Hi

I've got my XJS V12 booked in for an MOT and from what I can tell from a quick look round, appears to be using some of the Original MOT Testing equipment.

Where there are Two brake testing dials connected to the rolling road, instead of the updated Digital display at the garage where I take my Merc.

Just wondering if that's good or bad or won't make any difference and has anyone come across this, as I would have thought that all garages would have to use the same.

Needless to say if She passes, I am going to wash all those thoughts right out of my mind!

 

Have you figured out how you are going to get it there yet? Sorted the insurance?
I won't worry about old fashioned equipment, it's an old fashioned car!.
My doc still uses a sphygmomanometer (spelt it right first time!) instead of a digital blood pressure cuff and I've just passed my MOT.

 

I've only gone and managed to get some Insurance! and they have assured me that there are no exclusions, as regards not having an existing MOT.

And I also have the Cover note in my hot sticky hand!

Unlike another firm I nearly signed up with, where I only found out by accident (no pun intended!) that they had this restriction in place!

But just to be on the safe side, I'm taking her for an MOT to a garage just down the road.

Although it isn't my first choice, it did seem a bit less risky than having to run the gauntlet of the APNR Cameras, that no doubt I may have come across by taking my Car to my garage of choice which is a lot further away.

Though in the event She doesn't pass, the Tester will be watching a grown man start to cry! so I'm taking a box of 'Kleenex' just in case.

As well as doing some other Pre MOT Checks of my own!

(1) Try not to look like a Poseur (for once!) just wear a dirty pair of Jeans and my lucky jumper which is full of holes!

I call it my lucky jumper as my Girlfriend used to put her 'Hamster' on it, which is not a euphemism by the way! Its just lucky her Hamster only bit through the jumper, instead of biting through me!

(2) Don't go there wearing the 'Rolex'! Although it isn't a real one, from a hundred yards away you just can't tell the difference!

(3) Don't invoke feelings of jealousy with the Tester, which is almost impossible when you roll in at the wheel, of one of the 'Swankiest' Sports Cars on the Planet!

(4) Don't compound the felony by driving in with the Top Down, it could only make things worse!

(5) Don't turn up with the Girlfriend who would be chomping at the bit for a great day out, where the Jaguar Gods may want to disappoint her!

(6) Don't compound the felony by driving in with the Girlfriend, with her Top Down either!

(7) Try and give the impression that the Car belongs to my Uncle and I'm getting it MOT'd for him, as a favor!

I'll stop at number (7) as that's my lucky number (Or at least it was!)

 

Hope you pass. I if the tester has been around a bit and done MOTs on the old XJ saloons, then he should know that the rack is designed to move laterally on its two mountings. The mounts are of the Silentbloc type, and there are two rubber buffer washer on one of the mounts to limit the movement which is about 3/8" as I remember, it may even be 1/2". So a rack moving within the defined limits is not an MOT failure. Many people make the mounts solid with aftermarket parts, but the refinement is lost.

 

Hi Frazer

Thanks as that is something that I never knew! and might come in useful if they try and fail Her on that point.

 

OB,

Good luck with the test!

I understand your point about not waning to appear rich or a poseur, but I always have the roof down on my XJS for the test. It makes it much easier for the testers to get in and out, check the seat belts (front & rear on mine) and manoeuvre themselves about the car. I just want to make everythng easier for them!

As regards the rollers, I don't know if they are suitable for the XJS, but until my centre put in a £50,000 test bed this year, i always used to remind them that I had an LSD on the XJS and so they always used a Tapley meter rather than the rollers. I know there's lots of discussions as to whether the old rollers were a problem, but I believe that the MoT manual always used to see that mechanical 4X4 and LSDs should be tested usinga Tapley meter.

Anyway, good luck yet again!

Paul

 

Hi Paul

I have already mentioned the 'Rollers' in a previous post and was assured by everyone (who responded) that this would not be a problem with the LSD and one place I used to take Her to, used the Tapley meter.

Which nowadays is considered a bit 'Old School' either that or they can't be bothered to have to dig it out, as with the 'lost generation' you know who you are! everything is 'Plug and Play' these days.

I was totally Serious about turning up looking 'Scruffy' and was even going to make sure that my hands looked dirty as well (at least on the back!)

Or they might get the impression, that I have got a bottomless pit of money, to hand to them for whatever 'they' might think needs doing!

Totally oblivious to the fact that I've worked hard for what I've got and have spent countless hours laying under my Cars, fixing or at least trying to fix everything myself.

The problem is what very few people seem to understand, are the chances are that my Car, cost a lot less for me to buy than lots of two year old Cars that you see on the road.

Where I live you can hardly move for Brand New Range Rovers which cost around 50 Grand!

But my Jag is without any doubt, the 'Swankiest' Car of them all! and not as bland and forgettable, as a 'Cookie cut out Chelsea Tractor'

Which draws looks of head turning envy where ever She goes, so it almost goes without saying, that without any effort at all on my part, you cannot help but come across as a 'Rich Bar Steward'!

To make matters worse, I've got a 'Hot Looking' Girlfriend, who was chosen by myself, purely for 'her looks' with any personality regarded as being a 'Bonus' as I'm not ashamed to say that I know what I like!

Fortunately we get on well but I'm not daft enough to believe that having a Car like mine was not a factor but She is also well aware that She can be replaced with an earlier model.

So if the 'cap fits wear it' but not for an MOT!

I do agree that its easier all round to have the hood down but this would only Crank up the jealousy factor.

And believe it or not there are 'Testers' (though hopefully not this one) who seeing you with the hood down, looking forward to the kind of fun that they may never have, because they waste their money on Booze & Cigarettes.

Might just get off on raining on your parade, so I'm hoping that the weather forecast on the day of the Test, is going to be dull and overcast.

But without that kind of rain!...............