Classic car MOT failure...

maxmycardagain

If a classic car over 40 years old that doesnt require a MOT has one and fails, does that mean it cant be used on the road till the faults are fixed and achieves a pass?

Longwalker

Correct, the car still has to be road worthy

Legally, because if the car is truly a classic in the eyes of the law, it doesn't legally require an MOT but the LAW states your car still has to be roadworthy

Aretnap

An MOT test on a classic car would have no legal significance, pass or fail, as the car has no need of a test certificate.

If you took out for a test and the test turned up some dangerous faults they would need to be rectified, but there would be no need to get it retested afterwards. And driving it before you got them rectified would be no more or less illegal than driving it already was before the test - you would just be aware of the faults now.

force_ten1

can you get your garage to do a mock MOT or a pre MOT where all points are thoroughly checked. but the test is not recorded against the car so no pass or fail is recorded  

Keep_pedalling

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I would hope most people would want to make sure the car they were driving on public roads did not have any dangerous faults and only an idiot would do otherwise. Most owners of classic cars actually want to keep them in good condition, they don’t own them as a means of avoiding paying for an MOT and probably spend a lot more on maintenance than owners of newer cars.

GrumpyDil

As stated earlier a classic car does not require an MOT so there can't be an offence of driving without an MOT so the questions becomes one of whether you are driving a car in an unroadworthy condition.

Failing the MOT and not correcting the faults would make it obvious that you knew. 

daivid

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If wanting to sell a recent MOT pass may make the car more valuable. There are also breakdown providers that insist a car has a valid MOT not sure how that fits in with exempt vehicles. If you have a true classic finding a mechanic to work on it can be far from straightforward especially for an annual service.

lincroft1710

daivid said:

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If wanting to sell a recent MOT pass may make the car more valuable. There are also breakdown providers that insist a car has a valid MOT not sure how that fits in with exempt vehicles. If you have a true classic finding a mechanic to work on it can be far from straightforward especially for an annual service.

A 2 yr old car will not have a valid MOT - it does not need one. Similarly a 42 yr old car will probably not have a valid MOT because it does not need one

Car_54

Bigwheels1111 said:

I don’t understand this thread.
No MOT needed. How can it fail a test it does not need.
Only an idiot what take it for a test.
I would ask my mechanic to give it a good check over once a year when serving.

The "idiot" may have made a reasoned decision that an MOT costs less than having a mechanic giving it "a good check over". And maybe more trustworthy than an unknown mechanic.

daivid

lincroft1710 said:

daivid said:

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If wanting to sell a recent MOT pass may make the car more valuable. There are also breakdown providers that insist a car has a valid MOT not sure how that fits in with exempt vehicles. If you have a true classic finding a mechanic to work on it can be far from straightforward especially for an annual service.

A 2 yr old car will not have a valid MOT - it does not need one. Similarly a 42 yr old car will probably not have a valid MOT because it does not need one

Which won't help if broken down and the recovery firm refuse to attend…

Some may decide getting an MOT makes things simpler and gives a basic check on roadworthiness. 

Aretnap

daivid said:

lincroft1710 said:

daivid said:

[DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

If wanting to sell a recent MOT pass may make the car more valuable. There are also breakdown providers that insist a car has a valid MOT not sure how that fits in with exempt vehicles. If you have a true classic finding a mechanic to work on it can be far from straightforward especially for an annual service.

A 2 yr old car will not have a valid MOT - it does not need one. Similarly a 42 yr old car will probably not have a valid MOT because it does not need one

Which won't help if broken down and the recovery firm refuse to attend…

Every insurance policy or breakdown policy I've ever seen which mentions MOT certificates says that the vehicle must have one "if one is required", or words to the that effect. Can you point to one which doesn't?

If it didn't say that then if you bought a brand new car you would have to put it through an MOT before you drove it out if the showroom for your cover to be valid. That would be... self-evidently daft.

Also is it something that an insurance company could even check? Would the MOT computer system even allow a test certificate for an exempt vehicle to be recorded? (Genuine question, I have no idea).

I can certainly see good safety related reasons why someone might want to put an existing vehicle through an MOT, or at least a pseudo-MOT - having your car checked for safety by a professional is never going to be a stupid idea -but "your insurance/breakdown cover will be invalid if you don't" doesn't seem like a very good reason.