No MOT - Distance to MOT station
Discussion
Just curious about this...
I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
ph9 said:
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay)
The MoT tests way more than major faults. ph9 said:
If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
There is a requirement that a car is roadworthy if used on public roads. This applies at all times, including going to/from an MoT test, and to/from having repairs done. With the car being unfamiliar to you (you haven't purchased it yet, or even seen it), and with it not even having an MoT, the chance that its not roadworthy is very strong, albeit we just don't know. What if you turned up to buy it (a long distance away) and it turned out it wasn't roadworthy so couldn't be driven home, what's your plan B? Return on public transport and collect at a later date? But in answer to the narrow question, there is no distance requirement in the exemption you are hoping to use, to drive to an MoT test for a pre-booked appointment.
ph9 said:
Just curious about this...
I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
If any defects were present, then it would be probably unroadworthy, so illegal to drive.I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
AIUI, people have been stopped or ANPR ticketed for no tax and/or no MOT on this kind of journey, so you could potentially find yourself with the hassle of proving the exemption applied.
AIUI, the exemption is for the 'sole purpose' of an MOT test, so that means driving straight to a test station, not via home, and it might still be said that the purpose of the trip was partly to re-locate the car?
So you might need an afternoon MOT appointment and an early start to get to the car? I'd probably drop it at my local garage at night for them to MOT in the morning, but there's a (small?) risk of getting caught parking an untaxed car on the road.
Personally, I've had mixed experiences with cars (and bikes) which have not been used much in the last year, particularly brakes playing up. I would not choose to be on the hard shoulder in the rain, with a smouldering seized caliper, arguing with some traffic womble. If it hasn't been driven much for 15 months or so, I'd be nervous.
Check your recovery T&C's, I'm told they can be grumpy about this kind of thing, because some amateur traders take the mick.
How old is the car ? How likely is a first-time MOT pass?
How cheap is the car/how badly do you want it?
I think I'd suggest getting an MOT local to the vendor if reasonably possible.
It's one of those scenarios where it will probably be fine, but people can be unlucky?
From the answers to the question below and similar might help determine the course of action.
How old is the car? 5 years old or 20 years old.
What is the condition advertised to be?
When was it last regularly used?
How capable are you at inspecting and determining whether it is roadworthy or not?
How old is the car? 5 years old or 20 years old.
What is the condition advertised to be?
When was it last regularly used?
How capable are you at inspecting and determining whether it is roadworthy or not?
ph9 said:
Just curious about this...
I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
Yes it's fine to drive straight to an MOT centre for a booked test regardless of distance - 1000 miles is my personal best on this little challenge (Dresden to Penzance).I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
ph9 said:
Just curious about this...
I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
Unless you know of anything that makes the car unroadworthy then drive as far as you like. You will still need to be insured, but I think the only real caveat is you must go straight there - no going from London to Cardiff via Manchester or anything like that.I've seen a car advertised for sale about 150 miles from me. The MOT expired about four or five months ago due to the owner being unable to drive. The only advisory on the last MOT was for slightly discoloured indicators.
Assuming there were no major faults with the car (ie tyres and brakes all okay) If I were to book the car into my local garage\MOT centre would it be legal to drive the car there?
The alternatives would be to hire a car transporter trailer to bring it back, or to try and arrange an MOT at a garage near to where the car is currently located, but I don't know any garages in that area, and it could be awkward to arrange, especially if any defects were found.
Antony Moxey said:
Unless you know of anything that makes the car unroadworthy then drive as far as you like. You will still need to be insured, but I think the only real caveat is you must go straight there - no going from London to Cardiff via Manchester or anything like that.
Is ignorance a defence when it comes to 'roadworthy'?Antony Moxey said:
Unless you know of anything that makes the car unroadworthy then drive as far as you like.
