New Driver, 1st Car - MOT Question

Linz2012

Hi all,

Wonder if you can help.

My car is going into the garage at the end of the month for its MOT.

I know for sure that I need the following replaced. New driver side Wing Mirror as another driver hit it off, new seat belt clasp for the back & 2 head rests for the back.

Where is the best place to get these from? I've tried general google searches but not really getting anything. Or shall I just leave it upto the garage. Worried its going to cost me a fortune.

I got a Ford Focus XL 2001

Thank you

M19CPB

Ebay is your friend

Joe_Horner

Headrests aren't needed for MOT.

Seatbelt clap you're unlikely to get separate from the belt, and probably shouldn't anyway. If you have 3 belts fitted in the back and the other two are ok, remove the faulty belt completely (assuming you don't use that seat). Only two are needed for MOT.

Door mirror, scrapyard, ebay, or try your local autofactors - you might be surprised how cheap a non-original (but made to fit) replacement can be!

Linz2012

Thank you for your reply.

Ok, with head rests.

With the seat belt, its the seat behind passenger seat. Does it matter that there will only be middle seat & seat behind driver with a belt.

Seem to be having difficulty getting a replacement mirror will keep looking got a few weeks yet.

Joe_Horner

Linz2012 wrote: »

With the seat belt, its the seat behind passenger seat. Does it matter that there will only be middle seat & seat behind driver with a belt.

No it doesn't matter. Assuming your car is reasonably modern (post 1987) and has 3 rear seats (which it does if it has 3 belts at the moment) there are 3 ways to meet the requirements for rear belts:


(a) 3 point inertia reel belt on an outboard seat and a 3 point static or inertia reel belt, lap belt, disabled persons belt or child restraint for at least one other seat;

or
(b) static 3 point belt for one seat and a disabled person’s belt or child restraint for at least one other seat;

or

(c) 3 point belt, lap belt, disabled person’s belt or child restraint to each seat


Outboard seats are the ones by the doors. So, you still have a 3 point inertia reel belt fitted for the driver's side outboard seat and you have a (lap?) belt fitted for one other seat - the centre one. That meets requirement (a) so will pass.

Note that you have to remove the faulty belt completely (the belt AND the buckle / stalk) because if it's fitted then it must be tested.

Also, if you get really stuck for a mirror, you can get clip-on mirrors for classic cars that clamp to the door edge, like this one:

http://www.completeautomobilist.com/products/ca1230-clamp-on-side-mirror-round

You can also get bolt-on ones that are more similar to modern types, but you have to drill the bodywork to fit those. With the clip-ons you can always remove them later without damage, or use them as an extra blind-spot mirror when you find a "proper" replacement!

One of those is fine for the MOT - it doesn't have to be the original maker's type

mgdavid

IIRC you only need 2 out of the 3 (2 x door / wing, and 1 centre ) mirrors for an MOT pass.

shaun_from_Africa

mgdavid wrote: »

IIRC you only need 2 out of the 3 (2 x door / wing, and 1 centre ) mirrors for an MOT pass.

2 out of 3 is good enough for a pass providing that one of the fitted mirrors is an offside door/wing mirror.
The nearside or centre mirror can be missing but not the offside one.

The above info is applicable to vehicles first registered after 1978. Before this date and any 1 mirror is good enough.

Linz2012

Thanks very much for your helpful replies.

Managed to find online a company that sells the mirror for £23.00 inc VAT & delivery so will get that.

Best option will be to try & get the seat belt out then. If it failed - the seat belt. Could they fix it. For some reason it wont plug into the clasp bit.

The rest then it making sure its got oil, screen wash etc. Checking all lights

Any other good ideas to help it through. It passed fine last year, just replaced tires.

Linz2012

My car is 2001 so would get passed that mark lol.

The mirror in question is the drivers side so it needs to be there.

[Deleted User]

When you say "seat belt clasp", do you mean the bit (with a red button) that pokes up through the seat, into which the shiny metal part (attached to the retractable belt) is inserted?

The bottom part in this picture?

arcon5

What car is it