MOT - can I drive it to be repaired somewhere else?

Jonesy_McJones

My car's MOT runs out this Sunday. I have it booked into a council run MOT place the next day. Am I right in thinking that I am ok to drive it without an MOT, as long as I am only driving it to a pre-booked MOT test?

So what happens if it fails? Am I allowed to drive it somewhere to get repaired? Do I have to book the repairs first before I can drive there? Do I have to leave the car at the MOT place / garage and only drive it between the two places for pre-booked repairs and MOT? Can I drive it home and park it on my drive inbetween?

I am very confused!!

benham3160

Jonesy_McJones wrote: »

My car's MOT runs out this Sunday. I have it booked into a council run MOT place the next day. Am I right in thinking that I am ok to drive it without an MOT, as long as I am only driving it to a pre-booked MOT test?

So what happens if it fails? Am I allowed to drive it somewhere to get repaired? Do I have to book the repairs first before I can drive there? Do I have to leave the car at the MOT place / garage and only drive it between the two places for pre-booked repairs and MOT? Can I drive it home and park it on my drive inbetween?

I am very confused!!

I'd just drive it to be honest.

You can be charged a retest fee if you drive it away for repairs. What is all this appeal on here with council run test centres? :rotfl:

Regards,
Andy

vikingaero

benham3160 wrote: »

I'd just drive it to be honest.

You can be charged a retest fee if you drive it away for repairs. What is all this appeal on here with council run test centres? :rotfl:

Regards,
Andy

Council run test centres don't do repairs so there's no incentive for them to fail the car so that they can charge for spurious repairs.

benham3160

vikingaero wrote: »

Council run test centres don't do repairs so there's no incentive for them to fail the car so that they can charge for spurious repairs.

So do two test centres within a five minute walk of my house lol

I worked for an "MOT only" bay, it's not a new or novel business idea lol.

I dread to think what it's like to work in one of these council depots now :mad:

Regards,
Andy

anewman

benham3160 wrote: »

What is all this appeal on here with council run test centres? :rotfl:

I guess the point is they do not do repairs so can't make up faults, or overplay a minor fault which would not fail it in order to get themselves some business. There are some good garages out there which won't try it on, or even do nothing but MOTs, but using the Council test centre takes all the guess work and trial and error out of the equation.

If you are issued with a refusal you will be sent on your way unless the tester thinks the car is a serious death trap (unlikely). You will then presumably drive home and park up, phone a garage or two or three to get some quotes. Some garages will require you have an appointment (if they're busy). If you are concerned you will be pulled over by the police ask the garage to take a note of your reg number telling them your MOT has expired. Just drive to get the repairs done IMO.

wuckfit

benham3160 wrote: »

I'd just drive it to be honest.

You can be charged a retest fee if you drive it away for repairs. What is all this appeal on here with council run test centres? :rotfl:

Regards,
Andy

AFAIK you are ONLY permitted to drive a car TO a PRE-BOOKED MOT appointment and HOME again if it fails. If it needs to go somewhere for repairs then it needs to be towed or on the back of a truck.

If you get stopped driving without a valid MOT (and not on your way to a pre-booked test), you could end up with points on your licence.

david39

To avoid this situation in future, get your MOT organised so that the vehicle is tested (and repaired if necessary) before the old certificate runs out.

You can have this done up to one month before the old certicate expires without forfeiting the unexpired time - the new certificate will be start from the expiry date of the old one.

You need to take the old certificate with you to the testing station to prove the expiry date if you want to use this facility.

Jonesy_McJones

david39 wrote: »

To avoid this situation in future, get your MOT organised so that the vehicle is tested (and repaired if necessary) before the old certificate runs out.

But if it fails, it fails - doesn't that overwrite the fact that it had a few days left on the old MOT and put me in the same position?

Lum

david39 wrote: »

You need to take the old certificate with you to the testing station to prove the expiry date if you want to use this facility.

No you don't. It's all done by computer now.

*j*

No need to take the old MOT certificate these days as all the information is on "The System".

However even if you have the retest early and the vehicle fails, then despite the old MOT being unexpired, you are driving a vehicle knowing it to have failed an MOT and therefore being unroadworthy!!

*j*

Quentin

Jonesy_McJones wrote: »

But if it fails, it fails - doesn't that overwrite the fact that it had a few days left on the old MOT and put me in the same position?

No, failing an MOT doesn't mean your current unexpired MOT has been invalidated. It remains valid until it expires. (Just as a valid MOT doesn't mean you have a roadworthy car!)

You can get your MOT up to a month before the old one expires, the new one will last for 12 months from the expiry of the old one (not just 12 months from the test date).