MOT due date

castle96

is due 11/5. There are some issues it will fail on and some it might just get through on.
If I take it now and it fails, does that mean that I cannot drive it (until 11/5 when the previous MOT expires), ie that I will be driving illegally as it has failed ?
Is there such a thing as a 'pre MOT' to advise what it would fail on ? Repair, then take it back in the knowledge that it will pass. Cost of this ?

[Deleted User]

You can ask the garage to do a pre-MOT where they will check every thing that is checked on an MOT. Depends if your garage provides that service.

MOT just shows that car was road worthy on day of test. It is still illegal to drive car on road that is not road worthy. But driving with a blown headlight bulb during the day is not exactly life or death.

Quentin

If it is legal to drive now, then failing the MOT won't make it illegal - your original MOT remains valid till its expiry date.

An MOT cert doesn't mean an unroadworthy car is "legal" to drive!

castle96

"If it is legal to drive now, then failing the MOT won't make it illegal - your original MOT remains valid till its expiry date."

IS that true though ? (the whole point of my Q).

If so, I may as well go for a full blown MOT as no doubt a 'pre MOT' is the same cost as an MOT.

I 'would' have thought that failing an MOT NOW,, means that it would be illegal to drive and I could not drive up til 11/5

You say not though ???

Aretnap

If it's likely to fail an MOT then by driving it you're quite likely committing some construction and use offences whether you have an MOT or not. Whether that's a serious matter depends on what the particular faults are. Defective brakes, tyres and steering are the obvious biggies and driving a car with one of those faults can get you into quite a bit of trouble - including points on your licence - MOT or no MOT. Other things like blown exhaust or non-working bulbs you're less likely to get into trouble for - and if you did you'd get a small fine and no points.

Regardless of that, last years certificate remains valid for 12 months, and if it fails an MOT in the meantime the car doesn't become any more illegal to drive than it already is.

Aretnap

castle96 wrote: »

"If it is legal to drive now, then failing the MOT won't make it illegal - your original MOT remains valid till its expiry date."

IS that true though ? (the whole point of my Q).

Yes. The law says

A person who uses on a road at any time, or causes or permits to be so used, a motor vehicle to which this section applies, and as respects which no test certificate has been issued within the appropriate period before that time, is guilty of an offence.

So what matters is whether a test certificate has been issued within the appropriate time (12 months), not what tests you might or might not have had done in the meantime.

That's just as far as the offence of driving without an MOT certificate goes though. A valid MOT certificate doesn't absolve you of your duty to ensure that the car is roadworthy when you drive it.

anotherbaldrick

Unless of course the pre-MOT throws up something which it is considered makes the vehicle unroadworthy ( like perished brake lines) at which point the vehicle must be taken off the road MOT still current or not.!

MX5huggy

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Unless of course the pre-MOT throws up something which it is considered makes the vehicle unroadworthy ( like perished brake lines) at which point the vehicle must be taken off the road MOT still current or not.!

But then you can fix the brake lines tomorrow and drive around on the current MOT till the 15/03.

Jamie1981

The short answer to your question is if you present your vehicle for MOT today and it fails, you still have a valid MOT until 11th May.

The choice is completely yours whether you drive the vehicle knowing it has failed.

If I were you, present your car for an MOT for a morning slot, if it fails, ask the garage to phone you after the MOT and state what needs doing. If they can get the parts in and do it before close of business and your happy for them to do it then no worries. They will re-present it for MOT and pass as they will have done the work. If you dont work on weekends, present it Friday morning and if they need it until Saturday close of business then it gives them more time to do this if they are busy.