Have I been sold a pup?

Recently purchased a 1979 (T)Series 3 SWB from ebay; the vehicle was described as having a new MOT and that the tyres are 'OK'.

Upon having the vehicle delivered I find that the nearside front has a bald patch on the upper outside edge of the tread, about 7" long, 1.5" wide. Further inspection found that the offside front also has a patch of wear in a similar area but not quite as thin. These two items would indicate to me that it would be an MOT failure.

Then this weekend I discovered that whilst there are lap belts fitted to the drivers seat and near side seat there do not appear to be clips for them to fasten into (unless they are hidden somewhere)

Does anyone know of any exception on a '79 landy that would mean that faults of this kind would allow it to still gain a valid MOT?

Seatbelts are compulsory for all vehicles from 1974 from memory - so it should require them.

Bold patches on tyres i can't see ever being an MOT pass.

Is it a 12 month MOT certificate? If so i'd ring up the garage and ask what they are playing at (garage name on the MOT cert.) otherwise, damage could have been sustained to tyres after MOT and seat belt removed?

It could also have been mot'd with his off road tyres on, which he then swapped for an old set to sell - you never can tell!

contact vosa, not the testing garage

Hmmm. So you bought a motor off ebay and paid for it unseen. Now you've seen it you're not happy. Lesson 1. Never pay up front before you;ve seen the vehicle. You're only protection is the ability to walk away without it costing you if the vehicle is not as described. Always collect in person and pay cash once you're happy that the vehicle is as described. If it's only a couple of bald tyres you've found to moan about you've got off lightly. Very lightly in fact.

Tricky without seeing it but if i remember correctly the tyres must have good tread over 1.6mm across 3/4 of the tread width.
As for the lap belt clips have they dropped down behind or under the seats????
Post some pics that may help.

auto said:

It could also have been mot'd with his off road tyres on, which he then swapped for an old set to sell - you never can tell!

Click to expand...

sounds like you were the seller

Private buyer or dealer selling it?

Dig around the back of the seats and between the seats - I think the clips are on short lengths of belt and could be tucked in anywhere. Sounds like someone swapped the tyres after the MOT, if it's genuine. Try the DVLA website, if you have the V5 you can check the MOT easily.

walk away if its not as described.Ok is a very vague description.I would have clairified that before purchase

aslo did you not ask the seller "where the chuff is the seat belt clip thingys?" and "wots the score with these tires?"

Well two items of news, I have found the connectors for the seat belts, not sure how I missed them!..perhaps the number of tools and supplies I have put in the cab

On the tyres I have spoken to a friend from a major motor chain and he thinks that the tyres might be legal, also spoken to my local trading standards and they are interested in submitting the vehicle for a local MOT and then involving VOSA.

I have taken a few images of the front tyres and while I know it hard to tell from a photo I wonder if anyone might have any comments:

<table style="width:194px;"><tr><td align="center" style="height:194px;background:url(http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/s/c/transparent_album_background.gif) no-repeat left"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/106697850404125930717/Lola?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_L1BLhDkQ0y8/TD4hqlXeS_E/AAAAAAAAABQ/wH3hb3G0ULQ/s160-c/Lola.jpg" width="160" height="160" style="margin:1px 0 0 4px;"></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px"><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/106697850404125930717/Lola?feat=embedwebsite" style="color:#4D4D4D;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:none;">Lola</a></td></tr></table>

Well I have located the seat belt connectors so that is good news!

As far as they tyres go I have received varying opinions of their ability to pass an MOT

Here are some images of the front tyres


http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/106697850404125930717/Lola#5493865797785195986

There are a few images in the album

I would appreciate any comments on the MOT chances with these tyres

1 of emn might have passed the rest didn't as they are worn down to the level of the minimum wear indicators. What ever vehicle they came off also had a serious tracking/alligment problem, to have scrubbed the outside shoulders bald like that.

Seller has swapped the wheels after MOT. Would be my guess.

First 3 images, 92-94 are the nearside tyre which is worse, numbers 94 and 95 are the offside tyre

you would have had to get new tyres at some point!!!!, as for who sold u them, be it your lesson learned for yourself (for not viewing first and being too trusting) and others if you give them feedback on eBay. There is legal things you can do regarding tyres/seller but its not worth it,
not backing anyone up but, tyres may have not been checked properly at the garage, and just for info,when they are checked at the garage I'm sure I'm right when i say that the i.6 tread is for the central 3/4 breadth all way around and the walls are not split

There's no reason to believe that the MOT is dodgy regarding the tyres. The test only checks that the vehicle is roadworthy on the day of the test.The lesson here is about buying things unseen off ebay. Like I said before if it's only a couple of tyres you've got to complain about you've done very well indeed. MOT's aren't worth the paper they're printed on as an indication of a vehicle's condition. Especially old Land Rovers.

Interesting thread - particularly with reference to the "why me" thread where every seller is a scamming bastid and every buyer is a plonker that rips yu orf.