An MOT test is a yearly roadworthiness test that all vehicles over three years old must pass before being allowed back on the UK’s roads.
The test consists of checking each vehicle’s general condition, lights, seats, wheels and tyres, brakes, steering, bodywork and exhausts. The tester also records any visible damage or missing parts. Vehicles must be in good working order to pass the standard safety requirements.
When your car passes, it will receive and Citroen MOT Northampton certificate which you should keep with your service history book for future reference. This forms part of your car’s complete service history, so it could prove helpful when selling your car just as much as when buying one. If it failed the test, then there are some things you could do to put it right before you have it tested again.
The purpose of the MOT test was initially to ensure that vehicles on the UK roads were safe for the driver and other road users and were environmentally friendly. While this is still a requirement, many vehicle faults can be easily fixed nowadays, so you might wonder why a car would fail its test. The main reason that vehicles fail their MOT is that they present a danger to other road users or emit too much pollution into the atmosphere.
The different parts of the MOT test:
- Brakes and steering
- Lights,
- Seats, wheels and tyres.
- Bodywork (including number plates)
- Exhausts.
- Lights (including direction indicators/tail lights)
- Registration plates (including chassis and body numbers).
- Seat belts (whether fitted or not fitted).
If any of the requirements are not met by your vehicle, you will be given a list called Particulars of Test, which will tell you what is wrong with your car and how to put it right before taking your car back for re-testing. This must also include any items that need to be repaired simultaneously as the test is carried out.
The tester will record on your MOT certificate whether or not each item passes the requirement on the MOT checklist. Still, you must also receive a Particulars of Test sheet detailing any defects found which need fixing before re-testing.
MOT manuals can be purchased from most good book shops for around £10. It would benefit you to have one, so you know what your tester will be looking for when he comes to inspect your vehicle. If this sounds like too much of an inconvenience for you, then many garages and MOT centres offer to check your vehicle’s MOT status while it is being serviced.
It usually takes around 20 minutes to complete the test, but this could vary depending on the severity of any faults or items that need attention.
You will be responsible for covering the cost of any repairs needed before a retest can be carried out. Test fees are not refundable should your car fail. However, some garages do offer a courtesy car if yours fails its initial test.
In theory, anything goes when modifying your vehicle other than what is stated in the MOT guidelines. This doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t have problems with local authorities or police stopping you due to modifying your vehicle, even if it’s something as simple as stickers or additional lighting. The MOT centre will only consider the safety of your modifications when they are carrying out their inspection, so before you go ahead with any extensive changes in your car, ensure that you take the time to research the possible road legality issues. It wouldn’t be too much fun should your newly modified exhaust system result in you receiving a hefty fine!
There are many ways that you can prepare yourself for taking your car in for its MOT test. Some garages offer free MOT preparation advice while others will tell you what work needs doing and then let you decide if the work is worth having done or not. If you know there are faults on your vehicle but don’t know how serious they are; then you could always take the car to two different garages and ask for their recommendations. You may also wish to check out our section on preparing your car for MOT Northampton, where we explain everything from tyres, brakes and exterior checks, which will make your car fail its MOT test.