SAVE MONEY ON YOUR MOT AND AND REPAIR COSTS

Having a valid MOT certificate is an important safety and legal must for all drivers.

The MOT Cost

The fees aren't fixed, but there are set maximums for tests, for 2008 these are:
£50.35 for cars and motor caravans
£34.65 for motorbikes with side cars
£27.15 for motorbikes.

The Cost of Your Repairs.

This is the one that hurts, you may be able to find a cheap special offer MOT, but if the "repairs" on the back end come to £1,500, then the saving is non existant

Save on extraenous repairs by using local council MOT centres.
Many councils have their own MOT testing stations for council vehicles and by law these test centres must be open to the general public. As they only carry out tests, and not repairs, there's no incentive for mechanics to find faults that don't exist.

In Edinburgh your nearest one is.
Edinburgh CEC Fleet Services, Gorgie, Russel Rd  0131 337 2307

Retest Fees

If your vehicle does fail its MOT, then once the repairs have been completed it needs to be retested.

The retest is free if:
The repairs are done at the test centre and it's retested within ten days.
They are also free if the repairs are done elsewhere and it's returned to the test centre by the end of the next working day.

The retest is half the fee if:
The repairs are done elsewhere and are brought back to the original test centre for a retest within ten working days.

What happens if your car fails its MOT and you really don't think it should have? 
All MOT testing stations are approved and checked by VOSA.  For more details on how to appeal MOT decisionshave a look at the DirectGov website

Steps you can take to get your car through its MOT:

1. Check you lights
Check your headlights for dipped/main beam, front and rear sidelights, stop / reversing / fog / indicator lights etc. Every bulb on the exterior should be functional and no cracks or damage to the lens of each lamp. Colours should be correct on each lamp, red must be red, headlights must be clear as well as reversing lights, indicators must be amber etc etc. Also ensure reflectors are in good condition without damage or corrosion.
Replace lightbulbs yourself - halfords can provide the correct bulb and it is a simple process to fit it yourself - click here for our informed guide to replacing a car light bulb.

2. Check your indicator Lights
Check your indicator lights - front, rear and hazard are checked

3. Number Plates
Ensure that the number plates and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate are clean and legible. Remember to check the rear number plate lights.

4. Suspension and Shock Absorbers
Shock absorbers will be checked for leaks and effectiveness. Check by applying your weight to each corner of the car then release. The car should settle down quickly, if so breath a sigh of relief!

5. Brakes
Check the operation of footbrake and handbrake. Handbrake should be firm and hold carAlso check Anti Lock breaking system (ABS) light operation, if fitted works on the dashboard

6. Seats and Seatbelts
Check that seatbelts operate correctly and are not frayed or torn, grab the belt firmly then make a sharp pull on the belt, it should lock and prevent you from pulling further.
Seats must be firmly secured in place. Hold the top of the back-rest and make a rocking motion from side to side firmly to check for weakness.

7 Exhaust and Emissions
To check the exhaust, start the engine, and from the rear of the vehicle listen for excessive noise that could indicate an exhaust leak. 
  

Emission checks are an important part of the test. Regular servicing should alleviate problems with emissions.
You could try a petrol additive to clean your emission before a test, not sure if they work but may be worth a try if your car had borderline emmisons results at its last MOT
 

On both petrol and diesel engines that are a little tired, changing the oil and the fuel / air and oil filters will help your engine to keep within the pass threshold.

8. Fluid Levels
Check under the bonnet to ensure that the brake fluid reservoir, windscreen washer bottle and engine oil reserves are topped up correctly.

9. Windscreen
Check your windscreen for stone chips or cracks. Any cracks or stone-chips larger than 10mm diameter will fail.  Dont forget some insurance policies come with free windscreen repairs (check it doesn not affect your no claims bonus)
Also ensure there are no obstructions to visibility from the swept area of the windscreen such as stickers. The swept area is where the wipers sweep the windscreen and the area that is tested.

10. Windscreen Washer Jets
Windscreen washer jets should function correctly. A common problem with washer jets is blockages from dirt or wax polish which can either be blown out with compressed air or a small needle or pin.
Washer fluid reservior must be full as this is now a failure point.

11. Wiper Blades
Ensure your windscreen wiper blades are clearing the screen correctly and curving with the shape of the windscreen and not lifting away at the tips. Grab the wiper blade and give it a tug to ensure it is secured to the wiper arm.

12. Tyres
Tyres must have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm and have no cuts, cracks, bulges, splits or damage to the side walls and tread. Although the spare wheel is not included in the MOT, it must be legal if you have one so   They must also be correctly inflated.  while you are checking your tyres, remember the spare.
The two front tyres can be a different type and size to the rear or vice versa, but they cannot be different if on the same axle so do check this.

13. Mirrors
Check rear view mirror and at least one door or wing mirror are both secure. You must have at least two rear view mirrors fitted to your vehicle - one inside and one outside.

14. Bodywork
Bodywork must be in reasonable condition without any sharp edges which may cause injury to pedestrians. Both front and rear bumpers must be secure with end caps in place. All doors must be able to be opened from both inside and out.

15. Petrol Cap
Petrol cap must provide a proper seal so petrol vapours cannot be accidentally ignited from sources of ignition outside the vehicle.

16. Horn
The horn should function correctly and be loud enough to alert other road users.

17. Number plates
Vehicle number plates must be clearly visible so make sure they are clean, well secured with the characters evenly spaced.

18. Emissions test
Finally, your vehicle will be tested for harmful emissions. For diesel engines, the main offender here is the fuel filter which when fouled causes the black smoke you sometimes see on the road. Diesel engines are cleaner than ever today so there is no excuse for smoke. A well serviced engine nowadays should walk through the emissions test without a problem.
 

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