MOTs Cost Cutting MoneySavingExpert.com Discussion Area

clairbear1000

I had my MOT yesterday which I booked online with Nationwide Autocentre and received a 30% discount just for booking online. Bargain! Passed like a dream.

JonnyScorpio

I followed Martins advice after going to an alfa romeo "specialist"
Strand Motor Co in croydon. They quoted £300 for repairs and even told me that a full service would cost £600! even though my car isn't due a service for another 4000 miles. I then went to the Wandsworth council test centre who passed it without fault! Spent another £45 for the test but well worth it since I didn't actually need any further repairs to pass the MOT.


I would steer clear of garages if you can when MOTing your vehicle!

navyeyelash

Hi everyone I'm hoping that someone can help me out here.

I'm 24 and have been driving for just under a year - my car is due for a MOT end of July, I read Martins advice about taking my car to a council MOT test centre and I've found one close to me. But they charge £45 for the test and then £23 for a retest.

My local Nationwide and Kwik fit charge £33 (ish) and free re test. I can't see my car having any problems, I think I will be able to change any missing bulbs/blades/wheels etc.

Is there something I can do to judge if my car is likely to pass or fail?

Any advice is much appreciated.

Navy

JerryF

The website below has some excellent, simple, easy to follow advice about some things you can check on your car before taking it into the MOT test. This may avoid a failure - and re-test fee.

It tells you what you can attempt to fix (lights, wipers) and what you can't (welding, exhaust emissions).

http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-pass.html

Martin recommends using council operated MOT test centres - because they don't do repairs they have no vested interest in finding 'faults'.

You may also be interested in a TESCO clubcard deal at Nationwide Autocentres (must apply for deal before June 30th) book an MOT test for £10 in clubcard vouchers (normal cost £50.35) you have to pre-book the test by 8th July - but it can be anytime before end of December.

http://http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/deals/product.aspx?R=683

There is also a separate promotion when you book online with National Autocentres which offers 33% discount - Total £33.77.

http://www.nationwideautocentres.co.uk/bookonline/01_bookonline.aspx?vouchercode=mot33offer&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_term=%22MOT%22&utm_campaign=MOT


However the feedback on the service at Nationwide Autocentres is very mixed - I decided not to use them. This month my car passed its MOT at the place I have used for years in Acton, London. Following the advice on the website above I fitted a new wiper before booking the car in.

Good luck,

JerryF

Money_Bags_Hopefull

Having read many posts here and the main article I decided that my Vauxhall Vectra would have to have a chance taken on it.

It's not old or anything but there's that nagging worry that something small could cause it to fail.

After last year's experiance where a garage charged me ~£450 for a full service, MOT and cam belt only to miss or forget to check the rear brakes... and the previous year when apparently the front discs were (badly) warped?!

The warped discs I was not convinced about as firstly I hadn't done any heavy or prolonged braking and secondly my dad (who worked in a garage sinc ehe left school) had not noticed anything wrong (and he checks) oh, an I hadn't noticed any braking issues.

To my mind probably not essential work and I doubt it was an MOT failure since the brakes on the car are excellant (proven by this year's test - see below) but... The missing of the brakes last year was the final straw, no excuse, both the MOT and the service demanded that the brakes be checked and servicable pads simply do not get destroyed by one trip from Bath to London, 3 or 4 local trips to Sainsburys and the beginning of a trip back from London to Bath. One pad completely shattered due to there being so little left, the other was well on it's way to the end of it's life. My dad and I fitted new pads and charged the cost back to the appologetic garage.

Bath isn't renouned for it's flatness and easing yourway into Bath with a missing pad is an interesting experiance of balancing the need to brake against the knowledge that each time you brake, the nasty noises are the metal back plate and screws grinding grooves into your rear disc! It was late and I took it very easy!!!

So, perhaps contry to the general jist of this thread, my motivation for using a council run test centre was two fold. Firstly I wanted an independant, unbiased and no nonsense MOT which would actually check everything that needed to be checked and secondly... I didn't fancy being ripped off by someone trying to make work for themselves.

Wansworth council have some good reviews here and they did not disapoint me either. The staff are noticably friendly, happy and pleasant people. they were short staffed on the morning of my MOT and so they enlisted my help during the test which was great fun.

It actually gave me the oppertunity to see the test being done, and done properly and there were those good bits where the guy popped out from under the car which I was in, up on the ramp, noted down an advisory, looked up and explained that one tyre was getting close to the limit and I should think about replacing it soon. The really good bit was when he said it passed, oh and when he commented on how good my brakes were, after the rolling road tests.

They charged £45, it took a little over 50 minutes and I'll be taking my car back next year.

If you go, apparently there are two entrances to the place, but from gate 3 in Dormay St, go past the petrol pumps and it's on your left not far thereafter. Slots are available weekdays from 8am.

HGLTsuperstar

Does anyone know of centres in West sussex - there is one place called "Just Mot's" which does what they say but they're charging £45 so before I spend out I'd be interested if anyone knows anything about them.
Thanks

Bisoy

wormysturmey wrote: »

York council do not have there own MOT Test centres but use 2 local garages that again, only do tests so have no incentive to give you a list of things that don't need doing. They are:-

* MoTest Centre - (Hospital Fields) 01904 659407

* MOT Shop - (Unit 44, Rayler Centre, James St.) 01904 431234

Hope this helps someone, xxxxPaulinexxxxxxxxxxx:rotfl: .[/quot

Pauline did you managed to use any of the testing station? How's the service?

I've rang each of them Mo Test centre £53 and MOT shop £45 so I book for MOT shop next week. Hope they will have an good service and my car will pass. ( 5 yrs old peugeot 206)

ollyk

rachel3107 wrote: »

Stockport Council MOT centre

Translink
0161 482 7235

When I last rung these folks they seemed a little bit hostile - "we don't do public MOT's" and they needed a little reminding. Didn't go in the end because the car was scrapped but I will be trying them this week

ollyk

ok Just rang Translink stockport they really don't like us 'public' folk. Women not very welcoming and she said I would have to drop the car off on a Monday or Tuesday morning and leave all day . Oh and it would only get done if a taxi didn't turn up :mad:

I would be interested to know if anyone has any first hand experience of these folks?

Gus55

The one in Runcorn is excellent. I was charged £45 today which included 1 replacement bulb. Service was excellent and the staff very helpful and friendly. Contact telephone no is 0151 471 7483 to book a test.