New MOT

You probably seen this already. MOT can now PASS in three ways and FAIL in two ways.

Dangerous: Fail. The vehicle is a "direct and immediate risk to road safety or has a serious impact on the environment". It must not be driven until it has been repaired.

Major: Fail. The fault "may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment". The car, van or motorcycle must be repaired immediately.

Minor: Pass. A defect has "no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment". It must be repaired as soon as possible

Advisory: Pass. A defect could become more serious in the future. "Monitor and repair it if necessary."

Pass: The vehicle meets the minimum legal standard.

I'm concerned that Dangerous Fail could be a matter of opinion and the tester has some interest in keeping the car immovable so that they will get the repair job on site. Only soltuion is to have the car inspected in advance of MOT by your favorite mechanic/garage.

Reply to
johannes
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Not only that but I was told last month if you drive it away with a dangerous fail they are supposed to phone it in.

Reply to
Peter Hill

As opposed to PASS in one of two ways or FAIL in one of two ways.

Same as it ever was.

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

Yes, this would be the logic of their licence to carry out MOT.

Reply to
johannes

There have always been places which fail / pass cars which they shouldn't.

I'm curious how the 'MOT only' places will fair. I use one for my Motorhome as my normal place can't deal with it (too big). While I don't envisage the vehicle failing- it isn't that old and is well maintained etc- there must be vehicles which they test which are dangerous and they don't do repairs.

Reply to
Brian Reay

Quite. No wonder the trade wanted this. I'll bet there are few who don't have personal experience of an MOT place trying something on. This just makes it even more likely.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Brother told an interesting story yesterday.

A mate of his has a Mini which had a total rebuild at vast cost. A very early one.

It passed its first MOT after that rebuild, and has just had another one. Failed due to the track rod ends being fitted upside down - and so dangerous they wanted to keep the car. His pal took it away, though, and got that fixed elsewhere. He said it drove perfectly normally and has a fair bit of experience with Minis.

Must admit to thinking it wouldn't be possible to fit a track rod end upside down. But then I've never tried doing it. ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Dave Plowman (News) presented the following explanation :

I thought most/ all went into a tapered socket and the nut just tightened the wedge.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

That's what I thought - so if you tried to fit it upside down it wouldn't go in far enough to get a nut on. Or if it did, would be obvious the nut wasn't fully down the thread.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I've used MOT only places before and they often have an "arrangement" with other motoring establishments for repairs.

Reply to
alan_m

Except now if it has a "dangerous" fail it can't be driven carefully but has to go on flat bed or trailer. Your repair now has a £50-£100 additional charge.

Some places consider a coil spring with broken tail too dangerous to complete MOT roller brake test.

Reply to
Peter Hill

If you really think the test centre is breaking the rules, then pay the charge to take your vehicle away, and sue them for the cost. No doubt also inform trading standards and the DVLA so the test centre can be reprimanded. The AA or RAC might also help, primarily to weed out incompetent test centres, but perhaps also to get your vehicle home.

Reply to
Graham J

Have you ever sued anyone? ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

That prompts the question: Could you say to AA or RAC that your car has "broken down" if it has been served a dangerous fail at MOT?

Reply to
johannes

I never said anything about breaking the rules as I couldn't find the new rules. But here they are.

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Well it seems that nearly all the stuff I'm worried about is "MAJOR" and not "dangerous". They are red flagging all previous dangerous MOT faults.

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Car I bought in May 2010 all fails so far are "major" no "dangerous". Previous owner ran tyres below 1.6mm but even though illegal that's not a "dangerous" fail. Last year the turbo oil seal had failed. The dense blue smoke at 3000 rpm in neutral was like a WWII destroyer making a smoke screen. MOT guy told me it needed new rings. I just fitted a spare turbo from the shed - took 3 hours. Robbed a gaiter off a spare rack and took it for £150 of welding.

Car bought in 2008 has had 1 "dangerous" in last 10 years for a leaking brake hose connection. Brake wasn't leaking but I hadn't cleaned up brake fluid properly after removing caliper and cleaning pistons. This years welding cost £260 for 7 patches but only 6 on MOT sheet as when I removed the carpet I found offside front sill was gone on inside at jacking point near A pillar as well.

H799VET bought 2000, stripped and scrapped 2010, everything except shell is in shed to supply 2 cars above. After the last fail I put a big screwdriver in the nearside chassis member and opened it up it from front suspension sub-frame back to bulkhead like a tin can - not "dangerous" but "MAJOR". In 2007 the whole floor from trans tunnel, across bulkhead, sill and rear turrets was welded back in, just joining up a load of "majors". Done over a week, cost £400. Brake imbalance is "Dangerous", had a caliper with stuck sliding pins. Corroded and dark patch from leaking petrol on pipe "major", it would require a drip to produce a 75mm puddle in 5min to be dangerous.

Mates Fiesta MK6. Coil spring with broken tail but spring still on strut and not on bump stop has been flagged as dangerous on MOT check history site. Worn rear radius bushes are major but had been knocking for 2 years.

MOT stations that don't do repairs will need more parking space to allow vehicles to await collection. The one I use has 2 test lanes and parking space for about 10 cars. They have online booking with 13 test slots a day for each bay = 26 cars. You book your 40 minute test slot and turn up for it.

MOT test station 1/2 mile up road from my home doesn't do bodywork repairs, just mechanical. Not much use to me.

I have 2 25 year old cars and work core hours 10am-3pm. It's convenient to book the first test slot of the day and take car for MOT at 8:15am, then drive it 2 miles for welding quote and book in for welding. Then 3 miles home where I swap cars. I strip the interior and carpet out to prep for welding at home. On the day it goes for welding, I drive it down, cycle home, have shower and go to work. Paying some one £250 (estimate) to take the interior out and put it back would make it very expensive.

Getting MOT's done where I work could leave me stranded 10 miles from home. 1 hour cycle ride.

I suspect most places would object to someone bringing a bike with them, cycling home. Getting spare brake caliper and tools. Returning in 2nd car, jacking car and fitting brake caliper on their forecourt. Then leave it there again for re-test while driving home in 2nd car and riding back to collect it

Reply to
Peter Hill

If it becomes dangerous to drive, which has just been pointed out at a garage, then I don't see why not?

Is it any different to a mechanical failure on anyone else's private property? Perhaps the policies require the car to be on the road, but I thought they just required "good access".

Reply to
Fredxx

Rule 5.2.3 (e) Tyre thread depth not in according with the requirements - Dangerous.

So your car is stuck there at the MOT site rather than driving to the nearest tyre shop with favourable offers. Would AA or RAC see this as a sudden instantaneous breakdown? I doubt it.

And tyre thread depth at the limit is often controversial depending how much of the width of the tyre they look at. Anyway, the problem is visible and it's probably a good idea anyway to have good tyres when submitting to MOT.

More controversial element could be suspension components on the limit, but not a serious problem when potting along at gentle speeds and not doing drastic manoeuvres. A fault that's not dangerous if the driver is knowledably of the problem and drive accordingly. (As it used to be).

Reply to
johannes

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