Another MOT shake up

[piglet]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mot- ... 0-may-2018

May 20th new rules apply
The .gov link states that you cannot drive away with a dangerous fail, so this then presumeable invalidates any current MOT left.
But for a major fail it says fix immediately, so does that mean the old MOT still covers you to drive on a major?

Tougher rules on DPF tampering. Glad I didn't go that route.

Also reverse lights & headlamp washers after 2009.

AND fluid leaks that would be detrimental to environment. Now what would they say about me spraying gearbox oil on the chassis?

[steve_earwig]

Now what would they say about me spraying gearbox oil on the chassis?

Should be ok, as long as it's not dripping everywhere...

They testing your brake fluid yet?

[Welly]

According to my MOT man next door at work there's always been a grey area surrounding failures, I once photocopied an excerpt from the MOT rules for him to display in his reception. It basically stated that once failed, if you drive away you've basically got no MOT regardless of what's left on the certificate.

Taking that further in my view if there was to be an accident/injury claim then they would look at the circumstances using common sense and whether or not the 'failure' item contributed to or caused the accident. Sounds like the new ruling is making this grey area much clearer. This'll make things difficult for people who use 'MOT only' stations as they'll have to pay to get the thing recovered and sent to a repair shop.

Another stealthy step closer to clearing away old cars off the roads.....

[steve_earwig]

Too right, nasty, dangerous, polluting things

Taking that further in my view if there was to be an accident/injury claim then they would look at the circumstances using common sense...

Oh dear, you just lost the insurers there, I can well imagine them turning down a claim even if the fail was for a light bulb.

[dirtydirtydiesel]

It's always been my understanding that the MOT proved that the car was road worthy on the day of the test
If you were pulled over after this date & the old bill felt that your car was unroadworthy then you would be given
A seven day rectification notice, you had to take your car to a MOT station get a new MOT & produce this at your
Local Police station within seven days of the issued notice.

My tester I've been using for over ten years has allways said if I took my car in 28 day's early for the test to see of it would
Fail that, if it fails on anything major then the old MOT is invalid & the car is unroadworthy

[piglet]

In the bad old days wasn't there a red failure slip where you couldn't drive it away?
Never had one so might be fiction.

[Welly]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who does his own "MOT" prior to taking the car in?

By this I mean making sure all bulbs are working, tyres all ok, no eggsauce leaks, handbrake ok, full screenwash etc etc.

People who moan at the inconvenience and cost of their car failing on something they should have seen themselves deserve punishing with public transport

[mjb]

Bulbs and wipers are one thing, but there's also a lot of failure points which are difficult if not impossible for a DIY'er to anticipate - emissions, brake balance, handbrake efficiency (if you have a 406 or E39, probably other cars, that one's always going to be a lottery), split gaiters, worn ball joints, rusty brake lines...

Suddenly driving back home from the local test centre to organise or perform a fix becomes a very costly exercise. I'm going to have to ditch my usual test-only place now for someone who has a financial interest in seeing cars fail

Also, headlamp washers are going to be tested. WTF? The merc only washes the lamps 1 in 5 times the screen is washed, the beamer was pretty much random, and I think the 406 only does it once every 20 minutes or something? How are they doing to deal with that? And how can one person see how effective the nearside washer is while standing by the driver's door?

Is anyone else unhappy with the thought of someone dipping something potentially dirty into their brake fluid reservoir?

[caprixpack]

I thought they weren't allowed to remove engine covers and reservoir caps?

[piglet]

Suddenly driving back home from the local test centre to organise or perform a fix becomes a very costly exercise. I'm going to have to ditch my usual test-only place now for someone who has a financial interest in seeing cars fail

Not with you, nothing has really changed here.
I don't what constitutes a dangerous fail but I'm guessing anyone clued up about cars will know if their car has a dangerous fault.
Major fails you can still drive your car away, unless someone knows different.

[steve_earwig]

Is anyone else unhappy with the thought of someone dipping something potentially dirty into their brake fluid reservoir?

They've done that to me every test I've had here and it always worries me, I wouldn't put it past the locals to top up their brake fluid with the first bottle that come to hand, be it brandy or pig semen.

[caprixpack]

I've never had anyone remove the brake fluid, oil or radiator cap on an mot. Like I said I don't think they're allowed to remove the cap for the MOT.

[mjb]

Suddenly driving back home from the local test centre to organise or perform a fix becomes a very costly exercise. I'm going to have to ditch my usual test-only place now for someone who has a financial interest in seeing cars fail

Not with you, nothing has really changed here.
I don't what constitutes a dangerous fail but I'm guessing anyone clued up about cars will know if their car has a dangerous fault.
Major fails you can still drive your car away, unless someone knows different.

Dunno about you, but I don't know what condition the brake lines are in on either of our cars. They should be ok, but I haven't had the time or need to get under the cars to see. And I honestly have never checked my axles or driveshafts for signs of fracturing. I don't even know if I've got any cracking, bulging, rubbing or pinching on my brake hoses, because once again, you can't see them without getting the cars in the air... The outsides of my brake discs and the outer pads look ok, but I haven't got a clue about the inner side or pads either...


It was quite hard to find out what will actually get called "dangerous", i.e. enough to prevent you from driving it to get fixed, but I found the draft regs: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... -draft.pdf

Most of it's sensible, albeit poorly defined. However would you expect everyone clued up about cars to be able to tell if the trailer connector that came with their used car is broken if they've never even used it? Should that require a tow truck to get home from the testing station, and then back again? Is a crap handbrake or brake imbalance really enough to force a car to be loaded on the back of a lorry?

I've had air suspension die while on the MOT tester's ramp. I needed to restart the car on the 5 min trip home so it could pump itself back up, but an easy fix once the part was delivered. Should I have been forced to pay £££ to get the car trailered half mile home, and then trailered back to the MOT centre a few days later? What about a frayed rear centre seatbelt?

Sure, these things would be dangerous if left as-is, but when the car's already got the legal status of only being permitted to be driven to be repaired and back to the testing station, why should a passenger seat being loose prevent an otherwise fit car from being driven to be repaired?

[Welly]

I do actually get under my cars quite regular and give things a bit of grease or a coating of Builthamber [sp?] spray coat underseal type stuff where I see fit.

I even removed the Volvo's rear eggsauce hanger plates and gave them a spruce up as they were looking crusty and would cost nearly £50.00 each to replace.

Why don't manufacturers fit steel parts underneath with a proper rust-proof coating that lasts rather than what looks like a nano-thin dusting of black paint, applied in a wind tunnel, from 50mtrs away

[stevewalsh]

Over here in French France, the CT (MOT) Rules are changing to a much tougher test from May 1st. I think it is inline with a EU Ruling. Not sure whats changing at moment.

My old 406 is in for its test tomorrow afternoon, Hope to get another 2 year ticket