All About Your Car's MOT
The United Kingdom Ministry of Transport Test is an annual check required for all passenger cars over 3 years old (apart from a few exceptions). The primary purpose of the test is to check various areas of the vehicle for safe operation. These areas include tyres, brakes, suspension, steering, emissions and many more. While not all cars are subject to tests in all of these areas (for example, some older vehicles do not require in-depth emissions testing) The rate for an MOT test is set by VOSA, the organization in charge of vehicle regulations. You can find out more information on the charges and regulations of MOT testing on the VOSA website.
Click here to know more about mot
An MOT test is carried out by licensed VOSA testing stations. This may be a local garage, local fast-fit chain, or a main dealer. If you currently use a garage for servicing, and are happy with their service, using them for the MOT may be a good idea, and you may even get a discount. Don't rule out main dealers for MOT's either - many offer special deals on MOT tests to help retain customers (some main dealers lose a customer's service business once the car reaches 3 years old as the warranty expires - this is the same time the car is due it's first MOT).
The majority of the checks carried out on an MOT test are for safety reasons. This involves inspection of areas of the car such as tyres, brakes, suspension and steering. Keep in mind that although the MOT shows that a vehicle met the required MOT standards at the time of testing, it by no means certifies the condition or state of the vehicle, and despite the opinions of some drivers, is certainly no substitute for a service.
Cars can fail an MOT test for the simplest of things, such as worn wiper blades, or even an inoperative bulb. For this reason, you can easily check the following yourself prior to taking your car for the MOT test:
Bulbs - switch on all your lights and check the operation of headlights (main and dipped), front sidelights, tail lights, reverse lights, fog lights, indicators, reverse lights and number plate lights. The failure of just one of these bulbs can mean a failed MOT, or possibly an unnecessary expense at the test center.
Wipers - Wiper blades should clear the screen adequately and should not smear, the rubber blade itself should also be intact (check the thin rubber piece of the wiper blade to make sure it isn't splitting or coming apart, especially at the edges. You may find a better deal on wiper blades buying them directly or possibly online instead of waiting for the test centre to tell you they need replacement.
Warning Lights - While not all dashboard warning lights will cause failure of an MOT test, some may do and depending on where you have your MOT done, the test centre may not have the correct diagnostic equipment to diagnose a fault which caused a lamp to illuminate. You should have the fault diagnosed by either an independent auto diagnostic specialist or main dealer, not doing so may cause your vehicle to fail its MOT test, use more fuel, run incorrectly, and may also be dangerous.
Tyres - The legal tread depth for car tyres to pass an MOT is 1.6mm. You should also check the tyres for any nails or other sharp objects, and check for any sign of cuts, chunks taken out of the tyre (sometimes caused by kerbing) and for any metal cords coming through the tyre. All of the above may cause problems at the time of the MOT.
If your car fails its MOT test, the MOT tester should issue an MOT failure notice. Depending on the garage carrying out your MOT, they may also provide quotations for the work to be carried out. If the garage phones you to say your car has failed, do not feel pressured into immediately agreeing to have the work done. You are perfectly entitled to ask the garage to point out the defects with your vehicle and explain why they failed the MOT test. Also, do not be afraid to shop around for prices, you may even find that getting a price from elsewhere causes the MOT testing station to reduce their price for the repair! While the vast majority of garages are open and honest with customers, there are a small minority that may take advantage of the fact that they already have the car in their workshop, and will sometimes charge a little extra for items, knowing that the customer may be more impulsive if the car is already booked in.
Visit book your mot online for more information
Click here to know more about mot
An MOT test is carried out by licensed VOSA testing stations. This may be a local garage, local fast-fit chain, or a main dealer. If you currently use a garage for servicing, and are happy with their service, using them for the MOT may be a good idea, and you may even get a discount. Don't rule out main dealers for MOT's either - many offer special deals on MOT tests to help retain customers (some main dealers lose a customer's service business once the car reaches 3 years old as the warranty expires - this is the same time the car is due it's first MOT).
The majority of the checks carried out on an MOT test are for safety reasons. This involves inspection of areas of the car such as tyres, brakes, suspension and steering. Keep in mind that although the MOT shows that a vehicle met the required MOT standards at the time of testing, it by no means certifies the condition or state of the vehicle, and despite the opinions of some drivers, is certainly no substitute for a service.
Cars can fail an MOT test for the simplest of things, such as worn wiper blades, or even an inoperative bulb. For this reason, you can easily check the following yourself prior to taking your car for the MOT test:
Bulbs - switch on all your lights and check the operation of headlights (main and dipped), front sidelights, tail lights, reverse lights, fog lights, indicators, reverse lights and number plate lights. The failure of just one of these bulbs can mean a failed MOT, or possibly an unnecessary expense at the test center.
Wipers - Wiper blades should clear the screen adequately and should not smear, the rubber blade itself should also be intact (check the thin rubber piece of the wiper blade to make sure it isn't splitting or coming apart, especially at the edges. You may find a better deal on wiper blades buying them directly or possibly online instead of waiting for the test centre to tell you they need replacement.
Warning Lights - While not all dashboard warning lights will cause failure of an MOT test, some may do and depending on where you have your MOT done, the test centre may not have the correct diagnostic equipment to diagnose a fault which caused a lamp to illuminate. You should have the fault diagnosed by either an independent auto diagnostic specialist or main dealer, not doing so may cause your vehicle to fail its MOT test, use more fuel, run incorrectly, and may also be dangerous.
Tyres - The legal tread depth for car tyres to pass an MOT is 1.6mm. You should also check the tyres for any nails or other sharp objects, and check for any sign of cuts, chunks taken out of the tyre (sometimes caused by kerbing) and for any metal cords coming through the tyre. All of the above may cause problems at the time of the MOT.
If your car fails its MOT test, the MOT tester should issue an MOT failure notice. Depending on the garage carrying out your MOT, they may also provide quotations for the work to be carried out. If the garage phones you to say your car has failed, do not feel pressured into immediately agreeing to have the work done. You are perfectly entitled to ask the garage to point out the defects with your vehicle and explain why they failed the MOT test. Also, do not be afraid to shop around for prices, you may even find that getting a price from elsewhere causes the MOT testing station to reduce their price for the repair! While the vast majority of garages are open and honest with customers, there are a small minority that may take advantage of the fact that they already have the car in their workshop, and will sometimes charge a little extra for items, knowing that the customer may be more impulsive if the car is already booked in.
Visit book your mot online for more information
Replies