tedshred
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Interesting article about saving money on your MOT
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1126540795,61463,
There are two costs and its important to look at both in conjunction.
This is all about using Local Council/Government MOT test centres. Many local councils have their own MOT testing stations for council vehicles (i.e. buses and ambulances). Yet by law these test centres must be open to the general public. As they only carry out tests, and not repairs, theres no incentive for mechanics to find faults that dont exist.
Thousands of savvy MoneySavers have used these test centres and report their cars consistently passed the test or were told they needed fewer repairs than when compared to having MOTs done at other garages (add feedback/read others).
So while you may miss out on the special cheap MOT testing deal, the money you save in repairs should make up for it. Of course there are no guarantees, you may go to a Local Council test centre and be told repairs are needed, which is good, as its for your safety and you always want to know if your cars got a problem.
If your vehicle does fail its MOT, then once the repairs have been completed it needs to be retested.
The retest is free if .
The repairs are done elsewhere and are brought back to the original test centre for a retest within ten working days.
Doesnt this mean it's better to have an MOT where repairs can be done?
There is a fine balance here. The likelihood is if you need repairs, the cost of the additional half-fee that may be necessary will be small compared to the cost of the repairs. The feedback from MoneySavers whove followed this is that the savings from the lack of repairs needed after using a Local Council MOT centre are much greater than any potential extra fee cost.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1126540795,61463,
There are two costs and its important to look at both in conjunction.
- The MOT Itself. The fees arent fixed, but there are set maximums for tests. From 7 Nov. 2006 these are £50.35 for cars, 4x4s and caravans; £34.65 for motorbikes with side cars or £27.15 for motorbikes.
- The Cost of Repairs. This is the really big one, you may be able to find a cheap special offer £20 MOT, but if the repairs on the back end come to £1,500, then thats irrelevant.
This is all about using Local Council/Government MOT test centres. Many local councils have their own MOT testing stations for council vehicles (i.e. buses and ambulances). Yet by law these test centres must be open to the general public. As they only carry out tests, and not repairs, theres no incentive for mechanics to find faults that dont exist.
Thousands of savvy MoneySavers have used these test centres and report their cars consistently passed the test or were told they needed fewer repairs than when compared to having MOTs done at other garages (add feedback/read others).
So while you may miss out on the special cheap MOT testing deal, the money you save in repairs should make up for it. Of course there are no guarantees, you may go to a Local Council test centre and be told repairs are needed, which is good, as its for your safety and you always want to know if your cars got a problem.
If your vehicle does fail its MOT, then once the repairs have been completed it needs to be retested.
The retest is free if .
- The repairs are done at the test centre and its retested within ten days.
- The repairs are done elsewhere and its returned to the test centre by the end of the next working day. However to qualify for this all the failure points must be within the following list:
Bonnet, boot lid, brake pedal anti-slip, direction indicators, doors, dropsides, fuel filler cap, hazard warning, horn, lamps, loading door, mirrors, rear reflectors, registration plates, seatbelts (but not anchorages), seats, sharp edges or projections, steering wheel, tailboard, tailgate, vehicle identification number (VIN), windscreen and glass, windscreen wipers/washers, wheels and tyres (though these last two are not applicable to motorbikes and sidecars).
The repairs are done elsewhere and are brought back to the original test centre for a retest within ten working days.
Doesnt this mean it's better to have an MOT where repairs can be done?
There is a fine balance here. The likelihood is if you need repairs, the cost of the additional half-fee that may be necessary will be small compared to the cost of the repairs. The feedback from MoneySavers whove followed this is that the savings from the lack of repairs needed after using a Local Council MOT centre are much greater than any potential extra fee cost.
