Any tips for having an MOT done…

Happy to answer MOT questions. Inside edge is fine, as long as there is no cords/plys showing, and the central 3/4 has the correct depth of tread, that would be an advisory. So based on how you have described your tyre, at worst it will be an advisory.

Tyre sizes have to be the same both sides of an axle, hence an M3 which has wider rear tyres than fronts is not an mot failure, so yes you could put winter tyres on one axle and summer on the other.

If you are fitting a new tyre its probably worth getting an alignment check as a worn inner edge is a possible sign of misalignment an it’d be a shame to trash a new one.

Ok perfect, thanks for the clarification. Will go for it with the 1 questionable tyre as I am not to bothered about an advisory when I have the replacement in hand.

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.

I’m fairly sure thats wrong, 1 is a logical impossibility.

And 2 from the dvla site

The vehicle may only be used on public roads to go to and from a pre-arranged test, – for example, an MoT – and as long as the vehicle is insured.)

Alignment has been done already when I noticed it a year ago and got new tyres on the front. This one is on the rear and we thought we would only get another year out of it at the time so it is pretty well done.

Had hoped by moving it to the rear that the Un even wear would have stopped but it did not.

What worrys me is how quite alot of classics are going to deteriorate quickly for the sake of a 55quid test…..

Ebay prices for tax free , mot free land rovers have gone through the roof , im sure other classics are the same. Stupid idea.

Also , in 10 years of driving ive never been asked at insurance time for an mot cert. never.

Fwiw , i can insure my project car on the drive that is missing bits im rebuilding – no mot on that , no issues insuring it.

thisisnotaspoon – Member

I’m fairly sure thats wrong, 1 is a logical impossibility.

What’s impossible about it? It’s the exact position I found myself in- most insurers wouldn’t insure without an MOT. Solved it by just saying **** it and driving to the test uninsured.

Thanks for the correction on the tax- that didn’t used to be the case, or at least, when I asked the DVLA about it they said it wasn’t. Though perhaps they were wrong.

What’s impossible about it? It’s the exact position I found myself in- most insurers wouldn’t insure without an MOT. Solved it by just saying **** it and driving to the test uninsured.

You said insurers would ask for a certificate of insurance, not MOT.

I’ve never been asked for a MOT and at no point has anyone everasked me to prove my MOT status when taking out insurance on SORN’d cars to take them for their MOT (I do it twice annually),FWIW. I think they have clauses in there saying they’ll invalidate your insurance if your car is not roadworthy, but that’s legallydifferent from not having an MOT.

So long as its insured you can drive to the MOT stationto get the MOT, then to the tax office to get the tax for it on the way home…

I take mine to a local garage who are usually very fair and know I’ll usually replace rather than repair and do my best to get it ship shape before taking it for the test (they hate being used as the annual service test). They seem keen on replacing light bulbs I know are perfectly OK when it goes into the test place, which can be frustrating.

coffeeking – Member

I’ve never been asked for a MOT and at no point has anyone everasked me to prove my MOT status when taking out insurance

I often have- are you using the same insurers each time?

These days insurance companies don’t need to ask you about MOT or RFL status, they can check the vehicle online themselves.