SUSPENDED FROM MOT TESTING - PLUS FINES & BIG TAX BILL 

My HGV CPC runs out September. I’ll be 60, and despite being told that the boss will pay for it, I’ve no intention of sitting in a classroom for a week being reminded yet again of what I’ve learnt already over nearly 40yrs in the job. Nope I’m taking early retirement thanks.

Govt at all levels is broken.

This country is grinding down the hard working folk. I am so relived that I am now retired, was medically retired after a mega sized nervous breakdown. I only wish you could find a way to ease up, but I know from your channel that you aren't that type. Wishing you all the very best from me and 'er. Tony and Sally

Going on holiday always been the kiss of death running my garage . You just know shit will hit the fan soon as you walk in the door .

I'm so happy for you mate! 56+k followers. You done the right thing... Think a year ago.. You took a huge step...

business rates are crippling its what puts most people out of business

After 33 years as a coach driver ,I glad to say I gave up my pvc licence

The linesman fault love that one Lee

Glad I'm retired!

Li, the moral of the story for small traders is this: work 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, 32 days a month, 367 days a year and DON'T EVER dream of taking a holiday - the government are too busy helping their old-boy rich mates get richer to allow you such selfish pleasures as time off. see, you even got taxed for watching that football match. best to pop a towbar and trailer on the back of that mini New York Taxi so you can serve bacon butties all week. there are still some pleasures in life mate...

On the Mini front - I’d avoid selling the Cooper s and trade it on And I ‘d swerve the 07 plate one as the N12 is awful - especially on chain etc All I sell is Mini 60 - 18 plate and in the R series R56 etc - it’s got to be N16 engine - not had a chain yet - over 200 out of the door so far - Probably screwed myself now No Diesel’s and No Cooper S’s Prep is a ball ache - Always the same things and £££’s but future proof them the best you can and hope for the best They sell like hot cakes and people will travel miles for them 5 years ago I swore I’d never sell a Mini - Yet here we are 😅 Keep up the good work Lee !

Yeah, I did the HGV thing and gave it up, retired now so it doesn't matter but I get where you're coming from.

There's a pay & display car park I use often, that was always coin operated untill recently. Now the ticket machine has gone, replaced with a sign with a phone number on it, and you pay by card. Only problem is, the phone is never answered, so people risk it. Guess what happens next?

Top Tip - get in touch with your MP. He/she can write to the VO powers that be, who will take your case from their backlog and put it right on the top.

Used to be if you haven't done a MOT within the last 6 months they suspended your licence untill you have a review test then if the dvsa think your good enough they put you back on the system. So you must do a test within 6 months to keep it up and running.

That annoys me that a decent guy gets basically flailed by the system... And as for £100 for a pathetic parking offence of being 20-30 minutes over... Total, legalised robbery.. Hoping next week you'll get a bolt of good luck from the Gods and everything goes great...

I like your honesty, straight speaking.

Your holiday has flown by, glad to see you back!

mate regarding the business rate issue, i would get in touch with your local mp and try getting them to hurry the council up to review your appeal

I went through the same thing with the V.O.A and the business rates about 5 years ago - after appealing it turned out that my small corner shop office/ showroom/ stockroom was below the rateable value and I should never have being paying business rates. I hope you have better luck next week.

It’s so good to see the prep work you put into your cars. I just went to view a used £45k car elsewhere that had a scratch in the paintwork and a scuffed alloy. I was told they wouldn’t bother fixing that stuff as the car will sell anyway 😳

If that parking fine was issued by the police or a traffic warden, you'll have to suck it up and pay it. If it was issued by a private parking company, just ignore it. It's a civil offence not a criminal one and they're not going to take you to court for £100 . I've had dozens of parking tickets from these private parking bandits in my time and never paid a single one. They usually give up after 3 or 4 letters and go hassle someone else. That whole shady industry is based on people not knowing the law and thinking that parking tickets/fines issued by those twats have the same legality as the ones issued by the police or traffic wardens. They don't. It really is a case of. "Ignore them and they'll go away"

Makes note to self: don't go in to the second hand car market 😁. Glad those issues are easily remedied.

Have a rant all you like bud, nothing wrong with letting off a bit of steam, although this job can look easy from the outside, we all know it’s an emotional roller coaster even on the good days, throw in some other normal life challenges and stress levels soon go up 😩😩keep up the grind mate 👍👍👍

Glad I'm retired too as others have said (though I do miss having my old bus licence at times). But you've got a great future ahead Lee and plenty of bouncebackability, so don't let the setbacks get you down. And thanks as always for the great content!

@8:20 That is a very strange i10 especially with the Citroen badge on the front of it. 😄

You should tell people to like and subscribe before the end of the video because the video finishes and a new video starts before people can tick either subscribe or like. Great vid as always. Car dealer getting shafted, I don't believe it for a moment ;)

The most cars I see broke down with an aa man or rac man tinkering with are minis and range rovers, and I do a lot of driving around.

