MOT 's

they can be looked up by the owner, but I was surprised to find that mot stations do not look up previous advisories (I think it would be a good encouragement to get the work done [when actually needed])

No, we dont bother checking advisories, as thats all it is an advisory as advisories can cover any aspect of the car, it dosnt have to be part of the fail/test criteria to be advised on. Ive had cars in and not advised on something which might have been advised on last years mot by another tester & vise versa.

If you have the number from the MOT certificate, you can look online and see any advisories for the last 2-3 years, I know I did when I bought my car (I left a £50 deposit and took the MOT until I could sort out the insurance).

andy gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Why would it make a difference? All the items are tested to the same standard. Advisories are just bits that are a little too good to fail.

If they've got worse, they'll fail. If they've been replaced, they'll pass. If they're the same as last year, they'll get another advisory.

I always try to get any advisories sorted.

One of the limos I look after had an advisory on a dry front suspension ball joint and a week after the MOT was pulled by Plod / VOSA at a 'routine stop check'. First and only thing they checked was that ball joint, and even though it had obviously been very recently greased (it has a grease nipple) they issued a prohibition notice on the car. They didn't even look for anything else. Cost £40 for the ball joint, a bit for labour / tracking etc and £45 for a new MOT.

According to a contact at VOSA they're not too happy about being used in this way...

You can also do that with the number from the V5. That's first port of call when looking at secondhand cars - you can find out (some of) their history of faults without even going outside. Also gives info like the garages it was tested at - has it always been at the same one, or all over the place?

Theo

I didn't know that. Care to post a link? Does it cost money?

Willy Eckerslyke gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

It's on the certificate. Has been ever since computerised tests/ certificates came in.

Thanks all, I'll have fun trawling through there then.

Agreed, I go to the same place every year and have had an advisory each year for a cracked number plate. Despite the guy requesting it is replaced he will never fail me on it.

Regards

Tom