We had our van MOTd two weeks ago (a 2013 Mercedes Vito 2.1 LWB), and while it passed on emissions, it did so with “effort” and the garage suggested that there was no way it would pass next year without a lot of work.

The thing is, the van suit us and our needs right now, and as @molgrips once said to me about vehicles: “better spend money on the devil you know than on the devil you don’t”.

My question is, then: what sort of work might they mean? They said that they would be willing to test it for us a few months before the MOT actually expired so that we could dispose of it with an MOT if we wanted, but there seem to be a number of moral problems around that! That said, they seem to be thinking that it won’t be worth spending money on. So what would you lot do?

Is work to make the vehicle meet its emissions requirements really so bad? Should we be looking to get rid of the thing asap?

what sort of work did they do…..

if the injectors are shot or the piston rings or the turbo or the fuel pump….. or any one of them….. then your looking at a big bill.

what did they say was wrong ….. its hard to imagine a modern fuel injected vehicle can be coaxed through its emissions unless its a driving habit(coaked up from short journeys at low throttle never getting warm or revved) thing rather than a mechanical issue that can be “fixed” quickly for an mot.

was it really emissions that it was close on or were they covertly saying this things rusty as **** and wont pass without work next year …….

I drove the long way to the MOT station. 55 reg Vivaro 1.9 diesel with 110k miles. Yes, I gave it a good Italian tune-up but it rewarded me with a pass. Well after they fixed the towbar electrics which I must have damaged reversing into a bollard a few months back.

It had been an airport taxi and has HUGE miles on it, if that helps. Since we’ve had it, it has been used primarily as a vehicle to get us to Belgium and back, and other motorway journeys. That isn’t to say it never gets used in the city for short journeys though.

As for the work that was done, it merely says: “Fuel Treatment” on the invoice, while the test certificate says “Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer’s specified limit”.

Reputable MOT places will give you a printout of the Emissions tester. I assume you didn’t get one?

‘Fuel treatment’ frequently translates as ‘snake oil’ Did they say a brand?

Ask them what needs to be done and quote for the work, get it done if it’s economic to (suitable replacement vehicle plus hidden reason it’s being sold repair cost) then you haven’t got to worry about it and be happy you have saved the planet in a small way…

the test certificate says “Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer’s specified limit”

AFAIK the only emissions requirements for a diesel are no visible smoke and that the DPF hasn’t been messed with so I don’t see the relevance. You’re best off asking your garage what they meant by “a lot of work”.

A colleague had a direct injection petrol (older Volvo with the Mitsubishi engine), that was coaxed through a couple of MOT’s with can’s of expensive fuel treatment and taking the EGR apart and properly cleaning it. So the only cost was the additive and a couple of evenings of his time (the EGR was basically a sit there with a toothbrush, can of carb cleaner and an assorted pile of small screwdrivers to pick off the coke till it’s clean job).

My Midget would usually pass, but would do so more convincingly (i.e. not 4.95% out of a 5.0% limit) if the penultimate tank had some redex in it, and VPower for the test.

My old Transit did 300,000+ miles. I sold it and the new owner still got it through the MOT. My local garage that serviced and MOT’d it for the last 15 years said it would only die from terminal rust. But if the engine ever did give up they could fit a new one for very little money, so if it didnt rust away it would be economical to put a new engine in. A grand or two would be the cost. Find out what a new / reco one will actually cost you.

Missed this at the time.

As above – it’s not clear what they mean by ’emissions’ as there are afaik no MOT checks on emissions for diesels other than loads of smoke.

The garage might be trying it on.

unless of course the merc 2.1 engine is one of those with an emissions plate that anything but a new engine will never meet….. there were a couple of engines that had a plate that was unrealistic from new – not sure if the merc engine was one.

if the emissions plate was to dissapear then it reverts to default settings

“or vehicles first used between 1 July 2008 and 31 December 2013 the smoke limit is:

the level specified on the manufacturer’s plate
1.5m-1 if the manufacturer’s plate is not available”

if the emissions plate was to dissapear then it reverts to default settings

A very high tech tool for passing the ‘smoke’ test.

Was the air temperature low, my vito only shows smoke/fumes when temp is 0 or below. Did they take the van for a run or stick a heater underneath the engine while on a teabreak.

Better the devil you know than the one you don’t but don’t throw good money after bad.

This one is amusing, they did something in an hour to get a pass after an emissions failure:

https://www.vehiclestats.co.uk/registration/LK63VNU

Two emissions failures in two years, would you buy it?

How many times has a van or car passed you when out on the bike and the smoke is everywhere as they boot it overtaking. Just shows how good the MOT test is.

I don’t know who does your Mot’s but its worth getting a proper idea about what the problems could be. I go to this guy.
Maki Motors

11 Dominion Way, Cardiff CF24 1RF
029 2048 0703

https://g.co/kgs/VH3anS

He’s very fair and reasonably priced, but more importantly he’ll work with you to get your vehicle through its Mot. I’d go down at some point have an emmisions test and see what he says.

There are now emmissions checks on diesels as part of the mot not just a smoke check. They are tested to the value on the plate under the bonnet (VIN plate) – assuming that the plate is there or visible. If not they are tested to a much higher default value. The emmissions test sheet with the MOT should say value recorded and target on it.