Ignorance is not a defence (of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986). Given that you might end up stranded, and your breakdown probably has a clause that requires a vehicle to have been owned for 24-48 hours, it would be prudent to thoroughly check its roadworthiness before doing the trip home anyway.OutInTheShed said:
Antony Moxey said:
Unless you know of anything that makes the car unroadworthy then drive as far as you like. You will still need to be insured, but I think the only real caveat is you must go straight there - no going from London to Cardiff via Manchester or anything like that.
Is ignorance a defence when it comes to 'roadworthy'?Right bunch of Dangerous Brians in here these days.
OP I would personally set aside philosophical debates about what constitutes “sole purpose” and whether it’s practicable for drivers to know without doubt that their car is capable of passing an mot at every moment of their ownership and use of the vehicle, go get the car, and drive it to a pre booked MoT near you.
If the car is clearly dangerous to drive then plainly don’t drive it, use your judgement and don’t forget that when you go to look at puppies expect to leave with a puppy… but I’d leave the hand wringing at home.
OP I would personally set aside philosophical debates about what constitutes “sole purpose” and whether it’s practicable for drivers to know without doubt that their car is capable of passing an mot at every moment of their ownership and use of the vehicle, go get the car, and drive it to a pre booked MoT near you.
If the car is clearly dangerous to drive then plainly don’t drive it, use your judgement and don’t forget that when you go to look at puppies expect to leave with a puppy… but I’d leave the hand wringing at home.
FNG said:
Right bunch of Dangerous Brians in here these days.
OP I would personally set aside philosophical debates about what constitutes sole purpose and whether it s practicable for drivers to know without doubt that their car is capable of passing an mot at every moment of their ownership and use of the vehicle, go get the car, and drive it to a pre booked MoT near you.
If the car is clearly dangerous to drive then plainly don t drive it, use your judgement and don t forget that when you go to look at puppies expect to leave with a puppy but I d leave the hand wringing at home.
This. All day long. OP I would personally set aside philosophical debates about what constitutes sole purpose and whether it s practicable for drivers to know without doubt that their car is capable of passing an mot at every moment of their ownership and use of the vehicle, go get the car, and drive it to a pre booked MoT near you.
If the car is clearly dangerous to drive then plainly don t drive it, use your judgement and don t forget that when you go to look at puppies expect to leave with a puppy but I d leave the hand wringing at home.
I can’t beat the previous chap for distance and, technically, it didn’t need an MOT. BUT I recently drove a car back from York to Surrey after standing for a year.
Quick look over, it was clearly well looked after so no qualms at all.
181 miles is my record for distance between car purchase (with no MOT) to MOT test station (it was a pre-booked test and the garage had it's reg make and model and I added it to my insurance the day before and had a copy of the cover note.(I also had a comprehensive spares package and the tools I needed for most roadside repairs)
Car was a Vauxhall Senator in white and I know Senators very well indeed so after a lift up there, a new battery (old one was knackered and seller was totally honest about it) and a good check over and after shoving 20 litres of fresh fuel to dilute the dregs in the tank I was quite comfortable about driving it that distance.
It did FTP on the way home but fixed it at the roadside
In the past I'd done the same thing over a similar distance and actually got pulled over by the BIB about 10 miles from the test station - we had a conversation I explained where I was taking it for the MOT and they gave me an escort right to the yard (ok followed me to make sure I wasn't telling lies) Dropped it off - posted the keys in the letterbox and then rang a mate to pick me up and give me a lift home
Both cars passed with a couple of minor advisories
Car was a Vauxhall Senator in white and I know Senators very well indeed so after a lift up there, a new battery (old one was knackered and seller was totally honest about it) and a good check over and after shoving 20 litres of fresh fuel to dilute the dregs in the tank I was quite comfortable about driving it that distance.
It did FTP on the way home but fixed it at the roadside
In the past I'd done the same thing over a similar distance and actually got pulled over by the BIB about 10 miles from the test station - we had a conversation I explained where I was taking it for the MOT and they gave me an escort right to the yard (ok followed me to make sure I wasn't telling lies) Dropped it off - posted the keys in the letterbox and then rang a mate to pick me up and give me a lift home
Both cars passed with a couple of minor advisories
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