First MOT advice

sheilds

Hi ,

My 4 year old car is due for MOT next week .I've never been through it before.
Its going well with no (obvious ) faults or problems.
I didn't want to book into a garage if not needed so can anyone give me some advice for preparation in advance-I'm told to get underneath washed-anything else I should be doing please?

Mike1966

Your doing the right thing. If its running well just get it washed underneath and check your lights, indicators, horn, wipers, tyres etc are working. Basicaly the stuff we should all be checking weekly or before each journey. lol
Cheaper for the mot to fail you and tell you if anythings wrong than some garage trying to make easy money off you.
But a 4 yr old car should be fine. Good luck

sheilds

Ah-cheers Mike-you're a gent-Thank you-feel a bit better now.:)

CKhalvashi

sheilds wrote: »

Ah-cheers Mike-you're a gent-Thank you-feel a bit better now.:)

Unless the car's done spaceship miles (S-Max no.1 had almost 200k on it when it went in for its 1st MoT and passed first time, only issue was 2 tires nearing the limit which were done the next week anyway), you should have nothing to worry about.

It's just a case of ensuring that everything common sense is working as it should be.

CK

sheilds

Thanks CK-Helpful advice and love your signature,:)

CKhalvashi

sheilds wrote: »

Thanks CK-Helpful advice and love your signature,:)

Thank you

It was something I lovingly said at a Press Conference for Junior Eurovision last year. I'm one of the few that's been able to make a living from the contest, though, hence 200k miles in 3 years

CK

ballyblack

check your lights,

As well as the bulbs the height/angle of the headlight beams have to be within certain limits (that only a garage can check accurately).

However maybe take a chance that they're ok?

CKhalvashi

ballyblack wrote: »

As well as the bulbs the height/angle of the headlight beams have to be within certain limits (that only a garage can check accurately).

However maybe take a chance that they're ok?

Fleet sort things like that, not me! I've got a twiddly thing on the indicator stalk for adjusting the height of the lights, all I know is that it's invaluable for driving on the motorway at night!

CK

ballyblack

twiddly thing on the indicator stalk for adjusting the height of the lights

This should be set at 0 for test

snowmen

Wouldn't even bother getting it undersprayed either - I used to but haven't for the past 5 years with no trouble.
If they can't inspect the underside of the car when they lift it up they will fail you but it would have to be really bad.
It costs around £10 to underspray and £17.50 for a retest so you only have to get it through 2 years on the spin without underspraying to be in the money! - a true money saving tip!!!!

CL

A small thing, but make sure you have water in your windsceen washers. They need to make sure they are working and I've been told the car fails if no water is in them.

I ran out of water on the way to the MOT once and the garage I stopped at only had Evian which I had to put in the washers! Not very MSE.