Had to take the Prelude to get a fault code read this morning, ABS light as been on for quite a while and I was pretty sure that it was the pump. Took it to Alan Day at Winchester and they did the test while I waited then came back and told me what I thought. Quote for parts was £2600 + Fitting, now on a 13 year old car with 182k on the clock obviously we wont be buying them. But what did impress me was the fact the guy did not charge for the diagnostic, maybe he knew he has just written a car off, but fair play, I was expecting to pay £40 and all he ended up charging me for was £4 for some touch up paint for my Accord.
Good service in my opinion. ;o)
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But presumably this means the end of the road come next MOT?
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But presumably this means the end of the road come next MOT?
I would think so, well for us anyway - we only use it now as a spare car, will probably end up on ebay, I think you can get recon parts for about £350, but with fitting that still makes it uneconomic for us - shame really as the rest of the car is mechanically sound and the bodywork is quite good nick.
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If you can get a few more years out of it, then I would consider paying £500 for a repais. As you say, the rest of the car is mechanically sound and the bodywork in quite good nick. If you buy another car, you will either have depreciation or repair bills or possiblr both...
Deciding on the time to dump an old car is rarely as simple as cold figures.
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Deciding on the time to dump an old car is rarely as simple as cold figures.
I couldn't agree more.
A "good" old car is worth infinitely more to you than its book price. Spending £500 might be galling on a car worth £500, but you'd need to spend a lot more than £500 to replace it with anything remotely likely to be as reliable. The car you have owes you nothing, and you know its history. Neither of these would apply to a replacement car for anything like this money.
SWMBO's uncle drives a 1989 Sierra 2.0i which he's had from new and might be worth £350 now on a good day. He still spends £150-£200 every year getting it professionally serviced. His logic? "Put it into context, lad. That's less than the monthly instalment and much less than the monthly depreciation on a new Mondeo. Cheap motoring in my book".
He's absolutely right.
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Take the ABS bulb out and the MOT isn't a problem.
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Take the ABS bulb out and the MOT isn't a problem.
It is if the tester spots any of the ABS system - eg, the sensors on the wheels; which is highly likely.
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Take the ABS bulb out and the MOT isn't a problem.
Might be better tell the Ins Co if that is the case - small bump no problem - big claim they might investigate
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If the bulb has "blown", how were you to know?
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May be wrong, but I thought the rolling road brake test simulated a situation where the ABS would be expected to kick in. So if the technician doesn't witness it kicking in, then it will fail irrespective of whether the bulb is blown or not. Either way it will fail.
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And I thought the mere failure of the ABS warning bulb would be enough for a fail.
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From www.motester.co.uk
I am sorry to say that the regulations here are very clear. If there is a problem signalled by the ABS light, then that is an MOT failure. The Testing station would have no discretion at all.
The ABS system will have a special sequence of warning lights when the ignition is switched on to indicate that the system is functioning correctly. That is tested for the MOT. The ABS as such is not tested. So if, as a result of your ABS failure the warning lights show an incorrect indication, then that will result in an MOT failure. - MOTT
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If it were me, I would just cut the solder tracks that go to the bulb on the back of the instrument panel and solder a couple of jumper cables from the bulb terminals to a warning light for something else that "self tests" and goes out (airbag system, auxiliary warning systems such as low washer fluid etc). This will let the ABS light come on and go out again when the ignition is turned on, and should satisfy the MOT man.
Cheers
DP
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Some very imaginative ideas coming through here guys. Which may or may not come in handy depending on what we decide to do with the car.
As it stands, the car is a family spare car, it used to be my main car until I got the Accord, now it sits at the outlaws off the road until such time as someone needs it. We then insure it for £17 a week with my ins. co. and use it. The MOT is due at end of Feb, as it the MOT. It has been suggested by my local garage that they may be able to take out the ABS system and make it a non ABS car - this may give it a new lease of life with us.
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Question is: Does the OP want to drive around in a car with malfunctioning ABS?
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Just out of interest, how many people have actually had ABS kick-in?
4 years in the Forester and never needed to rely on it...
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Oooh yes, quite a few times, but mostly at slow speeds around town where it can be more of a hindrance than a help, I think.
I put it to you that you're driving slower than some people!
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Oooh yes, quite a few times, but mostly at slow speeds around town where it can be more of a hindrance than a help, I think. I put it to you that you're driving slower than some people!
As an ex moped (Yamaha FS1E) a motorcycle rider (Honda CB200), I learn't defensive motoring at an early age.
I also have an e-type, I've learn't to leave a good distance in that too...
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Once in the Mondeo in 20,000 miles when some idiot, evidently having taken the wrong exit off the M25 decided to do an emergency stop in lane 2 of the slip road and sit there with his right hand indicator on waiting for someone to let him back out onto the main carriageway.
I also tested it deliberately on the test drive at slow speed (also in the wet) to make sure nobody had done a wiring bodge like I suggested in my previous post. :-)
Cheers
DP
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After a BMW K100RS bike, and several modern cars with ABS, I've only known it works because of the light. Didn't have it on old cars or bikes anyway. We were taught cadence braking, if that's the right term for releasing the brakes when tyres lose traction, and reapplying as often as needed, which ABS does, as far as I know.
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I'm personally not bothered about having ABS, have never used it in anger in the last 16 years of driving, either in a car, on a bike or in a truck. The garage I use have suggested that it would cost about £100 to do the bypass, but would need to look to check. So still deciding with the rest of the family about what to do, not sure if we really need 5 cars for 4 of us!!!!
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We were taught cadence braking, if that's the right term for releasing the brakes when tyres lose traction, and reapplying as often as needed, which ABS does, as far as I know.
Yes, just faster.
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I have only had the ABS kick in once on the Civic but I am certain that it saved me rear ending a car which emergency stopped in front of me at a pedestrian lights in South London.
Very effective indeed .
My cars have ABS is as a result of participation with SWMBO in a Drive and Survive day at Boreham Airfield some years ago where it was demonstrated against non ABS.
The difference in stopping distances in an emergency makes it worthwhile and SWMBO was convinced and insisted on it on her next car.
Its a bit like A/C , once you've got it you don't know what you did without it.
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Just out of interest, how many people have actually had ABS kick-in? 4 years in the Forester and never needed to rely on it...
Funnily enough,lunchtime today,when the driver of a left hand drive HGV pulled out from a side turning in front of me without looking.Excellent brakes on my mazda.If I had been in my previous passat estate(like trying to slow the QE2) it would have been very messy.
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>> Just out of interest, how many people have actually had ABS >> kick-in? >> >> 4 years in the Forester and never needed to rely on >> it...
I wouldn't be without ABS following an incident with my Calibra some years ago.
An HGV in the left hand lane of a dual carriageway turned right across an intersection without any warning. The fool must have seen me in his mirrors and panicked. Instead of moving on he stopped blocking the whole of the carriageway. I braked but would have been unable to stop in time. Fortunately, there was a cycle track alongside so I was able to swerve on to the track and managed to avoid a lamp standard and a road sign. I came to a halt, some yards past the waggon, very shaken. had it not been for ABS I would probalby not have been here today. The Calibra handled admirably with my foot firmly on the brake pedal.
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