How much shite is too much shite? Starting a New Career Aged 63

[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!