Council Mot Testing

[duncanda]

I decided to use the local council MOT testing facilities today to get my car MOT'd. The reason being that they don't provide any repair services and therefore they do not have an incentive to "find" faults to gain repair income. The price was £54.85 and they even phoned me to say everything was okay and the car was ready for collection.

What experiences have you had with council MOT testing?

[cmia]

I decided to use the local council MOT testing facilities today to get my car MOT'd. The reason being that they don't provide any repair services and therefore they do not have an incentive to "find" faults to gain repair income. The price was £54.85 and they even phoned me to say everything was okay and the car was ready for collection.

What experiences have you had with council MOT testing?

It depends, who tests it!

some of them council tester are not good foke.

They yank at them wheels with bars trying to force them off!

[Konrad C]

As the previous poster says, it depends who tested it.

The last time I used a council test station 2003, the tester failed it on something which actual was a pass!!!

Basically the anti-roll bar had moved to one side and knocked the subframe, leaving a mark. The bar was moved clear a long time before the test.

The tester was in his late fifties/early sixties.

He stated the anti roll bar had touch the body because of the marks, but it was not touching the body at the time of the test. he said that the anti-roll bar was bent!!

I was not happy with his excuse so got a few opinions. A neighbour who is a mechanic and worked for the AA at the time, said there is know problem with the bar. he said the bar is a spring. Toyota said the same thing.

I fixed the problem by moving the stops to limit the sideways movement of the anti-roll bar.

My brother took the car back to the council test centre, with a written statement explaining what the real problem was plus independent opinions.

He still was not happy but another tester was there and stated 'if the anti-roll bar is not touching any part of the body during the test then it a pass'!

I got the MOT, though from what I hear begrudgingly. Never went back there again plus my brother said the old guy was being awkward to others. (My brother works for the council).

I recently MOT'd the car at an independent garage, and it passed easily.

This is a 13 year old Avensis with 110k miles.

I have all the MOT certificates and apart form the first MOT have all the emission printouts.

The car is as clean now as it was earlier!

That is my story.

p.s. If you want to see my emission readouts I will post.

[Lorna2]

In Northern Ireland we have to go to the DVA test centre, there is no option of going to a garage,independant or franchised. Here a car goes for MOT when it reaches its 4th year, then every year after that.Its £30.50 for MOT, according to the website and a retest is £18.50. My car will have to go for its first MOT next August. Do I trust those people in the MOT centre? No. I've heard too many bad stories about them.

[Jamesbelfast]

I live in Northern Ireland and have never found a issue with DVA testing.

One thing different is that there is no such thing as advisories - it either passes or fails.

Futhermore they have a technical department so you can ask for advice or lodge a complaint. There is a charge if you wish to raise dispute and if found in your favour the charge is refunded.

Also they publish their performance and test figures on a regular basis - free to view on their website. Not like VOSA who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to publish data.

I know many people in Northern Ireland who won't accept a mainland UK test certificate on the grounds that they feel it is a much lower standard.

One nice aspect of the N.I. system is that you can book online and from a list of available dates and times select a test centre, date and time to suit.

[Lorna2]

I live in Northern Ireland and have never found a issue with DVA testing.

One thing different is that there is no such thing as advisories - it either passes or fails.

Futhermore they have a technical department so you can ask for advice or lodge a complaint. There is a charge if you wish to raise dispute and if found in your favour the charge is refunded.

Also they publish their performance and test figures on a regular basis - free to view on their website. Not like VOSA who had to be dragged kicking and screaming to publish data.

I know many people in Northern Ireland who won't accept a mainland UK test certificate on the grounds that they feel it is a much lower standard.

One nice aspect of the N.I. system is that you can book online and from a list of available dates and times select a test centre, date and time to suit.

James, I've not had any personal experience of the MOT here as I've always changed my car before it was due. This time I will be keeping my Yaris as I love it so I'll be going for the MOT for the first time next year. I would love to get the new Yaris, so I might get tempted before then...

[Druid Boy]

I have used the council test centre in Bristol twice. I have had no problems, indeed on the first test my side light was out as the inspector drove it into the inspection bay. It came on as the car bumped up onto the ramps so he passed it as it was working at the time of the inspection. It seems that many of the local taxi drivers use the same place so it can't be bad otherwise they wouldn't come back.

[baba_metca]

To tell you the truth, it's far better to not pass for something imaginable and pass elsewhere, or later. Because the other alternative is like in Bulgaria (where i live). There are places here, where you could pass MOT even when the car is not in the country at the moment of the test. It's far better to know that all the cars on the road have passed MOT, than knowing that in the next corner there could be a car, a truck or a bus, which has not passed MOT and could slam in you, because of a loose steering wheel or what ever.

[duncanda]

Thanks for the discussion. Interesting the differences from country to country. baba_metca; you're right about the safety aspects of good MOT's. Interestingly the UK government is trying to make the MOT only every two years and I think this would be a mistake for road safety.

[Owdjockey]

Duncanda, I think you have set your expectations very low if think a garage calling you to inform you of a pass/fail is a bonus. This is, IMHO, a given! I had an MOT last week from my local garage, charged me £46 (incl. a bulb).

[duncanda]

Owdjockey. You're right about expecting a garage to call you to inform you of a pass/fail as norm. But this was a council MOT testing station, not a garage. I used to own Mercedes cars and my expection of customer service was a lot higher than when I owned Ford.