MOT Tests are changing and making sure you know the facts before the Test could you save you £££
Changes implemented by the Ministry of Transport means good news for classic car owners, rising car maintenance costs for regular road users and sharp fees if you fail an MOT test.
The Ministry of Transport changed the rules for the MOT Test on May 20th however most motorists still don’t know about the costly changes that can catch you out.
The Ministry of Transport has revised their current failure categories as so;
- Minor
- Defects having no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment and other minor non-compliances. If only defects of a minor nature are present a test certificate will still be issued
- Major
- Defects that may prejudice the safety of the vehicle, have an impact on the environment, put other road users at risk or other more significant non-compliances
- Dangerous
- Defects constituting a direct and immediate risk to road safety or having an impact on the environment
If your vehicle is classified as being dangerous or having a major defect it will be automatically failed. However one of the biggest changes to the law is once a vehicle fails a new MOT test the previous test is instantly invalidated which in layman’s terms means you can’t legally use your vehicle until it passes a new MOT test. This differs from the previous version of the law which meant if you failed your mot test you could drive until the previous MOT test expired.
As a result of the change in the law this can result in drivers being stuck at an MOT garage and being charged higher than average prices for parts and labour due to garages knowing that it’s unlikely you will be able to move your car to a different garage legally as this would involve hiring a tow truck. If you choose to drive it out of the garage you could face a monetary fine, penalty points on your licence and a driving ban!
What we would advise when you bring your vehicle in for an MOT is to ask the garage to prepare the vehicle up to a good condition before they do the MOT test. This should then avoid the issue of being stranded at the garage in case the MOT test is failed and thus removing your option of transport due to having no valid MOT.
Diesel Changes
Additionally, diesel car owners are being targeted again by the government due to tighter testing guidelines just a few of these new changes include;
- DPF Filter
- Exhaust Smoke
- Any smoke coming from the exhaust on a diesel car will result in an instant fail of the MOT test along with invalidating your previous MOT test certificate.
- Reversing Lights
- Daytime Running Lights
- Front Fog Lights
- Prop Shafts
- Bumper Conditions
- Rear Drive Shafts
- Cab Security
- Cab Steps
- Floor Condition
- Under tray Security
- Noise Suppression Material
- Emission Control Equipment
- Engine malfunction indicator lamp
- Fluid Leaks posing an environmental leak
- Underinflated Tyres
- Contaminated Brake Fluid
- Brake Pad Warning Lights
- Missing Brake Pads
- Missing Brake Discs
New Items to be tested
With quite a substantial list of new items being checked, it’s worth double checking your car to find any conditions before you put it in for an MOT test as the costs could be quite high if you end up having it fixed after a failed test.
However, if you're looking to avoid these costly errors we offer a wide range of vehicles available to lease,these can also include maintenance so you'll avoid the hassle of the MOT Test. Please get in contact with us and our friendly staff will be able to find a vehicle to suit your needs.
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