Like it
I think it must be a tricky one for them really, if presenting after a fail and then repair I do sometimes wait til the retest before covering it up, but if its just something I've done prior to going for a test I cover it up, after all the vehicle will be going to the next test that way.
It's a long story but I currently have a Moggie Traveller sat out back, it isn't mine and rather a case of me and my big gob causing me trouble. A family friend in her 60's lost her husband suddenly, and having health troubles herself was resigned to her beloved Traveller having ended its driving days now it was out of MOT. "I'll patch it for another test" says I, "a favour, don't worry about it" (Told you I had a big gob that opens without thinking sometimes)
Anyway, the day I started the work she went and passed away herself, even more awkward one of her sons asks if I'll still finish it having chopped great big bits out, so a bit awkward really, the family are friends, they have lost Mum and Dad in their early 60's, both within a couple of months.
So, long short, I'll carry on, providing that steel, gas, parts etc are provided along with odd packet of tobacco, and its understood I'll just do the odd evening on it when the weather is fine until sometime in the distant future it gets done. And on the proviso they know I won't be happy if it then gets sold on soon after. Obviously nowt I can do if it is, but hey ho. I'm definitely a little too soft.
Now back on track, the car has been patched over the years, and I was hoping just to do a little patching of my own to get it back on the road, it didn't look too bad. Trouble is I can't find anything to weld to, not one repair (and there are lots of them) so far has been fit to leave in place and the holes are just getting bigger. Nothing but pop rivets and welding snot that isn't doing anything holds all the old repairs on, you can actually peel them off with a screwdriver. Wads of mastic and underseal cover everything up, this is the case around most of the old car, even the center cross member has dissapeared completely in places with just bits of a replacement cut off and shoved over the top in those areas.
Anyway, besides the headache its caused for me, I don't know how the car has even held its shape, no real sills, no real door posts, or floorpans, what is there isn't really joined to the next piece etc. An absolute death trap just waiting to kill someone.
Thing is this has passed a test every year for years, maybe a little sympathetic testing? but everything covered up with mastic and underseal so it can't be seen, tester hasn't been able to poke a hole in it, so passed, I've seen years of old tickets now ,year on year with an advisory for underside of vehicle in poor condition, but it should really never have passed a MOT in years.
I wouldn't fancy a testers job, but imagine it throws a fair few cover your butt dilemmas at them.
I'd rather have the advisory than scrape it all off
. I would like to own another one (SWMBO may have other ideas).