Poor quality ball joints

I took the TF for its MOT ten days ago, it passed with no problems other than two advisories, the first is that one of the outer ball joints for the rear track control arms has a bit of play, the other is the same with a lower front ball joint. The rear one is simply replacing the twenty year old one with a new one  from a Mondeo MK3, the front one is more irritating because I have three rivets to drill out which wouldn't be too bad if it was twenty years old and 84,000 miles. However it is only just over a year old with a bit under 4,000 miles on them, reading old invoices that came with the car show that they were replaced (both wishbones) around eight years ago and they had done only about 15,000 miles.
The idle valve failed two weeks ago today, I was unable to clean it or get a new one over the weekend but it sailed through the MOT idling at between 1300 and 1500 rpm   

Iwell done. Its testimony to your careful maintenance

One has to be careful with MOT outcomes & others might be of a different opinion. However if you are consistently achieving passes first time & you are doing all your own maintenance, the car & you are operating on the same frequency.
This is a double edged sword, it could mean that your relationship is, how can we say, unhealthy.
Scouring the internet for new, interesting or shiny bits to bolt on could adversely affect your power to weight ratio. Saying nothing about your bank balance; the days silence from the better half, having just found out the true cost of the newly arrived mysterious parcel, could be advantageous. The peace & quiet could be a godsend if you are still searching for another illusive part!
Just a thought.
M

Not all replacement parts are created equal There a many shit quality parts coming out of China, I couldn't find good ball joints for my old Ford ute, the only ones available wouldn't last 6 months. The problem is that all the independent parts shops have been bought up by the big parts retailing groups here in Oz and these places don't care that they're sellling shit. They won't buy from the quality makers , they buy the Chinese rubbish on the cheap and sell it for top dollar, you as the consumer have no choice other than to buy from these two giant arsehole retail groups so you just have to suck the shit they give out! My old Ford was only sold in Australia and New Zealand, making the parts market relatively small and concentrated
Well I found an independent  parts retailer in New Zealend that still had new old stock TRW ball joints for my old Ford and was selling them cheaper delivered to Australia than I could buy the rubbish Roadsafe (oxymoronic name) brand  locally from the big guys!
I purchased 2 full sets which should last me for @ 20yrs
I'm guessing your car had the equivalent quality rubbish fitted, hopefully you don't suffer the big business duopoly and can still get OEM or aftermarket parts of reasonable quality over there in the UK

If it has to be new & a safety item I will only buy new old stock. It’s still out there & worth the time searching it out, nor is it all that difficult to track down, although you might pay more. I’d like to bet MGB281 would have preferred to pay half as much again not to have to start afresh.
None critical, I still prefer buying good used items; it arrives, sometimes with original fixings, you offer it up & everything aligns. No drawing holes or modifying, the gauge of material is invariably greater & the item could even been painted.
I happen to be old & have time to do the research, those with less time on their hands might simply buy & be hanged.
“There’s never enough time to do the job properly but there’s always time to do it again”.
M

Last time I replaced one of those, I ground the heads off, supported the assembly, and the rest of the rivets came out easily with a punch

I haven’t don the idle valve yet, I have too many irons in the fire at the moment, the day after the MOT I started media  blasting the MGB GT, then on Wednesday this last week I applied the epoxy primer followed by spraying base coat and lacquer the next day. I will now have plenty to keep me occupied during the winter now. While it is still on the rotisserie I will fit the fuel tank, brake and fuel lines. Notanumber and I are fitting EPAS from a TF, another jog that is easier when the car is upside down. Then a bit more media blasting on the front wings, rear hatch and brake calipers.