MOT (Minging On Test)

[Bper]

A recent report:-

Drivers could be denied access to their MOT test with petrol and diesel vehicles at risk, according to experts.

Petrol and diesel owners have been turned away from MOT centres because garages refused to test their vehicles.

A new report from Select Car Leasing found that 7,000 motorists received an MOT refusal instead of an MOT fail.

The data, taken from the DVSA  under a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, shows a whopping 1,112 cars were denied entry because testers were unable to open the doors or the boot.

Meanwhile, 785 cars were denied entry because an inspection “may be dangerous or cause damage” with over 300 models considered ‘not fit to be driven”.

A staggering 526 cars were denied entry to a test because they were “too dirty". The stats highlight the need to present your car to an MOT testing station in a clean and tidy condition. Make sure all the doors open and close as they should and empty the boot of detritus to make inspection simple and easy.”.

 

[Hybrid21]

Makes sense to me 👍

[flash22]

Have a look on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Justrolledintotheshop/

Yep seen cars rejected due to rust and mud also blowing exhausts and knocking engines

[FROSTYBALLS]

An open and shut case.

About time DVSA came clean ....

[Bper]

Whenever the car goes in for it's annual service and MOT I always clean the car so it looks immaculate. I'm not sure if it's phycological but it feels like they can see it's been looked after.

Also as part of the service they clean the cars but I always tell them not to and they say we couldn't get it that clean anyway.😂 From what I've seen of other cars they have cleaned I am not surprised.😀

[Parts-King]

Quite right too, should see the way some people present their cars. The numbers quoted are hardly staggering though, considering the numbers of vehicles presented for test

[Big_D]

3 hours ago, Bper said:

Whenever the car goes in for it's annual service and MOT I always clean the car so it looks immaculate. I'm not sure if it's phycological but it feels like they can see it's been looked after.

I do the same. 

[AndyN01]

If your job was to conduct an MoT how would you like to see that car presented?

Pretty simple to me -

If the car is filthy and obviously not cared for then why should the owner expect someone to get up close and personal to their minging machine? After all, it's something that can and regularly does kill and seriously injure people so should be treated with consideration and respect.

Conversely if one is presented at least clean and tidy with things working and nothing hanging off or obviously broken then it's reasonable to expect it to be tested. I'm not saying concours perfect but at least decent.

Part of the..... it's always someone else's fault/problem culture....... that seems to be becoming the norm. Whatever happened to looking after stuff that is your responsibility?

Andy.

 

[Big_D]

Well said Andy

[Hybrid21]

I've noticed that a few of my neighbours do wash and vacuum their cars on a regular basis, but actually never seen them lift the bonnet or check tyre pressures, etc 🤔

 

[Rhymes with Paris]

Even though I have to pay to have my car cleaned nowadays, I do make an extra effort if going for an MOT,or garage working on it.

Remembering to have a clean a day or two beforehand.

It would be nice if this was always reciprocated though by the tester/mechanic at least putting one of those disposable plastic covers on the seat before getting in.

I have known some of them get in a new car with black grease on their hands, overalls, and boots with no protection, several times in my then new car years ago, and again in my old (but very clean) Talbot autosleeper.

This of course results in hours of cleaning, and in the case of my new car replacing the carpets.

Like everything I suppose,it cuts both ways.

 

[Mjolinor]

My cleaning is limited to shoveling out the passenger footwell when it starts overflowing into the drivers footwell and potentially becoming a safety problem.

 

I do however make sure all essential bits are accessible at MOT time. Things like VIN numbers and safety belt anchorages.

 

As a guess I would think that I open the bonnet ten times more often than the passenger door.

[Puglet]

Reminds me many years ago as the MOT tester drove my car into the bay noticed one brake lights not working, although I did check all lights beforehand, kindly he issued a pass saying get it changed asap, as mentioned it helped that the car was clean and tidy and with my added extra mods you could tell it was loved and cared for, if car was dirty and untidy would he treated me/it the same, I doubt it.

[Haliotis]

Our son has is Passat serviced by the local VW dealership.  Last year he was quite upset, because the tester had found damage on the inner wall of a tyre - for which he phoned our son, who said to fit a new one.   The upset came from the tester failing the MoT, then the new tyre being fitted, and the car passed.  He felt that the tyre should have been fitted and then passed without needing a further MoT.  His pride was hurt because, prior to this, the car had a record of all passes with no failures.   I could see his point morally, but told him there are more important things to life than an MoT failure on a pure technicality.

