there a check engine light on with a stored code? What is the code? Have you checked the compression on the other cylinders? A cylinder leak down test? I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a engine runs rough inspection.