MOT tests to be extended by 6 months, if due from 30 March

[sierraman]

The thing is people have been able to get their car tested throughout the epidemic, the garages have always been open. The extension to October just tended to get abused by dodge pots running about with bald tyres to save a few quid. 

[twosmoke300]

The way that people can’t cope without their car / van for a few days continues to boggle my mind . 
Had a friend / customer/ builder’s van in for mot last week . Now this is a manky overloaded shitty primastar and he was totally unprepared for it to fail and need to be at mine for 4 days . He got another van and everything but the thought that I might not bust my bollocks and magic parts out of the air didn’t even cross his mind. 
Same with people that can’t cope with a small loan car for a day or two while their normal car is in for work .

[HillmanImp]

22 minutes ago, sierraman said:

The thing is people have been able to get their car tested throughout the epidemic, the garages have always been open. The extension to October just tended to get abused by dodge pots running about with bald tyres to save a few quid. 

Guilty as charged

[brownnova]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

The thing is people have been able to get their car tested throughout the epidemic, the garages have always been open. The extension to October just tended to get abused by dodge pots running about with bald tyres to save a few quid. 

Also guilty... actually I’m just to disorganised to get round to it... the green 2CVs extension runs out this week, I haven’t booked it in yet... but as I know it’s not fit for MoT it’s one of those where I’m not sure whether to book it in and see how badly it fails or to get some work done first and then whack it in. 

[wuvvum]

4 hours ago, sierraman said:

The thing is people have been able to get their car tested throughout the epidemic, the garages have always been open. The extension to October just tended to get abused by dodge pots running about with bald tyres to save a few quid. 

My local garage was actually closed for MOT work all the way through April.

[BeEP]

8 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

My local garage was actually closed for MOT work all the way through April.

Ditto. Mine closed completely from 30th March to 26th May.

[Tickman]

6 hours ago, sierraman said:

The thing is people have been able to get their car tested throughout the epidemic, the garages have always been open. The extension to October just tended to get abused by dodge pots running about with bald tyres to save a few quid. 

I've taken advantage of the extension on two of mine, it has been convenient.

If I have an MOT exempt car I don't get that tested either. 

I also don't consider any of mine to be roadworthy just because it passed an MOT at some point in the past.

[mrbenn]

1 hour ago, BeEP said:

Ditto. Mine closed completely from 30th March to 26th May.

And mine. Closed for 8 weeks as they couldn't get parts.

[Rocket88]

Lockdown imminent............another Boris extension ?

[Jazoli]

Not a chance, people have had 4 months free to mot their vehicles, those who haven't done it already if they had an extension should really get their priorities in order.

[twosmoke300]

Indeed . Garages will be allowed to stay open anyway 

[clayts450]

Or realised that all those places that used to offer 'loss leader' MOT prices at £30 a pop have mysteriously* now added a Covid Tax - looking at you in particular F1 Autocentre....

I'm giving them the 620 on Tuesday as I need it back in circulation, but the rest of the fleet will go to my local indie now, and I'll happily pay full price there.

[warch]

4 hours ago, Jazoli said:

Not a chance, people have had 4 months free to mot their vehicles, those who haven't done it already if they had an extension should really get their priorities in order.

Boo my Qashqai is already starting to resemble one of those post apocalyptic vehicles in Mad Max.

[SiC]

13 hours ago, angle said:

Hmm. The MOT on the Laguna runs out on Friday. I phoned up my normal place a month in advance and the earliest they could fit me in was... Friday. New national lockdown rumoured to start on Wednesday. This has the potential to be annoying, doesnt it? 

Bugger, I guess you mean A&D? 

I've got a building list of jobs that need doing! Top mounts on the Boxster, CV boot+trans oil+thermostat+coolant for the Clio and a Cambelt change on the A4! Some of that looks like it'll have to wait a bit longer now. 😑

[Richard_FM]

I managed to get my car done last week, I booked it in early to make sure I could get it done.

[Mudster]

Mine is due 16th Jan and I tried to get it done between Christmas and New year whilst I was off work - without success as most places were understandably closed.

Will try to get it booked in before Christmas this year but I can  foresee attest centres being busy. I hate the MoT being in winter and I do try to get all preventative maintenance done during the summer.

[yohan]

After reading all this, I checked my partners car for when its due (its not on a covid extention). On Friday 13th... shit. Phoned my preffered MOT station, they laughed and said em we are boooked up until the 16th, wait ill just ask my boss though, ok come in on the 13th and we will squeeze you in. Phew!

[High Jetter]

DVLA email reminders are a useful, and free, way of being reminded.

[Cord Fourteener]

14 minutes ago, yohan said:

After reading all this, I checked my partners car for when its due (its not on a covid extention). On Friday 13th... shit. Phoned my preffered MOT station, they laughed and said em we are boooked up until the 16th, wait ill just ask my boss though, ok come in on the 13th and we will squeeze you in. Phew!

I had my wife's new (new to us) car booked in for minor tinkering then realised the MOT had expired two weeks ago...

Oops.

Note: if anyone is reading this in any official capacity, this story is allegory* and definitely* not true*

Fortunately the garage, who is usual booked up two weeks, fitted the test in with the minor tinkering after a pleading phone call in the morning.

