Free MOT tests with RAC cover?

[lornemalvo]

I'm looking at breakdown cover and the RAC have a cover that includes free MOT tests at "selected RAC approved garages". I've looked into this and there is at least one relatively close to me. I'm told they are only paid £25 by the RAC for an MOT, which can't be profitable.. Call me cynical, but I wonder whether this provides an incentive for MOT garages to "find" faults during the test, hoping to recoup something, whereas I trust the MOT centre I currently use implicitly. . Has anyone any experience of these free MOTs?

[Pica-Pica]

Always separate linked deals. Never worth it. Plenty of people have been fleeing from the RAC on here. The RAC model probably worked when cars were less reliable.

[ScoobyChris]

I don't think they will be issuing dodgy MOTs but if they find faults, they might exaggerate their seriousness and/or the cost to fix them to make it profitable.

With these sort of deals, if you are confident in the condition of the car, they are a bargain. If not, they are a minefield and you need to go in with open eyes.

Chris

[Red9zero]

A friend buys cars from a main dealer that do free MoT`s while you own the car, which he is very smug about. Wouldn't be so bad if the dealer wasn't 20 miles away, with nothing around there, so they end up taking two cars. Failure rate isn't too bad, other than bulbs or tyres, which he really should be checking beforehand really.

[Zetec-S]

ScoobyChris said:

I don't think they will be issuing dodgy MOTs but if they find faults, they might exaggerate their seriousness and/or the cost to fix them to make it profitable.

With these sort of deals, if you are confident in the condition of the car, they are a bargain. If not, they are a minefield and you need to go in with open eyes.

Chris

Agreed. I don't think many garages will be prepared to risk losing their MOT approval status. The money will come from fixing genuine issues, and bear in mind something like 20-30% of vehicles fail an MOT at the first attempt, there's probably a lot of "low hanging fruit" - bulbs, tires, wiper blades, etc, which the garage can charge a small premium on and fix straight away as the customer just wants their car back and doesn't have time (or is inclined) to shop around.

[OverSteery]

Cheap MOTs seem to come with a free "advisory" that the brake pads need changing......

[Fred2016]

I once had a free Mot from Tesco. Used the voucher in a garage in Bury St Edmunds. They failed the car and informed me the exhaust was so rotten they were refusing to allow me to drive the car away. I informed him the exhaust was stainless steel and three years old to which he replied "The tester and I have over 20 years experience each and your exhaust is rotten". He then quoted me over £300 to repair it. I stood my ground, took it home and found a leaking exhaust Olive which cost about £4. Needless to say I'm a little sceptical about "free" Mots.