Great to see you back on screen - really like your videos for their honesty. I’d say pay the parking ticket, (it’s not worth your time), forget being an MOT tester (for now at least), challenge the business rates as best you can - they’re the only one worth worrying about. Oh, and watch the interior panel clips when changing that Mii rear shocker!

I hope it’s sunny tomorrow for you!! 😊

Shit happens- it's just how difficult things are to rectify now... daft websites, no phone numbers (non accountability !) etc... Small wonder mental health is where it is in the UK !!

Great channel!!! Like the new wheel trims you put on grey i10!!! I’m prepping a low mileage 2012 i10 and going for same style trims!!

100% with you on the Mini Prince engine. My example had smoking valve stem seals and as a result killed 02 sensors every 6 months (I got quite good at changing them 😅), oil leaks, rusty subframe, seansors inside the car and out, terrible things. As you say though, it did drive well! I hope you get all the admin things sorted out, nothing worse than dealing with government departments 😞

I've got a few years left on my class 1 and CPC and then that's it for me. Couple of good sales days and all will look ok again !

Great outlook Lee. Always good to know what testers are looking for in case of changes.

I like the Mii....got good proportions. Thought it was an Up GTi at first......

Yes… a Update on the yellow 500👌

Great video Lee. I was at the Alex on Saturday watching Wrexham.

Oh dear, what to come home to after a reasonable holiday. You were looking for a good holiday. Hope you get sorted soon.

Good rant, trouble always comes in threes. Good luck with the faceless Ratings Office, they are as bad as council Planning Departments.

Try that charles trent for parts, they are based down south and deliver, but chances are they may have the part you require. Not cheap, but if you deperate, may help.

Council desperate now I just been charged 1000 pound for council tax for a house I sold 4 months ago

That looks like a parking charge notice, which is an invoice for an alleged breach of contract disguised to look like an official parking penalty. They are an impersonation of authority scam. They have to sue you in county court for breech of contract, which is not easy and costs them more than the invoice.

I've had some terrible experiences with minis of thoses ages, on a 63 plate chain came thru top of engine at tickover, valves burning out on those old 1.6 petrols, had a one owner, full mini history, new coil pac, leads, knew St away they'd been trying to fix a miss fire, sure enough exhaust valve burnt out number 2,sold my last mini at Christmas and blew on it, don't plan on any more tbh.

Wishing you well! Lots going on for you. Hey. Ford Ecoboost. Change the oil at 12k not 18k….obvs! And pay the money for a proper 5W-20 oil. You get what you pay for with oil!

Well as they say these things are sent to try us, hopefully your luck wil change for the better, All the Best 😊

Car Vertical never saw that coming with a discount or not.

Dear Lee….In life these thing’s are thrown at us,”These thing’s” are no more than a test of character and believe us when we say you have character…Keep on doing what your doing because we all love for it…..

Love your HONESTY❤

Hi there regarding the Polo I have a passat Diesel that had an idle issue turned out to be a fuel regulator thT fitted on the end of the fuel rail that feeds the I injectors

I have a 07 R56 S, 107k, been in the family for years, serviced every year including oil & filter, never missed a beat.

Love it how yoyu blamed the misses then the linesman. Keep up the good work Lee.

A tough week coming back from holidays but it’s great to get it off your chest mate I feel for you 🙏👊 upwards and onwards as they say love your honesty keep up the great work videos 🤝👊🚘☀️best regards Jim

Same with flying, i let my examiners rating lapse. Fed up of seminars, flight tests and cost. Already spending on renewing the basic instructor rating. Money, money for what, maintain the status quo..

You need to get a disclosure done as well as doing your mot assessment and doing a test with the DVSA , all the best

Hope you get things sorted Lee and are able to de stress abit !!

Reminds me of trying to contact someone at HMRC, you are on hold for 8 hours and no one answers the phone, and if they do answer the phone it's the wrong department. UK, what a shyte hole, matches the weather.

You need another holiday ❤ Love the channel btw

Those mini coupes new were very pricey too, the only light at the end of this council tax rabbit hole is hopefully when they finally do get around to revaluation of your business, fingers crossed you get a rebate 🙈👍

Great video as always lee

Tough run there buddy 😫 Plenty of red tape to cut through!! Tw@ts, always putting hurdles up for the grafters, chin up mate 😁

We hope thing's improve for you, you don't deserve all the negative. Keep going.

As you were telling this story, i was thinking they say it come in three's !! You couldn't make that could you 😮 Hope you get it sorted one way or another. Best of luck Lee, atb to you 👍👍

Garage next to my workshop specialises in RRover and Discos whenever he gets a Mini he won't retail it he always passes it on recons engines are rubbish.

Just had a similar dilemma, 70 years old looms, need to renew driving licence but do I give up my C1 and D1 entitlements?… Hope you have some better days soon.

I would trade the mini convertible, due to engine. Love you shouting out Chops Garage about the mini's. Can't wait to see the yellow fiat 500 finished, be gutted when it goes.

Great video I’m so happy I’m no longer self employed it’s a total ball ache

Lee, a bloody liberty!….a series of them!….keep going mate, you’ll get through.

