MOT exemption for forty year old jalopies from May 2018
Discussion
TR4man said:
If you have one of these 40 plus year old classics and you choose to put it through an MOT test and it fails, can you not drive it?
It's just as roadworthy as it was before the test...You can't be prosecuted for not having a current test.
No different to a test fail in a car with a week or three left on the old ticket.
We have had this debate before. Personally I am glad to see the back of MOT testing for my cars. I just don't feel it appropriate to measure 40+ year old cars by standards of today, to give an example, the handbrake test, I cringe when testers nearly pull the lever out of the floor to get the required braking force on their readers.
Some owners will continue with voluntary annual testing, as well as providing a degree of reassurance it may emerge in the future that classics with continuous MOT history become more attractive to buyers compared with those cars for which testing has lapsed in the same way as FSH is seen as desirable with modern cars.
I do find it interesting that the the exiting pre 60 exemption barely created a ripple when introduced or subsequently yet moving the date on has created such waves.
Some owners will continue with voluntary annual testing, as well as providing a degree of reassurance it may emerge in the future that classics with continuous MOT history become more attractive to buyers compared with those cars for which testing has lapsed in the same way as FSH is seen as desirable with modern cars.
I do find it interesting that the the exiting pre 60 exemption barely created a ripple when introduced or subsequently yet moving the date on has created such waves.
RFC1 said:
Riley Blue said:
All it does is save you a few quid, your car will still have to be roadworthy, annual MOT inspection or not.
I disagree, it saves me a lot more than just a few quid. I have to allow a half day to take any of my cars for an mot. Thats working days, so if my 1970 Tuscan no longer needs this pre arranged appointment then thats fine by me.Don't intend to drive around in a deathtrap either so self governance is key . Maybe not all see this in the same light ??
Keep it stiff said:
I do find it interesting that the the exiting pre 60 exemption barely created a ripple when introduced or subsequently yet moving the date on has created such waves.
Perhaps it's because the new regulations will bring tens of thousands more cars into the exemption. It's a safe generalisation that these newer cars will be more likely to be in "regular" use.
The MOT failure rate for these cars is approaching 30%.
There will be several thousand additional cars on the road that would previously be mandatorily removed for rectification/repair.
I think that's an unnecessary step in the wrong direction.
Doesn’t matter how mechanically competent and diligent with maintaining a classic you are: unless you are lucky enough to have access to a lift of some description, you’re never going to be truly aware of rust or other issues you might not notice when working under the front/rear/a corner of your car.
My Amazon has had brand new brakes, springs, dampers, polybushes, brake lines & hoses (fitted by me) and new sills (not fitted by me!) in the last 3 years… I’m reasonably confident that it’ll fly through an MOT and that there are no horrors lurking. I’m still going to pay a local garage to inspect the old heap on their ramps once a year though for my own peace of mind.
Any responsible classic owner will do the same IMO.
I’ve said it before on PH, but it bears repeating: it’ll only take a couple of ‘high profile’ accidents involving MOT exempt classics for the Daily Mail, Express, The Sun* to start bleating ‘Get these old death traps off our roads! YOUR CHILD could be NEXT! (turn to page 5 for the latest pictures of that Kardashian woman’s arse as seen from the international space station)’.
If I were a cynical chap (and I am) I’d start to believe that this is the plan all along (the classic bit, not fat arses seen from space… although
).
My Amazon has had brand new brakes, springs, dampers, polybushes, brake lines & hoses (fitted by me) and new sills (not fitted by me!) in the last 3 years… I’m reasonably confident that it’ll fly through an MOT and that there are no horrors lurking. I’m still going to pay a local garage to inspect the old heap on their ramps once a year though for my own peace of mind.
Any responsible classic owner will do the same IMO.
I’ve said it before on PH, but it bears repeating: it’ll only take a couple of ‘high profile’ accidents involving MOT exempt classics for the Daily Mail, Express, The Sun* to start bleating ‘Get these old death traps off our roads! YOUR CHILD could be NEXT! (turn to page 5 for the latest pictures of that Kardashian woman’s arse as seen from the international space station)’.
If I were a cynical chap (and I am) I’d start to believe that this is the plan all along (the classic bit, not fat arses seen from space… although
).Man from the Government said:
“Tell you what, old chap. Have a monitoring box fitted and we’ll keep track of your driving & you'll be permitted to keep using your classic car. Don’t worry though. We have no plans to use a multi-faceted approach to road monitoring and pricing. A young driver here, a classic there, toll roads, foreign registered trucks… Nope, no connection. You can trust your Government".
