GazTheHat

Do you get any reminders or anything, for the first MOT?

Phil

Nope

kgt

iTrader: (1)

You get a letter from Subaru telling you the warranty has ran out....and they want £1100 to renew it. When you've regained consciousness, ring your fave Scooby garage and ask to book it in.

Cost me nearly £3.00 for a number plate bulb......gutted.

Odds on

The Police will normally pull you over and let you know its run out. Their good like that.

Looie

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I just had the 'your warranty is about to expire' letter about my BMW. They want £608 to extend it for just one year, and it's not even a factory warranty but, instead, a third party insurance product with a £100 excess per claim.

bushiwarrior

your mot is due 4 years from the 1st registration date.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

THREE years!

Red Rocket 11166

bushiwarrior chooses to drive his car like its been stolen - and without an MOT !!!!

Shark Man

I have a spreadsheet on my PC with all the due dates of MOT/TAX/Service/Insurance for all my vehicles and reminders set in my calander

</geek>

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

<geek mode>

what sort of calendar do you use? paper ones are pointless, as I never remember to look at them, and I have yet to find a good PC one

<geek mode off>
I normally find out when I go to tax my car I forgot that when I bought my scoob it only had 6 months tax, and had had its MOT cert 3 months before i got the car...yes, thats right it was nine months out of date when I realised. I still remember going to book the MOT. The guy was a little busy and asked if it was urgent

GazTheHat

It's an import, so i'm guessing no letter.

So check the docs, 3 years from the 1st reg date. I think i've two months left then. Bugger!


Sharkman, organisation is a good thing. But you're still a geek.

Shark Man

<Puts hand knitted bobble-hat back on>

I hactually use windows mail calander, which syncs up to my SE w800i ......

Well at least in theory its supposed to do that anyway

<Puts on duffle coat, grabs a notepad and heads off to find some Deltics to spot>

GazTheHat

bugeyeandy

I use Google calendar (calendar.google.com)
You can set reminders so it emails you at a chosen point before the event. I set the Mot one to a week which gives me time to check the car over and book the Mot.

GazTheHat

Now that's just showing off!




Google calendar you say...

bushiwarrior

(COUGH) its four years in n.ireland and we are part of the uk so i guess it wouldnt be any different on the mainland.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I've always known it to be 3 years in England, so unless its changed when I was not looking...

There is talk of making the MOT biannual, and starting it only after 4 years. My mechanic friend was saying that the intention is to basically have a test that lasts only a little longer than the current one, but one where they charge twice as much, if not more.

This would allow the garage to earn more per hour for testing, while Jo public feeling they have a better deal as its not done so often. Madness if you ask me, all cars need looking at once a year.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

<bobble hat, with hand knitted gloves, with those string things attached so you don't lose them mode on>

I fell we are starting to see eye to eye here Going to your idea and the Google one

<dodgy mode off>

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

bah, Google calendar is online only, so no use for a laptop on the road. Windows Calendar is Vista only, and NVidia cannot be arsed to write NForce 2 drivers for Vista the last time I looked....bugger

pslewis

You disconnect the Crank Sensor after an oil change ............ don't you!?

Shark Man

Because of my prowess of geeky knowledge of all things mechanical I know that its a complete pointless waste of time

It's only done by religious fanatics as a sacrifice of time to please the MAF gods, which in turn will allow to them to continue thrashing their half knackered engine in the presumed knowledge that it will last forever if driven like a 8year old playing Gran Turismo.

GazTheHat

I dunno. How maybe cars do you see with brake lights out, indicators (excluding BMW's) missing?? Driving oblivious to it.

A twice yearly check might be a good idea. (with a once yearly charge. )

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Actually my BMW has an indicator on the dash to show if any bulbs have gone... the whole 'BMW drivers don't indicate' thing is just as much rubbish as 'scooby drivers are chavs and boy racers', and pretty boring now IMHO.

I don't think a test every two years is such a bad idea, if it means that parts which might last one more year (but no longer) get replaced sooner than they otherwise might. The test would just have to require a higher standard - things which might get an advisory now, such as slight play in a wheel bearing, would become grounds for a fail. The test need not take much longer, but it would mean failing parts would be replaced sooner, and it would be a lot less hassle for owners - especially those of us with multiple cars who always seem to be testing, servicing or taxing something.

Shark Man

They also have self cancelling fog lights on newer models; So anyone with them switched on really is doing it for vanity's sake (unless it is foggy )

The problem is there are lots of parts that could fail or get damaged beyond safe limits within a 12month period. Where on prior inspection was found to be A1 condition. The other problem is that many cars now have long service intervals - some in excess of 2 years meaning that more cars are on the road that do not have any form of inspection of its condition.

Tyres being a main point; if driven enough miles, driven underinflated or with incorrect suspension geometry (poor geometry is not a mot fail - maybe it should be) they can wear out like lightening. And it is well known that tyre failure through neglect is a main cause of vehicle breakdown.

Unfortunately there are far to many ignorant car owners out there that do not do basic regular safety checks - many don't do anything <cough: women>. And for that, the nanny state has to do something to help protect everyone from these people causing harm to other road users, the MOT is the bare minimum to ensure that (not enough in my eyes). If all car owners took responsibility for their cars by doing at the very least monthly visual checks on key compnenets such as tyres and outer brake pads (which is often possible), as well as sorting out any strange noises (such as failing wheel bearings) or handling issues (caused the missus repeatedly bouncing up and down curbs ). Then we would not need annual testing, or even biannual testing.

Employers who use fleet vehicle are expected to do the regular safety checks in addition to the MOT due to them being found liable if they operate unsafe vehicles and to ensure employee and public safety. With the general public there much less control on this - barring the MOT.

Maybe the two year MOT would work if stricter enforcement and penalties for unroadworthy cars was put in place. But until that happens, I'd want bi-annual testing.