Help: Bongo held hostage...!

[Donnie]

Book it for an mot near you, then you you legally have a reason if you are stopped by the police on your way "there", of course you can then "divert" to home then ring your booked mot garage and cancel stating you've just noticed some welding that will fail it and need to get that sorted first and apologise.

You now have it home and can start planning how to tackle the other issues.

This vehicle has already been tested and recorded, if the failure included a Dangerous Problem it can not be driven on public roads..

Ah that is a good point, I didn't put 2 and 2 together there.

Hmmm well plan B is to go back begging to them I guess.

[willow2u]

But they have done some work on the van to address the issues so you’re booking it in again it doesn’t have to make it to the mot it could break down

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

But they have done some work on the van to address the issues so you’re booking it in again it doesn’t have to make it to the mot it could break down

The garage guy still can't seem to talk his welder out of a sulk, so we've decided to go get the van from him. As I understand it
- I need to book an MOT with another garage (any garage will do)
- I can then drive the van legally (provided stupid garage has replaced the bits they took off to start the welding) "directly to that MOT", but I could legitimately drive it to a garage of my choice for the welding, having cancelled the MOT
- Just trying to contact another Bongo specialist to get it booked in, but they seem to be on hols...

The moderators will probably not like it if I name and shame on here, but I'm perfectly prepared to do this in private messages if requested, as I really don't want anyone to have the same experience as us.

Thanks for all your advice

[willow2u]

What specific work do you need doing That is bongo specific I’m inclined to think that mechanics is mechanics

[Allans]

You don't need a Bongo specialist to weld your Bongo, just a competent welder. Someone should be able to recommend one in your part of the Midlands.

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

Update on the hostage situation. We found another garage ready and able to do the welding and the retest, so instructed the first garage to make the van ready for us to collect, so that we could drive it (legally because we had a test booked), to the new garage. Hey presto, a text 48 hours later saying the van was all welded up and had passed its retest. Amazing what people can do when they put their mind to it.

Thanks for all the helpful messages, Bongo is now safely back on the drive with another 12 months to go before the next appointment with a welder's torch...!

[g8dhe]

Excellent news, amazing what a little pressure and loss of earnings has on people!

[Bob]

Good result.

Glad Bongy is all better.

[Donnie]

Excellent news mate!