UK MoT tests could become less stringent

The cars aren't the problem!

Mechanically yes new cars these days are more robust than those 15-20 years ago but the quality still differs between manufacturers...however the problem doesn't tend to be the cars but a minority of drivers who do not carry out regular checks on their cars so items such as brake pads, tyre wear, lights and headlight position settings will deteriorate never to be check by the owner. I forever see cars with bulbs gone or dazzling headlights that obviously appear to be the position has been knocked out by pot holes etc....basically there is nothing wrong with the current MOT scheme and it should be kept stringent. If cars are robust then they won't be expensive anyway without any repair bills!!

By smb4re on 8 December, 2010, 8:41pm

another great idea Stanley

Leave it alone, if anything it should be more stringent and include trailers and caravans. Wtf is wrong with this government, you dont mess with road safety, increase it to every 6 months like New Zealand does.

By A1Jaguar on 8 December, 2010, 9:22pm

why not

Why should this be a problem in Germany they've a 3/2 year system and there are no signs of automotive anarchy in the streets. The inspections are carried out by independent specialists either at dedicated facilities or at your garage. In all honesty I don't feel that cars on British roads are safer merely more expensive to run.

By tr_4_triumph on 9 December, 2010, 9:23am

a3

Yes tr_4_triumph but New Zealand only has 10 cars on the road at any one time!
If every 2 years is good for the EU then it should be good for the UK, maybe if garages didn't charge quite such high labour prices then people would bring their cars in more frequently for servicing etc.....

By binesa on 9 December, 2010, 9:25am

Not less stringent, less often

There is a difference. It is still the same MOT test, just at a lesser frequency.

Not sure I'm keen on this though. A high mileage driver with a new car doing 30,000 miles a year will have covered 120,000 miles before the first MOT, potentially without having had it serviced at all if they so chose. OK most fleets are good at this, but there's always the odd one...

That's a lot of miles without any checks, potentially. By that mileage the brakes, steering and suspension could all be shot on an uncared for car, and no-one would know...

By Oilburner on 9 December, 2010, 9:41am

Reduce costs?!

If HMG are serious about reducing costs for motorists then they can bloody well start with fuel tax!

By focuspocus on 9 December, 2010, 11:14am

It's dangerous enough out there!

Leave it alone. They could, however, introduce the continental system whereby car insurance details are included on the windscreen tax disc. That would get the uninsured off the roads and be a fantastic contribution to safety.

I have met a number of people who only do anything, including servicing , their cars, when the MOT tells them to; otherwise they don't bother.

Oh, and get rid of speed bumps and introduce flashing amber traffic lights at night.

Really, there are many good continental ideas that would increase safety. But not this one of them.

By Alexan14 on 9 December, 2010, 11:55am

another great idea Stanley, WHAT!!!!

"Increase it to every 6 months like New Zealand does"
What planet are you on, every 6 months!!!!
Get real, new cars do NOT need MOT Tests at 3 years unless they have exceedingly high mileages. This prohaps should be part of the regulations "mileage" covered on NEW cars.
Old cars Once per year is more than enough.
The main "on the road" problems I see daily are the "ONE HEADLAMP BRIGADE" they are absolutely dangerous and here in Norfolk are 1 in 4 cars!!!, you wonder just that Police are doing on the roads.

By john550i on 9 December, 2010, 12:42pm

Alastair

What a stupid idea! people don't check or maintain their cars anymore under the umbrella of "saving money".
This means that many cars will go 2 years (and probably over 25,000 miles) without being looked at!
I don't want to be sharing my roadspace with these death traps!

By Mayney on 9 December, 2010, 1:57pm

It's not quite 4/2 years though. Older cars (10 years+) have to have an annual test here in Spain.
The law here almost outlaws DIY work and modification though. Any change has to be homologated which means getting a licenced garage to do it.
Get caught in one of the regular Guardia Civil checkpoints with a light blown and you'll be in trouble if you can't change it there and then, even if the law has been eased on this.

By PedroConejo on 9 December, 2010, 2:33pm

This is a great idea! That nonsense figure about road deaths would only be valid if people were leave their cars unchecked for the period between testing. Definitely do this and reduce cost for us safe motorists who check our cars regularly and get problems sorted out.
This in combination with higher fines for motorists who drive their cars in states of disrepair (repeat offenders with headlights out/misaligned, bald tyres, cracked windscreens etc) would save motorists, and the government, money.

By TheOrangePeril on 9 December, 2010, 2:50pm

M.H.

Ive spent £200 on my last three mots with no fails, this money would be better spent on full services or a new set of winter tyres etc.

By brucy on 9 December, 2010, 5:39pm

Common sense at long last

It will encourage folk to buy more new cars if they can go for a four years without an MOT another win win bit of common sense.

Good to see folk that DIY's getting some small reward with an extended MOT, Aussies and other countries already have this as they mostly do all their own maintenance themselves and so their cars are all kept in tip top condition so there rules are more relaxed. It's a shame the Aussies are no good at cricket though.

Britain has long been a nation of Mondeo owning poofs in suits that don't like getting there hands dirty, car washing is about as skillful as most Brits get.

UK government now needs to come down tough on dodgy cars to back this up, uninsured/untaxed drivers need 10 year bans with a requirement to redo a driving test as they freeload & bump up our insurance/tax costs.

We also need road tax to be added to the fuel tax, so those that use the roads more pay more, French apples would then cost more than British Apples to buy creating more British farming jobs. Pensioners, classic car owners etc that don't user their cars clog up our roads would pay less, uninsured/untaxed freeloaders would have to pay rather than bumping up everybody else's motoring costs as it would be unavoidable to pay.

By IvorBiggen on 9 December, 2010, 5:49pm

Tony

The Govt's proposal could be safely implimented for cars no more than say 1 yr old now, ie ones which have a greater level of safety built in. So for them, first MOT when 4 yrs old or at say a certain mileage( 50k ? ) whichever comes first. Thereafter every 2 years or every 12,000 miles, again whichever comes first.

By Stroowth on 9 December, 2010, 7:20pm

Service = MOT

What I would like to see is that the MOT inspection (or a simplified version of it) is included within a normal service schedule at little or no extra cost. I don't see the point of having a car serviced and inspected, and then I have to get a separate inspection for an MOT at some other point in time. I know some garages offer incentives to do both at the same time. Surely a car that has been through a normal service should be checked if it is roadworthy and the garage could issue a certificate to that effect which is valid in the eyes of HMG? You can choose to have a service or independent MOT in any one year - take your pick.

By TUK_TUK on 11 December, 2010, 4:21pm

Huh

To the people who say that it should be six month for an MOT:

Get your heads out of the clouds, most people who drive around in deathtraps haven't got an MOT anyway, or insurance come to think of it.

Two years to me seems like a good idea

I say - Keep the 3 year from new limit, Increase the time between MOT's to 2 years and increase the penalties for people who are caught in unroadworthy cars and un MOT'ed vehicles to give some incentive to keep it roadworthy between tests.

By ianwh on 13 December, 2010, 12:30pm