Servicing/MOT question

RachVG

Hi,

My car is due for its annual service and is also coming up to 3 years old (29th November) so is due for its first MOT.

After researching online I have booked a service with a local garage this Wednesday through blackcircles.com - I used Black Circles and this particular garage to replace two tyres a few months ago and was impressed with the service, even though it wasn't much.

I called the garage today and asked them if they could do an MOT while the car is there, which they said would be no problem.

My question really is, is this a good idea? I don't really see my car failing on anything (it's a 57 plate Toyota Aygo Blue) but it's also my first car so I don't really know what to expect. Will they do the service and service it to a standard that will pass the MOT, or will they do the MOT and then fix things it fails on during the service?

My main worry is that I'll be too trusting and believe everything that they tell me needs to be fixed in order for it to pass the MOT when they may be exaggerating. Does anybody have any tips? Should I be taking it for the service and then somewhere else for the MOT (this will be at least a week away as I don't have another day off until next Thursday).

rev_henry

Yes I'd suggest you go to a different place for your MOT. Read Martin's guide on MOTs and find yourself a council MOT place if there's one nearby. If the car was older I'd suggest you do the MOT first in case it fails majorly and needs scrapping, so you won't have wasted the money on the service. But obviously I wouldn't worry about the order with such a new car. Something to bear in mind in a few years though!

mikey72

Problem with council mot places is if it fails, you need to take it away to get it fixed, then take it back, so it can turn into a three day job.
A good place will service it first, then it should pass the mot, but you can never tell.
My local garage is excellent, they do a good mot, I do the work, they'll check it, and then (hopefully) pass it.

patman99

Just gotta watch those council places, took my van in for it's mot back in June, and the lite-fingered so-and-so's nicked my plug-in heater that I had tucked under the passenger seat. Trouble is, I didn't notice it was gone till I went to dig it out last week.

RachVG

Thanks for the tips everybody I will definitely bear that in mind about the order in future years! I read Martin's guide but couldn't find a council place that was easy enough to get to. Based on the fact the garage I was using for my service had good recommendations and that I already had the service booked, I did get them to do the MOT as well while I was there. When I went back to collect it the guy told me the only charge was for the MOT itself, it passed no problems (I'd paid for the service through blackcircles beforehand) but it would need new front brake pads in the next month or so if I wanted to call up and book it in. He said that would be about £50 - does that sound fair?

Hintza

I'm just surprised you are not taking to the dealer whilst it is still in warranty.

mikey72

RachVG wrote: »

Thanks for the tips everybody I will definitely bear that in mind about the order in future years! I read Martin's guide but couldn't find a council place that was easy enough to get to. Based on the fact the garage I was using for my service had good recommendations and that I already had the service booked, I did get them to do the MOT as well while I was there. When I went back to collect it the guy told me the only charge was for the MOT itself, it passed no problems (I'd paid for the service through blackcircles beforehand) but it would need new front brake pads in the next month or so if I wanted to call up and book it in. He said that would be about £50 - does that sound fair?

Sounds very fair.

rev_henry

Yep, sounds like you've found yourself a good garage.

jd82

Hintza wrote: »

I'm just surprised you are not taking to the dealer whilst it is still in warranty.

Exactly if it is still under warranty of course (depends on the milleage). Too many variables here, if the car has done 100k then it could easily fail the MOT on stuff like brakes, suspension etc.

RachVG

Thanks - will get myself booked in for next week when I find out when my day off is.

Hintza wrote: »

I'm just surprised you are not taking to the dealer whilst it is still in warranty.

It isn't - got it when it was a year and a half old, 7.5k miles done, well looked after - but not serviced in that time. Checked with Toyota when I got it, not covered under the warranty any more because of that.

The warranty would only have covered 3 years anyway so it's only got a month left - would rather not pay Toyota prices for a service now. Took it to them last year but not this time, was quoted much higher than I've managed to get it done for.

Hintza

You must have got a brgain then at the time, well done