Two year MOT

[television]

The garage trade is up in arms over Gordon Browns proposal to change the system. Many could lose their jobs and many garages could go under owing to their investment on hire purchase of the testing gear.

The Independent Garage Association said that 18% of cars fail their first MOT and that this is not a good move.


Malcolm

 

[Rory]

On the other hand garages have been moaning that they don't make any money out of doing MOT's now that the computerised system ensures they spend a certain amount of time doing the test.

It does seem a surprisingly backward step in an age were the government seeks to dominate our lives more and more. I'm also surprised only 18% fail - I have no idea, but I would have guessed it at a third.

 

[television]

On the other hand garages have been moaning that they don't make any money out of doing MOT's now that the computerised system ensures they spend a certain amount of time doing the test.

It does seem a surprisingly backward step in an age were the government seeks to dominate our lives more and more. I'm also surprised only 18% fail - I have no idea, but I would have guessed it at a third.

Dont forget Rory the 18% was for cars due to the first MOT,and not the total figure, so you could be right.

Malcolm

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Hi Malcolm. I haven't heard about this. Is there a link to a news site or something you can supply for more information?

 

[Janice321]

Not sure what I think about this proposal. My wallet says good but if there is a safety issue picked up it is as well to know about it sooner than 24 months. I pay my local garage to do a pre MOT inspection before they take it for the test It costs more but I know I will have a new MOT at the end of the day. Can't cope with going back late afternoon to be told its failed ,"need a couple of days to sort it" and all that hassle!

 

[television]

This info was in a trade mag, Jan/Feb so it went to press mid December.

Reading more of the article, 30% is the overall failure rate and 15% fail on the emissions and this is ringing the bells in the present climate.

Nothing else mentioned really.

Malcolm

 

[daveenty]

Remember reading about it. Also a lot of discussion round various forums, mostly negative.

As has been said, 18% (the figure from above I'll assume to be accurate) fail their first MoT test. The probable reason is that they've got a fair few miles on them, usually by a non owner as company cars account for *most* new cars.

This means that they're potentially able to run around for another 12 months without being checked.

OK. Assuming that they go in for routine servicing etc., this extra 12 months may not be too painful as a service should bring possible problems to light.

But what if it doesn't?

At the other end of the scale is *Mondeo (Get it done for MoT) Man*

This is the "I'm sure that tyre will last another x amount of miles, and I know I've a headlamp out, but it's coming summer now and we really don't go out in the dark." type of person (I know a lot of these)

Second hand car dealers will have a field day as well. *Yes mate, loads of ticket on it, over 9 months* translated to mean it scraped through 15 months ago but don't even think about it now.

This is yet more European legislation that is being rushed through by a person who hasn't got a clue about cars or the motoring public in general.

Just re-read this and still agree with most of what I've written

You may have guessed I'm against this ridiculous proposal

 

[television]

Just re-read this and still agree with most of what I've written

[/SIZE]

You do better than me them,I read mine and I am still not sure.

Malcolm

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

A typical third term half baked idea.

I can't understand GB's logic in this unless he's trying to offset some of his other stealth taxes. Looks good from an electioneering point of view I suspect but has no common sense attached to it.

I don't mind my car having an annual MOT why should I its good for my health and longetivity.

 

[Hibbo]

I read about this last in year Classic Car Weekly, they called it the 4-2-2 system as it also proposes that new cars don't need to be tested till they're 4 years' old.

They were up in arms about it too, mainly over the safety implications.

Next time your car or a mate's car or a car you're working on fails with a big list of faults, bear in mind that these were all ok only 12 months ago! Imagine after 24!

Even though I'm reasonably practical and do a fair amount of work on my cars myself, it's reassuring to know that all the important bits get properly checked once a year.


Back to the topic, I think I read that the reason behind it was that the super-duper new computerised system was buckling under the strain from the sheers number of MOTs it had to process. Hey-presto! A simply way to reduce the strain by half! Genius! Some civil servant will be promoted out of this!

 

[Flying Scot]

A typical third term half baked idea.

I can't understand GB's logic in this unless he's trying to offset some of his other stealth taxes. Looks good from an electioneering point of view I suspect but has no common sense attached to it.

I don't mind my car having an annual MOT why should I its good for my health and longetivity.

normalisation with the EU boys and gurls

 

[AlisonH]

Pardon my ignorance, but surely this is still only a proposal and not yet law?

