Whats going on with MOT Availability at the moment?

[BobSpounge]

MoT tests: John O'Dowd rules out privatising services

The infrastructure minister was speaking ahead of an assembly debate on waiting times for MoT tests.

www.bbc.co.uk

Private tests ruled out by the looks of it.

 

[svensktoppen]

Good. That would just be even worse, might as well not bother.

 

[Simon998]

Managed to get one for the XJR this morning. There was only one centre and date availble - Ballyclare on the 6th August. Bit of a wait.

It's untaxed, I'm guessing I'd get pulled if I drove it? I'm surprised they still don't let you tax it without an MOT, odd for them to turn down money.

 

[cupraricky]

Managed to get one for the XJR this morning. There was only one centre and date availble - Ballyclare on the 6th August. Bit of a wait.

It's untaxed, I'm guessing I'd get pulled if I drove it? I'm surprised they still don't let you tax it without an MOT, odd for them to turn down money.

Send an email to DVA customer services, indicate ur tax expired and you require a test ASAP to enable retax, you'll have one in approx 5 days, but need to be willing to travel!!!!

 

[Pumesta]

All very well and good saying just sit and keep refreshing. Easier said than done...

Agreed its next to pointless trying in the evening, or at weekends, as there is never any free slots released, unless you get lucky and someone cancels.

You need to do it first thing in the morning to have any real chance, and most people are working during the day. Only a civil servant would think that people can sit for ages on the internet during work hours

Thankfully mine passed on Thursday, just have to do it all again for my 79 year old mum at the end of the month

 

[BobSpounge]

Agreed its next to pointless trying in the evening, or at weekends, as there is never any free slots released, unless you get lucky and someone cancels.

You need to do it first thing in the morning to have any real chance, and most people are working during the day. Only a civil servant would think that people can sit for ages on the internet during work hours

Thankfully mine passed on Thursday, just have to do it all again for my 79 year old mum at the end of the month

I've saw several appointments for the same date in the same centre being released at 10pm on a Sunday night. Makes no sense. It's a lottery.

 

[Nickyyy]

Hear hear to two year testing

 

['96dc2]

Are all centres closed for maintenance or is that bollocks?

 

[BobSpounge]

View attachment 427775


Hear hear to two year testing

Still annual for anything over 10 years old I think. Mad when a fresh enough unloved car could be in worse nick than a loved 20 year old car especially with our potholed roads, suspension could be damaged on any age of car. Age isn't everything.

 

[CloudStrife]

Are all centres closed for maintenance or is that bollocks?

Bollocks, wife had her test today.

 

[MiniMad]

View attachment 427775


Hear hear to two year testing

what a mess that will make of the cars on our roads! Loads of people only fix their cars for the MOT test

 

[Coog]

Cars under 10 years old, MOT every other year. Seems common sense enough and if it helps reduce the backlog, then great.

Younger cars don’t tend to need fixed for MOT’s. Not in my experience anyway.

 

[Boydie]

So my S3 is 9 years old currently, 10 in December so will I have MOT this year? It would be due in May 2024

 

[Boabybooster]

Cars under 10 years old, MOT every other year. Seems common sense enough and if it helps reduce the backlog, then great.

Younger cars don’t tend to need fixed for MOT’s. Not in my experience anyway.

Wonder how that would work if selling/buying car from mainland still on annual mots.

 

[svensktoppen]

So my S3 is 9 years old currently, 10 in December so will I have MOT this year? It would be due in May 2024

It's the assembly, it's only a PR announcement At this point they are only looking at maybe starting a consultation.

It will be some time yet before any rules actually change. If they actually do.

Nothing has changed yet, so just do your MoT as usual in May.

 

[Eddies]

I'd to sort out quite a few mots for work recently. Alot of which where 6 months wait but got dates changed checking the site.

But does leave it open to someone picking a date now for 6 months time due to the wait time and in 6 months just rebooking it for another 6 months wonder how long some people are getting away without testing now.

 

[mcmurray]

I'd to sort out quite a few mots for work recently. Alot of which where 6 months wait but got dates changed checking the site.

But does leave it open to someone picking a date now for 6 months time due to the wait time and in 6 months just rebooking it for another 6 months wonder how long some people are getting away without testing now.

The current site only lets you book up to 3 months ahead.

How are you booking appointments 6 months down the line? Or have I picked you up wrong?

 

[ace275]

Still annual for anything over 10 years old I think. Mad when a fresh enough unloved car could be in worse nick than a loved 20 year old car especially with our potholed roads, suspension could be damaged on any age of car. Age isn't everything.

