How frequent should the MOT test be and why?

Answer 1

It should be carried out on mileage rather than periodicity.

Answer 2

I think in this day and age it would not be unreasonable for cars to have their initial MOT after 5 years rather than the present 3. Many cars have a warranty for 3 years....I also think that after that time an Mot of sorts could be done when the car has an annual service...it does seem an added expense to have an MOT after you have had it serviced...There are many parts which last for years and do not require a check every 12 months, much as you see in the service record of cars, not everything is serviced every year.
I would also give serious consideration to the MOT being done on mileage rather than age...a car which has done 80,000 miles in two years has got to be in need of a safety exam more than a five year old car which has done 15,000 miles. More often than not the MOT test seems to be a money making venture for the garage, despite the fact that the Dept. of Transport would say different

Answer 3

In any industry the biggest 'shake-down' that any product gets is within its first year of manufacture. Fact. My personal view is that all cars should be completely independently MOT'ed after the first year of manufacture, at a franchised workshop, not a franchised dealer and annually from thereon. Having a blind faith that a new car will be safe for five or even three years is complete stupidity. Most cars of today outperform serious sports cars of the recent past and will still kill you when they fail. You cannot take a car manufacturer to court when you are six feet under. Some cars have had serious issues at their first MOT after three years, prompting their manufacturer to recall all models of that type, some models almost being written off. Also the MOT only currently tells you of the state of the car on that day, not whether the car is going to be safe for the following year. I believe that the recommendations area of the MOT needs to be used far more fully than it currently is. Finally, the results of MOTs need to be held in a database so that future buyers and the police/insurance companies can get access to all safety aspects of vehicles concerned.

Answer 4

What's an MOT test? Do you mean State car inspection? And isn't AA, Alcoholics Anonymous? AAA is Triple A the auto club. So doesn't one person's answer beg yet another question? If it's car inspection -- Once every two years is how it's done in NJ and it's fine. It took NJ a little while to get the glitches out of the inspection system but I seldom hear anyone complain about Motor Vehicle Services in NJ anymore. Plus, we're about the only State left that still has full service at the gas pumps--and gas costs less than most everywhere else. Which means I can never move; I don't know how to pump gas and at my age, I have no desire to learn...

Answer 5

Some good answers there, Chris.

I personally think a combination of mileage and time-since-last-mot with a maxiumum of 1 year between MOTs (like service intervals - 10,000 miles or one year).

Some vehicles get used very heavily and are (in theory) more likely to suffer damage than others.

I certainly don't like the idea of every two years as has been proposed recently.

As you know, the MOT test merely proves that on the date it was tested it was found to be in a road-worthy condition. A lot can happen to a vehicle in the space of a year.

I think we should be doing more to educate and encourage people to look at the condition of their vehicles on a regular (daily / weekly / monthly) basis.

Answer 6

i own an mot station ..and the reason i would give to you that cars are mot every 12 months is this ...30% of cars fail the mot every year ..mainly brakes and tyres ..think how many accidents there would be if it was every 2 years ..and you would be amazed how many even newer cars come in with serious faults that would not pass an mot ..at the end of the day the most important factor has to be safety

Answer 7

Every 12 months (when they are 3 years old)to make sure that your car is roadworthy.

All EC states must comply with a Directive to ensure that vehicles using public roads are mechanically safe and operate within emissions limits.
In mainland Britain, cars and light commercial vehicles must be Tested when they are three years old and annually thereafter (this varies throughout the EC). In some Countries the mechanical and emissions Tests are separate. The UK MOT now covers over 150 checks of safety- related and emissions systems.

Answer 8

I think that MOT's should only be compulsory only when a car changes hands. As we all know the MOT is only valid at the time it is done and gives no guarantee of the condition of the car after it leaves the garage.
Coupled with this there should be additional powers for the police etc. To allow them to carry out spot check's on any vehicle on the road to find any major problems.

Answer 9

The 12 monthly M.O.T. is (after the car is 3 years old ) is regular enough,but, as the car is only said to be safe on the road at the time of an M.O.T. being carried out, i believe there should also be a type of roadworthy check between the M.O.T.'s (which should be free)just to make sure everything is in good working order ,and also to reassure the owner of the vehicle that everything is still ok , and therefore if anything needs to be done it would allow time for repairs.

Answer 10

Yearly from 3 years old - like now.
A lot can happen to a car in the space of a year. Leaving it 2 or 3 years is asking for serious bother.

Also, should be tougher with regards to tyre depth, brake efficiency. The current standards are way to lenient.

Should also be impossible to insure a car without a valid MOT if required.

And as for those TO**ERS who drive without insurance - lets cut off a finger every time they get caught.

Answer 11

I own an MOT centre, if you saw what condition some people are prepared to drive the cars in (they forget its their safety too) you would never suggest extending the date. I would like more powers for the police to force "suspect" cars to be tested by MOT centres they suggest (too many "mates" with access to dodgy testers in some cases).
The MOT test needs review too. As many people said its only a test for the car at that moment. We see cars with parts from other cars to get them through the test (and we can't fail them!).
I would be happy to go to testing only if it was "offical" test centres, like some EC countries, and why no make the test £250 and make it your tax too..... two birds - one stone!