Buying a used car MOT query

[Rmb398]

Hi Folks, I wouldn't call myself a 'Piston Head's per-se but I'm currently trying to buy a used car and I have a query that I think you folk with all your collective experience may well be able to help with.
I know enough to check the MOT history when looking at a car. I've noticed that on some cars when they've had a fail - for something that has then been fixed and it's been re-rested, I see the MOT number (lots of digits long all numbers) isn't necessarily higher on the test that it's passes. This seems a little odd to me - surely if it's been retested within a few days the MOT number would actually be higher.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Do hope someone out there can help.
All the best
Ruth

[cuprabob]

Rmb398 said:

Hi Folks, I wouldn't call myself a 'Piston Head's per-se but I'm currently trying to buy a used car and I have a query that I think you folk with all your collective experience may well be able to help with.
I know enough to check the MOT history when looking at a car. I've noticed that on some cars when they've had a fail - for something that has then been fixed and it's been re-rested, I see the MOT number (lots of digits long all numbers) isn't necessarily higher on the test that it's passes. This seems a little odd to me - surely if it's been retested within a few days the MOT number would actually be higher.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Do hope someone out there can help.
All the best
Ruth

Hi Ruth, welcome to Pistonheads.

If you post your question on the following thread an MOT tester will be able to explain.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[OutInTheShed]

The test numbers don't seem to be in any sort of order.
My car has been MOT'd at the same place for the last few years, and the numbers are all over the place, even with a re-test a couple of days later due to waiting for a few brake parts.

[Rmb398]

Thanks so much. I know next to nothing about these things and I'm having to buy a different car after being crashed into. It's so difficult