I recently took my van for an MOT at the Quest Motor Group in Braintree and was disappointed by the experience. My van failed due to the following issues:

- Front tyres needed replacing (past legal limit)
- Wiper blades needed replacing
- Driver-side wing mirror was smashed (mirror broken and plastic housing for indicator was damaged)

I was informed that if I got the repairs done within 24 hours, I could get a free retest, but after that, it would be £27.50 for a retest. I had 10 days to take the retest. Here’s what I was quoted for the repairs:

- MOT Cost: £55
- £103.84 per tyre (£207.68 total) for 2 budget front tyres
- £301.41 for a new driver-side mirror, fully fitted (£198 + VAT for the mirror itself)
- £53.22 for new wiper blades, fully fitted

Total quoted cost: £617.31

These prices seemed excessive, so I decided to get the repairs done elsewhere. Here’s what I actually paid:

- MOT Cost: £55
- MOT Retest: £0 (turns out I had 10 days for a free retest, despite being told otherwise at first!)
- Budget Front Tyres: £70 each at a local tyre garage (£140 fully fitted instead of £207.68)
- New Driver-Side Mirror: £40, ordered online and fitted myself (instead of £301.41)
- New Wiper Blades: £36 fully fitted at the same dealership (instead of £53.22)

Total amount I actually paid: £271
Total savings: £346.31

My Issues with This Experience:

Overpriced Quotes – Their prices were significantly higher than what I paid elsewhere for the same parts and service.

Inconsistent Information – The service advisor initially told me the retest would cost £27.50 after 24 hours, but when I called back, I was told I had 10 days to take a free retest!

Misleading Pricing – I was quoted £53.22 for wiper blades, but when I called back, they were actually only £36 fully fitted.

This whole experience left me confused and frustrated. It feels like they were trying to charge me way more than necessary, and if I hadn’t questioned the prices, I could have ended up paying hundreds of pounds more than needed.

I won’t be going back to this dealership again, and I’d strongly advise others to double-check quotes and shop around before agreeing to any repairs!