Buying a 2nd hand car MOT?

kevins12

Hi, I'm looking at a 2012 RENAULT MEGANE 1.6, the pictures look perfect

I've looked at the MOT history and since it was first registered its only showing 1 MOT in 2023 with these advisories

• Front reg plate damaged. 
• Offside repeater lamp cover missing. 
• Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flex hose (1.1.11 (c)) 
• Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material to flex hose (1.1.11 (c)) 
• Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material on flex hose (1.1.11 (c))
• Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i)) 
• Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i)) 
• Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))
•  Offside Front slight movement at top mounting. 
• Offside Front slight movement at top mounting.

The asking price is £1, 150, I was just wandering if the advisories are economical to fix

facade

The advisories are nothing on a 12 year old car.

I'd be concerned that it is missing all those MOTs, most likely it didn't need them as it wasn't in the UK, it could be a little harder/more expensive to insure if it is an import.

Is the steering wheel on the correct side?

If it comes with a full MOT for £1150 you should get a year out of it at least, and then worry about the strut top bearings if they need doing.

If I bought it I'd get underneath and take the emery cloth and the hammerite to the ferrules, and have a look if the brake pipes are corroded or just covered in protective grease.

fatbelly

New reg plates are £15 off Amazon and smarten the car instantly. I've done it with mine to get rid of the EU flag and the advertising for the original dealer. Even if you only need the front, best to get a pair. No need to prove anything. Well worth doing

Side repeaters are cheap but awkward to fit. I gave up. If I had to, I would have persevered 

However, at an asking price of £1150, is there anything else going on?

Brie

Is this from the same place as the other second hand car you were asking about?  I too wonder why there is only 1 MOT showing.  

EssexExile

I had the same corroded brake hose advisories on my Astravan for all the 17 years I owned.

smudger1964

None of those advisories are too much to worry about.I owned a peugeot 106 for 10 years and it had an advisory for a corroded brake pipes for 8 of those years then one year it disappeared and the following year it was back

Bigphil1474

If it's only showing one MOT since first reg, could it have had a different VRN before 2023? If they were advisories last year, maybe they've been done by now?

Herzlos

fatbelly said:

New reg plates are £15 off Amazon and smarten the car instantly.

Probably less at your local motor factors. But if it's only an advisory I'd probably just leave it as is unless it gets any worse.

Herzlos

What does an HPI check tell you about it? The 1 MOT in 12 years is odd, but it could be something as simple as a change of plate. Or it's been exported and re-imported, or been off the road for a long time.