How much shite is too much shite? Moving Up A Class

[Dobloseven]

Often wondered about MOT only places.Place I've used for the last 20 years has just put it's price up to £45 after charging £40 for as long as I can remember.They book in on hourly slots with a bay used for testing only that can take large and tall vehicles, motorhomes and the like.So basically they're charging 45 quid for an hours labour,which doesn't sound very lucrative to me.Take off the testers wages,the cost of maintaining and updating the equipment,all the other fixed costs etc.and not much left over.Would be interested to hear others opinions though.Owner says he'd lose custom if he put the price up,as that's the going rate for the area.Doesn't seem especially busy either,able to get in at pretty short notice.

[Inspector Morose]

3 hours ago, Saabnut said:

OK I can admit it all now  As most know, I retired from the oil industry last February after 35 years offshore. Since then I have been enjoying retirement but having to be fiscally prudent!  In autumn last year I was talking to a friend from my off road club days and he mentioned he was about to set up an MOT test centre that would not do repairs in Forfar and he said if things worked out he could use an additional tester from time to time. As I have no interest in full time work nor being committed for long periods, this set the grey cells rolling.  In November I went to Northampton for a week and completed an MOT testers course at MOTExpert. Hard work but enjoyable, and then of course Christmas and New Year got in the way.

This morning I passed my final "Observed Test" with DVLA so I am now a fully qualified and authorised class 4 and class 7 tester! To help out my friend and to build up experience I will be doing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at  Forfar Technical Services (Expert Class 7 MOT Testing Services) for the near future. If you live nearby, pop in and say hello or if you need an MOT go to the site and book it in!

Strangely there'll be a MINI coming your way in the near future. Oh, and something else - eventually!

Well done there chap.

[Barry Cade]

41 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Often wondered about MOT only places.Place I've used for the last 20 years has just put it's price up to £45 after charging £40 for as long as I can remember.They book in on hourly slots with a bay used for testing only that can take large and tall vehicles, motorhomes and the like.So basically they're charging 45 quid for an hours labour,which doesn't sound very lucrative to me.Take off the testers wages,the cost of maintaining and updating the equipment,all the other fixed costs etc.and not much left over.Would be interested to hear others opinions though.Owner says he'd lose custom if he put the price up,as that's the going rate for the area.Doesn't seem especially busy either,able to get in at pretty short notice.

I worked in one for 2 years. 3 cars getting tested at the same time on 1 ramp, 2 men on each test, each test was about 20 mins. 50 quid a test, less for trade. Quite lucrative!. Boss had 2 planes...and a runway in his garden.

[Dobloseven]

1 minute ago, Barry Cade said:

I worked in one for 2 years. 3 cars getting tested at the same time on 1 ramp, 2 men on each test, each test was about 20 mins. 50 quid a test, less for trade. Quite lucrative!. Boss had 2 planes...and a runway in his garden.

Doesn't the vehicle have to be logged in and out though and so much time taken.My place used to do mostly testing,with at least three bays, doing repairs on another nearby site.The owners son in law took over and has cut the testing back to one bay and one tester,with himself covering and an old boy who does Saturday mornings where they have an unbooked first come, first served session.

[Barry Cade]

4 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Doesn't the vehicle have to be logged in and out though and so much time taken.My place used to do mostly testing,with at least three bays, doing repairs on another nearby site.The owners son in law took over and has cut the testing back to one bay and one tester,with himself covering and an old boy who does Saturday mornings where they have an unbooked first come, first served session.

3 testers, 3 tests. 1 car getting pre checks, 1 on the ramp, 1 on the emissions test. It was like synchronised swimming, and worked very well. No time limit on tests, VOSA were quite happy with the way it worked. No repairs at all. Not even a bulb. We did motorbikes too. Some Saturday mornings were just all bikes.

[High Jetter]

37 minutes ago, Barry Cade said:

3 testers, 3 tests. 1 car getting pre checks, 1 on the ramp, 1 on the emissions test. It was like synchronised swimming, and worked very well. No time limit on tests, VOSA were quite happy with the way it worked. No repairs at all. Not even a bulb. We did motorbikes too. Some Saturday mornings were just all bikes.

If Henry Ford did MOT's! Sounds great, if you can keep it coming.

[Barry Cade]

10 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

If Henry Ford did MOT's! Sounds great, if you can keep it coming.

It never stopped. Business is still going, but much quieter now. A few garages in the area closed as well as the Land Rover dealer, who put a lot of tests our way. Business is for sale.. but the owner is in his 80's!

[Dobloseven]

8 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

It never stopped. Business is still going, but much quieter now. A few garages in the area closed as well as the Land Rover dealer, who put a lot of tests our way. Business is for sale.. but the owner is in his 80's!

How long ago was this?As I see it,the three testers were doing nine tests an hour,down for doing three each.Bloody hell!Must admit at my place, they're very laid back.Seems to take longer to do the "paperwork" than the actual testing.

[Supernaut]

I recall mr Saabnut told me about the MOT testing when I sold the SLK to him in early November.

However I still looked at this thread thinking "ooh, career change? I wonder what?"

That's how good my short term memory is sometimes. I'm great at keeping secrets because I usually just forget...

