Non Vectra legal query - exhaust.

[Grumpy1954]

Hi all, just had a friend on the phone, she has an old and fairly rare Mazda. She has a break in her exhaust pipe, where it connects to a silencer box, mechanic says it needs middle and rear sections.
She does a fair bit of running around for friends, and the mechanic has told her the police cannot take action against her once she's ordered the parts.
I'm not at all sure about that, driving to the garage to have the new parts fitted, maybe, but driving around town sounding like a low flying cruise missile, I think she'll get her collar felt.
Anyone know?

[Grumpy1954]

No-one?

[john norris]

as long as its not swinging about under her car she should be ok

[MattVecVXR]

It is an offense to use a car with a known defect because the motorist is responsible for maintaining the car to a safe standard, the MOT test is only as accurate as the day it was carried out.
However this is considered a minor defect as opposed to faulty brakes which pose a serious safety risk and would be issued a prohibition notice to legally stop the car from being used on the roads. If she is pulled, she may be issued with a Vehicle Defect Rectification notice, where she has to take it to a MOT centre and have it fixed and signed off as rectified before being presented to the police. The only fee payable is to the garage... which I would imagine would be free if its the same mechanic that told her that load of waffle. Basically, ignorance is not an excuse, but its not likely she'll get points for it. Personally I would only use the car for essential trips until its fixed but thats me.

[Phil881]

can they not do a temp repair to keep the noise down until the new parts arrive?

[Grumpy1954]

Thanks guys. Perhaps I didn't make it 100% clear, the exhaust (so I'm told) has snapped on the join with the box and is flapping around under the car. She goes (from Telford area) towards Whitchurch weekends to help a friend with her horses, amongst other things.
I'd told her last night with the car like that she was asking to get pulled, turns out she had a tyre down to the metal as well. To my knowledge she hasn't had it serviced in ten years, pleading no money. I've told her repeatedly if she gets some oil and filters even in my current state of health I'll change oil and air for her for her.
Like another of my old friends, she doesn't believe in maintenance, just waits for something to fail then replaces it. I think it's insane.
Cars been fixed today, her so lent her the money.