MOT happy or sad?

[mr rusty]

But what's to stop a full price testing station failing cars to get work? As I say, where I go is just a normal neighborhood garage on the industrial estate down the road, they do all sorts and will work on anything. Their reputation lies with the work they do, the repairs, the day to day services: mot's are just a part of the business. I'm quite happy to pay them £29.95 to test my cars: if they were doing fails just to get work or for that matter were a bit slack, word would soon get round-they're a local garage for local people

[mach1rob]

Nowt, but reading around various forums, it always seems to be the ones offering cut price MOTs that appear to try it on.

[Martin Evans]

I think I pay around £40 (Maybe a £ or two less), which is the trade rate. I have a good and long standing relationship with the garage concerned and if I was (As most local people seem to be) into buying "Nearly new" cars, I'd confidently buy one from Sirhowy garage.

As my signature says

Rules exist for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men.

I expect if you went through most cars (Even new ones or certainly not very old) and wanted to, you could find a reason to fail them. Sirhowy Garage won't pass any old rubbish but they view the rules wisely and don't see failing cars as a kind of challenge.

Frankly I would prefer to see MOTs remain for cars, as if they don't, it will lead to the assumption by some, that all old cars are unsafe. I don't doubt that some would see it as a green light, to get away with murder but I think this would tend to be in the banger end of things (But of course there is a grey area/fine line between classic cars and old bangers, about which I'll say no more). However I am concerned, that there may come a day, when there will not be many people capable of applying the rules to older vehicles, in which case, the annual MOT would presumably involve a trip to a specialist.

[mr rusty]

However I am concerned, that there may come a day, when there will not be many people capable of applying the rules to older vehicles, in which case, the annual MOT would presumably involve a trip to a specialis

.............I think you underestimate testers Martin- basically, a car is a car: a wheel bearing is a wheel bearing, whether it's on a forty year old car or a three year old car, most of the checkable items are very similar: screenwasher, lights, etc, there's no difference in how you test them wether it be a Model T or a Ka, the principles and the test are the same.

Where i go they always seem to find it amusing when the back axles dangle down at an alarming angle when it's jacked but they do actually like to test old cars, they're a bit different and quicker to test with a lot fewer testable items. And anyway, as they say, any peculiarities are flagged up on the vosa computer when they log the car on: for example it tells them that a Vitesse hanbrake has to meet a higher efficiency than a modern, because of the single line brake system.

[Martin Evans]

I didn't think Model Ts had screen washers. That's really what I meant and more specifically, making allowances for things like brake tests. It only takes one "Jobsworth", who thinks he or shes know the rules, to cause chaos.

[suffolkpete]

The FBHVC have just published the results of their on line survey on the relaxation of MoT requirements. In the light of their findings, it looks as if some change is inevitable. You can read the full report here http://fbhvc.co.uk/files/2011/11/MoT-su ... ort-v2.pdf Personally I think they are a good thing if carried out by a reputable garage who know about classics. There are a lot of "local garages for local people" in rural areas, the reputation of cowboys soon gets round, I suspect this may not be the case though in large cities although I think the computerisation of tests and more rigorous definition of standards has improved matters.

[mr rusty]

Screenwashers were an odd piece of retro-mot legislation, in general new requirements aren't applied to older vehicles but screenwashers/wipers were. If a vehicle has a fixed screen and hence no other means of obtaining a clear view it must have wipers and washers fitted wether or not it had them in 1901 or whenever...this is why you'll occasionally see them on some ancient horseless carriage if it hasn't got an opening screen. This is what it still says in the mot manual to this day, so, present a car with an opening screen and they'll know how to test it.

[suffolkpete]

Screenwashers were an odd piece of retro-mot legislation, in general new requirements aren't applied to older vehicles but screenwashers/wipers were.

Not the only one though. In the 1950s, it became a requirement that vehicles should have two rear lights. I remember my father going to Halfords and buying two motorcycle rear/number plate lights and fitting one each side of the number plate of our Morris 8. The regs didn't seem to stipulate a distance from the edge of the vehicle in those days and there was no MoT! I think that there was also a retrospective requirement for two red reflectors at the edges of the vehicle. I remember the windscreen washer requirement and having to fit them to my A55 in the late sixties.

[s-type]

However I am concerned, that there may come a day, when there will not be many people capable of applying the rules to older vehicles, in which case, the annual MOT would presumably involve a trip to a specialis

.............I think you underestimate testers Martin- basically, a car is a car: a wheel bearing is a wheel bearing, whether it's on a forty year old car or a three year old car, most of the checkable items are very similar: screenwasher, lights, etc, there's no difference in how you test them wether it be a Model T or a Ka, the principles and the test are the same.

Where i go they always seem to find it amusing when the back axles dangle down at an alarming angle when it's jacked but they do actually like to test old cars, they're a bit different and quicker to test with a lot fewer testable items. And anyway, as they say, any peculiarities are flagged up on the vosa computer when they log the car on: for example it tells them that a Vitesse hanbrake has to meet a higher efficiency than a modern, because of the single line brake system.

You see Mr Rusty this is where I disagree, a car is not just a car. My Jag is allowed a visible smoke test, no emissions, ok that's easy. However I am allowed 3 inches of play at the steering wheel modern cars are not, my taper wheel bearings are allowed play, that would be frankly dangerous in a modern car (but fine on mine as that's their design). I am allowed some play in the entire front end, which would be unacceptable in a modern car.

Some people here said they get cut price MOT's and good for them, this garage is very local, I know them and they understand old cars, so the fact i am paying £15-£20 more, I really don't care. Getting it failed elsewhere in terms of my time and effort is just not worth it!

I also have this crazy fantasy that if ever I loose my cushy job in IT they would take me on as a MOT tester (when the old guy retires) and I could get my exams!!!

[grumpy2]

I'm in the 'keep the MOT' camp too, my spitfire passed yesterday. Been going to the same place for about 10 years, the chap who runs the place always has some tale about when he was young and went on holiday with his fancy woman in a ......... (usually what ever car I take.

He's a sensible type, I had a dodgy number plate light so he let me fix it while he got on testing other bits and bobs - even gave me a new bulb.

I paid £42, well worth it for the check over on the ramp