Took my yellow Jazz in for a test this morning. Result: Failed on both top strut mountings insecure.
05KE16448_NCT_2016_04_25_001 by
E Honda, on Flickr
However, came home and in doing a quick Google to see if it was a common problem, I stumbled across the NZ equivalent of VOSA's old "Matters of Testing" magazine and found this:
WOF NEWS - 2010-12 - Issue 15 - Honda Jazz GD Front Suspension by
E Honda, on Flickr
Feeling that the items have be incorrectly tested I went back to the test centre.
Following procedure here, I asked to speak to the test centre manager. Spoke to him and outlined the problem - it's meant to do that. He said he'd have to make a call and I may have to wait a bit for a lift space as it was a lot busier than it was this morning (4 ATLs - Automated Test Lane). He put it on the lift at the end of a ATL and had a look. He then briefly chatted to the original tester (both these guys are in their 50s). Then a third tester takes over, has a quick wiggle and lowers the lift. He drives it back round to the start of the ATL so he can redo the shoogly plate suspension test, he then parks it up and shortly after presents me with the keys and cert.
05KE16448_NCT_2016_04_25_002 by
E Honda, on Flickr
05KE16448_NCT_2016_04_25_003 by
E Honda, on Flickr
So apart from wasting a further couple of hours this afternoon and an additional 20 mile round trip to the test centre, all is well.
Does make you think of the poor sods that spend 150 yoyos on parts (and probably the same again on labour) getting an unnecessary job done.
(note: testing centres here are separate from garages and do not do repairs, so being "at it" isn't a prime motivation to fail, unless targets and retests are)
Here's a textbook example of the top mount on the Ford Ka:
! No longer availableRight at the end @ 25:44: they all do that sir...
https://youtu.be/Nsv_eb5cBlo?t=25m44s
