MOT concern

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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HighSharpe
Joined: Sat 27 Jul, 2013 23:01
Posts: 51

  Z3 roadster 2.0

MOT concern

Post by HighSharpe »

Hello all

just got the MOT done last week.

I have always had a clean MOT for the last 4 years. Got some advisories this time, from the same guy I've been going to all these years.

Are these a point of concern? Do these warrant immediate checking, or materially affect saleability?

Many thanks.

--HS


Advisory notice item(s)
Oil leak ()
Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)
Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)
Propshaft universal joint worn ()
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: MOT concern

Post by mrscalex »

The oil leak and prop shaft joint wear are not frequently seen on advisories. The other items are and could go on fine for years if you do low mileage. It only needs a tiny bit of wear to get a tester excited.

The oil leak I would probably want to trace but might just be a cover gasket gone. And the prop joint could affect smoothness of drive.

Does it affect saleability? Perhaps. That's quite a long list however innocent.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: MOT concern

Post by colb »

Testers seem to put down what were in the past quite acceptable items not even worthy of an advisory, it seems to be an arse covering method they have taken to using.
As to your advisories
Oil leak ()
Find the source and fix it, as said before probably just a gasket or o ring failed somewhere on the engine.

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Rubbers probably looking a bit perished would be my guess.

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)
Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)
Rusty springs, they are not that badly rusted that they are weakened and going to break, bet if you had painted them they wouldn't have been commented on.

Prop shaft universal joint worn ()
This is the one you want to do something about, if its got play in it then its going to get worse and cause you more problems, best get this one fixed.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
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stevov
Joined: Sun 21 Dec, 2014 15:56
Posts: 182

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Contact:

Re: MOT concern

Post by stevov »

Years of clean mot results always sets of alarm bells for me. Everything wears and nothing lasts forever. Would rather see advisories. Makes me think it was an honest mot and gives me things to check have been done. Clean sheets on 15-20 year old cars is not the norm.
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: MOT concern

Post by mrscalex »

stevov wrote: Sat 19 Aug, 2017 20:38 Years of clean mot results always sets of alarm bells for me. Everything wears and nothing lasts forever. Would rather see advisories. Makes me think it was an honest mot and gives me things to check have been done. Clean sheets on 15-20 year old cars is not the norm.
Interesting view and I get the logic. But there are plenty of people both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts who just take pride in keeping everything tidy.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: MOT concern

Post by Del »

For me, the priorities would be the rusty coil springs and control arm bushes. With regard to oil leaks - many wouldn't even bother to mention that - although it's nice to cure it if poss. Advisories can be a bit subjective and silly at times - one MOT station near me insists on mentioning OE under-trays and engine covers obscuring items. Sometimes they also mention air fresheners hanging from rear view mirrors and remove them. :D
wonderloaf
Joined: Mon 02 Aug, 2010 20:55
Posts: 518

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Basingstoke

Re: MOT concern

Post by wonderloaf »

I had a similar set of advisories on last years MOT so have spent some time recently fixing them all, the only ones I couldn't fix were a perished propshaft rubber and corroded tank straps but put it in for this years MOT this anyway. So failed on front control arm bushes (which I fixed), but no mention of the propshaft rubber or corroded tank straps from previews MOT. On chatting to the MOT tech he said that the propshaft rubber was slightly perished around the outside but deffo didn't need replacing, and although the tank straps were corroded they were quite safe and it's a 16 year old car so what else do you expect?

Seems like the MOT testing can be quite subjective and the advisories can be a bit of a backside covering exercise!
2001 Titan Silver 2.2 Sport
peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: MOT concern

Post by peter2b »

last year I had a winter check from my local bmw garage £25 they found worn from rubber bushes, rusty fuel tank straps, and a small spot of rust on a brake pipe , worn front brake discs, plus I got afree bmw umbrella, I think they hoped I would use them for the repairs but as I'm lucky to have a man shed, for £165 I got oem front supension arms + track arms +bushes and disc + pads 2.5 hrs later all done you can do it all on a jack +axel stands but 😊 I have a twin arm lift, (free use if local)
peterz3
therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: MOT concern

Post by therealdb1 »

The most ridiculous advisory I have had is the "removal of an object from the windscreen obscuring the driver's view".

Any guesses what that object was???

The removal of the tax disc holder that was correctly positioned in the bottom left of the windscreen and until the previous month had been a legal requirement to be there on all cars!

I know the MOT testers have to cover their own backsides but tax disc holder... seriously. How did I manage to drive for almost 40 years before the tester removed it for me without it obscuring my view?
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stevov
Joined: Sun 21 Dec, 2014 15:56
Posts: 182

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Contact:

Re: MOT concern

Post by stevov »

They cover their backsides because of this country's rapidly developing blame everyone but yourself mentality where the idea of personal responsibility and honor no longer exist. The socialist nanny state has a lot to answer for.
HighSharpe
Joined: Sat 27 Jul, 2013 23:01
Posts: 51

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: MOT concern

Post by HighSharpe »

Thank you every one... I will go get these things checked and report back !
HighSharpe
Joined: Sat 27 Jul, 2013 23:01
Posts: 51

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: MOT concern

Post by HighSharpe »

Thank you every one... I will go get these things checked and report back !
4wheels
Joined: Sat 24 Sep, 2016 19:42
Posts: 83

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

Re: MOT concern

Post by 4wheels »

Paint rusty things. A little bit of rust does not make things fail for a long time.
AdyDurn
Joined: Wed 22 Jan, 2014 16:13
Posts: 16

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: MOT concern

Post by AdyDurn »

My Z has been advisory on the colour of the turn indicator bulbs for years. I've never changed them and they've never failed.

MOTs are a pain in the nose though, my Z originally had Irish plates, but one was cracked, enough to fail the MOT despite the point of the MOT being to get the car registered on a UK plate... Not only that but most people who print plates these days can only do a valid UK format plate. Ended up going to a trailer guy who knocked me up a pair of plates in the original Limerick format just for the MOT.
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