MOT

ad_car_08 · July 11, 2009, 22:47

Ok, so my MOT isn't due till August 5th, but in an attempt at playing the cautious card, I've booked my car in for a preliminery MOT to gauge what might need doing.

If my car passes the "preliminery MOT", will I have 12 months ticket from then onwards, or do I actually have to book a seperate MOT test?
Basically, is a preliminery test the same as a normal test? or are they two seperate things?

Liz · July 12, 2009, 05:41

I have never heard of one of those! As far as I see it - its either a test or not, why not just put it in for a proper test a month before yours runs out - you normally get a free retest for (if ) you have to have any work done.

Anonymous · July 12, 2009, 07:15

You can book an MOT up to 29 days before your old one expires and still keep the same anniversary,i.e. my mot expires 20/7/2010 but i can get a new mot done on 21/06/2010 and the new mot will still expire 20/7/2011.

ad_car_08 · July 12, 2009, 11:38

So there really are no such things as a preliminery test? I'll give the testing station a call tomorrow just incase, but just thought I'd see what you guys think!

StuM · July 13, 2009, 08:34

Quote from: "ad_car_08"So there really are no such things as a preliminery test? I'll give the testing station a call tomorrow just incase, but just thought I'd see what you guys think!

If there is such a thing, it'll probably be just an inspection to see if there is any work required - not a test, and no certificate will be issued either way. As with the many 'free' brake test offers around, I would be wary that garages offering such inspections are using the promotion as a way to generate business - ie. your preliminary inspection leads to much sucking of teeth by the mechanic before presenting a list of work that is needed.

I might just be a cynic, mind.

Have you got reason to believe you need work doing? If not, why the desire to get an early MOT?

Cheers,
Stu

spit · July 13, 2009, 09:07

Preliminary is not something I've come across either. You're within the window to have a legitimate MOT now, so as the others have suggested, you may as well take that option. The testing station will want to see your existing certificate to confirm the renewal date.

Anonymous · July 13, 2009, 10:16

As a workshop manager I used to send trucks for a pre MOT check at the VOSA centre, the main reason for me was time and resources, because of workload and staff shortages it saved me time and money when it came to brake efficiency and emissions results, although regularly serviced it was a good indication of whether a full brake strip down or engine adjustments were needed. The only time it bit me in the bum was when a seal blew on an injector pump and spewed oil out........instant GV9, meaning it had to be towed back to our workshop for repairs followed by a full MOT before it could go back on the road s:? :? s:?

NickNJ · July 13, 2009, 11:06

Is the pre check more than £25? If so, don't bother.

A retest is 25 if I remember rightly, so mot 50 plus retest = £75. You do the maths s:)

s:)

ad_car_08 · July 13, 2009, 14:10

Quote from: "NickNJ"Is the pre check more than £25? If so, don't bother.

A retest is 25 if I remember rightly, so mot 50 plus retest = £75. You do the maths s:) s:)

Nah the MOT is going to cost £25 with a free re-test according to the newspaper article I found. Having read what StuM has written, my cynical side is now questioning why they would charge such a small price AND offer a FREE retest if they weren't trying to drum up some business? s:? :? s:? ...and yes StuM is correct, the testing station confirmed that a pre-MOT is simply running through the motions of an MOT, but they don't login to the DVLA (or whoever's) database and don't issue a pass certificate.

I'm now starting to question, what's stopping this garage from drumming up business from doing my MOT? What's stopping them from failing something on my car (in an effort to get me to pay them to put it right) that might otherwise get passed by another (more moral) testing station? s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

I wish there was someone round here that I could guarentee would do an honest test s:evil: :evil: s:evil: I've had a brand new car for the past couple of weeks, so I'm out of the loop on who's best to go see.

I was once advised to go to a pure testing station (as opposed to a garage) who do nothing but MOTs, but then I heard whispers that those testing stations were in cahoots with nearby garages and would push/force custom their way..if you catch my drift. It seems no-one is honest these days! s:(

s:(

StuM · July 13, 2009, 14:17

Where-abouts are you?

