An MOT is required by law on most vehicles, so it’s important to make sure it passes. Of course, you need professionals to carry out the test and any work needed to ensure it doesn’t fail. However, here are just a few things you can do to minimise the chances of a failure.
What You’ll Need:
The steps we go over are mostly just checks, however you may need a few things. You might want to get some cleaning equipment, screen wash, engine oil, lightbulbs and maybe even new tyres. A twenty pence piece might also benefit you. Finally, you’ll need to find a reliable garage to carry out the MOT after you’ve made all the checks.
How Long It Will Take:
Preparing for an MOT won’t take much time. Put aside 1 hour before your test to carry out these checks.
How Much It Will Cost:
Most of the things we look at are just checks. If you have to do all of the things on the list, it might set you back around £100 or maybe even more. Screen wash and bulbs are relatively cheap, whilst the price of engine oil, fuel and tyres will differ car to car. Most vehicles that are kept in reasonably good order won’t require more than £20 worth of supplies to get MOT-ready.
Pre MOT-Checks
1. Keep Your Car Clean
Okay, you won’t fail your test because your car is dirty or cluttered. However, ensuring there are no marks on your windscreen that affect the drivers view is important. Also, your registration plate needs to be legible, so make sure it is cleaned prior to the MOT.
2. Look For Broken Bulbs
Lights are one of the most common reasons for failing an MOT test. Simply check headlights, break lights and other lights by turning on your vehicle and getting somebody to look for you. If you need lights changing, you can do them yourself or inform the garage beforehand and have these sorted out.
3. Check Your Tyres
Tyres are an important part of the MOT test and crucial to making your car roadworthy. The tread depth should be 1.6mm to ensure there’s enough grip and to make sure you are not breaking the law. You can check this using the 20p test. If your tread depth exceeds this, then your vehicle will fail the test. Don’t panic as this is fairly common, check out our other blog on what to do if your car fails the MOT. If you don’t know how to change tyres, then the garage will most likely be able to change them for you.
4. Top It Up
If you’ve ran out of screen wash, your vehicle might fail the test. Furthermore, a garage might turn you away if you don’t have enough fuel and engine oil to complete the test. So, make sure you’ve topped these up before you take it in.
5. Check Your Windscreen
Your windscreen is important as it has to be in a good condition to drive safely. If you have any marks, scratches or chips that are bigger than 40mm, then the vehicle will fail. Also, your windscreen wipers need to be in working order so they can effectively clear your view. If they look a bit worse for wear, then they may need replacing before the MOT.
Get In Touch With PARC Today
Is your MOT is due? Then contact our garage today. If your car is experiencing any of the above problems, inform us before the assessment and we can assist in getting them fixed. We can help get your car up to passing standards and ensure it is roadworthy. To keep your car in top condition, make sure you keep up with regular servicing too.