[Puglet]

Know what you mean, back in the days of the paper MOT, I got alot more 'goodwill' from MOT testers on our cars, nothing dodgy, but firm but fair treatment, but with the digital MOT and even more so with recent major, minor, advisories think MOT testers hands are tied, also I reckon that their MOT 'stats' have to look good, so we had couple fails on 'quick' fixes, as you say annoying cos it bleamishes your MOT record, but sign of the times, at least don't have to worry so much about them finding rusty holes!

[Mooly]

Interesting...

On 10/16/2023 at 9:56 AM, Bper said:

Also as part of the service they clean the cars but I always tell them not to and they say we couldn't get it that clean anyway.

Had that happen when I had the TSport. I got on well with the main dealer service dept at that time and following an MOT and service the service manager said 'Now we're supposed to do a wash and vac but we've just had a meeting and decided we would only make it worse...'

8 hours ago, Hybrid21 said:

I've noticed that a few of my neighbours do wash and vacuum their cars on a regular basis, but actually never seen them lift the bonnet or check tyre pressures, etc

At least a two in the immediate vicinity to me do this. One washes the car nearly ever day sometimes but I've never seen the bonnet popped or it hosed off underneath. It also gets vacuumed a few times a week.

4 hours ago, Haliotis said:

The upset came from the tester failing the MoT, then the new tyre being fitted, and the car passed.  

I've wondered about this as I've had 'failures' for such things as a wiper rubber despite saying when booking in for service and MOT 'and please can you fit a new xyz or whatever'.

I think the reason is that the MOT is always done first and there is no (can't think of the right word), no attachment between the tester and the owner or what will be done in the service. The MOT is done as presented.

A main dealer doing an MOT on our old Corolla phoned to say that 'it was on the ramps for the MOT and the rear brake discs needed renewing...'

When I looked at the MOT it had a pass with a comment that rear discs were worn but not weakened. So I felt it was underhand to word the call as if the discs needed replacing to pass the MOT.

1 hour ago, Puglet said:

advisories think MOT testers hands are tied, also I reckon that their MOT 'stats' have to look good, so we had couple fails on 'quick' fixes

I use an independent now and they have told me that they are under immense pressure to put down any and all advisories and so on. The nearly 21yr old Corolla (not the TSport) has a list as long as your arm and has done for the last decade or so. None have needed to be acted on.

With my Auris and he said there is just nothing we can put down as an advisory (this one is dry weather only and garaged and at 14 yrs and less than a 100 miles to join the 100k club is 'as new physically and structurally'. Shame about the oil consumption but that is another story...                  

[Bper]

Why can't the MOT tester record the minor faults on a separate sheet obviously if it's all in-house and then have it passed back over to the service dept to rectify, once done the MOT could be issued without the need to retest unless it was a major fail repair.

Are service and MOT costs not high enough already without additional expense to the motorist for two MOT tests for minor faults that can be easily rectified at service.

Answers on a separate MOT sheet please.😂

2 hours ago, Mooly said:

Interesting...

Had that happen when I had the TSport. I got on well with the main dealer service dept at that time and following an MOT and service the service manager said 'Now we're supposed to do a wash and vac but we've just had a meeting and decided we would only make it worse...'

At least a two in the immediate vicinity to me do this. One washes the car nearly ever day sometimes but I've never seen the bonnet popped or it hosed off underneath. It also gets vacuumed a few times a week.

I've wondered about this as I've had 'failures' for such things as a wiper rubber despite saying when booking in for service and MOT 'and please can you fit a new xyz or whatever'.

I think the reason is that the MOT is always done first and there is no (can't think of the right word), no attachment between the tester and the owner or what will be done in the service. The MOT is done as presented.

A main dealer doing an MOT on our old Corolla phoned to say that 'it was on the ramps for the MOT and the rear brake discs needed renewing...'

When I looked at the MOT it had a pass with a comment that rear discs were worn but not weakened. So I felt it was underhand to word the call as if the discs needed replacing to pass the MOT.

I use an independent now and they have told me that they are under immense pressure to put down any and all advisories and so on. The nearly 21yr old Corolla (not the TSport) has a list as long as your arm and has done for the last decade or so. None have needed to be acted on.

With my Auris and he said there is just nothing we can put down as an advisory (this one is dry weather only and garaged and at 14 yrs and less than a 100 miles to join the 100k club is 'as new physically and structurally'. Shame about the oil consumption but that is another story...                  