I have used Nationwide Auto Centres for my last couple (as an AA member I get a good discount) and have always found them to offer good service.

I also heard that a good tip was the council run test centres. The advantage of this is that if they do fail, it is your choice who you get the work done by - so they couldn't force you to go anywhere. Still a good option I reckon, although they charge the (government set) maximum fee.

ad_car_08 · July 13, 2009, 14:31

I'm in Telford, Shropshire. There's a nationwide auto centre here. When I had my first car I took it there and had a failure notice slapped on the desk *claiming* this that and the other needed to be done, followed by a prompt "so when can we book you in?!". The bill was astronomical at around £300 which there was no way I could afford, being a student at the time! So a couple of days later I booked my car in somewhere else and it flew through, no problems at all.

At the end of the day, you don't mind paying a little extra for piece of mind, but it's knowing your money is well spent

NickNJ · July 13, 2009, 16:12

It'll be a scam Ad, it costs something like 40-55 for an MOT so they're obviously thinking of doing the reapirs themselves if they are offering a free re-test. You'll probs ending up getting stuff done at an extortionate price. It's not Quik-fit is it?

Yes, go to an independant who only do MOT's and are not looking to fail you so they can do the repairs, only issue is the retest cost.

markiii · July 13, 2009, 16:22

Quote from: "ad_car_08"
Quote from: "NickNJ"Is the pre check more than £25? If so, don't bother.

A retest is 25 if I remember rightly, so mot 50 plus retest = £75. You do the maths s:) s:)

Nah the MOT is going to cost £25 with a free re-test according to the newspaper article I found. Having read what StuM has written, my cynical side is now questioning why they would charge such a small price AND offer a FREE retest if they weren't trying to drum up some business? s:? :? s:? ...and yes StuM is correct, the testing station confirmed that a pre-MOT is simply running through the motions of an MOT, but they don't login to the DVLA (or whoever's) database and don't issue a pass certificate.

I'm now starting to question, what's stopping this garage from drumming up business from doing my MOT? What's stopping them from failing something on my car (in an effort to get me to pay them to put it right) that might otherwise get passed by another (more moral) testing station? s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

I wish there was someone round here that I could guarentee would do an honest test s:evil: :evil: s:evil: I've had a brand new car for the past couple of weeks, so I'm out of the loop on who's best to go see.

I was once advised to go to a pure testing station (as opposed to a garage) who do nothing but MOTs, but then I heard whispers that those testing stations were in cahoots with nearby garages and would push/force custom their way..if you catch my drift. It seems no-one is honest these days! s:( s:(

just go to teh DVLA website download teh MOt guidelines and do your own pretest

90% is common sense

ad_car_08 · July 13, 2009, 16:29

That's what I initially thought about doing (but later got sucked in by the tempting low price s:oops: :oops: s:oops: ), but I've heard that even independant testing stations are being given "back handers" by local mechanics to inadvertently slide business their way!

Its times like this that I wish I had a new car again and not have to go through all this crap! s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

NickNJ · July 13, 2009, 16:38

There is always that risk and it does happen.

Tell them that if anything is wrong then to let you know as you do all the work on the car yourself. Hopefully that will eliminate them passing on trade to their 'partner' garage.

ad_car_08 · July 13, 2009, 16:50

Sound advice, thanks Nick s8)

s8)

spit · July 13, 2009, 17:17

We have some seasoned members who live/work around the Telford area .... every chance they could point you towards a reliable outlet for MOTs.

Having read what you've said, I'm hearing alarm bells over the deal you've been offered too. It could be nothing, but you gotta wonder why they would promote themselves towards making a loss on these cheap MOTs s:? :? s:?

ad_car_08 · July 14, 2009, 13:41

ah ha! Who's from Telford and can recommend a testing station?! s:D

s:D

aaronjb · July 14, 2009, 14:47

I'm pretty sure Sean (slacey) is up Telford way..