Early mot test

[chairman]

Had the chance to get an early mot test on my car so although it didn’t expire until 26th April, after checking that you can apply  before, I took my car today. When the certificate or paperwork as it is now, was issued the expiry date was printed as 24th March 2023. As I was expecting the date to be 26th April I questioned the date and I was told that you can apply for a test up to 28 days early and the additional time is added onto the expiry date meaning the time from your old test is added to the new date so giving you almost 13 months. 28 days from your existing test and 12 months from the new test. I was told that as the new test was done over 28 days before expiry this rule didn’t apply and the expiry date of my mot is now 24 march 2023 so had I waited I could have had the car tested on 26 April and had 12 months from then so effectively I have lost 1 months mot from next year and it will now be due earlier. What a strange rule but lesson learnt, in future wait until it has almost expired.

 

[London Best]

I always try to have mine done about a month in advance, then there is no panic if there are any issues. Not a month and two days though!

[chairman]

Yes I expected to loose a few days but not the whole lot 

[Wymondley]

You can get your MOT done up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

That gives you about 4 weeks to get any repairs done before the old certificate expires, you have to draw the line somewhere.

I've been in the trade for over 40 years and It's been like that for as long as I can remember.

If you look at the front of your MOT certificate, it tells you the earliest date you can present your vehicle for test to preserve the old expiry date.

Not sure what the issue is, you paid for 12 months MOT and that's what you got.

You lost a month off the old certificate, and assuming you pay full price for your MOT that means you've lost about £4.60!

 

 

 

[39TDS]

I usually do mine every 13 months or so.

[mossy835]

i take my 2 in. 2 weeks befor they are due,

[Diver One]

I have each one of our MOT dates on my phone calendar and set a reminder 26 days before the due date . Then a second reminder a week,later

  I've always found it strange that we get Road Tax and Insurance reminders, but NOT for MOTs

[enfieldspares]

2 hours ago, Wymondley said:

 

That gives you about 4 weeks to get any repairs done before the old certificate expires, you have to draw the line somewhere.

 

I'm not sure that, now, this is 100% correct.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test

Edited March 25, 2022 by enfieldspares

[Luckyshot]

3 hours ago, Diver One said:

I have each one of our MOT dates on my phone calendar and set a reminder 26 days before the due date . Then a second reminder a week,later

  I've always found it strange that we get Road Tax and Insurance reminders, but NOT for MOTs

You can get a reminder if you want to.

https://www.gov.uk/mot-reminder

[TIGHTCHOKE]

As far as I am aware it has always been a maximum of 4 weeks.

I usually book mine in for the 2nd week of the four depending upon any shifts I am working.

[amateur]

4 hours ago, Luckyshot said:

You can get a reminder if you want to.

https://www.gov.uk/mot-reminder

Excellent post. Signed up!

[Marka11]

21 hours ago, Wymondley said:

You can get your MOT done up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date.

That gives you about 4 weeks to get any repairs done before the old certificate expires, you have to draw the line somewhere.

I've been in the trade for over 40 years and It's been like that for as long as I can remember.

If you look at the front of your MOT certificate, it tells you the earliest date you can present your vehicle for test to preserve the old expiry date.

Not sure what the issue is, you paid for 12 months MOT and that's what you got.

You lost a month off the old certificate, and assuming you pay full price for your MOT that means you've lost about £4.60!

 

 

 

All well and good but if you fail an mot then that supersedes the current which is then no use too anyone also if continuing too drive and get pulled over you could be prosecuted for driving on a public road knowingly with a defective vehicle ( which then makes your insurance null and void) as when the mot is carried out due to computerisation it is automatically updated so on record. My advice is keep your car maintained also before mot have it checked over by someone who knows what they are doing so you get a straight pass or at worst a PRS pass rectified at station from an ex class 4 & 7 tester also council taxi/private hire vehicle tester. Also believe it or not a PSV can get upto 14month mot due to the date of 1st use as theirs are different too cars and hgv’s

Edited March 25, 2022 by Marka11

[worrall26]

 forgot about mine till other day. Expires 27th march. booked in  for Monday.

 

[Wymondley]

On 25/03/2022 at 18:49, Marka11 said:

if you fail an mot then that supersedes the current

No it doesn't.