 

[Puglet]

I know few years ago garages offered a pre-MOT check as part of their service/MOT package thus guaranteeing a pass, but as I DIY service I never took up the offer. In my experience, my recent MOT fails been fixed within 30 minutes and free retest, so no added MOT expense or having to hang around too long. 

Then again had a few dubious MOT fails/advisories over the years, which you just have to suck up/pay up  to get the all important pass and find another garage, problem is you find a good independent and they eventually close/move etc. so you have to find another.

[Rhymes with Paris]

If a car is re tested before the current MOT expires, there is no charge for retest.

Even if you take it away to rectify any faults.

For myself I like to keep MOTs and repairs/separate,as in theory there is no motivation to indicate faults that may not be required.

The last few times I have used" we only MOT",ok twice the price of the MOTs in banners on used dealer fencing to reel in custom.

They are not selling repairs though.

[Mjolinor]

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests

That should remove the "I hope" and "guessing" from this thread. 🙂

It is pretty straightforward when you pay and when you do not.

[Bper]

1 hour ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

If a car is re tested before the current MOT expires, there is no charge for retest.

Even if you take it away to rectify any faults.

For myself I like to keep MOTs and repairs/separate,as in theory there is no motivation to indicate faults that may not be required.

The last few times I have used" we only MOT",ok twice the price of the MOTs in banners on used dealer fencing to reel in custom.

They are not selling repairs though.

If you take your car away from the first test centre and repair it elsewhere, but bring it back for retesting within the 10 working days, you pay half of the full price.

Supposing you return your car after the ten day period, then a complete MOT test will have to be done and you will pay the full fee.

If you left your car at the original test centre, only partial retesting is conducted since they only need to go over the areas which caused the MOT fail in the first place. Partial retesting remains free in this scenario.

If your car fails the MOT for the second time during partial retesting, then no choice you will have to schedule a full MOT test after completing necessary repairs. And accordingly you will have to pay the full fees.

[Rhymes with Paris]

Again in theory it's black and white, yes or no.

The reality is different from that, advisories that are on an MOT three years ago from the same testing station,can disappear or at least not be mentioned.

As in so many things it can depend on the person on the day to interpret what would appear to be rigid rules.

As in my case, surface rust on suspension etc either doesn't matter to the tester on the day,or is interpreted differently by different testers.

Having said that, I am not one of those people who hopes that a dangerous condition will be ignored,or not flagged up just to get an MOT.

I obviously want to know if they spot something wrong.

 

 

 

[Bper]

30 minutes ago, Rhymes with Paris said:

Again in theory it's black and white, yes or no.

The reality is different from that, advisories that are on an MOT three years ago from the same testing station,can disappear or at least not be mentioned.

As in so many things it can depend on the person on the day to interpret what would appear to be rigid rules.

As in my case, surface rust on suspension etc either doesn't matter to the tester on the day,or is interpreted differently by different testers.

Having said that, I am not one of those people who hopes that a dangerous condition will be ignored,or not flagged up just to get an MOT.

I obviously want to know if they spot something wrong.

 

 

 

Funny enough Paul my Auris is booked in on Monday morning for a MOT and intermediate service. I was wondering if there is anything I could ask the dealer that may be not clear regarding an MOT.😀

[Rhymes with Paris]

On 10/21/2023 at 7:29 PM, Bper said:

Funny enough Paul my Auris is booked in on Monday morning for a MOT and intermediate service. I was wondering if there is anything I could ask the dealer that may be not clear regarding an MOT.😀

Did it pass?

[Bper]

No it B***dy failed 😭. 

Car was in for a intermediate service and an MOT. 2.5 hours advised it will take to complete. We went for a sandwich and a walk around the town and on our way back got a phone call to say it had failed.

I looked at my wife who took the call and I said on what. A Cut in the O/S front tyre. However also told the N/S front was still legal but will need changing. So after arriving a minute later back at the Dealers was also told of an advisory O/S/F anti roll bar link lower gator was weeping grease.

So I got them to change both tyres and it has Passed but have booked it in tomorrow to have the gator done.

Now this service was for a 70,000 or 7year Toyota service, cost to include fuel treatment, Air conditioning Anti- bacterial Treatment.

Intermediate service cost £286 , MOT cost £54.85 plus two tyres . Total cost £462.05 inc VAT. Cost for replacement gator tomorrow quoted £235.38.it doesn't say if VAT is included.

The car has 44200 miles on the clock. Good or bad price not sure but welcome any comments.😭