MOT related question - is interior required?

latecomer

Quick update - hand was forced on the MOT issue. Police were at the door not 10 hours after it expired as it was parked outside the house (hasn't moved for weeks). Choice was get a ticket or get it off the road. OH was home with young son who wasn't well but went to move it and found it woulnd't start......

anyways cut a long story short(er) I phoned my usual garage and was told that it needed the passenger seat to test the seat belt on that side but nothing else.

Gloomendoom

latecomer wrote: »

Quick update - hand was forced on the MOT issue. Police were at the door not 10 hours after it expired as it was parked outside the house (hasn't moved for weeks). Choice was get a ticket or get it off the road. OH was home with young son who wasn't well but went to move it and found it woulnd't start......

anyways cut a long story short(er) I phoned my usual garage and was told that it needed the passenger seat to test the seat belt on that side but nothing else.

Years ago, I had a problem with the front passenger safety belt so I removed the passenger seat and got an MoT.

Wig

latecomer wrote: »

Quick update - hand was forced on the MOT issue. Police were at the door not 10 hours after it expired as it was parked outside the house (hasn't moved for weeks). Choice was get a ticket or get it off the road. OH was home with young son who wasn't well but went to move it and found it woulnd't start......

Anyways cut a long story short(er) I phoned my usual garage and was told that it needed the passenger seat to test the seat belt on that side but nothing else.

I believe they were wrong on that advice, if there is no seat, there is no seat belt test to be done on that 'seat' and there would be no 'seat' that has to be secured - if the seat was present it would have to be secured and the seat belt would have to be tested.......... No harm done as it would only take you 10 minutes to refit the seat, and it means the car is more comfortable for your passenger now

There is no fail for a missing seat. However a missing driver seat (essential component) must come as a fail under some other criteria such as "car not presented in a suitable condition to carry out the test" or whatever.

I know where you are coming from though, My Corsa 2003 is currently carpetless and has no rear seat. I refitted the front seats and the centre console (it looks more tidy with the console in). My leak is severe I can get 2 litres of water into the drivers foot well in a single night, my leak is coming from (I believe) the Brake vacuum servo - to bulkhead seal.

The car was involved in a front end collision with a crash barrier with the drivers foot hard on the brake, I think the pressure on the brake pedal has forced the servo unit away from its bulkhead seal, as it was only after this accident that the car developed a noticeable leak. I also do not have the time to dismantle the car to fix it, so am stuck with having to bail it out all the time.

I had my car MOTeed like this a few weeks ago.

Joe_Horner

Police were also wrong about the "MOT it or move it". There's nothing anywhere that says a parked-up car needs an MOT - the only offence is driving without one.

And no, not having an MOT will not invalidate your insurance before someone (inevitably) tries to involve the CI regs :silenced:

rdwarr

Lum wrote: »

I actually avoided the need to repair a rear seat belt for the MOT by just taking it back with no rear seats

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Years ago, I had a problem with the front passenger safety belt so I removed the passenger seat and got an MoT.

Right. My car once failed an MOT with a bald tyre so I took all the wheels off it and it passed with flying colours

Wig

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Police were also wrong about the "MOT it or move it". There's nothing anywhere that says a parked-up car needs an MOT - the only offence is driving without one.

Nope,
The offence is "using a vehicle on a road without a test certificate". So if it is parked up on a road then it needs an MOT. There is no inclusion of "or a public place" like there is for insurance, so if it is in a car-park then it does not need an MOT. Unless there has been an ammendment I am unaware of, that includes "a public place"

red_eye

latecomer wrote: »

I've stripped out a lot of the interior of my golf to try and locate a rather bad leak but the MOT is also due this week so anyone got any idea what needs to be fitted.

Currently its mainly rear trim panels and all carpets & sound proofing thats been removed along with the centre console. Oh and the rear bench seat and passenger seat too

I'm suspecting the centre console might be required as it leaves some jaggy bits when its out but any idea on the rest?

Thanks

only drivers seat and belt and fuel pump lid everything else can go

red_eye

rdwarr wrote: »

Right. My car once failed an MOT with a bald tyre so I took all the wheels off it and it passed with flying colours

if there is no seat there is no need for a belt

JethroUK

Joe_Horner wrote: »

... not having an MOT will not invalidate your insurance before someone (inevitably) tries to involve the CI regs :silenced:

Of course it could!

That's up to your insurance company! & T & C

If their terms are that they only insure vehicles with a valid MOT then thats that

If I were insuring company I certainly would not insure a car without an MOT (or expired MOT)

Wig

JethroUK wrote: »

Of course it could!

That's up to your insurance company! & T & C

If their terms are that they only insure vehicles with a valid MOT then thats that

If I were insuring company I certainly would not insure a car without an MOT (or expired MOT)

You're new here, aren't you? You're wrong. If you were an insuring company, you would have no choice you would have to insure a car with or without an MOT, whether parked or being driven.

I will try to find a thread for you to read...here this one will do
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/417682