Getting An MOT

venomx

Car is booked in for an MOT and  Service next week. I suspect one of the front wiper blades may need replacing as there is a tiny streak on the passengers side when the wipers are on in the rain.
Should I buy some blades from a local car shop and then take them down to the MOT guy next week. OR will the person doing the MOT stock the blades there ?
Asking as i'm new to driving and never had an MOT/Service before. Thanks

[Deleted User]

The garage, handling the MOT, carry out whatever is necessary.
Likewise with your Services, any issues will be carried out there and then.

neilmcl

Have you actually ever cleaned the wiper blade rubber? There's probably nothing wrong with the blade and just needs the rubbers cleaning.

If they are indeed worn then simply get new blades and fit them yourself.

venomx

neilmcl said:

Have you actually ever cleaned the wiper blade rubber? There's probably nothing wrong with the blade and just needs the rubbers cleaning.

If they are indeed worn then simply get new blades and fit them yourself.

I haven't no. I'll wait and see what the mechanic says next week at the MOT.

I don't trust myself changing blades. I tried replacing the rear one as it was making an annoying noise and ended up damaging the connection at the end of the arm. I had to then source and buy a new arm which fitted the car ( which wasn't easy ) and I'll be changing that today hopefully with someone who has more experience than me.

AdrianC

Changing wiper blades is trivially easy. They're a cheap consumable, and need replacing regularly - I do mine annually, and you can tell the difference.

Why would anybody leave them until they're SO bad they fail the MOT...?

venomx

AdrianC said:

Why would anybody leave them until they're SO bad they fail the MOT...?

Firstly i'm new to driving. 
Secondly, I thought as the MOT is only next week I could just wait until then and let him do it ?

AdrianC

Sorry, I thought I remembered your username as somebody who was just coming back to driving after a break.

But on purchasing a used car, it's always a good idea to go over it and have a little catch-up on any missed basic maintenance. It helps to familiarise you with the car, apart from anything else.

Remember - the MOT is not a once-a-year high-point of vehicular condition, it's an absolute baseline BARE MINIMUM.

Yes, the tester should deal with wiper blades as a PRS - Pass and Rectify at the Station. If he's got the right blades in stock. If he hasn't, and can't quickly get them, then he'd be perfectly within his rights to issue a fail.

It'd be a free retest, once you've replaced them, but that's time that you can easily avoid wasting just by spending ten minutes before the test checking the obvious stuff that you should be checking regularly anyway... Lights, wipers, screenwash, tyres...

dipsomaniac

Car owners really need to be able to do a few things for themselves. Changing a wheel, battery, wipers & air freshener😀 are the most basic.

I would inspect the wipers for wear/damage.  If they need replacing, buy the wipers and try again.  If you can't fit them then take them to the test centre for them to fit.  They will almost certainly charge you even though it's a five minute job

JJ_Egan

MOT station may not have your blades in stock .Its not their job  although some will have parts stock other may be able to get quick delivery or next day delivery .

Clean blades with paper towels damped with WD40  .

[Deleted User]

Bear in mind some MOT stations will only MOT. Nothing else.

Difficult to do but find a good garage. That garage will service and MOT (even if MOT is off site), meaning the bits that may fail will be sorted at a service. For me, that usually means the bits I cannot do myself and that will be the brakes or light adjustment etc. Try to familiarise the simple stuff you can do yourself, bulb replacement, horn check, wipers, and so on. Remember your spare tyre, that can fail you an MOT.

Get someone to check through the lights with you before MOT, saves time and cost. Though some bulbs are a sod to get at, carry a spares kit. If a bulb fails for me, it is easy to replace quickly then pick up that bulb at your convenience soon after. The manual will have all the how to, to change.

Oh, and washer bottle. Very easy to miss and fill it up, some service agents will charge for the privilege unless you warn them off. And it is a fail and I believe a fine if police pull you and check?

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/3-visibility

venomx

Excellent thanks guys. I'll play it safe and buy some new blades as they aren't that expensive ( before the MOT ) as you guys and others have said it's good practice to change them every year.
I'll get a family member to help assist me so that I know how they work ( to fit )