MOT exeption for 40 year plus now in force in N.I

Coog

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Would it cost more than an hours labour for someone to stick it on the rollers and go through the car to make sure it’s safe and not rotten.

Not in my experience. It was more like 3hrs & £200 for inspection & report... and lots of sellers unwilling to foot the bill without financial commitment. Most were grand with getting a MOT on the car even if it didn't need it but mention PPI and they nearly all wanted it paid for, arranged and in one case the car transported to the workshop on their behalf. As I said it depends on the value of the car and the seller though. Some will work with you and some won't.
 

DJMCA

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Not in my experience. It was more like 3hrs & £200 for inspection & report... and lots of sellers unwilling to foot the bill without financial commitment.
Agree with @Coog , i had to get an engineers report for my engine change. Most of the quotes to look at the engine change alone were £200+. So id assume for a full car report it would be twice that!

Dont agree with the opinion that classic car owners just polish and clean. Yes, there are a small minority that are not mechanically minded and would take the mickey, however speaking for myself i look after the old car as well/if not better than my daily. Anything it needs, it gets (my wife will testify this to her frustration :joy:). I would not take that chance with my Family in the car or any car for that matter. I know my motor better than any MOT tester however i would probably still continue to get it tested, even every 2 years. The only thing i struggle with is the emissions for MOT lol!
 

111gsi

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I was pleased to see that the official information makes it explicit that exempt vehicles can still be presented for testing on a voluntary basis. I'm fortunate that mine is old enough to have no emissions requirements (other than not emitting excessive visible smoke) but £30.50 for a check of brakes and suspension is well worth it.
 

gary1365

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Great news
What happens if an exempt car fails? Does it have to pass again before you can use it again or can you still drive away anyway.
 

DJMCA

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I was pleased to see that the official information makes it explicit that exempt vehicles can still be presented for testing on a voluntary basis. I'm fortunate that mine is old enough to have no emissions requirements (other than not emitting excessive visible smoke) but £30.50 for a check of brakes and suspension is well worth it.
Id assumed that when they become MOT exempt through this they are also emissions exempt i.e. even if you did it voluntarily they wouldn't check emissions? The Mrs '71 Mini was in the 40yr tax exempt bracket and during MOT they didn't do emissions or headlight levels (sealed beam units).
 

vw1500

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What happens if an exempt car fails? Does it have to pass again before you can use it again or can you still drive away anyway.
I would think so as it would have shown not to be road worthy
 

Coog

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Shouldn't be driven if it's not road worthy regardless of pass or fail. Can't see it needing a retest, just whatever is broken fixed properly.
 

111gsi

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Id assumed that when they become MOT exempt through this they are also emissions exempt i.e. even if you did it voluntarily they wouldn't check emissions? The Mrs '71 Mini was in the 40yr tax exempt bracket and during MOT they didn't do emissions or headlight levels (sealed beam units).
Tax exempt and MoT Exempt are totally separate. When a car is presented for MoT it's tested in line with the standards for its age (e.g. pre 1980 doesn't need a rear fog light).
There are no emissions standards apart from visible smoke for pre-August 1975. August 75 to August 86 it's 4.5% Carbon Monoxide and 1200ppm Hydrocarbons. Then progressively tighter up to the present day. I've always been told they can't test sealed beam units with their machines (may or may not be true) but with my old cars it's always been a quick look "on the doors" to make sure one side isn't plane-spotting. I was failed one year for the aim being too low on one side.
Shouldn't be driven if it's not road worthy regardless of pass or fail. Can't see it needing a retest, just whatever is broken fixed properly.
Yep, nothing to stop you failing a test then using the exemption form to get the car taxed later the same day. But if you're the type of person to plough on regardless you probably aren't going to go for the voluntary test anyway!
 

stevieturbo

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Id assumed that when they become MOT exempt through this they are also emissions exempt i.e. even if you did it voluntarily they wouldn't check emissions? The Mrs '71 Mini was in the 40yr tax exempt bracket and during MOT they didn't do emissions or headlight levels (sealed beam units).

Before 01 Aug 1975 is just a visible smoke test, so there is no emissions test as such.

Don't see why they wouldn't be able to test old Mini headlights...apart from the fact they're so rubbish no light comes out of them !! A set of halogen headlights for them aren't expensive, and make a world of difference, and visually there is little difference on the car.
If it's a classic that does get driven, they should be an essential upgrade.
 

Odhran

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So does anyone know definitively if a car must have a current / recent MOT to qualify for the exemption? Contacted a seller about a car registered 41 years ago. Says the car is exempt from MOT so doesn’t need one but a quick check says it hasn’t been tested since 2007.
 

BarryPort

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What is the point of this exemption? It hardly relieves the pressure on MOT testing. 40+ year old cars must make up less than 0.2% of the cars on the roads.

And another thing, how many RTC’s are down to unroadworthy vehicles? Probably less than 5%. It’l be the c*ck behind the wheel.
Fatal will be 1 in 100 of that again, 0.05%.

A ban on vehicles over 20 years old using the Westlink ‘Canyon’ between 7am & 7pm no matter how well they’re looked after would deem more effective.
 

IL

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Is tax free on classics here also?

Rolling MOT exemption 40yrs from the date of manufacture

Tax Exemption rolls from the April of the following year.

For example Build date 1st June 1980 could apply for Historic Status and Tax Exemption Post April 2021.

But can Self Cert. MOT Exemption from 1st June 2020
 

Jbridges522

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Rolling MOT exemption 40yrs from the date of manufacture

Tax Exemption rolls from the April of the following year.

For example Build date 1st June 1980 could apply for Historic Status and Tax Exemption Post April 2021.

But can Self Cert. MOT Exemption from 1st June 2020
Cheers sir, tried to tax a 79 land rover and the post office had literally no idea what to do 🤦‍♂️
 

Pumesta

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So does this mean my late fathers kit car is now mot exempt ?

Untitled.jpg
 

Pumesta

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I will have too look into this. I think there is something about the car cant have been substantially modified in the last 30 years. I would need to check on that, but it would be close to 30 years since he built it
SDC10339.JPG
 
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