I've seen some seriously knackered newish cars. I remember stopping to help a woman in a peoplecarrier full of kids who had a puncture. Put my hands round the back of the wheel to lift it off the hub and the wire stabbed my in the hands. No puncture, just worn right through.

She said the usual "OMG, sure it's not even due its first MOT how can it need tyres" (Car was on 40k miles ffs!)

Yet no doubt she'd be the first to complain about someone doing 35 in a 30 whilst she potters a bunch of children about on racing slicks.

In my old job I was doing 30k miles a year across NI. That's 60k miles between MOTs if the 2 year rule was brought in. More than enough time for a balljoint or bearing to go from good to completely failed and separating, and many people just wouldn't have the ear or knowledge to realise and have it addressed.

1 Year is fine IMO.

 

[svensktoppen]

But does leave it open to someone picking a date now for 6 months time due to the wait time and in 6 months just rebooking it for another 6 months wonder how long some people are getting away without testing now.

In fairness the "rule" to keep driving as long as you have a valid booking isn't actually a right. It is just guidance to police to apply discretion.

But they are perfectly within their rights to nail someone to the wall if they determine someone is taking the proverbial. It's not like some free get out jail card for anyone.

And obviously any car has to be deemed roadworthy at any time, regardless of MoT status.

But yes, I'm sure there are a lot of people winging it at the moment...

 

[Gavlar]

Is the NCT annual or biannual? How do they do it down there, could be a good indicator of what state cars could end up in

 

[svensktoppen]

Don't know about across the border, but in Sweden there used to be the same system as here with government run test facilities. That has all been privatised now, but the testing is still independent from dealers/garages/etc. Kind of half-way between our current model and the English model, best of both perhaps. They still run on an annual schedule, same as here.

 

[Coog]

I've seen some seriously knackered newish cars. I remember stopping to help a woman in a peoplecarrier full of kids who had a puncture. Put my hands round the back of the wheel to lift it off the hub and the wire stabbed my in the hands. No puncture, just worn right through.

She said the usual "OMG, sure it's not even due its first MOT how can it need tyres" (Car was on 40k miles ffs!)

Yet no doubt she'd be the first to complain about someone doing 35 in a 30 whilst she potters a bunch of children about on racing slicks.

In my old job I was doing 30k miles a year across NI. That's 60k miles between MOTs if the 2 year rule was brought in. More than enough time for a balljoint or bearing to go from good to completely failed and separating, and many people just wouldn't have the ear or knowledge to realise and have it addressed.

1 Year is fine IMO.

What’s the stats say for accidents caused by mechanical failure vs driver error.

How often do drivers get checked for competency?

 

[Bryan]

They already seem to be soft on newer cars. My mum's Fiat 500 passed MOT with both wheel bearings hanging out of it. Same with my wife's Mini - it passed with a balljoint hanging out of it. Yet if I bring a 2004 Mini over it gets slaughtered.

 

[ace275]

What’s the stats say for accidents caused by mechanical failure vs driver error.

How often do drivers get checked for competency?

That's a whole different argument, but I'm in favour of checks there too. Say every 10 years for a basic competency check and hazard perception, then every 5 years when you hit 65 I'd be in full favour of. Every 2 years when you hit 80.

It doesn't have to be as stringent as the initial test, but just a basic highway code quiz, check on your driving, and make sure you're still alert and fit enough to operate a vehicle would suffice.

I've always thought a traffic light system would work well there too

Green - Back on the road
Orange - You've 28 days or something to get an eye test or whatever you need to do and resit, but you can drive in the meantime
Red - No longer fit to drive until x has been addressed immediately

 

[Coog]

That's a whole different argument, but I'm in favour of checks there too. Say every 10 years for a basic competency check and hazard perception, then every 5 years when you hit 65 I'd be in full favour of. Every 2 years when you hit 80.

It doesn't have to be as stringent as the initial test, but just a basic highway code quiz, check on your driving, and make sure you're still alert and fit enough to operate a vehicle would suffice.

I've always thought a traffic light system would work well there too

Green - Back on the road
Orange - You've 28 days or something to get an eye test or whatever you need to do and resit, but you can drive in the meantime
Red - No longer fit to drive until x has been addressed immediately

Only a small percentage (less than 5 IIRC) of accidents are related to mechanical failure. Everything else is pretty much driver or other road user error.

The 3/4 year rule was brought in late 60’s / early 70’s? Back then cars were falling to bits by 6/7 years old never mind 10. Things have moved on a lot since then. Not everyone is a Karen doing 30k a year. The average is less than half that. Yes there’s a risk but it’s not a significant one IMO.