An MOT certificate records the condition of the vehicle at the time of test and is valid for 12 months.

Nothing invalidates that (other than the original test being defective).

 

On 25/03/2022 at 18:49, Marka11 said:

continuing too drive and get pulled over you could be prosecuted for driving on a public road knowingly with a defective vehicle

As you could with a valid MOT at any point in the 12 months between tests.

But you couldn't be prosecuted for no MOT.

 

On 25/03/2022 at 18:49, Marka11 said:

which then makes your insurance null and void

Again, no it doesn't.

It's actually very difficult for an insurance company to void your insurance, if they do it's usually because it was taken out fraudulently.

 

If your vehicle fails the MOT on a defect that renders it unsafe to drive, then common sense should tell you that you should not carry on driving, no matter what status your MOT is.

However, a faulty seat belt in an unused passenger seat, a passenger door that can't be opened, a light not working when the vehicle is used in daylight, number plate plate character spacing, whilst "technically" are defects, they hardly render the vehicle un roadworthy.

You'd be very unlucky to have faults like that detected (except the plates, but then for some strange reason plenty of people think they're exempt from those rules anyway) at a roadside stop, let alone prosecuted if you were actively trying to get them repaired prior to a re test.

 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Nice to see things straightened out.  

[Marka11]

Okay hold my hands up and admit I was incorrect about the mot superseding the old one if done before the end of the current one this thinking the same with a few others is because of the computerisation of the mot. I spoke to a mate who is on enforcement with DVSA he said no it doesn’t a lot off folk think that and was put out it would happen but never did so there is my confusion on the subject. He said that due to the computerisation of records it can be pulled up and if a serious defect ie steering brakes suspension and a few other items then yes you could be prosecuted for the offence of driving knowingly with a serious defect then depending on how bad wether your insurers could cancel/void your policy admitted he had just dealt with one recently. So that’s it so Wymondley you were correct my friend at least I will admit my mistakes unlike a lot of folk I know

[Luckyshot]

On 27/03/2022 at 14:02, Wymondley said:

No it doesn't.

An MOT certificate records the condition of the vehicle at the time of test and is valid for 12 months.

Nothing invalidates that (other than the original test being defective).

 

As you could with a valid MOT at any point in the 12 months between tests.

But you couldn't be prosecuted for no MOT.

 

Again, no it doesn't.

It's actually very difficult for an insurance company to void your insurance, if they do it's usually because it was taken out fraudulently.

 

If your vehicle fails the MOT on a defect that renders it unsafe to drive, then common sense should tell you that you should not carry on driving, no matter what status your MOT is.

However, a faulty seat belt in an unused passenger seat, a passenger door that can't be opened, a light not working when the vehicle is used in daylight, number plate plate character spacing, whilst "technically" are defects, they hardly render the vehicle un roadworthy.

You'd be very unlucky to have faults like that detected (except the plates, but then for some strange reason plenty of people think they're exempt from those rules anyway) at a roadside stop, let alone prosecuted if you were actively trying to get them repaired prior to a re test.

 

Not tecnically true, if you have a dangerous fail on your mot you can't legally drive your vehicle away from the mot station.

[Wymondley]

4 hours ago, Marka11 said:

Okay hold my hands up and admit I was incorrect about the mot superseding the old one if done before the end of the current one this thinking the same with a few others is because of the computerisation of the mot. I spoke to a mate who is on enforcement with DVSA he said no it doesn’t a lot off folk think that and was put out it would happen but never did so there is my confusion on the subject. He said that due to the computerisation of records it can be pulled up and if a serious defect ie steering brakes suspension and a few other items then yes you could be prosecuted for the offence of driving knowingly with a serious defect then depending on how bad wether your insurers could cancel/void your policy admitted he had just dealt with one recently. So that’s it so Wymondley you were correct my friend at least I will admit my mistakes unlike a lot of folk I know

No problem, It's not always an easy system to  understand, if you're not dealing with it on a daily basis it's easy to lose track of it.

I like to think I know what I'm talking about as it's part of my job as both a tester and a manager.

I often find I'm up against customers and the "advice" they've got from the internet or the bloke down the pub!