[N Dentressangle]

20 hours ago, Saabnut said:

You need 4 years on the tools to become a tester, 13 years owning a garage and being employed as a mechanic many many years ago was acceptable.

Interesting.

What proof did they need for this?

[Saabnut]

54 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

Interesting.

What proof did they need for this?

No proof was requested, but they test your knowledge before the course and it would become obvious very quickly if you were telling fibs.

[Inspector Morose]

1 hour ago, Saabnut said:

No proof was requested, but they test your knowledge before the course and it would become obvious very quickly if you were telling fibs.

As an aside, for my recent interview for a similar(ish) position, I was given an eight-page test on my knowledge of the subject matter. With no formal qualifications in the chosen field, it took me seven minutes to complete (and yes, I checked my answers twice). Apparently, the chap holding the interview said that they had moved the competency test to the end of the interview because so many were thrown by the test that they stuffed up the interview.

The background checks seem to be a little stricter for me though...

Thread hijack over.

[Barry Cade]

I did an MOT testers entry test instead of having other qualifications, as my City and Guilds is in Light  Vehicle Body Repair.. I had been a mechanic for over 4 years though. The test was pretty intense.. asking about Ackerman angles, how to jack various suspension types, etc etc. Not mainstream general knowledge.

, The criteria to become a tester are in the testing manual:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-testing-guide/e-tester

In the old days when I started testing, there were no computers, you had to haul the books out to check stuff. Woe betide you if the examiner came in and you didn't know stuff off the top of your head. You were allowed to check but it was frowned upon.

Some sample questions to test ya!

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mot-tester-annual-assessment-sample-questions/mot-tester-annual-assessment-sample-questions

I often get asked to get back into it, and get offered a decent wage for it... but no thanks. 

Good Luck Saabnut!

[Barry Cade]

Just went on to the testers login page. I can still access even though im not testing anymore- it lists the UK average for stuff..

Class 3,4 ,5 and 7 . National average age of a vehicle is 11 years, average test time is 44 minutes , average tests done in a month is 38 and 72% pass rate.

I was class 1 and 2 as well. 

I used to hate January when it was the handwritten certificates, as I'd always forget to put in the new year. This was a hassle as you had to cancel the certificate, in duplicate, write a new certificate and then file the spoiled certificate for 5 years..  All in your best handwriting!

25 years of testing and had 1 appeal. Mk 1 Focus brake pipes which I failed. Vosa came in and retested the car and the pipe bust on the rollers. Phew! Really makes you sweat when you are under scrutiny. Never got any points or warnings. Never going back.

[auntiemaryscanary]

On 10/01/2025 at 18:32, Saabnut said:

OK I can admit it all now  As most know, I retired from the oil industry last February after 35 years offshore. Since then I have been enjoying retirement but having to be fiscally prudent!  In autumn last year I was talking to a friend from my off road club days and he mentioned he was about to set up an MOT test centre that would not do repairs in Forfar and he said if things worked out he could use an additional tester from time to time. As I have no interest in full time work nor being committed for long periods, this set the grey cells rolling.  In November I went to Northampton for a week and completed an MOT testers course at MOTExpert. Hard work but enjoyable, and then of course Christmas and New Year got in the way.

This morning I passed my final "Observed Test" with DVLA so I am now a fully qualified and authorised class 4 and class 7 tester! To help out my friend and to build up experience I will be doing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at  Forfar Technical Services (Expert Class 7 MOT Testing Services) for the near future. If you live nearby, pop in and say hello or if you need an MOT go to the site and book it in!

Out of interest how much was the week long tester's course?

[Saabnut]

10 hours ago, auntiemaryscanary said:

Out of interest how much was the week long tester's course?

The course at MOTexpert includes the initial (one day course) Level 3 certificate that you need to do the testers course which takes the remaining 4 days. It also includes accommodation in a company house which was to a very high standard for the Sunday to Thursday nights inclusive. The total cost was £1100 but I believe it has gone up to £1200 now.

[Saabnut]

Having determined that I have too many cars and not enough undercover space, I decided to do something about it. The choice was get rid of some cars, or make more space and of course there is only one correct answer to this! There is a slightly delapidated tin barn adjacent to my place which when I moved here 40+ years ago, was used for storing straw and the floor was entirely covered with paletts to keep the straw off the ground. Over the years I had moved some of the paletts to use some of the space. Recently ownership transferred to me by various nefarious means  so I have spent the last 4 weekends removing very rotten paletts riddled with woodworm and burning them.

As a result I have some extra storage which means I have room to work in my shed again. I still have too many cars but at least there is less rush to do something about it!

 

[Saabnut]

The man from the Ministry has just left and the upshot is I am now a fully qualified and approved Class 5 MOT tester  So if any shiters have a minibus they need testing.....

That gives me Classes 4, 5 and 7. That will do for now.

[Inspector Morose]

24 minutes ago, Saabnut said:

The man from the Ministry has just left and the upshot is I am now a fully qualified and approved Class 5 MOT tester  So if any shiters have a minibus they need testing.....

That gives me Classes 4, 5 and 7. That will do for now.

Anyone wanting a preserved bus - there you go, someone to do your MoTs now (although fitting it into the test bay might* be an issue)!

Where I'm testin' I don't need no classes....

Well done Saabnut!