Car is coming upto its first MOT,

I have had a look at the obvious things and can see nothing wrong.

So is there any reason not to use Halfords or similar and one of their cheap mot offers.

I assume an MOT is an MOT and the rules are fairly clear on what is a pass or fail?

I have fears that cheap mot means find excuses to get money out of driver by finding faults.

In my experience, putting it through a garage you trust (even if they have the MoT done somewhere else) is invaluable as they do a serious check first and pick things up and put them right. Otherwise, you’re potentially at Halford’s (oe wherever) tender mercies for repairing them.

It’s MoT time next week and as usual I am absolutely dreading it.

Take it to an MOT centre were they only MOT it and you have to have the work done elsewhere.

Have always avoided places like Halfords/Kwik Fit when it comes to MOTs ime they *always* find something wrong and of course it will cost you.

Favourites being ‘worn’ items that are down to the tester’s discretion. A local independant may issue an advisory whereas Halfords will use it as an excuse to rebuild the whole car ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

That was my concern rocketman.

Probably do what i did on the old car and just get it done my the council, at least i know they have no reason to fail the car. Other than it being a fail.

So is there any reason not to use Halfords or similar and one of their cheap mot offers.

Please have a look at my Kwik-Fit thread from last week.

my mate had 2 mots done on the same car at the same branch of halfords – it failed its retest because he didnt seal a small hole in the back box as he didnt understand how exhausts work so it had to go for a second MOT

was quite funny how the second time it came back with an entirely different set of fails – worn brake pads (that were not worn- not even close ) the usual blown bulbs – which was actually a connector pulled off the back of the bulb when i went to change it for him – pushed it back on and the light worked fine (it worked fine before it went in but have no proof other than that i checked the car over before it went back for its retest after refitting his exhaust and clearing the fault codes)

i think they are paid to fail cars …. they came back to him with a nice price to “fix it and have it ready for him that night” – he refused – once confronted about the brakes the car was retested FOC and it passed – funny that !

MIne is having its MOT today. Fortunately the owner of the garage is an old family friend so I trust them.

My local halfords autocentre (in hillsborough) has always been brilliant, (though I believe the manager has changed and I’ve not been since).

Always very honest, error code reads without charge etc… I know what, if anything, is up with the car before it goes in, and they’ve always been perfect. And that’s generally taking advantage of the half price MOT offers too.

EDIT – I meant to say it’s very much down to the people who actually work in each garage, rather than the ‘brand’ or franchise of said garage.

Halfords may do the cheapest MOT (£30), but if the car needs any work doing they will charge full whack for the partial retest (£22.50?) on top.
I know this as my O/H’s motor needed some minor work.
The work was carried out by another garage for 1/4 of the price Halfords quoted.
Halfords then passed the car when it should have failed on something they were aware of!
Bag o’ shite.

ETA: actually that was Kwik-Fit.
My brother doesn’t recommend Kwik-Fit, and he’s a mechanic.
For Kwik-Fit.

I’ve had a few MOTs done in my life, including dodgy ones (not by choice I hasten to add), and I can rebuild an engine on my kitchen table (and have done). Our local Halfords (King’s Lynn) is not only cheapest but they haven’t once tried to suggest any work that wasn’t needed, but have issued polite advisories without suggesting they do any work required.

was quite funny how the second time it came back with an entirely different set of fails – worn brake pads (that were not worn- not even close

As the tester can’t see the pads (they aren’t allowed to take wheels off) somehow I doubt that.

Our car went to the local Halfords branch (Farnborough) and it passed first time, no recommendations etc.

Assuming you’re still in Cheltenham, I’d highly recommend Cleevely Motors on Andover St. Top guys.

Otherwise, you’re potentially at Halford’s (oe wherever) tender mercies for repairing them.

No you’re not. You’re allowed to take the car somewhere else to have it fixed, or even home.

I’d go in wearing overalls with a couple of spanners in your breast pocket and grease on your nose. Less likely to try it on then 🙂

IHN, yes in Cheltenham, just happens that the easiest place for me to get the car tested is Halfords in Evesham, it is a couple hundred metres from where i work, it also happens to be the cheapest place.

If you don’t have one you can trust, then find one that doesn’t do serious repairs- less incentive to find fault. I’ve got a good garage nearby but before I found them, I took the car to a local truck place.

Either that or if you can, tactfully let them know that any repairs won’t be happening there! My dad insists on using his local garage, has done for 20 years, but they’re bent as a 9 bob note and he knows nowt about cars so they’ve had a fortune off him down the years. (they charged him for new brake pads 3 years in a row, the car does about 1000 miles a year!) So now I deal with that for him and when I drop it in find some way to mention that I do all the maintenance on it. Since then, never had any problems.

At work we use Halfords, never had a problem- but then they probably value our repeat custom.

But best option is to find a good garage. Personal recommendation is golden.

Check with your local Council and see if they do MOTs for the general public. They should be thorough and will have nothing to gain from failing your car. They won’t do repairs and aren’t permitted to recommend/refer.