MOT question

[brightspark]

id.just take it to the garage and ask them to check the brakes steering and suspension and give them 30 quid. saves you looking yourself and you know the jobs right why bother getting underneath and check give em cash and they will snap your hand off

 

[8ob]

Most of the folk running historic tax/mot exempt cars/bikes know their vehicles inside out, I would be very surprised if any would knowingly drive one in a dangerous condition. Bedsides that an MOT cert is only saying the vehicle was roadworthy at the time of inspection, its counts for diddly squat six months down the road.

Bob

 

[brightspark]

Most of the folk running historic tax/mot exempt cars/bikes know their vehicles inside out, I would be very surprised if any would knowingly drive one in a dangerous condition. Bedsides that an MOT cert is only saying the vehicle was roadworthy at the time of inspection, its counts for diddly squat six months down the road.

Bob

it counts for nothing the day after at some places ive seen cars been bought with a years ticket on them with a dodgy tire and other bits as well

 

[doubleboost]

I passed this last year

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

The main benefit of having the MOT document is to quash anyone trying to say the car wasn't road worthy...basically it'll be a helpful piece of paperwork should you need it. An engineers report would do the same job I think...otherwise there is always the issue of "whether something was missed" during an owners inspection....reasonable doubt and all that nonsense!

Another option might be to keep an inspection book detailing when things have been inspected/replaced so you can show you maintained the vehicle to a good standard.

 

[doubleboost]

I charge 45 quid for a MOT
That is less than a quid a week
Surely it is a no brainer
If you are frighted it might fail ,should you really be driving it

 

[PhillipM]

Most people I know running classics know diddly squat about keeping themselves safe but they're right up there about the right wire colour for their Lucas headlamps to keep it original

 

[mr haynes]

I think you'll find most running classics are aware of their 'foibles and eccentricities', such as lack of brakes, and drive round them

 

[optima21]

I'd still want an annual MOT for my triumph herald when its rebuilt over the years MOT's have brough up issues with the rear drum brakes on 3 occasions ( in the last 20 years) where you don't know from driving the car, and one of them was a 2 year old wheel cylinder that failed and was leaking brake fluid into the brake drum

 

[owas]

I'd still want an annual MOT for my triumph herald when its rebuilt over the years MOT's have brough up issues with the rear drum brakes on 3 occasions ( in the last 20 years) where you don't know from driving the car, and one of them was a 2 year old wheel cylinder that failed and was leaking brake fluid into the brake drum

I had the same,
No idea I had non existent rear brakes till they were tested, only saw them both leaking with the drums off

 

[zx9]

Bedsides that an MOT cert is only saying the vehicle was roadworthy at the time of inspection, its counts for diddly squat six months down the road.

At the time of, as in whilst it is still on the premises, anything could have happened to it after the ticket was issued. (my bold above)

 

[rtbcomp]

... Bedsides that an MOT cert is only saying the vehicle was roadworthy at the time of inspection, its counts for diddly squat six months down the road.

Bob

That applies to all cars, not just classics

 

[ibrooks]

The plus side of an MOT test over an "inspection" is that there is a very definite checklist for the tester to go through and in theory a standard way of checking the things on the list. An independantly developed inspection may or may not cover all the same things - it could be the best test in the world and tailored perfectly for your car but it could just as easily be a cursory glance and drive around the block.

Personally I'd keep taking it for an MOT and if it should fail on something fix it the same as I would with any other car.

There are exemptions built into the test that certain vehicles don't need to meet the same standard as a brand new vehicle i.e. the emissions standard on one of my cars is "visual check" so if it's not kicking out clouds of smoke then it's a pass (same vehicle is actually running a closed loop fuel injection system and would probably give my daily driver a run for it's money on fuel efficiency but hey that's a modification to the original spec). I've another car that is not to be tested on brake rollers (permanent 4x4 with viscous coupling). So it shouldn't be the case that your car will fail just because it's an older design.

 

[knighty]

I've another car that is not to be tested on brake rollers (permanent 4x4 with viscous coupling). So it shouldn't be the case that your car will fail just because it's an older design.

I don't know about older cars. but garages near me have a 'balance/g force thing' (I can't remember what it's called) - they drive down the road and jame the breaks on, the little thing measures how fast the 4x4 stopped, not sure if it tells them pass/fail or if it gives them a number and they check a book or something

 

[rtbcomp]

^^Tapley meter?

 

[earthman]

Why not use the same check list every mot guy uses? If you want another pair of eyes looking at things why not ask a friend who's also into cars??

 

[rtbcomp]

As mentioned, if an issue came to court the opinion of a qualified MOT tester would carry more weight than a mate who doesn't have any qualifications in that subject.

 

[earthman]

As mentioned, if an issue came to court the opinion of a qualified MOT tester would carry more weight than a mate who doesn't have any qualifications in that subject.

You could say that about any aged car that's been involved in a serious accident though and unless the accident happened straight after an MOT had been issued, how much 'weight' would it carry anyway?

We all know that it's down to the owner to keep a vehicle in a road worthy condition throughout the whole year.

If the powers that be have decided that it's OK for owners of historic vehicles not to take them for an MOT, that's fine by me, when my bike hit's that age I personally won't, I do keep 'on top of it' maintenance wise though, to my wife's annoyance.

 

[doubleboost]

The MOT has exemptions for old vehicles
Fog lights , Seat belts ETC
I find it really hard to believe that a classic car enthusiast wont pay less than a quid a week to have the vehicle properly inspected

 

[Gritineye]

MOT or not, after a serious accident where the owner is found to have done his own maintenance the car will often be inspected by the police.

I once saw how good these inspectors are when one of them missed an empty brake master cylinder.