MOT price

Concerned75

If the maximum price for an MOT is £54.85 for a standard car, how can a website advertise it at £75, without a breakdown or clearly stating what the extra £20 odd quid is for?

couriervanman

So find a cheaper place to MOT car

Concerned75

Doesn't answer the question but thanks for the flippancy.

AdrianC

Concerned75 said:

If the maximum price for an MOT is £54.85 for a standard car, how can a website advertise it at £75, without a breakdown or clearly stating what the extra £20 odd quid is for?

Concerned75 said:

Doesn't answer the question but thanks for the flippancy.

Well, a link to the website would help, since it may give a hint.

Perhaps the extra is for collection and delivery? Perhaps it's for a service at the same time? Perhaps it's for something else on top of the basic test?

Concerned75

If it's for collection and delivery, that's fair enough but it doesn't. Just seemed a lot considering MOTs start from £35. I don't know much about cars and customers aren't given a tour of what goes on in an MOT. Just wondering value for money or overpriced.

Concerned75

Sorry, doesn't say extra cost for delivery and collection.

couriervanman

which garage is it......might help in your question 

born_again

Concerned75 said:

If the maximum price for an MOT is £54.85 for a standard car, how can a website advertise it at £75, without a breakdown or clearly stating what the extra £20 odd quid is for?

Ask them... Sadly our crystal ball is not working.

EdGasketTheSecond

Concerned75 said:

If it's for collection and delivery, that's fair enough but it doesn't. Just seemed a lot considering MOTs start from £35. I don't know much about cars and customers aren't given a tour of what goes on in an MOT. Just wondering value for money or overpriced.

I think you will find that by law, every MoT station must have a customer viewing area so you can see exactly what goes on in an MoT. Maybe not a 'tour' but pretty close.

AdrianC

Concerned75 said:

If it's for collection and delivery, that's fair enough but it doesn't.

"Doesn't say it" is different from "doesn't include it".

There is a maximum legal chargeable amount (£54.85) for the test itself, and that fee is 0% VAT. Any test centre has to accept a booking for a test from you (but there's no stipulation on how long), and they can't charge you more than that maximum. If they try, report 'em to DVSA.
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/problems-with-your-test-result

But anything on top of that basic test...? Chargeable is fine.

Just seemed a lot considering MOTs start from £35.

Frankly, I regard cheap tests as suspicious. Slots really should be a minimum of 45min. What's their hourly rate for labour? If the MOT fee is cheaper than 3/4 of the hourly, then they're banking on making money out of tests some other way...

I don't know much about cars and customers aren't given a tour of what goes on in an MOT.

The test itself is public - what's tested, how, and what qualifies as a fail...
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles

alan_d

AdrianC said:

Frankly, I regard cheap tests as suspicious. 

Me too. I hear *far* too many stories (both on here, and friends) where a cheap MOT fails on a bunch of stuff, yet passes elsewhere at full price.
Eg, here's the failure list of a friend's car:

Repair immediately (major defects):

• Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))
• Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))
• Offside Front Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))
• Front Power steering component leaking rack (2.1.5 (a))
• Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):

• Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))
• Front Upper Oil leak, but not excessive turbo pipe (8.4.1 (a) (i))
• Nearside Front Oil leak, but not excessive gear box (8.4.1 (a) (i))
• Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()
• Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement d bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

He did nothing other than change the faulty bulbs, and fix the track-rod-end dust cover, and then put the car into another MOT station 2 days later, charging full price, where it passed:

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
• Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i)

Hard to believe it's the same car!