Surely no one in their right mind, and with any regard for their own and the lives of others is going to back this?

I have to agree with Malcolm, and can't understand the logic, it has no common sense attached to it - BUT no, I don't think it looks good from an electioneering POV! The only voters whom I believe it will appeal to are those that need their heads examining!

Prior to enforced retirement/disability, my job took me all over the UK and regularly 1,000+ miles per week, much of that in supposedly well maintained hired vehicles under two years old. I could share some horror stories. My own old Escort estate of the time was better maintained and safer than some of those. Indeed, a few times I've turned a hire car around after half a mile and taken it back to the firm because it wasn't handling right, and if they'd nothing else available I trusted my life to my banger and even used to get that MOT checked more regularly than legally necessary simply for the peace of mind that afforded.

Joe Public with a wife and 2.4 children is, I think, more likely to put safety issues and concerns above saving a few quid, and isn't about to stand by and let the high mileage company vehicle owners and operators off the hook as he does so. I doubt the public transport road using voters, given the facts, want to see potentially dangerous vehicles on the roads either.

Whichever way you look at it, 18% of those vehicles failing their first test is pretty high. It's almost 1 in 5, for goodness sake - and I doubt they fail because the emmisions are a bit out or they need a wiper blade rubber or a bit of welding to patch up a wee hole in the sills!

No, I positively welcome, rather than simply don't mind, an annual MOT for my vehicles - and that's from a (now) low mileage road user.

 

[jberks]

normalisation with the EU boys and gurls

Perhaps they'd like to normalise with us. Given that in many parts of the EU, road safety is horrendous and we've all had those death trap rentals with bald tyres. Only a moron would support this proposal (presumably why Gordon does). On a safety basis it's insane and on an environmental basis (somthing this prat is supposed to be bothered by) it ensures that emmissions can be out for far longer.
Sure cars <4 yrs may not need a test, but I suspect that there are plenty with minor faults such as bulbs or even more major such as tyres. I just pointed out to a friend that their rear tyre was bald - the car is a 55!
In fact I'd go the other way - MOT 2 years on. Sure they could vary the check, like the servicing as not everything needs to be checked each time but on the other hand, the thorough checks would need to be tougher to avoid the 'scraped through' brigade.

 

[AlisonH]

The first thing I used to do before driving off the forecourt in a hire car was to check the tyres - and I learned to do that the hard way! Regularly found bulges and alarmingly uneven wear, as well as radials and crossply tyres on diagonally opposite or the same axles and even one with different sized tyres! In fact, someone at one hire company accused me of removing the original wheels and exchanging them for some off a different vehicle - until they realised I'd not left the forecourt! I didn't set foot on it again and they lost a customer who was using a hire car 3 - 4 days per week.

Yes, as jberks said, MOT 2 years on - especially for those in the high mileage/multiple driver categories.

 

[television]

AlisonH, cant you sleep,posting at 3am ??????????????????????????????

Malcolm

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Surely no one in their right mind, and with any regard for their own and the lives of others is going to back this?......
...........no, I don't think it looks good from an electioneering POV! The only voters whom I believe it will appeal to are those that need their heads examining!

Unfortunately I think a large proportion of the electorate will support this. It may be a very bigoted view but the mass population of Sun readers will see this as a type of tax cut and that will be enough to sway their decision. What next? a 2yr tax disc, great they will be able to drive around without insurance for 2 yrs now instead of just 1!

I'll duck now.

On a separate tack, I consider it a personal failure both as a driver and an amateur mechanic if I put one of my vehicles in for an MOT and it fails so a 2 yr interval wouldn't worry me but it is nice to have my mechanical opinion checked.

 

[AlisonH]

AlisonH, cant you sleep,posting at 3am ??????????????????????????????

Malcolm

:lol: No, Malcolm - when the pain's bad, not even a double dose of sleeping pills will knock me out and I never even attempt to lie down unless certain I'll be out cold before the pain reaches a level that makes sleep impossible.

One learns to manage and live with it.

 

[poseidon]

Hi,

Crazy proposal.

In New Zealand, the law requires two MOT (VIC) checks per year. The cost of VIC is a fraction of the cost in UK. The convenience of arranging and carring a VIC is incomparable to UK.
The number of road deaths per year per head is 1/10 of that in UK.

Poseidon.