Walk me through getting an MOT

[HairsprayBabe]

First car due its MOT in about a month

Slightly older car - 2015 , bought off an elderly relative last year has less than 40k miles - has always passed MOT and I haven't noticed any issues since I have been driving it.

Please walk me through getting an MOT like I am an alien - what do I need to do and what should I expect.

Kwik Fit are the absolute worst.

Go to a local garage (ask your neighbours which one they use).

Also, an MOT is £55 maximum so unless they lie about work which needs doing then they can't rip you off.

I work in a dealership. Book the MOT well in advance (we are booking about 3 weeks ahead currently). We are routinely inspected by the relevant governing body to ensure we are not 'ripping anyone off'. They turn up unannounced and re-test a car that we have already done an MOT on, the consequences for doing a dodgy MOT are severe. Current maximum charge anyone can charge for an MOT is £54.85.

I had to look up the retest time on Gemini because I couldn't remember how many days it was.
If you get the repairs done within 10 days you will qualify for a cheaper or free MOT retest. After 10 days then you have to pay the MOT test cost again. I usually get a full service on my car done around a month before the MOT so if anything needs doing I can do it. Full services are very expensive now mine was £300 for a small 4 door Peugeot, but the car will last much longer if you get one every year.

This!

I've never removed cat seats. They just leave a note on the report to say they couldn't test these seatbelts. It's entirely up to you if you want to.

@EBearhugin NI you have a designated time slot that you absolutely have to be on time for or you forfeit the slot. It’s at a designated government run centre and it’s in a huge warehouse type production line of lanes with other people getting it done at the same time. I had to press the horn, demonstrate the lights and window wipers, sit in it whilst the car got shook on this weird platform thing (I know nothing about cars in case it’s not obvious), you only get out at the very last bit. Then you get the decision of pass or fail there and then. It’s not like in the rest of the UK where they say xyz failed would you like to pay to have it sorted so it can pass. The staying there throughout is presumably from The Troubles incase you had planted something on the car. Apologies to any NI people if I’ve got any info wrong here but this is my recollection of events from 8 years ago

God of course! I only do about 5,000 miles a year so I get them both done at the same time, hence getting my service stuff out 😁

I have a cheap MOT centre near me and the MOT before the last was told new tyres were needed within the next few months, passed then. However with this in mind I got new tyres and a mini service at the same time about 7 months ago. All passed.

Would also say to book in the four weeks before the MOT is due. Don't leave it days before.

Which is why you remove the carseats. Surely those are the seat belts you most want them to test?

Book it in locally, I book a service at the same time. I use an independent and get a price in advance for the service and mot (they cut £20 off the bill compared to separately). You can authorise in advance if it is a minor issue for them to fix eg bulb gone, windscreen wiper blade for ease, they will call you if it’s failing on something more serious for authorisation to sort it (eg a tyre)

@Jellycatspyjamas

what are you talking about? They do them at the garage here. Where is op?

You don't have to remove car seats, but if you leave them in they won't test the seatbelts in those positions.

If they're in with isofix you might not be using those seatbelts so there is unlikely to be any change from the year before!

OHs car went in last week for a service and MOT. (It passed).

Just book it in and they’ll have at it. When they call you, pray that it’s to say the car is ready to pick up and not that it’s failed.

Beforehand, do simple checks like tyres, screen wash, take out car seats I guess, but when we had them in, it never failed. Oh and always check the spare wheel if you have one. If you have this gloop in a can stuff, check it’s still in date.

I am glad you said this. I used to work in a garage and know a little bit about how the MOT regulations work and that a garage can be inspected at any time. The test is approved by the DVSA, and testers must complete a specific training course and undertake annual training and assessments. It's not just any old Joe at the garage that can do it and garages can be prosecuted for fraud etc, so it's highly unlikely you are going to be "ripped off". It is a government approved vehicle safety test.

They wont mess with car seats but will leave seatbelt untested so if its easy to take out I would.

Phone a garage to organise, they generally send it out for testing unless they are huge, they will send it to test, if anything fails they tell you and advise how critical it is and the costs to sort and when they can do, usually the first retest is free after the work done so long as done within a couple of weeks.

I would do oil, water/screen wash, tyres and test lights (you can do this facing a window - then reverse the car in to test back lights) so at least you know they are all OK. Should be doing all that regularly anyway. Remember its winter now so need stronger screenwash needed

I had a car that failed its MOT because the middle seatbelt was seized up from lack of use!

Your garage can do it, but you can also book directly with the local test centre. Some garages offer MOTs but take them to the test centre rather than doing it in house. I’d rather take it to the test centre directly, not least because it’s 10 mins from my house, I can wait for my car instead of needing to leave it with the garage all day and I know they’re not going to find a random fault that needs fixed.

Yes if it fails I need to take it to a garage to be mended but that’s less hassle to me.

Ah, fair enough. It's been best part of 20 years since I had to deal with a carseat so technology has obviously changed!

The best thing to come out of Covid is that they now drive your car through for you! You drive up to the test centre and get out, and they do the rest. If you’re lucky you get to sit inside while they test it; if not, you stand in what basically amounts to a bus shelter for the 15 minutes or so.

No more fiddling with lights and wipers and things while a mechanic stares at you!

It's MOT, not service, so no need for the book.

Op, they need to check the spare tyre too, so make sure there's not a shit ton of crap in the way of access to spare wheel.

I have a similarly aged car, with a lot more miles.

I get a full service and MOT done yearly. I need to keep it running as safely as possible, and cars this age start to show wear and tear. Yes it’s more expensive but the idea is to keep on top of things.

good news is older cars tend to not have all the fancy electrics that cost a fortune when they go wrong, it’s basic mechanics. But goes wrong, get a new bit.

i put a fair bit aside for repairs now as it’s starting to cost. But compared to the price of replacing it still works out more economical to keep it running.

A spare tyre is not a MOT requirement, and if present a spare is not a testable item anyway, so you don’t.

@BelfastSmileahh that’s interesting! I hated it , I felt so nervous as if I was on a driving test 😅

Nah, it can't be that bad!