Often when we think about vehicle maintenance there are 2 things that are synonymous with looking after your car and that’s MOT testing & servicing. However these two parts of maintenance differ in many ways. Both important to keeping your car or van in good condition, we’ll break down the key differences here.
Do you know what happens during a vehicle service or MOT? Due to being a legal requirement, many customers schedule their car in for an MOT without understanding what that entails.
What Happens During An MOT Test?
In the United Kingdom, after a vehicle reaches the age of three years, it is required to be tested annually to verify that it continues to fulfil legal road safety and environmental criteria. An MOT (Ministry Of Transport), may only be performed by approved and recognised specialists who wear the iconic blue and white sign.
Multiple checks surrounding your automobile are carried out, including lights, brakes, exhaust, gasoline, and other safety features. They do not, however, include the inspection of your clutch, gearbox, or engine.
The test guarantees that the vehicle is safe to drive, but it does not guarantee that it is performing at its best. That’s because the MOT test only looks at what’s ‘safety critical’ in your car, not the car or van’s overall health. While the MOT test covers items like brakes, lights, tyres, and seatbelts, it does not examine things like your engine. That’s when a service comes in handy.
Vehicle Servicing Explained
A service is a vehicle examination based on your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations that maintains your car’s reliability, safety, and fully functional. Both a MOT test and a service are comparable in that they both check things like tyres, brakes, and seatbelts.
Having your automobile maintained on a regular basis can ensure that it runs better, smoother, and more reliably in the long term. Servicing your automobile helps to make your vehicle more efficient, which means reduced operating expenses and less repair fees.
Interim Services
Full Service
MOT & Vehicle Service Misconceptions
While frequent servicing is suggested to maintain your vehicle in excellent working order, unlike a MOT, an annual service is not a legal obligation nor a need for motor insurance. However, if you believe you’ll save a few dollars by deferring your repair, you may wind up paying a lot more later if your automobile requires costly remedial work that might have been avoided if identified early during your service. Skipping a service is a waste of money.
While the MOT test certificate is valid for a year, the MOT tester may only make decisions based on the vehicle’s condition on the day of the test. In a year, a lot may change to your car’s state, so you can’t rely on the MOT certificate to ensure its safety. Regular inspections and maintenance, such as checking tyre pressure and condition, topping up oil and fluid levels, and replacing blown bulbs, are all necessary to keep you safe on the road.
Basic road safety and environmental criteria are met when a vehicle receives a MOT pass certificate. Because the MOT tester is not allowed to dismantle any components on the vehicle, the test does not reveal its mechanical condition.
