Any tips for having an MOT done…

“Would you like free coffee and wifi sir?”
“No thanks, I’ll just sit in these cars for a while”
” Well, please don’t leave any stains on the seats then”

I was going to say “don’t leave it to the last minute, do it a couple oif weeks before it’s due” but then I saw this:

Yeah I tried the local authority, but of course this being me it’s last minute, and they were full

too late. if it fails on the last day you’ll have to leave it there for repair, or arrange for it to be trailered away…

john_drummer – Member

too late. if it fails on the last day you’ll have to leave it there for repair, or arrange for it to be trailered away…

Nope, you can legally drive an MOT-less car to and from a testing centre. It can get very complicated if it goes out of tax or insurance though, and also remember that you can still be charged with driving an unroadworthy vehicle (not all MOT fails are automatically unroadworthy, not all MOT-passes are roadworthy)

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q600.htm

I’m a believer in making it look right too… It’s kind of faith-based this, but the only fail I’ve ever had was on the motorbike. It had a bunch of non-MOT issues as a result of a minor falling-over, and general encrusted winter filth. It also had the same 2 fails it always had- an illegal HID headlight, and an exhaust measured on the richter scale.

Took it in to the same tester that did it every year before and after, he failed those 2. Every other time, when I took it in polished and shiny, he said “That sounds ****ing brilliant” and “That’s a good idea that headlight, normal motorbike lights are shit”

So I reckon, if it looks bad it’s more likely to be treated like it’s bad.

“too late. if it fails on the last day you’ll have to leave it there for repair, or arrange for it to be trailered away… “

errr…. says who ?

I’ve always just tried to find one recommended by sensible friends and colleagues (i.e. I ignored the one who thought the local garage were “marvellous chaps” for picking up the car and bringing it back “for free”, yet strangely always found lots of costly work to do).

I also tend to get it MOT’d and serviced at the same time, logic being that if they’re being paid to do some work on it already (i.e. the service) there would be less temptation to find unnecessary work to do from the MOT. Possibly some flawed logic in that.

“However, you might be stopped by police and prosecuted if your vehicle is unroadworthy.

If the vehicle fails the test and the certificate has expired, you can only drive it to:
a pre-arranged appointment at a garage to have the repairs done
a pre-arranged MOT test appointment
“

from the mot gov site.

so fails at the council test centre – you phone a garage to have the work done – you drive to the garage to get the work done , you then book your retest and can drive it back to be retested.

The key is it has to be a garage or a test centre – saying im driving it to my house to be fixed doesnt fly.

there is also the situation when the vehicle is deemed dangerous – snapped chassis or holes in the braking system etc where the tester can refuse to let it leave and ensure its trailered out.

harrisp – Member

@legend
It wasn’t a clio 197/200 was it? As rear discs and pads alone are £250 so that Explains a bit if the £500 although it’s still steep.

Nope, 182. Parts were around £110 (for genuine Renault) in the end, with not much on top for fitting.

I think you can still drive it home, surely? You are legally allowed to do your own work of course.

It’s a real shame that there is so much distrust of garages. I’m about to take over the family garage that’s been established for 42 years and we are constantly getting people coming in complaining about unnecessary work that other garages have under taken without consulting the customer, dodgy MOT failiers etc.

It just gives us all a bad name, the best bet is to go by referrals find one and stick to them. All garages need to make a profit but some (Franchises particularly) seem to try to maximise it on a customers first visit and don’t care if they see them again. I would much rather a loyal long standing customer base that comes back again and again. If you’re in or around Bookham,Surrey you are welcome here.

As above though, there are a number of things you can check yourself prior to the test, bulbs, tyres, wipers, pads and discs, dampers are free from fluid, dash warning lights. Present it in the best condition you can and let the expert ensure it’s safe. If you really think they are trying to pull a fast one you ahve the right to appeal. We have had a number of occasions when VOSA have bought us a car to test that has failed elsewhere but we have passed.

S&H Motors in Poole for anyone down there. As honest as they come.

House share with an MOT tester 😀
Unsurprisingly mine passed yesterday…….

I did have that problem once, MOT station wouldn’t let me drive it away, said it was dangerous. Suspension & brake issues. last day of expiring certificate. some time between 1999 & 2002

ever since I’ve had my MOT done about 2 weeks before due. And every time it’s passed… (different cars, same garage, although not the one that wouldn’t let me drive it away. I’m not bloody going there again)

Thanks folks. Will keep you posted.. you’re going to have to wait til about half past two

Any news yet? I know it’s a bit early, but I have my fingers crossed for you both.

Cafe Nero in Newport doesn’t have power points or even wifi!

I can recommend a place in Aldershot, but that probably doesn’t help much with your current predicament.

Rule #1 of MOT – make the car look presentable. First impressions are important.

This means a thorough clean, inside and out, and a wax/polish.

Sorry if it’s been mentioned allready.

Get to your local main fire station workshop. They will take in standard cars too for mot as it’s part of being an mot station. Obviously, they won’t do any work and therefore don’t take the mick with work needed.

Alternatively, the local council will have an mot station, same story.

The results are in.

