Oh how I hate this time of year. As I write, I sit next to the phone in anticipation of another phone call that ups the bill by a further £250. I knew about the rear discs and pads but I've just been told about two rear broken coil strings. (Bloody Belgian Roads).

What is a bit of a farce is that because of new legislation, they have also failed me for having a vertical row of stickers down from the top left hand corner of the windscreen (viewed from inside). No not "I've been to Blackpool " stickers but Highway Toll stickers (Vignettes) from Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia etc that we were obliged to purchase and display in that position during last year's trip abroad.

OK, I didn't remove them because it is almost impossible to do so unless much time and effort is spend. The glue is like s*** on a blanket. My question is that if a Brit makes more than one trip abroad each year and these stickers can be purchased for longer or frequent visits (The Swiss one is a compulsory 12 month one) how does he/she manage?

When I think of all the cars I see on a daily basis with gonks, air fresheners etc swinging off their rear view mirrors, it makes my blood boil.

Randa

It's bloody worse than I thought.

VW have sent a "Health Check" video of the points of failure with the MOT. The stickers they are referring to and have now been removed are the Green Emissions sticker for Germany and the Orange Emissions sticker for France.

The Green sticker has been on the vehicle forever and the Orange one since last year. They are (were) positioned on the lower right hand corner of the windscreen as per the instructions from that country. (amendment :- Viewed from inside)

Both stickers remain (should have remained) on the windscreen for the life of the vehicle and were paid for, at some cost and a great deal of effort to allow us to visit many European cities.

However, supposed new British legislation says that they obscure the driver's view of the road. Ridiculous. If at all, they prevent me from seeing a dog cocking it's leg up against my offside front wheel.

Is this just another way to get us to accept Brexit?

I talked on the phone at some length, to the MOT Inspector but he was adament. Any car park, any day in this country and you'll see several cars with Green Germany Emissions stickers on them. In fact, if his boss was in work today, I guess his car would have a few on it as he is a caravan tugger who regulalry goes abroad.

Randa

No. Tax disc is on the other side Alan, now replaced with a beautiful Eribafolk sticker. These Emissions badges have to be on the bottom right hand side. ( perhaps I should have said 'viewed from the inside" )

Randa

Randa,
if I am reading this correctly then you did not ask them to remove the stickers. Unless you gave them permission to take measures that got your car through the MOT then they should not have removed them and would be liable to provide replacements.

Colin

Unfortunately I did Colin as I thought they were talking about the vignettes only. It was only when I received a "Health Check" video about 30 minutes after they phoned that I realised which stickers they were on about.

I spent the next 30 minutes arguing with them but the upshot is that the stickers, although placed as far to the bottom corner as I could, is still an MOT failure. This afternoon I even had several members of the garage staff online checking the German and French websites and agreeing that there was no way of satisfying their requirements and at the same time satisfying MOT requirements.

However, the price of replacement is not as much as I though except for the hassle factor and the only way forward that I can see is to laminate the stickers and temporarily stick the laminated sheet into the window surround. I think someone mentioned something similar in an earlier post.

Randa

£3.99 each? Who do you think we are, the Rothschilds? We've just had to fork out for an MOT and service

Seriously though, the MOT can affect Private Car park owners, Public Services, Taxi companies etc.

Randa

Quote: eribanaut wrote in post #5

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I carnt let that froo mate, Iss moren me jobs worf.

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Quote: granddadgrape wrote in post #7

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I'm sorry but what's happened to good old fashioned common sense. As I get older I find I have less and less patience with these petty officials.

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Quote: Julie Grafo wrote in post #14

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Then our lovely, helpful MOT chappies are going to take offence. You cant win

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