[non-Austin] any MOT specialist knowledge?

[Colin Wilks]

I believe that if you can disable the seatbelt light/buzzer completely then the tester should not fail it. I think this comes under the general MOT rule that if it's fitted it should work, but if it's not fitted then it can't be tested and so cannot fail. 
I think para 2 here is relevant.
https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/com...t-testers/

[JonE]

Well, that's good news, but unfortunately the clever little buzzer seems to do the winker-clicking too!, amongst other things. Was thinking of dremel-drilling into the tiny grille and seeing if it stopped....

[A G Wood]

My sympathies Hedd! Before you tear into it can you see whether the cable rotates ? If it does the little plastic H shaped piece between the cable and the latch is broken for sure, we were told its a deliberate weak link to stop the hood latch being forced. Not sure why the hood area was made so secure. Only the battery is any use to anybody? My experience is usually that someone has braille parked/leant against your grille (it doesn't take much) and pushed everything back snapping the H. Accepted recovery procedure in the dealership was the 10mm ratchet spanner route and remove the latch, its not as bad as it looks,  but you do definitely need a hoist for that (and long-ish arms). If the lock won't rotate both ways its worth trying some CRC to flush the road dirt out especially if its a Tibbe type key (and make sure the key if its Tibbe isn't excessively worn). FWIW the replacement for the cable is/was a universally jointed rod.
Good luck, swearing is permissible, and indeed encouraged.

[Hedd_Jones]

All done. The wire flexible spring had broken. 

Couldnt get my arms up to undo the catch from the back. Impossible, to much crap in the way.  So mauled the grill off and smashed the catch to find the cross. Now its all back together, you couldnt tell ive been in that way. 

Bonnet now opened with a 2 foot long phillips screwdriver which lives in the boot.

[David Stepney]

All done. The wire flexible spring had broken. 

Couldnt get my arms up to undo the catch from the back. Impossible, to much crap in the way.  So mauled the grill off and smashed the catch to find the cross. Now its all back together, you couldnt tell ive been in that way. 

Bonnet now opened with a 2 foot long phillips screwdriver which lives in the boot.

Cynics among us would say that Ford = Fix or repair daily. Mind you, I have just bought a Fiat to replace my ancient Polo and I am told that Fiat = Fix it again tomorrow!

[JonE]

rang an MOT place today. For a 2007 car, the red dash driver-seatbelt-not-on light is NOT an MOT requirement. The 'get me out of here' seatbelt siren (i.e. ringing away whilst the MOT tester is testing) is apparently 'advisory'.

[Hugh Barnes]

I owned a FIAT once - a Croma from 2003, of which very few were sold in the UK. It would often display various fault lights on the dash that, initially, I would worry about. I soon learned to adopt the 'delayed response' technique - ie, I would ignore them and, after a few days, they would go away...

[Hedd_Jones]

All done. The wire flexible spring had broken. 

Couldnt get my arms up to undo the catch from the back. Impossible, to much crap in the way.  So mauled the grill off and smashed the catch to find the cross. Now its all back together, you couldnt tell ive been in that way. 

Bonnet now opened with a 2 foot long phillips screwdriver which lives in the boot.

Cynics among us would say that Ford = Fix or repair daily. Mind you, I have just bought a Fiat to replace my ancient Polo and I am told that Fiat = Fix it again tomorrow!

David, I run 10year+ cars by choice. Issues are 'life'.

Previously I ran diesel Peugeots. (and a Citroen - Peugeot in drag) 205, 306 (Xsara). Mechanically excellent, paint and body good. Electricals - Jons experience - Awful. Last Peugeot was a 2002 306 Fabulous motor. 2L HDI. 180k before I killed it. But it had a exceptionally hard life, moving 8 ton of steam tractor regularly.

Last car was a 2005 diesel Mondeo. Rust bucket. Went like a rocket. Pulled like a train (I had 5 ton behind it once). Electrical gremlins with the engine management did for it in the end at about 150k (a turbo issue), and it was nothing but a pain in the arse. But when it was running right it was exceptional. It was the best 3.5tonner I've ever had. But it put me off modern diesels forever.

Other than having to put a clutch on this one not long after buying it (being Petrol and no silly dual mass flywheel bullsh1t, only £300), its been ok. A million times less hassle than the Mondeo, but not as trouble free as the Pugs

Fundamentally its a function of the added complexity in modern cars. All driven by emissions. Newer they are, more complicated they are. I do worry what will happen should these silly electric cars take off. I suspect in about 5 years time, when some of them are 10year old or so ish we will find out!.

Going back to something I suggested elsewhere, 3 lung mechanical diesel in an austin 7. I would suggest such a vehicle would be one of the 'greenest' vehicles about, if measured by any sound form of measure. Still using the bulk of something built 70years ago (so very sustainable indeed), running a repurposed engine (more sustainable again), with fabulously frugal use of the earth resources to run it (in mpg). Far better for the environment than buying a new Tesla every other year in my book.  
Jon - Good news.

[JonE]

Also interesting to this thread is the headscratching that I've been doing over why non-new fuel efficient cars are really holding value presently. As Hedd has intimated, its no point buying diesels any more now that diesel particulate filtration (2009) has added to Exhaust gas recycling (2004ish?) on top on dual mass flywheels on the higher bhp units. My 2006 90bhp with solid flywheel, for these glitches, is returning 63mpg and it can take a pallet in the back when the kids aren't in there.
But small 20 and 30 quid roadtax petrol cars... 2004-2016... I was head-scratching working out why a VW Up! we sold was still valued at the same figure, 30 months later. I now realise that after the second half of 2016, all these cars with same engines/carbon outputs are all up to £160 tax from 2017. I'm going to find another non-aircon, wind-up-windowed Up! basic model and cherish it.

p.s. my hairdryer on the Comms unit seems to have worked, as the glitches are reducing and its getting back to normal. I'm not spraying silicone spray there again!

[Reckless Rat]

My 1995 Citroen C15 van is a keeper. It has the original Peugeot-Citroen 1.8 litre XUD diesel engine. No turbo, no HDi, and its mechanically fuelled diesel only develops 60bhp. However, it is absolutely bombproof and returns 45-50 mpg laden or not. Citroen made millions of them, but they are now starting to disappear. Mine won't. I have a garage attic full of spares!