Should M O T Rules Be Relaxed?

[ToraToraTora]

https://news.sky.com/story/most-drivers-fear-mot-rules-relaxation-will-risk-lives-suggests-poll-12839598
...personally I think they are fine as they are. If anything they need strengthening.

[Rosetta]

I dont know when the 1st MOT is due but if 2 years I think that could be lengthened as modern cars are far more reliable

[Zacs-Master]

'more than 300,000 vehicles a year fail their first MOT'

Nuff said.

[ToraToraTora]

rosetta, the first MOT is after 3 years.

[ToraToraTora]

What I would like to see though is more a sort of consistency across testers and also some measures to stop the testers finding faults in the hope that they get the work. Any ideas?

[bhg481]

Rosetta - modern cars might well be more reliable but they also cover more miles and need service inspections less frequently. By the time my car was due it's first MoT I was on my second set of brakes and a third set of tyres, such was the mileage.
I must say that in all my years of MoT tests I have never yet had a false failure.

[Zacs-Master]

'some measures to stop the testers finding faults in the hope that they get the work'

Could the testers wear a body / head cam' whilst carrying out the test?

[barry1010]

MOT testers are checked and prosecuted, people are very quick to complain if they feel they have been ripped off
https://garagewire.co.uk/news/mot-news/mot-tester-prosecuted-for-carrying-out-800-fraudulent-mots/

If it worries you, get your car MOT'd at a council run MOT centre - they don't do repairs so there is no benefit in failing your car. Be aware you won't be able to drive it away if there is a major fail, though

[ToraToraTora]

Not practical Zacs the only way is to divorce the identifying faults process with the repair of those faults somehow. Possibly have MOT only stations.

[Zacs-Master]

Why isn't it practical?

[barry1010]

Here's a list of the local authority MOT only test centres
https://www.carveto.co.uk/mot-check/council-centres/

[Zacs-Master]

Surely MOT only test centres would be more likely to be incentivised to find faults as that's their only income.

[barry1010]

Zacs, they don't do repairs.

[barry1010]

The fact that the MOT only centres don't do repairs could prove expensive if they find a major fault - you can't drive it to another garage, it would have to towed

[roadman]

no i think they are fine as they are peoples lives are at stake would you want them to relax rules on aeroplane mot stuff no you would not and statistically cars are even more dangerous any numpty can drive one

[elliemay1]

It's 4 years and older in N.I

[barry1010]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot/#hidden

[Zacs-Master]

Ah, OK. I've never used an MOT only testing station.

[ToraToraTora]

ZM:"Why isn't it practical?" - well they'd have to save all the film, someone would have to scrutinise it. In many cases it's not a black and white opinion. We all know that some testers have certain things they love to highlight. Then if there is an issue presumably someone else would have to do the same test. Then the results compared objectively. Just not practical.

[nicebloke1]

Stand alone government test stations only in my view. Its always been and always will be a licence to print money for garages.
The latter is why many people don't take their car for MOT if they can get away with it. If your car fails at a government station, you know what needs doing, and only that, not a list of BS.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes, I agree Nicebloke, that's the only way.