Cheap MOTs: Nottingham, Derby and East Midlands

Former_MSE_Andrea · 17 September 2008 at 4:47PM

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Paying for MOT repairs can take a hefty wack from your wallet. Yet there's a way to cut this cost. The first point of call is read the full Cheap MOTs article. This discussion is specifically to talk about MOTs in your local area:

Cheap East Midlands MOTs

If you want to discuss cheap MOTs in general please go to the Cheap MOTs Discussion.

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jdo_2 · 31 October 2008 at 11:17AM

Hi, not sure if this is the correct place to post this info? Having just checked the list of Council MOT Centres listed on the MSE site, there is just one listed for Nottingham. That is the one to the north of Nottingham in Arnold. There is another one which I have used several times in the last few years which gives a completely honest MOT. It is at the council's Eastcroft Depot, London Rd (in the city centre opposite Hooters). Tel: 0115 9152008.

John

championmongo1 · 4 December 2008 at 9:12AM

I've recently moved to Derbyshire and my '54' plate corsa was due its MOT and service so not knowing the area I booked into the main Vauxhall Dealer, Penatgon Derby. I received a phone call saying that my car had failed it's MOT and would require over £800 of repairs to pass which I found strange as it passed the MOT last year with a clean bill of health and has only covered the standard 12k miles, most of which were motorway miles since then. So I told them I wanted the car back, took it to an independent test centre where it passed with only a few minor points that will need to be sorted before the next MOT! Maybe because they can't sell cars they have to make money in other ways but definately one to be avoided! Will only ever use independent or council run MOT centres in future!

alared · 4 December 2008 at 10:31AM

Has anyone ever had a cheap MOT done and got their car passed WITHOUT any further work needing doing?

The standard fee is £53-10,if the garage does it for £25 and it passes then the garage will be down £28-10.

Seems there`s no such thing as a cheap MOT.
Maybe it`s just a gimmick to lure people in and then rip them off big time.

quoia · 6 May 2009 at 7:34PM

alared wrote: »

Has anyone ever had a cheap MOT done and got their car passed WITHOUT any further work needing doing?

The standard fee is £53-10,if the garage does it for £25 and it passes then the garage will be down £28-10.

Seems there`s no such thing as a cheap MOT.
Maybe it`s just a gimmick to lure people in and then rip them off big time.

The garage won't be "down" anything, they don't pass on the fee to anyone else.

The "Standard Fee" bit is just an amount that the Ministry of Transport set as a MAXIMUM charge for the test itself.
If the only cost of doing it is the mechanic's labour cost, say £10, and the garage charges £25, then they've made £15 profit.

Only 3 hours ago I drove my car away (Y reg) with a brand new MOT certificate having passed with flying colours for just £16

Last year (at the same place) it cost me £19.99 and it failed on a single fault, a perished brake hose.
They didn't offer to fix it, and only gave me a price when I asked if they could.
I thanked them for their quote (which was very good) but said that I thought I could do it myself, obviously for quite a bit less.
I asked about any further charge (like a "re-test" fee - as per the MOT document stuck on most centre walls) should I take the car away and bring it back fixed.
They said providing it came back the following day ("within 24 hours") there would be no further cost.
I took it home, calling in at a motor factors on the way to get a suitable brake-hose (think it cost £5.83) and a small quantity of brake fluid
Only took a few minutes to fit, and using a "one man self-bleed kit" (length of rubber tubing with a one-way valve in one end) that I bought ages ago for £1, bled the brakes for just the caliper I'd disturbed in another 10 minutes - under an hour in total including finding the few tools I needed and cleaning up afterwards.
Took the car back the following day, they checked the hose had been replaced and re-checked the braking system's efficiency on the rolling road.
All OK, Certificate issued - no charge beyond the £19.99 I'd already paid.

And as I said earlier, same car now 1 year older with absolutely no repairs over the last 12 months (not even tyres) and the same place today passed it without issue for just £16

ripin · 8 May 2009 at 11:17AM

alared wrote: »

Has anyone ever had a cheap MOT done and got their car passed WITHOUT any further work needing doing?

The standard fee is £53-10,if the garage does it for £25 and it passes then the garage will be down £28-10.

Seems there`s no such thing as a cheap MOT.
Maybe it`s just a gimmick to lure people in and then rip them off big time.

