Do you guys WASH YOUR CARS before MOT time? (Fun Question)

[Hunterlit]

I'm always washing my car even if it's not due to go anywhere, my misses is always telling me to "leave it alone" and I've been the butt of jokes for spending so much time on it.

 

[Nasher]

I once left mine and didn't wash it for ages over a winter, but then I started getting comments about how dirty it was. It looked like I'd been through a rally

It's great for supermarket parking, people give you space.

 

[paradigm]

Do I specifically wash before an MOT? No.

Is my car clean 95% of the time anyway? Yes.

 

[Scania]

With trucks its compulsory otherwise the testers wont test them. Should be the same for cars IMO

My Scania R450 went for its last MOT absolutely filthy, I couldn’t access our truck wash before it went, it came back equally filthy and passed…..

 

[Robdav]

I wash mine before an MOT and before servicing. I also tell the service department to not wash my car even if they include a complimentary wash. Last thing I need is someone scratching my car with their dirty sponges and chamois leather

 

[Nasher]

I hate the washing thing. Even when I've told them not to they still do it sometimes. You'll notice none of the specialist places do that, it's mostly just dealers.

I watched them doing it once. They'll use the smallest amount of shampoo and water they can get away with (because profit margins) and the same dirty sponge/rag for every car which passes through. Then sometimes squeegee the car down to dry it, which you should never do.

 

[throwaway4372]

I generally keep it clean ish, but I get service + mot together which comes with a clean, so it's pointless cleaning it before it's cleaned.

 

[sigma]

This never even crossed my mind.

 

[paradigm]

I hate the washing thing. Even when I've told them not to they still do it sometimes. You'll notice none of the specialist places do that, it's mostly just dealers.

I watched them doing it once. They'll use the smallest amount of shampoo and water they can get away with (because profit margins) and the same dirty sponge/rag for every car which passes through. Then sometimes squeegee the car down to dry it, which you should never do.

Not to mention the amount of times their dirty sponge will get dropped on the ground.

Also, why do garages insist on trying to make every single piece of interior trim wet look gloss, always covered in something that feels slimy to the touch, it’s the same with prepping cars for sale. Eurgh.

 

[Robdav]

I guess it's each to their own really. As I said earlier I never let a dealer get anywhere near my car for a so-called clean. Even when I purchased it from new I asked them not to do their "dealer prep" on it.

today my car had her first MOT. As expected, passed with flying colours. It even drew compliments from the guys in the mot station on how "mint" the car looked

 

[rare]

I always clean my cars beforehand, not that they get dirty - I don’t drive much these days and I’m the only one who ever goes out in them. But I always like them to go in for an MOT/work looking immaculate.

I know firsthand that an immaculate car gets treated better and with more car than a something full of rubbish and in a sorry state.

 

[Rroff]

Only if there is mud caked on etc. where I usually go, if you leave it all day instead of an hour slot, do a complimentary wash anyhow albeit pretty basic (I accidentally left my dashcam on last time - took him 7 minutes and 57 seconds).

I hate the washing thing. Even when I've told them not to they still do it sometimes. You'll notice none of the specialist places do that, it's mostly just dealers.

I watched them doing it once. They'll use the smallest amount of shampoo and water they can get away with (because profit margins) and the same dirty sponge/rag for every car which passes through. Then sometimes squeegee the car down to dry it, which you should never do.

I'd say they do an OK job where I go - good power wash first, adequate amount of shampoo albeit about the minimum I'd want to see used and a professional grade extending pole with a microfibre sponge thing on it which looked clean. Left for 15 minutes to dry. They didn't even touch the windows other than power wash. Very perfunctory job minimum effort but to a standard.

 

[Lopéz]

I generally do, force of habit from a learning experience years ago.

When I was much younger I used to assist MOTs at a small local workshop, and when filthy (or full of junk) cars were presented it used to drive the testers mad, and they would really go to the nth degree on cars like that.

EDIT

This, basically!

MOT tester here, a clean car makes a massive difference to the state of mind of the person testing it

Nothing worse than fishing through thick mud on the underside and the state of the inside of some cars can be disgusting, like nail clippings and stuff.

 

[Jez]

MOT tester here, a clean car makes a massive difference to the state of mind of the person testing it

Nothing worse than fishing through thick mud on the underside and the state of the inside of some cars can be disgusting, like nail clippings and stuff.

I’m quite pleased to see this confirmed. I always clean mine inside and out before an MOT, which I hate doing, but on this belief. Of course it is very nice to have a clean car for a week or so too

 

[Howard]

I hate the washing thing. Even when I've told them not to they still do it sometimes.

Been there, done that. I told Ford multiple times (on the phone when making the booking, and when dropping it off) not to wash it after the service/MOT. It wasn't "just washed" clean, but it wasn't dirty.

I picked it up and noticed it had been washed. Sigh. I also noticed fresh swirl marks. Sigh.

I had a moan, and they ended up asking me what detailing products I use, and gave me a stack of new bits (Megs ultra cut and finishing polish, Collinite wax, Chemical Guys fluffy drying towel, etc) by way of an apology.


When I bought my new car (from a Skoda main dealer of all places) I asked the salesman to make sure it wasn't "prepped" by them, as I wanted to detail it. He understood, and upon pickup he said "the interior has been cleaned to an extent - I couldn't let it go in the state it was in" (dusty and covered in crumbs etc from the previous owner). And in fairness it looks like all they did was vacuum it. He wants me to email him photos once I detail it

 

[Robdav]

I picked it up and noticed it had been washed. Sigh. I also noticed fresh swirl marks. Sigh.

I have a sign that says "Do not wash this vehicle" which I leave in plain sight on the dashboard when I drop the car off. it's worked so far but to be fair the car goes in for a service cleaner than most, if not all, of their show cars!

 

[Bug One]

Wash it? Why? Ah yes sir, your brake lines appear to have a split in them - but seeing as it's super clean I'm going to give it a pass.

My MOT tester doesn't sit in the car either. I'm the one doing the lights, turning the wheel etc.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Sometimes, it depends on the weather in the week prior. My MOT is in February, it could be snowing that week.

 

[HangTime]

No, other than emptying out any rubbish or odds and ends that the family have left in there. The way I see it is if you're relying on a car being clean to make the difference then there must be some other underlying issue. And if it's serious enough to warrant a failure then I'll want to know about it anyway rather than being 'let off' because the car is clean. But I think it depends on the age/general condition of the vehicle; obviously if you are dealing with 10+ year old vehicles then it's more likely they are going to have a problem that needs attention.

Having read some of the posts in this thread, maybe I should think differently.

 

[Haze]

My car is always clean dont have these problems, try and wash it every two weeks