Cheap MOTs: Nottingham, Derby and East Midlands

[MSE Andrea]

What’s this about?

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]

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by alared

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]

Originally Posted by alared

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]

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]

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]

Originally Posted by quoia

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]

Originally Posted by Happychappy

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/...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 :confused:
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]

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

[Happychappy]

Originally Posted by quoia

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.

Q....

Thank you very much for your money saving tip, I have just come back from Mr Clutch at Derby with a new MOT for the princely sum of £16, I was expecting problems such as finding borderline or unecessary work to bump up the bill, but NO, a straight forward honest MOT and saved £42 off the full MOT price.

Its times like this when the board works as it should for sharing money saving tips, which restores faith in humanity, so thanks again quoia

[foreign correspondent]

Dennis Bown at Clay Cross are great - a small, busy family business, £30 for an MOT, they do repairs too, they are very honest and very, very busy!

I have had my car MOT'd twice there - once it needed a new brake pipe - £30 to fix it, done same day and passed, the other time it needed a couple of bulbs which they didnt even charge me for!!

They do not overcharge, and to be honest they are so busy they really have no need to create themselves any work, and to be honest, I do not think they are the sort of people to try and swindle customers anyway!

I am very happy with them, and one advantage to places that do repairs as well as MOTs is that you can get your car fixed, re-tested and back on the road quickly if any work needs to be done! I have in the past always chosen the 'just' MOT test centres, but you then have the job of finding a reliable garage too and getting the car there and back.

[coolagarry]

I get my servicing done at Waterloo Motors in Waterloo St, Burton on Trent. If you have it done with the annual service the mot costs virtually nothing. The owner/mechanic Brian is very experienced and it if's something that is better sorted by a specialist then he tells you that rather than messing it up himself.
The only problem is parking... you have to get there early (before 8.30), park it on the road and put the keys through his letter box.

[rich_the_moneysaver]

Originally Posted by jdo

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

I`ve just come back from the Council run site on London Rd and can five it the big thumbs-up!!

Friendly staff & 10% off (Council Employee!)- my car sailed through- no probs

Highly recommended!!

[Nex0]

I went to mr clutch in derby on the views of the others here last week and while it has gone up to £21 at the time I was still more then happy to pay that as it was still far cheaper then anywhere else.

My mums car went through fine with no problems at all.

I have to say I was also a little suspicious about them being so cheap as they cant be making any money so there bound to make some stuff up but no full credit to them for being honest.

Id recommend them to anyone.

[Chrisb1579]

I have used a company called MOT MAX in Lincoln & Newark.

They don't do repairs and £45 for a test ..no re-test fee.

You can book you MOT on line and choose your tester. They even send you a SMS text to remind you.

fantastic service and female friendly ..

[Sunny Day]

When I lived in Burton, I used to go to Alan's Test Centre in Wetmore Road. It charges the max permitted rate, but the service was always good, they didn't nitpick about silly things, and (if asked) they have always been helpful in pointing out and discussing what ought to be looked at in the next few months (even if they didn't give an advisory notice about it). If the vehicle would fail because a couple of bulbs aren't working, they just change them, free of charge.

They only do MoTs, no repairs.

Think there is a branch in Derby, too.

[bob333]

Went to local garage - usually OK. Car failed on brake lights, said it needed the switch replacing ' only 20 quid and half an hour to fit'. Asked if they had checked fuse - told that it was the switcbac 'bring it back tommorow mate'. Went home replaced fuse - all working! - back the following day and rechecked for free - good job or I would have told them exactly what I thought of anyone who failed to check the fuse!

[emmaruston]

as there are non even listed for lincolnshire, where do skegness council get there mot's done? anyone know?
thanks
emma