Anyone want to guess what happened? Dodgy ECUs are not a potential fail, so that’s something at least.

They took out your engine and replaced it with a worn-out one? Did you check the engine number before taking it in?

Front and rear sidelight bulb and and a tyre worn on the inner edge?

Guess what mine failed on 🙁

rusty suspension parts?

“Rule #1 of MOT – make the car look presentable. First impressions are important.

This means a thorough clean, inside and out, and a wax/polish.
“

never had a car fail on anything i didnt know about & ive never waxed/polished a car in my life.

It can get very complicated if it goes out of tax or insurance though

Starting with a SORN car, with no MOT or insurance.

Insurance is dependant on nothing, so get that first.

Drive it to the MOT

Pass, or fail and drive home, fix and repeat as nececary untill it passes.

Tax it.

No more complicated than doing it any other time of the year. The only conditions are the car has to be roadworthy and insured.

BWD 🙂

My money is on it being found to have insufficient power for overtaking.

The car notifies you when a bulb’s gone, btw.

The car notifies you when a bulb’s gone, btw.

the bulb that lights up to notify you that a bulb has blown, has blown?

the bulb that lights up to notify you that a bulb has blown, has blown?

there’s a buzzer for that.

thisisnotaspoon – Member

Pass, or fail and drive home, fix and repeat as nececary untill it passes.

Tax it.

No more complicated than doing it any other time of the year. The only conditions are the car has to be roadworthy and insured.

The reason it’s complicated- 1) Lots of insurers will ask for your certificate of insurance or make it a condition of offering cover and 2) Driving without tax is an offence; the special discretion that applies for driving without MOT to a test centre doesn’t apply to tax.

Anyway. It passed 😆

Whoop!

Mine next week. Fingers crossed.

Re Happyrider…Bookham used to be my old stomping ground where I dabbled in the motor trade for a while…I’m intrigued as to where you are?
Did my City and Guilds at what used to be F.W Mays up at Effingham traffic lights by the way(a long time ago!!)

Sounds before my time 🙂 we are the garage between dagenham motors and dobbies behind the murco petrol station.

About to be second generation 🙂 (sort of, I’m the son in law)

Rule #1 of MOT

Is to book it in 4 weeks in advance of the MOT due date.

Ah yes..think that used to be known as Shirley Garage…used to know some of the lads that worked in there,moved on by now I should think.
Anyway,best of luck with it,I got out of motors and into bikes…best thing I ever did!

b r – Member

Is to book it in 4 weeks in advance of the MOT due date.

Hah, clearly you’ve never owned a spiteful vehicle. Anyone who has will know that this is folly, you need to sneak up on an MOT, let it think that this is all just routine servicing, then while it’s asleep, shove it through the test before it notices and has a chance to suddenly develop a jagged rusty hole, or have a wheel fall off, or all the bulbs catch fire.

That’s the one, still called Shirley Garage, Boo, his brother Phil, Ray etc are still around if you know them?

Our car goes to justmots.eu (a great concept, surely most areas have an equivalent)
Over 10 years, I think I’ve had one fail for an unmatched headlight lamp (they will change them if to hand) and worn pads (they were) which obv I took home to fix that afternoon.

The year before kwikfit had failed me and attempted to sell me £800 of front wishbones which I got fixed elsewhere for £200)

My camper takes a class 4 IV mot but needs a Class VII mot bay so that goes to BT Fleet (who have salaried staff and presumably are not on commission as I have to bend their arm to get work done on my company vehicle, I must have owned it for 5 years and that has always passed aswell. Seems thorough as it always comes back with advisories such as worn brake pedal rubber, hub seal leak, rusty tank straps, irregular brake effort (I.e slightly warped disc)

Rule #1 of MOT – make the car look presentable. First impressions are important.

This means a thorough clean, inside and out, and a wax/polish.

It’s not important at all, the amount of times I’ve seen shiny on top, shit underneath is more often than you can probably imagine. Yes I am a MOT tester by trade, it’s a crying shame there is so much ignorance of what is and what can be done. At the end of the day the test is there for yours and others safety, some people if left to their own devices would be travelling round in death traps just to save a few quid with the attitude “it’ll be right”. Just one last thought if your vehicle fails on tyre tread depth, be pleased we picked it up, as the police would be giving you a fine and three points per tyre, and in some cases if involved in an accident insurers won’t pay out due to the vehicle being in a non-roadworthy state.

Small world..say hello to Phil and Boo for me,Phil was at Mays with me and I see his other brother,Steve,around down here in Sussex(he MOT’s my cars!)..told you it is a small world!

Cheers
Robin

Benji,

Quick question if you don’t mind.

I have a car going for MOT on Wednesday next week 2 weeks before current mot due to expire. One of the tyres is very close to the legal limit on the inside edge however the rest of the tyre is fine.

Will this be an instant failure?

I could put a winter wheel on the 1 suspect corner for the purpose of the test but this wheel is very slightly smaller than the summer tyre on the other side.

We have a new tyre ordered and it will be fitted a week today but this is after the scheduled MOT.

I could put 2 summer wheels at the front and 2 winter wheels at the back if that is Ok?