Every year it comes round and there is not a person around who doesn’t fear the phone call after the test. We all think our car is roadworthy but how many of us actually check it over regularly? The MOT can be a shock to some, and the creator of massive bills!
I bought a car last year and the MOT ran out on May 29th. I have owned quite a lot of cars in my life-time but usually they have been serviced and MOT’d at the same time at a local garage. Each year, no matter what happened, the bill for the service/MOT was always between £200 and £500. Every year. Having moved to a new city I didn’t have a ‘local garage’ and so I didn’t know what to do about the MOT for my car.
A friend told me to avoid all the garages and to find a government run MOT test centre. These are places that ONLY do the MOT and don’t do any remedial work needed. If it fails, you still have to get it fixed. The benefit here is not doing any ‘work’ on the cars means there is no incentive for the MOT place to say you need new discs or pads or an exhaust or bulbs or anything else some garages might suggest you need.
You may pay the government maximum for the MOT (the price is set by the DVLA) so there is no ‘deal’ here.
Try to be as sure as you can be your car is ok. Does it brake well, are the tyres holding air and have plenty of tread? Do any of the light bulbs needs replacing? Just these simple checks can save you having to book your car in for another MOT.
To Find a Government Run MOT Center
The best way is to check out your local council’s website. e.g. http://wandsworth.gov.uk/
Then search it for “MOT” (it might be under the sub-heading of “Roads/Highways”
And then look at the details.
My local one allows you to book easily online http://www.wandsworthmot.co.uk/
My Experience
I arrived 15 minutes early and the test center was in an industrial area. My car was on the ramp 5 minutes later than my booked time but there was a waiting room so I could browse the internet/facebook on my phone. It was completed before the time was up and I got my MOT print out confirming a fresh MOT and NO advisories! Excellent news for me! I also had my MOT at the start of the month so if I was looking to sell the car I could offer it with a 13 month MOT!
Less than an hour after arriving I had a new MOT and didn’t need to worry about MOT time for over a year. It definitely helped that I put 4 brand new tyres on it two weeks before.
Have you had problems getting an MOT before? Try the government run centers and let me know how it goes. They will ensure your car is safe and legal without hitting you for repair costs!
*Just to add, if you car IS unsafe then make sure you get it fixed. No-one wants unsafe and illegal cars on the road!