Mark13 · Mar 12, 2018

Well I picked up my new 2004 Defender 90 TD5 today from a private seller, 71K on the clock, 2 previous owners, perfect chassis, had a good respray, very tidy and had a new MOT last Thursday with NO advisories. Well driving it home (about 30 miles) it start to feel funny on the back on a couple of roundabouts, but pulls very well and starts instantly. So I stopped off at a garage I know well for them to take a look at it...............
The MOT is complete c***, it was done by a proper MOT centre as you can see it on the .gov website but I don't think they even saw the car! The car is not actually road worthy, my friend at the garage say to start with:-

Near side wheel bearing shot
Off side wheel bearing shot
Bad leak from the steering box (been like it for a while from what he can see)
Drag link end ball joint shot
Cat has been cut open (after the metal inside) and then welded close!
Rear suspension end stop missing both side
There was a couple more things but I can't remember what they are, I will pop back to the garage tomorrow and get the full list.
Also, I don't thing it was a MOT failure point but the rear diff was badly loose and might be damaged now!

I will have no come back on the seller unless I want to arse about in court for 6 months but I am going to get DVSA inspector in to look at the car tomorrow and see if I can give the MOT centre a lot of hassle.

I bought the car at the right money but did not fancy spending so much cash straight away!!!

Plus the bloody car aerial does not work

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Mark13 said:
Well I picked up my new 2004 Defender 90 TD5 today from a private seller, 71K on the clock, 2 previous owners, perfect chassis, had a good respray, very tidy and had a new MOT last Thursday with NO advisories. Well driving it home (about 30 miles) it start to feel funny on the back on a couple of roundabouts, but pulls very well and starts instantly. So I stopped off at a garage I know well for them to take a look at it...............
The MOT is complete c***, it was done by a proper MOT centre as you can see it on the .gov website but I don't think they even saw the car! The car is not actually road worthy, my friend at the garage say to start with:-

Near side wheel bearing shot
Off side wheel bearing shot
Bad leak from the steering box (been like it for a while from what he can see)
Drag link end ball joint shot
Cat has been cut open (after the metal inside) and then welded close!
Rear suspension end stop missing both side
There was a couple more things but I can't remember what they are, I will pop back to the garage tomorrow and get the full list.
Also, I don't thing it was a MOT failure point but the rear diff was badly loose and might be damaged now!

I will have no come back on the seller unless I want to arse about in court for 6 months but I am going to get DVSA inspector in to look at the car tomorrow and see if I can give the MOT centre a lot of hassle.

I bought the car at the right money but did not fancy spending so much cash straight away!!!

Plus the bloody car aerial does not work

You would have to wonder if the seller swapped plates and took another vehicle in for test.
Even a private seller should refund your money with that level of problems with the vehicle.
Did you not notice anything on the test drive?

bankz5152 · Mar 12, 2018

All fixable, cheap-ish if youre handy with a spanner.

I know its not the point but not the end of the world.

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

bankz5152 said:
All fixable, cheap-ish if youre handy with a spanner.

I know its not the point but not the end of the world.

And not much point in worrying about the aerial, he won't be able to hear the radio anyway.

flat · Mar 12, 2018

Turboman said:
And not much point in worrying about the aerial, he won't be able to hear the radio anyway.

proper land rovers dont have a radio.....

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

flat said:
proper land rovers dont have a radio.....

Or one with big speakers.

They should have a legit MOT, though.

Mark13 · Mar 12, 2018

On the test drive it drove OK, I did hear one clunk but I then drove it for another 15 minutes and heard nothing else and it felt OK. The ride was a little harsh but I put that down to the type of tyre on it. My friend at the garage said to be fair you had to have it in the air to see a lot of the problems.
I could take the guy to court but its a lot of hassle and takes so long. Plus the car is very good structurally, low milage and not bad money but it is a death trap

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Mark13 said:
On the test drive it drove OK, I did hear one clunk but I then drove it for another 15 minutes and heard nothing else and it felt OK. The ride was a little harsh but I put that down to the type of tyre on it. My friend at the garage said to be fair you had to have it in the air to see a lot of the problems.
I could take the guy to court but its a lot of hassle and takes so long. Plus the car is very good structurally, low milage and not bad money but it is a death trap

If you really don't want to do the work, you could just take it back and ask for your money back.

