SteveB69 wrote:
Quote:
sorry to take issue with your view on maintenance, if the car fails the MoT with a list of defects, it isn't being maintained! the MoT should NOT be used as a routine safety check to find out what wants doing!
One of the issues with the car that it failed on was that it had a worn ball joint. Now I know nothing about cars but my partner / mechanic says that unless he is made aware of noises or the like a worn ball joint is not something that is going to be covered by a service or a general check over.
And he's a mechanic, how does the average PH driver possibly find out about these things other than at an MOT.

your mechaninc couldn't spot a worn ball joint?
do you even check the cars ? I get the impression that your idea of maintenance is throw some oil and filters at it every now and again give it a wash and that's it.
surely to god you have the car up on a ramp every 4/6 weeks giving it a thorough checkover and a worn ball joint would be something I would expect even a 1st year apprentice to be able to pick up on let alone anyone daring to call themselves a mechanic.
if your presenting a car for testing and coming away with a list of faults then I would say your company shouldn't be allowed to operate that vehicle as a Taxi/PH its people doing this that is destroying any credibility our trade has
and as for finding out about faults, any decent taxi or PH driver will have a basic amount of mechanical knowledge I have my vehicle up in the air every month for a thorough checkover and do the topside checks daily, brakes,tyres, lights fluids etc etc.
perhaps if your drivers are abusing their rentals you should introduce a daily check sheet for each vehicle and insist that they are filled in properly by the drivers..
heres the one I use if your interested
http://thephda.co.uk/?page_id=57its simple basic commonsense checks that keep on top of any minor issues. if you collect the completed sheets in along with your weigh ins you have a general idea of what state your cars are in. i'd also suggest getting your cars in periodically and getting a qualified mechanic to check them over. bear in mind that the tests you are failing are telling the council you cant even be bothered to check the cars over before presenting them, no wonder the council are concerned if that's how you present them for inspection, what state are they in the rest of the time.