MOT Question

jarrod1

keep ringing for cancellations, i have never had to wait longer than a week

ballyblack

Book your appointment on line for any date.

When you have the booking reference number, ring Ards Mot center about 9 -9.30 am any morning to see about a cancellation for that day

You should get an appontment after a few trys.

Always works for me

jizba

My MOT is up on the 17th of November, I made an appointment today and its been scheduled for the 27th of November, Im very disappointed it and my only option now is to hope for a cancellation.

peter999

Witless wrote: »

If you're a NI poster you book through the D&VTA. You can do it in person, by post, by phone or online.

http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/vehicletesting/howtobook.asp

Do you have to use these garages ??

Can't you just take your car to any MOT garage in Northern Ireland or is it a different system from rest of UK ??

peter999

former_student

The MOT system in NI is much more intense than in England where the norm is that if a car fails an MOT all that is necessary is to slip the person performing the MOT and extra £10 and the car will suddenly pass the test.

This doesn't happen in NI in which the MOTs are performed at DVLA centres and there is not option of bribing the testers.

Frenchtoast_2

peter999 wrote: »

Do you have to use these garages ??

Can't you just take your car to any MOT garage in Northern Ireland or is it a different system from rest of UK ??

peter999

Its a completely different system over here. After 4 years your car will require an MOT certificate anually. You generally need to apply for this test 6-8 weeks in advance of this date to ensure you get a date before MOT expires. Booking this test can be done by post, by calling at any of the test centres, or by contacting the direct booking line. Once you have a booking ref you can call the booking line on a daily basis to avail of any cancellations at any of the testing centres in the province. There are 6 centres within 25 miles of Belfast so you shold be able pick up a cancellation. These are located in Belfast, Lisburn, Mallusk, Larne,Downpatrick and Ards. I think all of these centres work 8-8 Mon to Sat

peter999

former_student wrote: »

This doesn't happen in NI in which the MOTs are performed at DVLA centres and there is not option of bribing the testers.

Frenchtoast wrote: »

Its a completely different system over here.

There are 6 centres within 25 miles of Belfast

How weird, that is so bizarre that the centres in NI are run by the DVLA.
There must be some strange reason for it, as I cannot see why.

I'm sure you know in rest of UK, MOT garages do the tests.

In the last few years with reliability of modern cars, much less rust, more checks on the MOT, Vehicle Inspectorate here have relaxed the rules regarding retest after MOT failure at another garage & also being able to take car away to do repairs.

peter999

roddydogs

ballyblack wrote: »

If the car is due its first Mot test then it probably needs a mechanic to check it over, e.g. all bulbs working, handbrake and headlight-levels will need checked and adjusted and brake pipes cleaned for the test

Best to use a small independent for this rather than large main dealership.

Also take the car to the Mot center yourself and save some money

"Brake pipes cleaned"? explain

IvanOpinion

roddydogs wrote: »

"Brake pipes cleaned"? explain

so that they can be seen and checked ... a centre can fail a car simply because it is too dirty underneath .. generally we have to have the bottoms jet washed before an MOT (it is a good idea to also clean under the car as well :whistle:)

Ivan