Service plan with free MOT

[Davidhee58]

My car's fifth year service and MOT are due on March,  called the Hills of Woodford Toyota to book the service date, they told me if I take a 2-year service plan which costs £190+£340, they can give me 2 years free MOTs, so I can save about £110, it sounds a good deal for me, isn't?   

[TonyHSD]

Hi, the MOT can be done for cheaper price but when you add the extra warranty with each service and 2x mot not bad at all. Currently I believe that unless you diy your Toyota there is no better value for money services than Toyota official dealers network, also lately many Toyota models proof that even this brand in not guaranteed against manufacturers defects , poor fitting on parts or lower quality parts, therefore going that way is a good idea. 👍

[Davidhee58]

Thanks Tony for your comments, yes, your are right, the MOT price at my local garage is £45, and other garages even only charge £35 for MOT, but I can't trust them, I think it's a good choice to take the 2-year service plan. 

[Catlover]

There is not a set fee for the MOT. The garage has to pay for the certificates, after that it’s an open market. Obviously the cost of equipment is a big investment which they need a return on, but it’s up to the garage to set the fee, that’s why you get special offers etc.

[Stivino]

The maximum fee for a car is £54.85.

A free M.O.T. is no big deal because after giving a car a full service the mechanic will know exactly what is needed for an M.O.T.

What I'm trying to say is that although you can save the price of the M.O.T. the garage are actually giving you nothing because a full service covers more than an M.O.T. does. So by doing the service they have done the M.O.T.

 

[trashman1965]

Is it always a/the same service tech who will do the MOT or a specialized/qualified tester? Agreed they may identify any issues, and potentially fix them during the service, but I thought the actual MOT was treated as a separate item?

[TonyHSD]

38 minutes ago, trashman1965 said:

Is it always a/the same service tech who will do the MOT or a specialized/qualified tester? Agreed they may identify any issues, and potentially fix them during the service, but I thought the actual MOT was treated as a separate item?

Yes it is a separate item but I believe when you let them carry a service before hand they actually do kind of like pre mot inspection and if anything needs attention they will advise and get it fix then run through the mot which likely would be a different mechanic (tester) and he will test it and issue a certificate. 👍

[Davidhee58]

1 hour ago, Stivino said:

The maximum fee for a car is £54.85.

A free M.O.T. is no big deal because after giving a car a full service the mechanic will know exactly what is needed for an M.O.T.

What I'm trying to say is that although you can save the price of the M.O.T. the garage are actually giving you nothing because a full service covers more than an M.O.T. does. So by doing the service they have done the M.O.T.

 

I agree with you Stivino , but I don't think by doing the service they have done all for the M.O.T., if you take your car to any garage to have a full service or plus, they won't give you a free MOT certificate, you still need to pay for the MOT, maybe with a reduced price. 

[trashman1965]

22 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Yes it is a separate item but I believe when you let them carry a service before hand they actually do kind of like pre mot inspection and if anything needs attention they will advise and get it fix then run through the mot which likely would be a different mechanic (tester) and he will test it and issue a certificate. 👍

Yes this is what I have seen, thankfully a long time ago 😄

I have booked a car in, asked them to do service and call me for any MOT items, THEN do MOT....and they do service, and fail it on the MOT 🤦‍♂️

Thankfully a long time ago, not Toyota and generally I change before MOT is due - last year the change was delayed and had to get one

[Red_Corolla]

2 hours ago, Davidhee58 said:

Thanks Tony for your comments, yes, your are right, the MOT price at my local garage is £45, and other garages even only charge £35 for MOT, but I can't trust them, I think it's a good choice to take the 2-year service plan. 

I can understand why you might take that view, but good MOT centres like my local place are fully booked up doing tests all day long. The reason they get so much business is through agressive pricing and not ripping customers off. I've been going there many years and I've never had an unwarranted fail. Their price is £25. Do not assume that you can buy integrity, that is not the case and can quite often work the opposite way.

[Stivino]

55 minutes ago, Davidhee58 said:

I agree with you Stivino , but I don't think by doing the service they have done all for the M.O.T., if you take your car to any garage to have a full service or plus, they won't give you a free MOT certificate, you still need to pay for the MOT, maybe with a reduced price. 

An M.O.T. is a visual inspection only, nothing is removed.

An mechanic doing a full service should see more than the M.O.T. guy.

 No, it’s not always the same guy doing the service as doing the M.O.T. but it could be.  And, the garage must have a bay dedicated for M.O.T.s. It can’t be done in the middle of the workshop floor.

[forkingabout]

MOT also have to be done on the dedicated MOT ramp.

I know of a couple of local main dealers for other makes of vehicle who have recently been visited unannounced by the DVSA & one got in to a lot of trouble which resulted in cancelled tests & temporary suspension from any MOT testing.

The DVSA are not stupid - it wasn't difficult for them to catch each of these dealerships out & what they where up to with there MOTs.

[FROSTYBALLS]

At the end of the day, a service plan with free MOT's represents better value than a service plan without free MOT's. So if it suits you, go for it.

[Big_D]

17 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

At the end of the day, a service plan with free MOT's represents better value than a service plan without free MOT's. So if it suits you, go for it.

I agree

[Davidhee58]

14 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

At the end of the day, a service plan with free MOT's represents better value than a service plan without free MOT's. So if it suits you, go for it.

thanks Mike, that's main point. 

[SWWCHRIS]

Blimey I am no expert but main thing which comes to mind is that a service wont include brake test on rolling road or emissions test. Albeit if really bad the service technician should notice and report the fact. 

[Stivino]

Maybe not the rolling road but the brakes will be looked at for wear and condition so any mechanic will know if they work or not.

Also, the emissions will be checked on a service.

[Roy124]

Chris, more likely the service technician, knowing an MOT will follow will change brake pads and disks in order for it to pass. Obviously only if you authorise this. 

If no MOT is due he would give an estimate of time to pad changes.