MOT's and the non white bulb

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Warrior
Joined: Tue 11 May, 2010 10:02
Posts: 497

  Z3 roadster 3.0i

MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by Warrior »

MOT day today. Passed but 'we had to change a bulb'.

This the third MOT I've had on different vehicles at different garages and each time having done my own visual test I've been told that an indicator bulb wasn't orange enough! One occasion I would have agreed that both rear bulbs needed changing, yet they only changed one?
Is there a Dulux chart number that I can use? Thinking that 'Satsuma Crush' satin sheen is about right! :D
TWO
Joined: Tue 05 Apr, 2011 22:04
Posts: 177

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Chelmsford

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by TWO »

Not really an answer, but appears to be a common MOT fail...........

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/ ... tm?t=29057
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pingu
Joined: Fri 30 Apr, 2004 16:01
Posts: 3412

  M roadster S50

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by pingu »

I've used Humbrol model paint before. I can't remember the number (edit: it's Humbrol Clear 1322), but it's a clear paint and supposed to be used for painting the taillights on models.

I used it to remove the egg yolk effect on the rear lights of the 330.

I painted the whole bulb with the clear orange. Masked off half the bulb and used silver paint on the part of the bulb that you can see. The tester tried to fail it because he could see no orange. I asked him what colour it was when it flashed - he admitted that he hadn't checked. He passed it when he put on the hazards and checked :D .
Pingu
peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by peter2b »

I had the same when I took my z3 in for a sevice and mot, I thought it was strange when they asked me what was a bmw 1st service I said oil ,filters etc, when I went back to pick her up they told me she had failed due to the rear indicators being not orange enough, so 2 new bulbs all OK
Peter2b
Hairyscreech
Joined: Thu 16 Apr, 2015 12:08
Posts: 69

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by Hairyscreech »

pingu wrote:I painted the whole bulb with the clear orange. Masked off half the bulb and used silver paint on the part of the bulb that you can see. The tester tried to fail it because he could see no orange. I asked him what colour it was when it flashed - he admitted that he hadn't checked. He passed it when he put on the hazards and checked :D .
Time to find a new test station?

You used to be able to get "headlamp yellow" for painting lights when going to France, this works really well if you can get it, about 3 coats is more than orange enough.
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pingu
Joined: Fri 30 Apr, 2004 16:01
Posts: 3412

  M roadster S50

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by pingu »

Hairyscreech wrote:
pingu wrote:I painted the whole bulb with the clear orange. Masked off half the bulb and used silver paint on the part of the bulb that you can see. The tester tried to fail it because he could see no orange. I asked him what colour it was when it flashed - he admitted that he hadn't checked. He passed it when he put on the hazards and checked :D .
Time to find a new test station?
It was a free MOT included in BMW's Approved Used Car scheme. It gave them a bit of a panic situation for them as they had already written the failure sheet :shock: . A quick retest late and it passed :D .

Mind you, I've got a voucher for a cheap test (£30) for this year, so I may have the same discussion in September.
Pingu
t-tony
Joined: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 23:17
Posts: 353

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: torksey lock

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by t-tony »

Unless an indicator bulb shows WHITE light it should not fail. It should be pass and advise. This was told me by the local VOSA man several years ago and still is true. However, how mean do you have to be before you can afford to change a bulb or two to make sure your car passes it's M.O.T.. Why do you have look at the yearly test as a me versus the M.O.T. just fit the bulbs for F***s sake.

Tony.
"Knowledge and experience are not always the same"
gookah
Z Register member
Joined: Thu 07 Aug, 2008 09:51
Posts: 2737

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: MOT's and the non white bulb

Post by gookah »

t-tony wrote:Unless an indicator bulb shows WHITE light it should not fail. It should be pass and advise. This was told me by the local VOSA man several years ago and still is true. However, how mean do you have to be before you can afford to change a bulb or two to make sure your car passes it's M.O.T.. Why do you have look at the yearly test as a me versus the M.O.T. just fit the bulbs for F***s sake.

Tony.
exactly,
after a few advisories in the past, I always check and replace indicator bulbs before the MOT nowadays, it is surprising how much of the colour coating has peeled off, the chrome ones don't seem to suffer this though, So most of them are chrome now.
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Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)

I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..
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