Avoiding MOT fails / advisories - such thing as a pre test?

[Lemsip]

Apologies for the likely stupid question.

I have been following the shed mentality for the past 20 years, largely buying 10+ year old cars, and self servicing.

Come MOT time, I would always test first, then repair and 'service' (oil and filters) after. This allows me to catch any terminal MOT issues before wasting time and money.

Since pretty much every car I have owned has ended it's time with me at a scrap yard or sold to the local banger racing lads, the horrendous MOT histories have been irrelevant.

I now have a nicer than usual shed (a summer house? A garden room?), a 9 year old spotless F31 320xd with zero MOT failures and a single advisory in it's previous history.

It's a manual however, and I really want a 330 auto, so there's every chance I actually sell this car in the next year or two.

So that leads to my question - can I ask a garage to do a pre test / off the system MOT, then fix anything before the official test?

Or is it just a case of being more proactive in general, servicing beforehand and perhaps downloading an MOT manual?

[meb90]

A lot of garages will do a pre-MOT test, for a fee of course. It is doing an MOT test, but without putting it on the system officially.

You can then fix anything needing doing and then MOT officially.

I'm not sure I see the need to keep a 'clean' MOT history, but it is your choice

[macron]

Yes, of course, many will happily charge you twice,.once without it plugged in and they'll tell you if anything needs doing, and if not they repeat it connected to the DVLA.

Usually it's a "pre-MOT".

But.... Will it really add value to the car in question? Will any other buyer care or place a £50 premium for it having possibly a clean run?

[Lemsip]

Great really helpful thanks.

Re will anyone care, I've no idea. I have always given some weight to MOT histories as it suggests proactive maintenance. But really this is pretty new to me, having literally never bought a car with the intention of selling it on.

[MB140]

If I saw a car with absolutely nothing ever picked up as an advisory I would be quite suspicious of the standard of the MOT done on it (assuming same owner using same mot station).

I would much rather see advisory’s with paperwork to correct the advisory.