You may get the MOT place in trouble, but I doubt if they will pay for remedial works, that is down to the seller.

When you say the diff is loose, do you mean the propshaft is loose, or the ring of bolts holding the diff in place?

Roaming Wombat · Mar 12, 2018

flat said:
proper land rovers dont have a radio.....

How do you cover up the nuu and usual noises? Sing really loud (and badly

)?

as long as the chassis/bulkhead is good and it runs you're still onto a winner,

Sounds like mostly wear and tear parts, the steering box is a straight forward job, did mine mostly one handed (because my other hand had an argument with the tow bar the day before

), previous owner probably didn't bother looking after it and drove it until they got bored of the noises.

MOTs aren't worth anything tbh, mine came with one that was probably a 50 quid in the pub job, (knackered bushes, diff, steering box, electrics mostly not working with some shocking

workmanship).

Look at it this way, you're about to learn a lot about your Landy very quickly

Moron · Mar 12, 2018

How recent is the MOT ? You have a month from the date of the MOT in which no mechanical faults should be apparent , ( thats no MOT relevent mechanical faults , and 3 months for MOT specific corrosion)......though exceptions can be made, my advice would be to raise the faults with the MOT station that carried out the test , give them the choice of make good all the testable items at their expense or you'll contact DVSA

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Roaming Wombat said:
MOTs aren't worth anything tbh, mine came with one that was probably a 50 quid in the pub job, (knackered bushes, diff, steering box, electrics mostly not working with some shocking workmanship).

From memory, it says on the certificate that an MOT is no guarantee of the condition of the vehicle.

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Moron said:
How recent is the MOT ? You have a month from the date of the MOT in which no mechanical faults should be apparent , ( thats no MOT relevent mechanical faults , and 3 months for MOT specific corrosion)......though exceptions can be made, my advice would be to raise the faults with the MOT station that carried out the test , give them the choice of make good all the testable items at their expense or you'll contact DVSA

Think he said it was MOTed last Thursday.

Trench Rat · Mar 12, 2018

Roaming Wombat said:
How do you cover up the nuu and usual noises? Sing really loud (and badly)?

That's all part of the fun.

The screams of the passengers in the back on the benches tend to cover up most sounds.

Moron · Mar 12, 2018

Turboman said:
Think he said it was MOTed last Thursday.

In that case........go for it No sane MOT tester wants to be put under the spotlight by the DVSA

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Moron said:
In that case........go for it No sane MOT tester wants to be put under the spotlight by the DVSA

My friends who were testers certainly didn't.

But they hated it so much they quit testing.

Moron · Mar 12, 2018

Turboman said:
My friends who were testers certainly didn't.

But they hated it so much they quit testing.

I can understand that ......I ask myself the same question every year........since 1972........is it worth the agro

Turboman · Mar 12, 2018

Moron said:
I can understand that ......I ask myself the same question every year........since 1972........is it worth the agro

What they really hated was when the testing went live on the VOSA computer. They carried on doing repairs, just took the cars to another garage up the road for the actual test.

Moron · Mar 12, 2018

Turboman said:
What they really hated was when the testing went live on the DEFRA computer. They carried on doing repairs, just took the cars to another garage up the road for the actual test.

I've not done that LOL

mikerajjers · Mar 12, 2018

Mark13 said:
On the test drive it drove OK, I did hear one clunk but I then drove it for another 15 minutes and heard nothing else and it felt OK. The ride was a little harsh but I put that down to the type of tyre on it. My friend at the garage said to be fair you had to have it in the air to see a lot of the problems.
I could take the guy to court but its a lot of hassle and takes so long. Plus the car is very good structurally, low milage and not bad money but it is a death trap

I don't think it sounds that bad...not great, admittedly, but the car is 14 years old and at least you have an 'excuse' to tinker. Mine was a lot worse and even after I took it to numerous garages I still had to replace the swivel housings myself as the guys working on it didn't know what they were doing.

Ttwo · Mar 12, 2018

I’d check the mileage too....if they can get hold of a dodgy mot you should be able to get the mileage altered.....or stopped between mots

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