I had a couple of MOTs done at Nationwide Autocentres in Guildford - do a google search for MOT Nationwide, and you will get a link for a heavily discounted MOT (1/3rd off).

With two cars, one 5 and one nearly 10 years old, I thought that they might find at least one fault.

Only a dodgy indicator bulb on the 10 year old car (where the colour was too light). They changed the bulb free and passed the car.

So some locations are NOT into just making money from wrongly failing your car.

faye6174 · 8 May 2009 at 2:29PM

I can recommend MOTMAX, I used the one in Nottingham (Carlton) Excellent!! Voucher online gets you £10 off at the moment.

And NO I do not work for them/own the Company!!

lbodily · 19 May 2009 at 2:41PM

I found a centre near me on http:// www. ukmot.com/MOT%20test/Council%20MOT%20Test%20Centers. asp

Local Honda dealer costs £54, the Local counci MOT centre is £35. Retest if required is free if returned within 10 working days.

Haven't taken them yet but am going to book in and give it a try.

Happychappy · 19 May 2009 at 6:23PM

quoia wrote: »

The garage won't be "down" anything, they don't pass on the fee to anyone else.

The "Standard Fee" bit is just an amount that the Ministry of Transport set as a MAXIMUM charge for the test itself.
If the only cost of doing it is the mechanic's labour cost, say £10, and the garage charges £25, then they've made £15 profit.

Only 3 hours ago I drove my car away (Y reg) with a brand new MOT certificate having passed with flying colours for just £16

Last year (at the same place) it cost me £19.99 and it failed on a single fault, a perished brake hose.
They didn't offer to fix it, and only gave me a price when I asked if they could.
I thanked them for their quote (which was very good) but said that I thought I could do it myself, obviously for quite a bit less.
I asked about any further charge (like a "re-test" fee - as per the MOT document stuck on most centre walls) should I take the car away and bring it back fixed.
They said providing it came back the following day ("within 24 hours") there would be no further cost.
I took it home, calling in at a motor factors on the way to get a suitable brake-hose (think it cost £5.83) and a small quantity of brake fluid
Only took a few minutes to fit, and using a "one man self-bleed kit" (length of rubber tubing with a one-way valve in one end) that I bought ages ago for £1, bled the brakes for just the caliper I'd disturbed in another 10 minutes - under an hour in total including finding the few tools I needed and cleaning up afterwards.
Took the car back the following day, they checked the hose had been replaced and re-checked the braking system's efficiency on the rolling road.
All OK, Certificate issued - no charge beyond the £19.99 I'd already paid.

And as I said earlier, same car now 1 year older with absolutely no repairs over the last 12 months (not even tyres) and the same place today passed it without issue for just £16

Q

Would you care to share where you went too in Derby? Mine is up soon

quoia · 19 May 2009 at 8:08PM

Happychappy wrote: »

Q

Would you care to share where you went too in Derby? Mine is up soon

Sorry, I thought I'd said.

I actually started a thread for it detailing my excellent experience there at the beginning of May, having been to the same place last year also.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1672149

I remember now why I also posted here.
It was the "no such thing as a cheap MOT" and that places doing discounted MOTs that passed a car without any additional work somehow actually cost the garage money
Thought I'd add my experiences since it was in the Cheap MOT's for Derby & East Midlands thread as I ALWAYS go for the cheapest I can find and have found no problems of being "ripped off" in 35 to 40 MOTs over 25 years on about 10 different vehicles.

Anyway, it's MR. CLUTCH at the Pentagon - next to National Tyres - it's NOT on the West Meadows Industrial Estate.

Access to it is off "old" Nottingham Road towards Chaddesden (it goes up the hill to the cemetery and the fire station)

Turn immediately right at the Pelican crossing on leaving the Pentagon - if you're not familiar with the area - MIND THE SPEED CAMERA - as you leave the island.

Best of luck, hopefully no cost other than the £16 fee.

Happychappy · 19 May 2009 at 8:17PM

Thanks Q, yes I know the area very well around the cricket ground and I believe the tool hire centre on the opposite side, also the speed camera, but not as a customer, I will pop in next week and let you know ; )

Quick search on tinternet and yes £16, so brilliant offer Mr Clutch

Cheap MOTs: Nottingham, Derby and East Midlands

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