Who carries out your annual MOT test?
Discussion
Main dealer for me, given its fixed price and my car is still relatively new and I actually think my MD is rather good, I cant see any logic in me using anywhere else. If your car is old and you don't want the potential expense of MD prices should any work need doing and/or you simply prefer an Indi then use them.
Just go with whoever you would use to service it I think is the logical answer.
Just go with whoever you would use to service it I think is the logical answer.
Does any Main Dealer, or even Aston specialist actually do the MOT on site?
Most I've experienced drive it round the corner to the nearest 'oily garage' that you're avoiding and get them to do it, probably for a reduced rate and then invoice the customer at least the full £54.85 if not a little bit more.
I take it to a local franchise garage chain that I have a relationship with, it's walking distance back to the office and they do all 3 cars every year at £30 a go.
If you want a completely unbiased MOT your local council will have a test centre that isn't part of a garage so no fishing for unnecessary work.
And obviously if you are at all concerned you are always able to observe the entire process if you want.
Most I've experienced drive it round the corner to the nearest 'oily garage' that you're avoiding and get them to do it, probably for a reduced rate and then invoice the customer at least the full £54.85 if not a little bit more.
I take it to a local franchise garage chain that I have a relationship with, it's walking distance back to the office and they do all 3 cars every year at £30 a go.
If you want a completely unbiased MOT your local council will have a test centre that isn't part of a garage so no fishing for unnecessary work.
And obviously if you are at all concerned you are always able to observe the entire process if you want.
One of the AM main dealers which I used to use, contracted their MoTs to a garage about 200 yards away.
Coincidentally I use that garage for one of my other cars. They later mentioned to me that they had lost the AM contract. Another MoT firm, much further away, had offered an absurdly low price and the original garage was unwilling to do loss making work.
Therefore, beware OP. You might see impressive glass and Travertine flooring, but your car might see an oily, greasy MoT station, where the proprietors work for peanuts.
...........
I recently arranged a service and MoT during a SORN period. Very satisfying to enjoy a 100 mile drive through beautiful countryside, without requiring 'road tax'.
SORN hibernation will be ending on 31 July, so looking forward to more drives after then.
Some might say, that was fiddling the system. Others would say, within the present rules and perfectly legal. -
Edited by Dewi 2 on Wednesday 28th July 14:40
Main dealer for me, combined with the annual service. No messing about between dealer and MOT station if there's any issues or arranging a retest.
For example, last year my V8V failed on handbrake performance. All covered by the MOT guarantee part of my "Timeless" warranty, so I had nothing to do other than give the approval for the repairs, then wait for the car while parts were ordered and delivered to the dealer, fitted to the car and for the retest to be performed.
For example, last year my V8V failed on handbrake performance. All covered by the MOT guarantee part of my "Timeless" warranty, so I had nothing to do other than give the approval for the repairs, then wait for the car while parts were ordered and delivered to the dealer, fitted to the car and for the retest to be performed.
ks.Out of curiosity I’ve just looked up where Aston Martin Nottingham MOTed mine back when it was under warranty and had MOT insurance and surprise surprise it was a garage around the corner and somehow they invoice an extra £20 ‘MOT Arrangement Fee’ to take it. 
Same story a year earlier when Aston Martin Derby sold the car, MOTed at the very exclusive sounding Stores Road Service Centre, and through its entire life although all the bills show service/MOT at main dealers or specialists, none of their names appear on the check-mot.service.gov.U.K. list of places it’s been MOTed,
Same story a year earlier when Aston Martin Derby sold the car, MOTed at the very exclusive sounding Stores Road Service Centre, and through its entire life although all the bills show service/MOT at main dealers or specialists, none of their names appear on the check-mot.service.gov.U.K. list of places it’s been MOTed,
pschlute said:
I have never heard of an AM Dealer who is licensed for MOT certification.
The two that I have experience of take the car the the local MOT "shop".
Well AM Leeds most certainly are. I have just double checked mine online (although I don't know why I was persuaded to do so by this thread full of doubting Thomas's) and AM Leeds are clearly shown as the MOT centre... The two that I have experience of take the car the the local MOT "shop".
Others may outsource, but you shouldn't all make assumptions and tarnish all AM dealerships with the same muddy brush.
EDIT -
- Phumy, lets make that 2 now!Fair play to those dealerships that have invested in the kit and charge their staff out at below their normal hourly rate to knock out MOT’s.
If I knew my servicing garage did the MOT in house it would change my mind on getting it all done together, at the moment I pretty much drive it from the service to the MOT.
I wonder if it’s a parent company pattern, AM Notts is a Sytner company, Leeds is JCT600, Derby was Stratstone….god I need to get out more
If I knew my servicing garage did the MOT in house it would change my mind on getting it all done together, at the moment I pretty much drive it from the service to the MOT.
I wonder if it’s a parent company pattern, AM Notts is a Sytner company, Leeds is JCT600, Derby was Stratstone….god I need to get out more
The now closed Derby Aston Martin was such a small dealership it wouldn't have been worth investing in the set up for doing MOT's in my opinion. I don't know what the break even point is but you've got to put a certain number of vehicles through the MOT lane per day to make it viable.
Any vehicles that prestige dealers do get involved in MOTing are going to be at least three years old by default. How long do cars realistically remain in the main dealer network before moving on to marque specialists, because this is also going to chip away at the viability of prestige dealers having their own MOT facility.
Any vehicles that prestige dealers do get involved in MOTing are going to be at least three years old by default. How long do cars realistically remain in the main dealer network before moving on to marque specialists, because this is also going to chip away at the viability of prestige dealers having their own MOT facility.
Get mine tested at service time at the AD , the first time I was quoted full price so I mentioned some garages doing it for £30 , we agreed at £40.
Kills two birds with one stone , if I got it done at a different time I’d get it done locally, I’m not bothered about the source of the test , nor would most sensible folk.
Kills two birds with one stone , if I got it done at a different time I’d get it done locally, I’m not bothered about the source of the test , nor would most sensible folk.
I would never take a car for an MOT to a garage that also offers workshop services. It's far too much temptation to "find" work thats needed and then offer to fix it for you. This also rules out most of the franchised chains that offer to incorrectly install bulbs etc.
Most decent independant MOT garages will offer the odd bulb or headlamp alignment FOC and not try and sell you unnecessary services.
Most decent independant MOT garages will offer the odd bulb or headlamp alignment FOC and not try and sell you unnecessary services.
raceboy said:
... surprise surprise it was a garage around the corner and somehow they invoice an extra £20 ‘MOT Arrangement Fee’ to take it.
Did you read my earlier post about a main dealer who moved their sub contracted MoT work to the very lowest bidder, even though it involved a much longer journey for every MoT and also an employee then having to be idle, waiting while the test was undertaken.
If I remember what I was told, I think they got the amount they were paying, down from £30 to £23 per test.
Instead of your dealer 'hiding' £20 within the service bill, they blatantly added the separate cost item for you to see.
That presumably being on top of the profit they made on your MoT fee.
What did Basil Fawlty say?
"I will bend over for you, so you can take the shirt off my back".
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