 

4 hours ago, Luckyshot said:

Not tecnically true, if you have a dangerous fail on your mot you can't legally drive your vehicle away from the mot station.

Well yes, you're right about that, but I'm not sure what part of my post you think is not technically true.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2022 by Wymondley
Clarity.

[Luckyshot]

4 hours ago, Wymondley said:

Edited March 30, 2022 by Luckyshot

[Luckyshot]

3 hours ago, Luckyshot said:

I’ll just add the vehicle will be marked down as having a failed mot and a current mot, if it failed on a dangerous it can’t be used on the road until fixed then it could  be used on the road until retested or the old mot date expires.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Luckyshot

[Dave-G]

18 hours ago, Marka11 said:

Okay hold my hands up and admit I was incorrect about the mot superseding the old one if done before the end of the current one this thinking the same with a few others is because of the computerisation of the mot. I spoke to a mate who is on enforcement with DVSA he said no it doesn’t a lot off folk think that and was put out it would happen but never did so there is my confusion on the subject. He said that due to the computerisation of records it can be pulled up and if a serious defect ie steering brakes suspension and a few other items then yes you could be prosecuted for the offence of driving knowingly with a serious defect then depending on how bad wether your insurers could cancel/void your policy admitted he had just dealt with one recently. So that’s it so Wymondley you were correct my friend at least I will admit my mistakes unlike a lot of folk I know

Huh - so we all had to miss out on a decent argument - aint had one on here for ages. 

[Marka11]

7 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Huh - so we all had to miss out on a decent argument - aint had one on here for ages. 

Sorry disappoint you Dave-G at least I admit if I’m wrong you should hear my missus when I say yes I was wrong jeez the grief I get 😂😂 keep a look out I’m sure we can find something even between us tell you what I will just call you Dave see if that starts something 😆 anyway take care and happy shooting mate now you may say I’m not your mate and that will start one 😁

[Wymondley]

9 hours ago, Dave-G said:

Huh - so we all had to miss out on a decent argument - aint had one on here for ages. 

Yeah, you can put away the popcorn, we're all good here.😊

 

18 hours ago, Luckyshot said:

I’ll just add the vehicle will be marked down as having a failed mot and a current mot, if it failed on a dangerous it can’t be used on the road until fixed then it could  be used on the road until retested or the old mot date expires.

 Correct, I don't believe I said anything to the contrary.

You may or may not be surprised at the amount of people that wont leave the car for repair after failing with dangerous defects.

Often because "they have to pick the kids up".😟

[Dave-G]

1 hour ago, Wymondley said:

Yeah, you can put away the popcorn, we're all good here.😊

 

 Correct, I don't believe I said anything to the contrary.

You may or may not be surprised at the amount of people that wont leave the car for repair after failing with dangerous defects.

Often because "they have to pick the kids up".😟

You can call me Dodgy Dave 'cos I'm one of the people who, if I regularly drove the vehicle up till the test deemed it suddenly unsafe then I'd drive it away - picking up replacement parts on the way home. Such things as a gaitor with a puncture, or a tyre with a nail in, a handbrake slightly out of spec or pads too thin brake material for example are not about to cause me to have an RTA or create an obstruction by breaking down.

DOT seem to have a heavy hand in determining what is unsafe to drive a short distance home or to a regular repair garage.

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by Dave-G

[Wymondley]

21 hours ago, Dave-G said:

DOT seem to have a heavy hand in determining what is unsafe to drive a short distance home or to a regular repair garage.

Not really, within the test there are there are two types of fail, major and dangerous.

This is done in part to allow the scenario you describe with major defects, and to bring attention to, and the need not to drive with those deemed dangerous.

You are of course free to do whatever you like, we have no authority to prevent a vehicle with a dangerous failure being driven away from the garage.

Dangerous defects include tyres damaged or worn out or components on the point of complete failure.

We see few dangerous failures other than tyres tbh.

So you're probably not as dodgy as you think.

There are also Minor defects like split wiper blades that still clear the screen, and advisories like tyres or brake pads getting low, these still allow a pass to be issued but would be noted on the certificate.

Apologies if I'm telling you what you already know but it might help others.👍