Huge gap on MOT would you be wary

[Vantroublempg]

Ive found an ideal van for work. Its just passed its MOT with 0 advisories and is being sold at a reputable garage. I say reputable theyve sold over 50 cars/vans this year with 0 bad feedback. What worries me about this one though is i ran an MOT check. 2017 failed on engine oil leak. Then 2017 2 days later it passed.... it then didnt have an MOT until yesterday where it passed first time.

Should i be wary? Ive never seen a 2 year MOT gap id understand forgetting for a month or 2 but.... 2 year? Anyway the garage has said he probably forgot but will look into it. Theyve also given 3 months warranty and 12 months free AA breakdown. Not sure whether to risk it. The dealer seems a good company not your back street type as they have over 100 cars/vans in stock. Just wary of this gap and no from experience warranty is always good on paper until you need to use it, then its a headache.

On their feedback ive found 2 customers from 219 saying they needed repairs and i quote 'where done without hassle'. So they seem honest. Not sure what to do.

Edited by Vantroublempg on Thursday 13th June 09:15

[Equus]

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[Butter Face]

It's not two years though is it? It's 1 year.

MOT in 2017-2018

What month in 2018 did it expire? It is odd for it to be out of MOT for so long, likely been sat around on a forecourt for sale.

[LordGrover]

Anyway, if you have any doubts - few vans are unique - there must be plenty out there with a complete history if that's what you want.

[Vantroublempg]

Sorry no its worse.
Says 'date tested august 2016' advisories bad engine oil leak. And slight knocking when driving. Now yesterday passed first time hmmm. Thats well over 3 years actually. Seems odd. The mileage has also only gone up 7k in that time.

[Vantroublempg]

Its on for £2995 and looks spot on, 3 months warranty, aa cover etc etc but 2016 - 2019 no history. Its all kept online now so not sure how youd get away with it for that long.

[Krikkit]

It's presumably been kept off the road or on a different plate.

Buy on current condition, anything else is a waste of faffery. MOT history has its drawbacks if you start obsessing over everything.

[Vantroublempg]

Krikkit said:

It's presumably been kept off the road or on a different plate.

Buy on current condition, anything else is a waste of faffery. MOT history has its drawbacks if you start obsessing over everything.

Think i may look elsewhere weirdly id of preferred it if the recent MOT had at least 1 adbisory to seem legitimate. If its been sorn for 2 years then suddenly passed 1st time that doesnt seem right. Id expect 1 advisory or fail when its not moved for years.

[Butter Face]

Vantroublempg said:

Krikkit said:

It's presumably been kept off the road or on a different plate.

Buy on current condition, anything else is a waste of faffery. MOT history has its drawbacks if you start obsessing over everything.

Think i may look elsewhere weirdly id of preferred it if the recent MOT had at least 1 adbisory to seem legitimate. If its been sorn for 2 years then suddenly passed 1st time that doesnt seem right. Id expect 1 advisory or fail when its not moved for years.

We do a 'sales check' on all of our used stock, it gets done before MOT and anything identified gets sorted.

Then when the MOT gets done it passes with no adivsories.

[Butter Face]

Butter Face said:

Vantroublempg said:

Krikkit said:

It's presumably been kept off the road or on a different plate.

Buy on current condition, anything else is a waste of faffery. MOT history has its drawbacks if you start obsessing over everything.

Think i may look elsewhere weirdly id of preferred it if the recent MOT had at least 1 adbisory to seem legitimate. If its been sorn for 2 years then suddenly passed 1st time that doesnt seem right. Id expect 1 advisory or fail when its not moved for years.

.

We do a 'sales check' on all of our used stock, it gets done before MOT and anything identified gets sorted.

Then when the MOT gets done it passes with no advisories

[steveo3002]

go by condition , if it all checks out and drives as it should whats the problem

mot isnt much to go by anyway

[Krikkit]

Butter Face said:

Vantroublempg said:

Krikkit said:

It's presumably been kept off the road or on a different plate.

Buy on current condition, anything else is a waste of faffery. MOT history has its drawbacks if you start obsessing over everything.

Think i may look elsewhere weirdly id of preferred it if the recent MOT had at least 1 advisory to seem legitimate. If its been sorn for 2 years then suddenly passed 1st time that doesnt seem right. Id expect 1 advisory or fail when its not moved for years.

We do a 'sales check' on all of our used stock, it gets done before MOT and anything identified gets sorted.

Then when the MOT gets done it passes with no adivsories.

Exactly, not unusual in the trade at all. After all, everyone obsesses over the slightest advisory now.

[Vantroublempg]

Wouldnt say people 'obsess' over any advisory or issue its hard earned money down the drain sometimes so people like to be as sure as possible. Nobody wants to lose their money.

[wiliferus]

Vantroublempg said:

Think i may look elsewhere weirdly id of preferred it if the recent MOT had at least 1 adbisory to seem legitimate. If its been sorn for 2 years then suddenly passed 1st time that doesnt seem right. Id expect 1 advisory or fail when its not moved for years.

You say that... I had a Mk3 Mondeo with a mystery electrical fault. It didn’t turn a wheel for 13 months.
Got the problem sorted and booked it for an MOT 10 miles away.
Took it to the MOT station down the back roads rather than the motorway and gave it death. Revving it hard to clear any build up, heavy braking to clear rust, and just generally gave it a good spanking.
Passed no advisories.

Edited by wiliferus on Thursday 13th June 10:05

[anonymous-user]

You are worrying a lot over a used van with a warranty.

My TVR has a 5 year gap where it was barn parked. Most solid TVR I've owned and last mot had one minor advisory.