MOT testing station tips...

Just been putting my sis's Polo through its MOT, and googled a few interesting tips on which MOT stations to go for (if you don't have a "trusted" garage).

The general thinking behind this is that you want to avoid places that might use the MOT to con you into getting work done that doesn't need doing. Whilst most points in the MOT are fairly well defined there are still areas like shocks, steering play and corrosion for example that are open to interpretation by the inspector.

So if you want to re-assure yourself that your MOT testing station has no "ulterior" motive in failing your car, choose somewhere that just does MOT's and does not do work itself.

I managed to find a place near Clapham North that got some recommendations and just does while-u-wait MOTs. The tester was really friendly and was happy for me to watch and ask questions while he was doing the test. Free retest within 14 days too. The only thing that my sis's Polo failed on was a split steering rack boot and he told me that the front brake pad thickness was getting borderline.

Another top tip I found was finding out if your local borough or county council has its own fleet MOT testing station. If it does they have to offer the service to the public. Feedback from posts about this seems to indicate the inspectors are very friendly and help you get the car through the MOT wherever possible.

In South London I have found that Greenwich, Wandsworth and Tower Hamlets all have testing stations open to the public.

Cheers,

Chris

My local garage always give a free re-test - said otherwise no one would go back to them!

One tip on MOT's, spare wheel is only tested if present in the car. Therefore, if u suspect it's on the tread limit, simply take it out of the car before going for the MOT - or so I'm lead to believe. :wink:

A good write up on the new MoT tests coming into force (all testers this year) in practical Classis.  Up shot is no free retests, higher test fee, automatic fines for not having a current MoT…

Some good points some bad.

Testing station hate the new computor system  :cry:

Like with the spare wheel, if your front fogs dont work (like me!) just swap the 4light grill for a plain 2light one, as if there are no fog lights then they cant test em.

cheers

Ps my local (and busiest) testing while-u-wait station was closed for "letting everything through"… scary. 8O

yes,i will be going on line in about a month,have got my smart card ready with my pretty little face on it, the computer system is a slow way of doing the overall test,most days we do 12-17 mots,will probably be halved when the time comes,once a car is logged in,another cant be tested until that time has elapsed.Retests,another grey area,a 'slot' has to be booked so this will mean that it will need to be paid for,say 8 mots booked in,3 retests,that will mean 11 slots need to be brought,expensive game if the car fails,exept for trivialities like lights etc.
Wish all the old bangers luck  :cry:
 Bert

The MOT test place I took my sisters Polo to said they were very busy taking cars from MOT testing stations that were running the new computerised system.

Don't know how much truth is in it, but evidently the system doesn't recognise much older cars like the Mk1 and as a consequence they can't be tested using the computerised system at present - anyone know if this is true?

Cheers,

Chris

Hi Chris,

Where is this place in Clapham North? I've lived in Clapham for years but I don't know of it.

I often use a very reliable and friendly place down in Kemp Town in Brighton. It's handy because I have to go down there every week anyway. This year they suggested I didn't spend ?900 with them on welding for the MOT because they felt the work to be done would not be a good investment for me. They suggested selling it to a welding fan and buying another one….which I did.

Also re Clapham, I have tried Fast Fit on Clapham Road, they claim to be VW friendly but I'm not keen. When they replaced my petrol filter they put the pipe back under the air filter, consequently the flywheel cut through it…not great!!! Bad tune up also, and the annoying ?20 for miscellaneous. That's the worst ?20 they have ever charged as I now tell everyone to avoid them.

Hi vew,

the place I went to was:

Clapham North MOT, 628 Cottage Grove, Lambeth, London SW9 9NJ. Its under one of the railway arches quite close to Clapham North station. Because its a while u wait place its a bit of a lottery as to how long it takes, and parking outside the place is very limited.

Still, when (if?), I ever get round to getting the Mk1 fixed I will probably go back there.

Cheers,

Chris

there are so many black holes in mot testing, i have talked to very good friends of mine that are mot testers and they said off the top of there head, hear are some funny loop hole's

i will fond out a few more down the pub tonite for u all to enjoy.

1. if there is rust on ur vehical i.e a hole and u feel that it may fail because of this, simply remove the rust and make sure the surrounding area is cut, a machined hole is classed as a modifcation and therefore cannot fail.  

2. a car connot fail an mot with a hole in the exhaust!! as long as it passes emitions test, and is not to deemed to loud (this is down to the mot testers discretion) it will pass.

3. following that if ur exhaust is hanging off, or completly buggered, simply remove it, it cannot fail for not havin an exhaust, the only thing that will fail it will be noise, and this is down to the mot testers discretion.

4. and u are correct, a car will pass an mot with no spare wheel, so if urs is suspect, simply remove it.

5. if u have a chip/crack in ur windscreen, it can fail if it is in the wiperble area, so replace ur wiper blades with shorter ones, so the chip is not covered by the wipers when in use,

(obviously all of the above can be a grey area, but if ur prepared to push the matter ur car will pass, genrally its down the tester on the day)

ill find out some more loop holes this eve, but for now, i hope that has helped.

oh and the mk1 is currently not on the computor database,

you dont need a reverse light to pass an MOT, my mate had a 1983 mk2 gti 8v, it never even came with a reverse light from new!!!!

Hi all.

I've noticed some errors in the information on this thread and I'll try and clear some things up.

A spare wheel (provided it is not fitted to the vehicle) is not part of the MOT so even if it was in a terrible condition the vehicle could not be failed on it.

The same goes for front fog lights. Not testable so irrelevant if they work or not.

Whilst it is true the new computer does have difficulty tracing older vehicles it does allow them to be tested. The garage in question simply enter the details manually at the time of test so no station should refuse your car an MOT simply becuase its old and the computer can't trace it.

Hope this helps