- Other tabloid rags filled with bulls
t and faux outrage pandering to the lowest common denominator are available.
rene7 said:
v8fettler
If you're 'mechanically incompetant' why on earth would you want to own/drive an unreliable classic car?????
IMO part of the joys of classic ownership are the regular checks & 'tweaks' necessary to keep the car running nicely.
I'll be happy when my classic qualifies for MOT exemption - one less sneaky government tax I'll be paying for my motoring
I am mechanically incompetent and have owned zillions of classic cars. Am I not allowed to? I pay a bloke to fix them,If you're 'mechanically incompetant' why on earth would you want to own/drive an unreliable classic car?????
IMO part of the joys of classic ownership are the regular checks & 'tweaks' necessary to keep the car running nicely.
I'll be happy when my classic qualifies for MOT exemption - one less sneaky government tax I'll be paying for my motoring
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th January 12:39
Breadvan72 said:
rene7 said:
v8fettler
If you're 'mechanically incompetant' why on earth would you want to own/drive an unreliable classic car?????
IMO part of the joys of classic ownership are the regular checks & 'tweaks' necessary to keep the car running nicely.
I'll be happy when my classic qualifies for MOT exemption - one less sneaky government tax I'll be paying for my motoring
I am mechanically incompetent and have owned zillions of classic cars. Am I not allowed to? I pay a bloke to fix them,If you're 'mechanically incompetant' why on earth would you want to own/drive an unreliable classic car?????
IMO part of the joys of classic ownership are the regular checks & 'tweaks' necessary to keep the car running nicely.
I'll be happy when my classic qualifies for MOT exemption - one less sneaky government tax I'll be paying for my motoring
Keep it stiff said:
I do find it interesting that the the exiting pre 60 exemption barely created a ripple when introduced or subsequently yet moving the date on has created such waves.
I think, for some, its because, in terms of construction, by 1960, most mainstream cars were by then monocoque construction, with zero rust protection, and were already showing signs of structural problems.If I think back to car buying in the late 70's/early 80's, even 5-6 year cars built in the 70's (and now in that MOT-free category) had serious rot issues.
Granted, those that have survived another 40 years will likely have been restored, but its not a given, and even then, how well, or what horror stories have been well hidden.......?
Pre-60 exemption I can sort of relate to (plus it was the year that the MOT was introduced) and thus it would have been OK to have kept it as it was, and not made it rolling..............but, hey ho, we are where we are.
[, how well, or what horror stories have been well hidden.......?
[/quote]
This is my concern - someone could be driving a car in entirely good faith that is very shiny and smart and runs well, which they would understandably assume is good condition but which has terrible rust or some critical mechanical part which is about to fail endangering themselves and others.
Then there are people who know there is an issue but think its not too bad.
[/quote]
This is my concern - someone could be driving a car in entirely good faith that is very shiny and smart and runs well, which they would understandably assume is good condition but which has terrible rust or some critical mechanical part which is about to fail endangering themselves and others.
Then there are people who know there is an issue but think its not too bad.
Breadvan72 said:
I am mechanically incompetent and have owned zillions of classic cars. Am I not allowed to? I pay a bloke to fix them,
+1 But I still have the same mechanic run it up and go out for a spin in it every year, then go through it with a fine tooth comb. Costs me a very good lunch that does.There is a certain CAMRA style food in beard approach to classic cars that suggests that unless you know what a left threaded flange grommet is and also know how to fix one then you are not a classic car person. I do not share this view. I have a very fine toolkit called an AA card and a mobile phone. I am no mug, so I bulk buy on eBay the special refill cans of Lucas smoke, and the special Hethel air for Lotus tyres, and the swearing phrasebook for Italian cars*, and so on.
* Vai avvanti, Puttana di Merda!
* Vai avvanti, Puttana di Merda!
rene7 said:
RFC1
'self governance' - to a lot of classic owners is to keep their paintwork shiny at all costs - to these types nothing else matters.
This is why many classic car dealers are successful - 'SHINY PAINTWORK' --- mechanicals - PAH !
Perhaps the cost concious / budget end of the market. The high end stuff gets treated like royalty.'self governance' - to a lot of classic owners is to keep their paintwork shiny at all costs - to these types nothing else matters.
This is why many classic car dealers are successful - 'SHINY PAINTWORK' --- mechanicals - PAH !
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff