Help: Bongo held hostage...!

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but here goes.

Bongo had some welding work done a few months ago at the same time as a general service in preparation for MOT. Mechanic (a Bongo specialist) advised 'should be OK' after the welding. Last week Bongo failed MOT (testing station is near to mechanics, and he 'farms out' MOTs anyway) on 4 major corrosion spots, much welding required. Mechanic takes a week before starting welding, then obviously doesn't finish within the 10 days allowed for a retest. Displeasure expressed to mechanic and colleague, colleague (who is the welder) goes into a sulk, moves the van out of his workshop, refuses to work on it further 'because you had a go at him and he's upset'. Bongo is no longer road legal (because of MOT failure), also an hour away from where we live, and currently not being worked on.

What can we do? We need the work doing, but can't afford to send a recovery truck to take it somewhere else (I lost my job last month), and we can't just turn up and drive it away either. Any advice, legal or otherwise, welcome. Thanks!

[rita]

If the vehicle is insured simply drive it back home, you need to take into consideration welding work done on these old tubs months ago doesn't mean it wont rust/corrode somewhere else. Take care.

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

Thanks, but it's no longer road legal : as soon as it fails then the MOT expires automatically. No issue over the insurance, if it wasn't for the MOT we could go and get it today

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

The issue over the welding was that it was only done in May, and the tester told us that the corrosion on which it failed was 'at least a year's worth', and therefore should have been spotted at the same time as the May work

[rita]

Thanks, but it's no longer road legal : as soon as it fails then the MOT expires automatically. No issue over the insurance, if it wasn't for the MOT we could go and get it today

You can still drive it away from the testing centre or garage if no 'dangerous' problems were identified during the MOT.

[willow2u]

Book it in for a mot at a garage near you then you can drive it

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

Book it in for a mot at a garage near you then you can drive it

Thanks, I wish that were possible but a) we don't have a bongo specialist near us that we trust and b) it needs a shed load of welding doing before it will pass...

[haydn callow]

You don’t need a bongo specialist to do welding.

[willow2u]

Might have to eat humble pie and smooth things over

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

Might have to eat humble pie and smooth things over

already done, but now ignoring our calls/texts

[willow2u]

Square the guy up for the welding he has done then get van home and sort out another welder as previous poster said doesn’t really need to be a bongo specialist just a half decent welder simples

[Bongolia]

How far from the garage to your house?

[Four Oaks Bookworm]

How far from the garage to your house?

about 35 miles, 45-60 mins dep on traffic. But then we would probbaly take to one of two dealers (it needs some other bongp-specific work doing too, apart from the MOT debacle), both of which are over an hour in a different direction

[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.

[rita]

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..