[yohan]

10 hours ago, High Jetter said:

DVLA email reminders are a useful, and free, way of being reminded.

Ah thanks for that, I didnt know they offered that service. We used to get reminders from Kwik Fit, but since our local kwik fit  started changing staff more often then they change tyres and like to write repair wish lists rather then fair fail lists, we no longer get tempted by their £30 MOTs.

[meggersdog]

This morning the phone just about didn't stop with people concerned about this new lock down.We have been flat out since the beginning  of September and are booked up two weeks in advance. We didn't close last time so won't this time although won't be as quiet. Had four phonecalls this morning wanting an MoT this week as their car runs out in a couple of days. One asked if I could recommend another test centre, I did but they are probably in the same situation as me.

Even if your car isn't due I would suggest book in advance people as it's going to be like this until mid January.

[Three Speed]

My Saab’s was due next week but I got it done today in Burgess Hill. Mr MOT. They seemed pretty busy. I showed up at 10:55 for an 11:00 slot that I had booked at 8:15 this morning. They had a really smooth operation - one car on the ramp, one on the rollers. 2 advisories and one minor defect and I’m out with a pass in 30 minutes.

[Isaac Hunt]

Had my first 'Covid Carryover' MOT today, 18 months since the last test, passed with a couple of advisories.

one was anticipated as there is a small slice in a sidewall.  I had a good look and concluded that 'no cords exposed or bulge' so Pass and advise.   I saw the tester having the same sort of look that I did, appearshe agreed with me.

the other was a deteriorated  bj gaiter, I missed hat, but then tbh, I didn't check.

of note was that the 18month mileage was almost identical to the prior 12 months.  So from a mechanical wear perspective, the 18 months levied no greater water than 12 months.  Not all items are pure mileage deterioration based of course, some are time based, such as the deteriorating reg plate.

 

[gtd2000]

MoT's are over-rated anyway.

I've lived in enough locations where there isn't any form of annual inspection, to understand that it's not as big a deal as many folks perceive it to be.

I have far more concerns regarding morons texting while driving than whether or not there's been a minor check list item deemed as a failure and the outlook that the sky may fall!

[gtd2000]

On 11/2/2020 at 7:18 PM, yohan said:

Ah thanks for that, I didnt know they offered that service. We used to get reminders from Kwik Fit, but since our local kwik fit  started changing staff more often then they change tyres and like to write repair wish lists rather then fair fail lists, we no longer get tempted by their £30 MOTs.

My local Kwik Fit (Galashiels) used to provide a very fair and objective MoT for many years.

In the past two years, there's been a fair turnover in staff and I'm pretty sure they just make up the "fail sheet" now.

My GF's car failed on a number of items back in January, one of which was a drop link that was replaced 2 months previously in the November plus all the brake lines were failed.

The first job was the drop link, which I unbolted and inspected, to see that it was still as new and in perfect condition.... 

Same with the completely greased up brake lines - they were in factory fresh condition under the grease....

I had a good word with the branch - there was a lot of on the back foot squirming on their part.

It's unlikely I'd ever set foot in a Kwik Fit again but their cheaper MoT's are attractive.

 

[Talbot]

10 hours ago, gtd2000 said:

their cheaper MoT's are attractive.

As a man from VOSA once said to me in conversation:  A garage has to make money somehow.  if they're not charging near full price on the MOT test. they're not making any money that way, so you have to investigate how they are surviving as a business.  False fails and the work that brings is one way, hence the investigations they make.  Cheap MOT tests are cheap for a reason.  i tend to avoid them now.  The £20 difference between a cheap test and an expensive one is absolutely bugger all over a year, so this is one of the very few things I'd rather spend a little bit more on and not get some obnoxious twat trying to fail my car on things that are absolutely fine.

[yohan]

5 minutes ago, Talbot said:

As a man from VOSA once said to me in conversation:  A garage has to make money somehow.  if they're not charging near full price on the MOT test. they're not making any money that way, so you have to investigate how they are surviving as a business.  False fails and the work that brings is one way, hence the investigations they make.  Cheap MOT tests are cheap for a reason.  i tend to avoid them now.  The £20 difference between a cheap test and an expensive one is absolutely bugger all over a year, so this is one of the very few things I'd rather spend a little bit more on and not get some obnoxious twat trying to fail my car on things that are absolutely fine.

Yes, I go to the local council now who run an MOT station at their workshop in the town near us. They dont repair cars for customers so they are not interested in generating extra work. Also when I took my Lada there last year, the old guy doing the test even tuned the carb on the emissions tester for me! 

[brownnova]

Once you find a tester you trust you’re ok... in my new place to try the chap I took my 900 to was picky but fair. (As in all the fails were fair and the advisory very picky... but hey ho). Likewise they don’t do repairs there... we will find out how decent he is next weekend when both 2CVs go in... 

[angle]

On 10/31/2020 at 8:44 AM, angle said:

Hmm. The MOT on the Laguna runs out on Friday. I phoned up my normal place a month in advance and the earliest they could fit me in was... Friday. New national lockdown rumoured to start on Wednesday. This has the potential to be annoying, doesnt it? 

Woop woop

 

[Eyersey1234]

34 minutes ago, angle said:

Woop woop

 

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