A Mini burst into flames near me the other day, whats the main cause turbo too hot ?

I admire anyone with their own business. So many have said to me ‘the job is easy’ it’s all the government ‘jobs worth’ departments.

I wouldn't put that CooperS conv. on my foresourt either....good call on that,good call. That Kia door lock is such a shame, but you gotta buy new when parts aren't out there in ebay world,so don't feel bad it does happen.....give that linesman a red card when you see him next 🤐 Keep the vids coming!

I feel your pain Lee.

In regards to the parking fine, no one can fine you without due process in court. The maximum charge that a parking charge can be is the amount of money that they charge per hour. So if you were over by 20 mminutes they can only charge you for that amount of time and not £100. Find out who is fining you and sue them.

Keep your chin up pal. Great channel, I always look forward to watching.

Keep positive

As someone who has fought against my VOA council tax banding i know the annoyance. Not worth calling VOA anyway as they fob you off. You need to pay it and wait for a refund when you overturn it. As for the parking ticket. Your fault still appeal it anyway asking for discretion die to the incidents that occur.

Dont ignore the parking fine - they will chase you and can involve you in getting a CCJ - one course of action is to contact the football ground and explain the circumstances if they own the land they can ask the parking company to remove the PCN.

Love it ! You’re the man !

Councils are very good at spending other people's money,but always demanding more and more,

Hi Lee, my advice, such as it is; 1. For the council contact your own local councillor. They will be receptive as you are a voter and a General election is in the offing. Set out the case to them and explain how you are dissatisfied with the progression of the case. Ask for their help. They will know who to push to get it sorted. 2. As far as the parking ticket goes , you could appeal on the grounds that you had an elderly passenger who was especially slow, leave out the mention of the linesman, They might still give you offside but you could be lucky. Alternatively, there is usually a reduction for prompt payment. 3. The MOT thing is a basic administrative oversight on your part and I am sure that you can appeal. You are not alone in bad news. I have also come a cropper last week for driving in excess of 20mph on a North Wales coastal road. I was under 30 mph but now face a Speed Awareness course at the end of May. I had forgotten to put my speed limiter on. This has really annoyed me, as it means that someone can lose their licence depending on how it is treated by making 4 slow driving mistakes and being caught out by strategically positioned, camera vans; while, never actually driving in excess of 30 mph. I don't mind the 20mph , it is safer but the penalties should not endorse licences below 30mph IMHO. I hope you had a good holiday and that is now your opportunity to put all the mishaps behind you. Keep up the good work. As Spock says, Live long and prosper.

Maybe a full time administrator at the Car Pitch might help ?. More wages to pay I know, but these things can be foreseen and smoothed out throughout the year.

Running a small business nowadays is just a pain in the backside. So much red tape , legislations , rules , regulations and just about anything else you can think of. I’m 56 now and part of the older generation who remember the more simpler times. Most people are just out to shaft you nowadays and extract as much money from you as they can. I have officially had enough and can’t wait to get out of it and leave it to the younger generation who don’t know any different and see it as normal.

Had my black taxi licence, hgv , psv and gave them all up. Too much hassle trying to do cpc courses and the council wanted to know who I was driving for for the taxi licence when I was with the bus company . Bus company would be jumping up and down thinking I was driving a taxi.

I’d be interested in knowing the difference when looking under a mini bonnet…Peugeot or Chrysler engine on the early ones, I know the later BMW 3 cylinder engine is said to be horrendous… I know folk have to design engines with ridiculous reliability issues that have never been herd of before..! 🙄

Maybe Crewe Alex FC could get involved, dozens of others may also have got clobbered with fines.

Good man! You’ll get sorted again….

The annual assessment stresses me so much I'm on the brink of making it my last every time it comes around. The old style refresher courses were so much better.

Always look on the bright side of life da da da da da, keep up the great work

Sounds like my week😮

Time for another holiday Lee with all that stress 🙈🙈🙈

Don't forget the DBS check and cost as well.

Another good honest video from you lee,they say it comes in 3's so hope there was nothing else😬

You’ve done man on bike shame you didn’t grab man on mobility scooter😂 great video Lee 👍🏻

Sounds like you need a holiday ! 😀

Yellow Fiat 500 i have same exact colour 500 and had same bad luck , £800 to repair it but in the end the dealer did pay back £400 so better than nothing , the weird thing is the car had a new exhaust and tyres etc put on it so weird the dealer never repaired the gearbox before flogging it on ? anyway now ive got a car thats worth £3500 all day long 2013 500 with 80 thousand miles and service history.

proper lad love the vids

Fantastic episode gb ❤

Lot 2 is a Mini @ Prees Heath 2morrow.

You should appeal the parking penalty, as theres mitigating circumstances, plus theres bound to be others in the same boat. GOof luck with the rates appeal. Hopefully your council will get its arse in gear and sort it out!

Mot licence is a pain in arse too keep it going and annual test asking you how points you get if you didnt scratch your ass at the correct moment make my blood boil