Advice on Ford dealership questionable repairs?

ufo550

I don't know much about vehicles bits & bobs, but some of those on your list look like MOT failures, and shouldn't have gone bad in 10 months. You normally get advisory on things looking a bit dodge whar.

Cocksure

Yep, three of them were, which just shows how basic the MOT is.

Fair enough on the brake pad and drop link bar as those things do just go/wear away. The other failure was the corroded brake pipes and that was it. All the other items were listed as advisory on the failed MOT this time around, i can only assume that last time around that whilst there would have been some corrosion (it is 7 years old) it wasn't at a stage that was worth mentioning.

All the salt gritting that has taken place over the past few months, might have just taken it over the edge, plus of course such things are up to the desecration of the person doing the inspection at the time, so what one person says is bad another might say is fine on a vehicle of similar age.

ufo550

My Ford franchise repairer is pretty good on advising of all things that are bit iffey.

Cocksure

You must be a car driver

Never had a problem before (bar last year) so I'll take the lack of quality control back and change it to in my case of late there is a lack of quality control

In regards the advising I can't fault the garage for that as half the list was advisory, the other half was shot.

Impossible to say in regards last year's dealership inspection. The guy was trying to keep costs down for me (still cost 4.5k) so maybe did point them out but didn't feel they were at a stage to worry about (such as the advice to leave the low warning brake pads sensor) or maybe he didn't as he felt they were fine. Really can't remember

IronGiant

You spent £4.5K on it last year, and £3.5K this?  Money pit alert...

Cocksure

Yeah, if I had known last year that it would cost me this much this year I would have replaced.

Trouble is of course that having spent so much last year, didn't leave much options this year.

C'est la vie

IronGiant

I understand, the assumption is always "Bloody hell, X grand, oh well that'll get me a few more years out of it "  

Next year, "OH, FUDGE "

Jimmer

What he said!

ufo550

And a van driver. If I was you, for next year I would be looking to replace your van. Hopefully, it should sail through next years MOT, and you can keep it for another year. If it doesn't I'd bin it. Paying 3.5 to 4.5 each year on repairs doesn't make business sense, you could lease a new van for less.

Cocksure

Agreed

If it needs a whole load of work again next year then it will be time for a change as this is getting out of control. Hopefully it won't, but either way i cant see me getting more than 2 years out of it.

I would never lease as that would cost me a fortune with the mileage and use of the van (bricks thrown in back etc), but i am VAT registered so the current costs are not a huge amount of the hp payments