The joy of owning an older vehicle is that it no longer has to undergo the dread that is the MOT test. For the rest of us, it’s a yearly fear that we panic and shudder over until the day it happens. I know I am fortunate in my work, because as an apprentice, I can take my car in to be tested by my mentor. I can also make notes on it and find out what is likely to give me trouble over the next year.

Fear not, my mentor is very fair. I always ask that my car is judged accurately and properly. It is, after all, an absolute minimum safety test and if there is anything extra to look at, I will.

Did the Disco pass the MOT? Yes. Did it pass with flying colours? No. On a 23-year-old vehicle, I am unsurprised. The advisories were not too bad. One of the rear number plate lights was out and the front outriggers are a touch corroded. The play in the steering is the largest concern, and I have a new column to fit. Just as soon as I work out how to reach the bolt and work it loose without snapping it.

Above, Left and Right – Larry is now sporting a brand new shiny track rod!

One thing I could do was replace the track rod. One side had enough play to be an advisory, the other side was better, but not amazing. I decided to change the whole rod assay rather than just the end.

For this, I needed to jack Larry up and remove the front wheels. While I was there, I decided to give the front brakes a service as well. Nothing more than removing the calliper, cleaning it up and making sure the pad carrier sliding pins were still sliding. Although the callipers are showing their age, and I will likely replace them soon, everything still worked as it should.

The track rod itself was shockingly easy to replace. I was expecting a fight with the ball joints, but a few solid taps with a hammer and they gave up. I laid the new rod next to the old one and tried to get it the same length, though I knew this would be rough at best. All the parts went back together reasonably quickly too. Imagine my surprise when a two-hour job actually took two hours!

The last job was to get the steering tracked properly. I cannot do this at home, and work does not have the gear for it. I didn’t fancy driving to college in Hull – forty minutes away – with my steering wheel at a jaunty angle, so a quick trip to Kwikfit saw Larry’s steering accurately adjusted.

So, that’s most of the major advisories taken care of until the new set next year, just a scabby brake pipe to keep an eye on and a few bulbs to replace. The list may be never ending, but today felt like a win.