Council MOT testing centre Rotherham

LornaGrace

Hi, I heard there was a council MOT testing centre in Rotherham (Bramley) does anyone know if it is till there and how much it is?
And any good/bad experiences with it?
Thanks

TrickyWicky

I used a council MOT test centre once. I'd never do it again.

That said, I don't use mechanics who do MOT tests either. I use a private MOT test centre.

Why? The council one I used was overly strict, a mechanic who does MOT work will try to cream some repair work from the job and a privately run 'test only' centre won't want you back for a free retest unless its realistically a serious problem because their profit relies on more paying customers coming in.

Which one do you think will give your car the best chance of staying legal? - I use the private MOT 'test only' centre. Only twice have they failed our car on really serious stuff (tyres that were almost worn through and a loose shock absorber). They don't fail it on other things because they don't do repairs and they're not quite as strict as the local council MOT centre.

Stephen_Leak

If you can find somewhere that manages to survive on just doing MOTs, fine.

Personally, I'd much rather have my car fail on something borderline, than pass with something serious.

The list of council MOT centres should be here ...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot

It doesn't look like there's one in Rotherham. Not all local authorities have one. Your nearest ones would seem to be Barnsley, Chesterfield or Doncaster.

A quick rummage around the council's website didn't come up with anything. It might be worth asking the council or a local taxi driver where they take their vehicles.

LornaGrace

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I used a council MOT test centre once. I'd never do it again.

That said, I don't use mechanics who do MOT tests either. I use a private MOT test centre.

Why? The council one I used was overly strict, a mechanic who does MOT work will try to cream some repair work from the job and a privately run 'test only' centre won't want you back for a free retest unless its realistically a serious problem because their profit relies on more paying customers coming in.

Which one do you think will give your car the best chance of staying legal? - I use the private MOT 'test only' centre. Only twice have they failed our car on really serious stuff (tyres that were almost worn through and a loose shock absorber). They don't fail it on other things because they don't do repairs and they're not quite as strict as the local council MOT centre.

I asked because an article on MSE suggests using one (for various reasons).

Hence why I also asked for other peoples experiences.

fivetide

I can recommend you a good garage in Rotherham. Rough as a bag of spanners but dead honest and won't fail it unless it needs failing. More likely to point out things that will want looking at than fail it for the business.

5t.

Joe_Horner

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I used a council MOT test centre once. I'd never do it again.

That said, I don't use mechanics who do MOT tests either. I use a private MOT test centre.

Why? The council one I used was overly strict, a mechanic who does MOT work will try to cream some repair work from the job and a privately run 'test only' centre won't want you back for a free retest unless its realistically a serious problem because their profit relies on more paying customers coming in.

Which one do you think will give your car the best chance of staying legal? - I use the private MOT 'test only' centre. Only twice have they failed our car on really serious stuff (tyres that were almost worn through and a loose shock absorber). They don't fail it on other things because they don't do repairs and they're not quite as strict as the local council MOT centre.

Flip side of that is a Daf we bought for our step-daughter a few years back. Shiny month-old MOT from an "MOT only, free retest" place, with about 800 miles done since, and some of the faults were:

One exhaust downpipe COMPLETELY rusted through (ie: not attached to the rest of the pipe) and wrapped in a bandage.

Handbrake not holding on anything more than a very gentle slope (single line brakes so the handbrake is your backup!)

Around 2 inches of play at the steering wheel rim because of shot ball joints

One rear hub nut loose giving about 3/4 inch play at the rim (was an advise for slight bearing play!)

No windscreen washer fitted

24 inch length of o/s floorpan disconnected from the sill because of rust

Total footbrake brake efficiency of 52% (technically a pass but really should have been advised)

O/s headlight bodged / mis-fitted so the cut-off was VERTICAL - ie: hit low beam and you put a wall of light into oncoming traffic with none in your own lane!!!

None of the repairs were a problem, and it was a very cheap car, but as a test of safety that "MOT only" test was a complete joke. Basically, they were interested in taking as many fees in as little time as possible.

I do all my own repairs and I keep my cars safe, but I'd always rather have a "firm but fair" test than a mail-order certificate, which is virtually what that place was offering!

scotsbob

I have used 3 council MOT centres over the last 10 years, never had a problem. The one I used last time actually adjusted my handbrake so that he could pass it.

Stephen_Leak

LornaGrace wrote: »

<snip> Hence why I also asked for other peoples experiences.

I've used my local one and, whilst it might not have been the cheapest, the knowledge that you could trust them was worth the difference.

However, circumstances demanded that I use a closer garage this year. I feared the worst when I saw the red fail sheet. But it was only for one headlight being out of adjustment. The tester had to fail it, but then he simply adjusted it and retested it, without charge. The garage (HMC, Patchway) has now earned my trust.

LornaGrace

fivetide wrote: »

I can recommend you a good garage in Rotherham. Rough as a bag of spanners but dead honest and won't fail it unless it needs failing.

Wouldn't expect anything other than that in Rotherham

Thanks that would be great!

fivetide

LornaGrace wrote: »

Wouldn't expect anything other than that in Rotherham

Thanks that would be great!

Sent you a PM!

5t.

Yorkshire_Dad

Hi,
I have been using this Rotherham councils MOT center for the last 7 years and have found it to be disgusting, third rate and testers with attitude.
Have made complaints all over but the council is a wall of brick and you can bang your head as many times as you want, but they will not cater the paying customers, instead protects and advocates the MOT center.
The testers discriminate amongst the customers and enjoy people coming back to them for retest, please avoid this MOT center.