Inspection alert after MoT flop

16th May 2008

Seventy-five per cent of the cars inspected by the RAC would fail an MoT! And according to the latest figures from the breakdown firm, a shocking one-in-three have a potentially dangerous or illegal fault.

Nicole Johnson, manager of RAC inspections, said: “The level of issues we’ve found with used models is concerning, with half of those we checked having more than 10 faults. Even if they weren’t a safety risk, more than 80 per cent would cost a new owner £200-plus to fix.” The RAC studied a sample of 300 inspections to come up with the figures.

“It is vital that used buyers know what to look for, under the bonnet and externally,” said Johnson. “Sadly, dangerous faults can usually be easily spotted only by a trained eye.”

She advised motorists not to rely simply on a valid MoT as evidence of a car’s condition, and to get a full inspection in order to uncover any immediate or future problems. Other suggestions include seeing the vehicle in daylight, in good weather, and taking an extended test drive.