MOT clean sheet

[sunnyb13]

Just had the annual MOT and for the 8th year in a row not a single advisory. Got me thinking, anyone got an old car that's never had an advisory?

Edited by sunnyb13 on Tuesday 7th October 14:16

[alanshuff]

Can't say i've had an older car (or even newer car) without an advisory somewhere in its history.

To be honest, if i was buying a car i'd generally be suspicious of an older car that's never had an advisory given the low bar for incurring them.

[Super Sonic]

My current civic recently passed no advisories, it's the first time I've ever seen one!

[Richard-390a0]

I'd be suspicious too, but that said my high mileage daily has nine clean passes in a row mainly due to the tester being too bone idle to note the minor multiple stone chips in the windscreen or when the pads are getting low etc as he usually tells me verbally instead.

[CraigyMc]

sunnyb13 said:

Just had the annual MOT and for the 8th year in a row not a single advisory. Got me thinking, anyone got an old car that's never had an advisory?

Edited by sunnyb13 on Tuesday 7th October 14:16

Mine's 14 and hasn't had a single advisory, but I go out of my way to make that happen.

[Rough101]

I had a Range Rover welded under warranty for its first MOT and a first time fail with a Maserati that had its wiring loom flopping close to the rear brake caliper, again under warranty.

Sometimes hard to keep a clean sheet!

[carlove]

It wasn’t an old car but my Astra managed up to its third MOT with no advisories in my ownership. then I got rid of it and the new owner got a fail on the fourth for neither headlight bulbs working, good to see it’s still being looked after!

[anyoldcardave]

alanshuff said:

Can't say i've had an older car (or even newer car) without an advisory somewhere in its history.

To be honest, if i was buying a car i'd generally be suspicious of an older car that's never had an advisory given the low bar for incurring them.

Agree with that, but I have taken cars from a main agent with a fail or long list of advisories that has gained a clear sheet without touching anything and making my tester aware of this as I will be selling.

Mot testers are human, so there is no consistency lol.

[Panamax]

alanshuff said:

To be honest, if I was buying a car I'd generally be suspicious of an older car that's never had an advisory given the low bar for incurring them.

Of all the things in life to worry about that one wouldn't even make it onto the bottom of my list.

On the other hand you're right, the bar is low, and it always seems odd to me that PH purists fret about them.

[John D.]

CraigyMc said:

sunnyb13 said:

Just had the annual MOT and for the 8th year in a row not a single advisory. Got me thinking, anyone got an old car that's never had an advisory?

Edited by sunnyb13 on Tuesday 7th October 14:16

Mine's 14 and hasn't had a single advisory, but I go out of my way to make that happen.

Do you erase all record of repairs/worn parts from the service history too?

Edited by John D. on Tuesday 7th October 16:21

[Watcher of the skies]

My MG TF made it to it's 17th birthday before its first advisory for corrosion in the front suspension arms.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

No, but I always buy cars that are 10 years+ old.

My dream would be to buy a brand new car and maintain it so well that it never got an advisory on the MOT due to my OCD.

[lauda]

My car is 14 years old and has done 164,000 miles. The only advisory I've had in the last eight years is for an 'oil leak, but not excessive'. It clearly isn't excessive as it never seems to drink a drop of oil between annual services.

[Alex_225]

Not sure I've had one that has a flawless MOT history but my current Saab 9-3 diesel, has only had 3 advisories since it's first MOT in 2011 and has covered 149k now.

Admittedly, it failed it's MOT twice in it's life once due to tyre wear and once due to brake pads being low.

[brillomaster]

sunnyb13 said:

Just had the annual MOT and for the 8th year in a row not a single advisory. Got me thinking, anyone got an old car that's never had an advisory?

Edited by sunnyb13 on Tuesday 7th October 14:16

Go on, tell us more about the car, like, how old actually is it, does it leave the garage other than to go for the mot...

Edited by brillomaster on Tuesday 7th October 17:37

[Davie]

I'm also in the cynical camp... a clean sheet year on year could be an indication of something positive but equally, could be a very lenient MOT tester. I say that as I had access to the latter and on older stuff, a clean pass even made me nervous! Granted you can go polar opposite and have a tester who clearly has a chip on his shoulder and will go to the extreme.

For you guys getting the first advisory several years in, does it make your eye twitch / do you go full Karen mode on said tester or are you happy to accept?

[silentbrown]

I've had advisories for "Engine undertray prevented inspection of components" and "Child seat installed".

[Inbox]

The advisories can be misused e.g. over zealous tester, some of the MOT assessment is subjective or to try and drum up business.

Still the history taken in the round tells a story typically the first 5-10 years after the MOT is first required are usually clear without any advisories, then the minor ones start appearing.

You can make judgements based on the comments you see, I agree a total clean sheet for something 10+ years old can depending on the car be indicative but modern cars are much better built.

My old 2005 audi had a clean sheet up to 18 years old and 150k miles, different owner got advisories on tyres, the year after it was subframe and suspension arm corrosion but in my ownership the car got what was needed, when it needed using genuine parts.

[addey]

How do you know when your tyres/brakes need replacing if you don't wait til you get an MOT advisory for them

[Mark83]

I spent a few thousand before my previous car's last MOT only to get an advisory for having a child seat fitted in the back as they couldn't check the seat belt worked. Meh