Mot Postponement?

[brainiac]

The other day I saw a short report on TV that there might now be a 'holiday' on MoT tests until this current crisis is over, and that an arrangement would be put in place so you could tax your car online , as it can't be taxed without a current MoT. Can't find any further info, and there's nothing in today's paper. Has anyone heard anything similar?

[bhg481]

The only comment I saw said that you will be able to tax a car with an overdue MoT but it didn't say anything about being allowed to drive it. Not much use unless you have to park your car on a road, where it will need tax and insurance.

[sddsddean]

Don't know if this will be for cars too, but as a Road Haulier I have had an e mail from VOSA saying that all MOT's for trucks, trailers and bus/coaches are now suspended for a minimum of 3 months. All vehicles will have a 3 month extension to their MOT digitally applied.

[jno]

no mention of ordinary cars here

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-lorries-buses-and-trailers

[teacake44]

Don't know why you should not go for MOT, you don't have to wait in a waiting room, average time is only 45 mins anyhow, and you won't be kissing the examiner will you?

[brainiac]

Cos my car needs a couple of things that I can't afford at the moment!

Thanks for the replies, will keep my eyes open for any news on this...

[bhg481]

Depending what those "things you can't afford" are, you might be committing an offence driving it even if you have a valid MoT.

[THECORBYLOON]

TC, what if there are not enough folk to do the checks?

[teacake44]

@ 17.18 not being able to afford to have repairs done for MOT is the norm for most folk, hence they take it off the road until they can afford it, and depending on what it is, by driving it you could be putting other peoples lives at risk as well as your own. May be some are just jumping at the chance to get out of doing the right thing.

[teacake44]

@17.36 you won't know that unless you ring up to make an appointment will you, and if the one you use has had to close there are many others that will still be operating I'm sure,. They are not the sort of place that gets over crowded, normally one appointment every hour, and normally more than one examiner.

[lankeela]

So how is it working in those countries on lockdown? Are garages still open?

[tonyav]

MoT testing for cars is to be reviewed in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The Government has already suspended the annual roadworthiness test for heavy goods vehicles, buses and trailers.

Now the Department for Transport could issue similar guidance for cars, motorcycles and light vans over the coming weeks if MoT test centres are forced to close by the COVID-19 outbreak.

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/coronavirus/2020-03/coronavirus-government-to-review-mot-testing-for-cars/

[teacake44]

If that is the case that MOT stations close, then you can say good bye to any repairs if your car breaks down, has most MOT stations do repairs weather MOT repair or just a normal wanted repair.

[tonyav]

Yes teacake, it will cause problems. Don't know if it would affect mobile mechanic's though as far as repairs are concerned.

[teacake44]

Have used mobile mechanics many moons ago, but they are limited to what they are able to do on your drive.

[tonyav]

They can do most things these day's, teacake.

[brainiac]

Thanks for that link, tony - hadn't thought to look at the Honestjohn site, which is one I know and trust.
I can assure everyone that my car is perfectly roadworthy, it's the rear driver's side window motor that doesn't work and I've had to improvise a way to keep it shut.

[tonyav]

Well at least you know where you stand regarding the MOT now. brainiac.

[Hymie]

With regards driving a car without a valid MOT, the police have much higher levels of motoring criminality to worry about than this.
They can’t even manage to prevent uninsured drivers, driving in their thousands on our roads.

Of course you will not be able to tax your car without a valid MOT certificate – and so will join those in the higher category that the police are after.
Since the police are in effective at catching those driving without insurance, I don’t see them catching you with an un-MOT’d car.

Note: my previous posts criticising the police for being incompetent have been deleted on this site.

[teacake44]

@00.26 you are miss informed they take thousands of uninsured drivers off the road every year, plus they prosecute thousands for not having an MOT, and just so you know if you do not have an MOT then your insurance becomes void. And a lot of criminals drive around with no MOT or insurance that's why they target such.

[bhg481]

teacake - just for the record, not having an MoT does NOT invalidate your car insurance; this has been discussed on here before. The conditions of an insurance policy state that the car must be roadworthy but having no MoT does not suddenly make it unroadworthy and dangerous. Similarly, having a car with a dangerous defect, even if it has an MoT, can make the insurance invalid.