The ask an MOT tester thread
Discussion
Little Pete said:
2gins said:
If l put a car in with a very noisy serp belt that is very probably the alternator pulley bearings slowly becoming more and more oval, what are the likely and worst case outcomes?
I do intend to fix it and have the parts... Question of time is all!
If the same belt drives the power steering pump it may get an advisory. I do intend to fix it and have the parts... Question of time is all!
ked off and it's gone noisy.
XRMike said:
Have you ever had a cam belt snap on a diesel emission rev test? Also have you ever point blank refused to test a car based on its condition?
Not yet...I have never refused to test a car but have asked the owner to remove some stuff beforehand. Some cars are mobile skips, I find it hard to understand how someone can let a car get into such a state.
Nice thread! I'll bundle in with a few questions of my own:
Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
XRMike said:
Have you ever had a cam belt snap on a diesel emission rev test? Also have you ever point blank refused to test a car based on its condition?
One of my testers once left a rag on the air filter of a Transit after checking the oil. When he revved the engine for the smoke test it fell into the alternator belt, went behind the crank pulley and snapped the cam belt. I refused an Astra that had oil pouring out of the oil pressure switch. Owner reported me to VOSA -as it was then -for refusing to test it!
Also a heavily modded Saxo where the fuel filler had been moved to inside the B post and the pipe to the tank was leaking fuel. The owner had clipped a small fog lamp to the rear valance to get it through the test and had wrapped the excess wiring around the exhaust, about 12 inches away from the fuel leak!
I stopped a test on a Transit that had so much mud underneath I couldn’t make out the suspension components.
Little Pete said:
[quote=Who me ?]
The reason the seat is out as I need th space to carry the scooter.
If the seat is out there is no requirement to test the belt. However if the seat is just folded flat, the belt must be tested and the seat needs to be upright. The reason the seat is out as I need th space to carry the scooter. Thanks, that's useful info.
I've been thinking of removing the rear seats from my SWB Shogun to make abigger load space, but have refrained from doing so, as I imagined I'd have to bolt them in again for the MOT, which would be a pain.
Edited by sparkythecat on Monday 2nd September 08:16
sparkythecat said:
Thanks, that's useful info.
I've been thinking of removing the rear seats from my SWB Shogun to make abigger load space, but have refrained from doing so, as I imagined I'd have to bolt them in again for the MOT, which would be a pain.
I've seen a few farmers take the rear seats out of discoverys and use them as a 4x4 van. They never had any problems with MOTs. I've been thinking of removing the rear seats from my SWB Shogun to make abigger load space, but have refrained from doing so, as I imagined I'd have to bolt them in again for the MOT, which would be a pain.
Often new or nearly new, like skips inside, full of mud and general farmers junk.
bolidemichael said:
Nice thread! I'll bundle in with a few questions of my own:
Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
You can usually guess the ones that will pass and fail, advisory items .... it’s more about the tester than the car. Ours will be fairly consistent although one is a little more over zealous with the advisory items, however they are consistent if they test the car a year later. What you can often spot is when a car is sold with 12 months mot and then tested a year later, advisories go from nothing to quite a few. Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
A mot is a very basic check and if you want to know the true condition then pay to have it inspected.
With advisory items where tyres are getting low people just brush it off usually by saying i’m Selling the car....then 12 months later they still have it.
bolidemichael said:
Nice thread! I'll bundle in with a few questions of my own:
Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
Minimum standards apply to the test, it is a long way away from what an inspection would flag up, so I would say no.Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
A clean vehicle is always appreciated as some of the bins we have to test are unhygienic at best! It certainly makes me feel like the owner may keep on top of a car if it is clean, but please, no tyre dressing, stupid stuff gets everywhere!
I know of 15 year + cars that have never had an advisory, the cars are well maintained and I would not have any worries on that score .
Codotuk said:
On number plates -
if you have a dateless registration does it need the gap between the letters and numbers?
As the rules say about gap between the age identifier and dateless plates don’t have that.
On a motorbike plate does it have to be on 2 lines if it fits on 1?
Cheers
Vehicles with non-date related plates, such as those issued before 1963 and Northern Ireland plates must still meet the separation requirement between groups of characters where relevant.if you have a dateless registration does it need the gap between the letters and numbers?
As the rules say about gap between the age identifier and dateless plates don’t have that.
On a motorbike plate does it have to be on 2 lines if it fits on 1?
Cheers
I don't test motorcycles so I am unsure regarding that.
williamp said:
Anyone try to bribe you?
I'll pass any car in any condition for £1million cash up front 
bolidemichael said:
Nice thread! I'll bundle in with a few questions of my own:
Does an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
1) better than nothingDoes an MOT test when looking to buy a vehicle give an informed view as to its condition, as opposed to its roadworthiness?
Does a clean vehicle in and out create a positive view of the vehicle - enough to colour a view on potential advisories?
If a vehicle has little or no advisories, does that indicate that it is mechanically sound and well looked after?
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
2) Yes, it shouldn't do, but if you bring your car in stinking and cacked in mud it pisses the tester off with the inevitable human reaction
3) Not necessarily.
4) Low mileage not a problem, car at 100K yeah Id be curious
Codotuk said:
On number plates -
if you have a dateless registration does it need the gap between the letters and numbers?
As the rules say about gap between the age identifier and dateless plates don’t have that.
On a motorbike plate does it have to be on 2 lines if it fits on 1?
Cheers
1) Yes. ZZ 11 for example is correct. ZZ11 wouldn't beif you have a dateless registration does it need the gap between the letters and numbers?
As the rules say about gap between the age identifier and dateless plates don’t have that.
On a motorbike plate does it have to be on 2 lines if it fits on 1?
Cheers
2) Assuming the letters are the correct size, it'll be quite a long plate wont it?
S1KRR said:
bolidemichael said:
Nice thread! I'll bundle in with a few questions of my own:
Should we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
4) Low mileage not a problem, car at 100K yeah Id be curiousShould we be suspicious of vehicles that have never received an MOT advisory over many years?
bolidemichael said:
Thanks all for your informative responses. Picking up on this final point, would the only way to spot a pattern be to enter the latest V5C number in order to view the test locations in order to evaluate if it was continually the same tester or premises?
Yes it would. We do not have any more info to hand than you, I use the history to see if it was advised on anything previously before I test a car for my own reference, sometimes the fault is there, sometimes not, fixed or otherwise..Just curious, but how did the tester of my BMW E91 determine that is was "at operating temperature" for the emissions test last year given that it didn't have a temperature gauge? 
And why did it get an advisory for worn rear brake pads when the OBC showed 22K miles?
Isn't the test supposed to reflect the performance on the day the car is tested, rather than it's potential longevity?
Or did I miss something? (Like revenue generation maybe).
And why did it get an advisory for worn rear brake pads when the OBC showed 22K miles?
Isn't the test supposed to reflect the performance on the day the car is tested, rather than it's potential longevity?
Or did I miss something? (Like revenue generation maybe).
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