MOT Price

Clearcut

Clearcut

Clearcut

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Joined
28 Jul 2004
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2,018
Last year I went for an MOT as it was only £20. I failed due to a dodgy bulb. I let them sort it there as I don't have time to run around looking for better offers or returning later. It cost £30 with fitting - £50 in total obviously.

They contacted me again this year, quoting £20. This led me to think, am I going to fail anyway and they make their money on the work done from it. It just seems too cheap to get away with nothing needing. Surely they can't fail everybody.

What do you think?
 
£30 for a bulb??!

Next time, it's probably worth doing some basic checks before putting the car in for an MOT :p
 
Ouch that's an expensive bulb!

As above, a lot of the MOT checks are basic visual checks that you should be doing as part of maintaining a car - almost similar to putting a car in for an MOT to be told it's got less than 1.6mm of tyre tread.
 
The maximum fee chargeable for a car MOT is £54.85.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/mot-test-fees

Obviously many places charge a lot less to get you in and then try to generate revenue by “fault” finding.


In future, as said, do some basic checks prior to the test to avoid silly items like blown bulbs although you could say you’ve still saved nearly a fiver! :p

In future, look up your local councils MOT test facility - most authorities have them - they may well charge the full fee but you can be sure it’s done correctly (the same guys for example will test the councils own vehicles which is why they are there) and they certainly won’t find needless “faults” as they won’t do any repairs whatsoever and therefore have no reason to do so.
 
Just checking the history, it was this:
  • Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)
  • Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)
How could they suddenly be the wrong colour - is that wear and tear?

edit...thanks for that comprehensive advice Scania.
 
Clearcut said:
Just checking the history, it was this:
  • Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)
  • Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)
How could they suddenly be the wrong colour - is that wear and tear?

edit...thanks for that comprehensive advice Scania.
Click to expand...

a lot of indicator bulbs are in clear housings and are clear bulbs with a coating of orange. The coating flakes over time resulting in your indicators flashing white instead of orange.

Edit: I get my cars done at Kwikfit or similar, £25 odd normally on offer and generally don't have any issues as I'm pretty on the ball with any issues on my cars :) Do stay with the cars though whilst the MOT is being done...
 
Howard said:
£30 for a bulb??!

Next time, it's probably worth doing some basic checks before putting the car in for an MOT :p
Click to expand...
If it is a moody garage though it will need a bulb even if you checked it 30 seconds before because " a bulb can blow at any time".

I wouldn't go back though after that. Plenty of places do an MOT for £30 or so without looking for issues.
 
Either get it done at a garage you can trust so they won't pick faults to earn ££ or a chain where there is no benefit to people doing that as they have no financial interest in doing so.

Got my last MOT done at Halfords for free after buying a £1 air freshener. Advisories for uneven tyre wear (knew they needed replacing & tracking doing just hadn't had chance to book it in) and nothing else needed. Bargain :)
 
Got mine done at the local Halfords Autocenter a couple of weeks back, £29 and sailed through.
 
Glanza said:
Local Indie chargers £35 including taking it to test station and bringing it back.
Click to expand...
aren't you concerned with how they drive the car between the two venues. - I stopped using a smaller cheaper garage when I realised they were not testing on their premises and there was a 4mile nsl between them - maybe I was naive.



LOL - see Halfords have a new tv advert ... we fit bulbs form £8 , I guess that's the glove compartment and a headlight would be £30 ,
but two indicator bulbs £30 that's exhorbitant
... saying that halfords do/have price matched for me on nearby stores, which would include EuroCarparts (not that they're that good)
 
I always use a local Protyre garage, £23 if booked online with a discount code and not a single advisory or fail in the past 4 years. The most recent being 2 weeks ago. The key is using a garage you can trust and checking the basics before it goes in.
 
Last edited:
I used a place that charged 25 for an MOT, did for maybe six years. That all changed when they quoted me 15 quid to change a valve core per tyre.
 
A2BDriver said:
I used a place that charged 25 for an MOT, did for maybe six years. That all changed when they quoted me 15 quid to change a valve core per tyre.
Click to expand...
Surely they'd at least give you a whole valve for that price :eek: you can pick up a pack of valve cores for pennies and replace it yourself in 30 seconds.
 
jpaul said:
aren't you concerned with how they drive the car between the two venues. - I stopped using a smaller cheaper garage when I realised they were not testing on their premises and there was a 4mile nsl between them - maybe I was naive.
Click to expand...

I was at first but they look after it and unlike other garages they don't unplug your dashcam so if I thought they'd been messing around with it I could have a quick scout over footage.
 
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