Classic Car MOT

[jleyton]

Not only do I believe an annual independent safety check is essential for all road vehicles (including those currently exempt!), but I wish that there was a reminder system in place like there is for VED. I just found out last night that the MOT for my Son's 2008 Focus expired on 9th March! So I now have to make a grovelling call to my friendly garage first thing this morning to see if they will take it in today, and I'll have to lend him our Skoda to get around in until it is sorted! Son no longer lives at home so I leave him to remember these things.

Hi Dave,

On the MOT (sorry, printed receipt ) there are details about how to get a reminder.

However, it does, of course, cost money to avail oneself of this 'service'

Cheers

Julian

[Tootalltony]

I disagree Tony.
My point is we probably need more, tighter, inspection of older cars, not less - and probably better training of MoT testers when it comes to signs to look for of corrosion on older cars.

Roger

Hi Roger
I think that in principle we both agree, what I was trying to say is that an MOT is worth bugger all if it doesn't include some kind of check on stuff that's structurally important and as posted earlier less about EU emissions.
Perhaps classic only MOTs is the way forward, perhaps with specially trained classic car testers?

[WealdenManinKent]

I am happy to undergo the MOT with my classic. Have been a spanner happy man for many many years but so easy to miss one thing and the MOT process is reassuring to have another pair of eyes that maybe is an experienced older tester giving the old girl the once over. given some of the more 'basic' questions you see from some on the web about maintaining your classic it's good to know their cars are tested each year!

[jleyton]

Shortly after I did a front suspension rebuild on my car it went in for an MOT. Although the lower arms and ball joints seemed fine to me, off the car, it was only when it was on the MOT 'shaker' that significant play showed up.

The combination of weight on the wheels and the movement of the machine showed up the play that I had not detected.

Keep the MOT !

Apart from the cost saving, what advantages or benefits are there supposed to be not having MOTs on older cars

Cheers

Julian

[XFSTag]

I agree with Julian we need a check on classic cars. However I do think it needs to be a relevant check and more in line with the age of the vehicle being checked. Some of the mot testers out there don't have a clue frankly and it took me a while to find a tester who is a classic car man himself. He translates the required procedure and is sensible about the very different standard between moderns and classics. However he doesn't cheat on safety which is important to me. I finished my restoration of the classic mini last year which was a complete nut and bolt job and I was grateful of his sign off that's everything was fitted and working as it should. I am lucky though my local chap is a good chap and we spend more time talking classics afterwards than the mot takes😄
we have all been at some point to view "restored cars" which are far from safe and sold with mots so Lord knows what would be around if the check was dropped completely. Not all people repairing/restoring classics have the standards of the the members of this club chaps.

I think something more in line of safety check which avoids them shaking the stag senseless on those new fangled lifts and avoids the obvious comparisons to more modern cars would fit the bill. My stag has passed every year of my ownership first time, but he often points something out to me whilst she is up on the lift, last time it was an exhaust rubber, nothing much but something I hadn't seen. I also like the opportunity of having a good nose about underneath which to she is up in the air. I only have height adjustable ramps at home so this is the once a year I can see everything clearly underneath her oheeer misses
cheers
glyn

[fedex]

My 72 Stag has just passed its MOT today, with one advisory for the nearside radius arm bush, however the tester also pointed out a few other things that weren't failures or advisories that he feels will need addressing in the future. I spent hours under my car but hadn't noticed them. This I feel shows that all cars especially classics need an MOT every year. After this even if they did scrap the MOT for my car I would still pay my tester to go through the car every year. roger

[LAMBRETTLAD]

X2^