MOT time again

[Justsomebloke]

My Vitara needs an MOT so I spent the day on it yesterday trying to give it the best chance poss ;)

Before
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/2559/dsc00298xn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

After
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1724/dsc00299jb1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Can you spot the difference :confused:
Hopefully slipping it in some time tomorrow so Fingers crossed :)


Also worth noting that I put the last MOT on it which means I've had it over a year. A years motoring for 80 quid ;D;D;D

[Feek]

Can't see the pics because I'm at work and have them turned off but I'll just add is that the Feekmobile is also in having it's ticket today.

Good luck to the both of us, eh?

[iCraig]

I'm like you Malc, the day before the MOT I give it a good clean, polish, vaccum, and do some pointless checks under the bonnet, such as tapping the air filter with my finger, checking the oil, and wiping some muck off the radiator cap. As though it makes any difference?! :D

You might be more mechanically minded than me though and may have done something that will *actually increase its chances of passing. :p

[AboveTheSalt]

God, I dread the annual MOT :'(

I have an MPV which I tend not to use much, mostly for short journeys and for about seven or eight journeys a year of between 300 & 1,200 miles. Like you, I always make a point of washing my car, cleaning it out, topping up the washer bottles and checking all the light bulbs, etc. before taking it in for the MOT.

For two years running, I failed on emissions; the first time I shelled out over £300 for a replacement sensor. The next time, I spoke to a guy at the test centre who told me to stick some Redex in the tank, fill up and go for an early morning 100 mile drive on a motorway before bringing it back - it passed. Chatting to him afterwards, he said that replacement sensors on some cars can cost over £1,000.


Good luck with your Vitara :)

[phykell]

There's always the opposing opinion which suggests that ensuring your vehicle is absolutely covered in crap, tends to dissuade the tester from taking too much of an interest in the underneath of the car and its running gear ;)

My car is coming up to its first MOT - hope there are no surprises!

[Oly-593]

I always give the car a bit of a spruce up before an MOT, do all the little checks etc etc.

They always bloody find something though. :angry:





BTW, recognise a couple of the old SPS'ers in here! (Waves to Apol and Phykell) :wave:

[phykell]

I always give the car a bit of a spruce up before an MOT, do all the little checks etc etc.

They always bloody find something though. :angry:
I try and look at it these days as a (relatively) cheap way of ensuring my car is mechanically sound. That way, if it does fail, you're more likely to think the MOT is worth the hassle. Of coruse, that assumes you've got a decent, honest MOT tester.

BTW, recognise a couple of the old SPS'ers in here! (Waves to Apol and Phykell) :wave:
Old? :(

Though, it is true :)

[Oly-593]

Old? :(

Though, it is true :)
Soz, shoulda said EX members! ;)

[A Place of Light]

BTW, recognise a couple of the old SPS'ers in here! (Waves to Apol and Phykell) :wave:

You'll forgive me if your username isn't jangling the relevant bells with me.
/confoosed/

[phykell]

Soz, shoulda said EX members! ;)
That's more like it :D

Though I prefer "Moral Exiles" ;)

[Feek]

Well mine passed after having had a brake pipe replaced because it was 'badly corroded'.

[Knipples]

Mine sodding failed today, its cost me 400 quid. And its only a bloody 52 plate with just 34000 miles on the clock.
Stoopid fing!
:'( :angry:

[Haly]

Mine sodding failed today, its cost me 400 quid. And its only a bloody 52 plate with just 34000 miles on the clock.
Stoopid fing!
:'( :angry:

:shocked:
What car have you got?

[Justsomebloke]

Well mine Passed :p
I did spend All week end on it though ;)

[Knipples]

:shocked:
What car have you got?

Vauxhall corsa 1.2 SXI.
It failed on
The front tyres (both) - I have alloy wheels so cant just bung a pair of cheaper tyres on it.
The exhaust (I was kind of expecting this as it was an advisory last year)
The number plate is deteriorating and had to be replaced.
Add in the cost of the MOT, and the VAT, and its a few quid short of 400 quid.

Stupid stupid car. Mummy will be giving it a good telling off when it gets home to me tomorrow!
:(

[A Place of Light]

Vauxhall corsa 1.2 SXI.
It failed on
The front tyres (both) - I have alloy wheels so cant just bung a pair of cheaper tyres on it.
The exhaust (I was kind of expecting this as it was an advisory last year)
The number plate is deteriorating and had to be replaced.
Add in the cost of the MOT, and the VAT, and its a few quid short of 400 quid.

Stupid stupid car. Mummy will be giving it a good telling off when it gets home to me tomorrow!
:(

1) Why do you need to put expensive tyres on the car, just because you have alloy wheels?
2) I'm guessing the exhaust must be a one-piece, as it's unlikely all sections will have needed replacing?

[Knipples]

1) Why do you need to put expensive tyres on the car, just because you have alloy wheels?
Theyre 47 quid each apparently

2) I'm guessing the exhaust must be a one-piece, as it's unlikely all sections will have needed replacing?

Yup sadly.

[Justsomebloke]

Just been & brought my Vit back home, Feels great to have another year ahead of me. Clearly this car goes down in my history as being the Best car I have ever owned. Of course I have had much more expensive & newer cars in the past but this suits my lifestyle perfectly & buying it for 80 quid Pawns all previous purchases by a country mile.
To say I am Mega happy is an Mahoosive Understatement ;D

[Stan_Lite]

Theyre 47 quid each apparently

Lucky it's a small car.

Mine are £68 a pop for the front tyres and £104 each for the rears :( (they are good tyres though). Bummer about the huge cost for fixing her up :(


Well mine passed after having had a brake pipe replaced because it was 'badly corroded'.

Nice one Feek. Got off lightly there :)

Just been & brought my Vit back home, Feels great to have another year ahead of me. Clearly this car goes down in my history as being the Best car I have ever owned. Of course I have had much more expensive & newer cars in the past but this suits my lifestyle perfectly & buying it for 80 quid Pawns all previous purchases by a country mile.
To say I am Mega happy is an Mahoosive Understatement ;D

Result mate. Two years out of an £80 car is fantastic - I love bangernomics :D

[iCraig]

Theyre 47 quid each apparently.

To be fair that's quite cheap, a full set of tyres sets me back £272 :(

[Desmo]

Aye, £47 is a cheap tyre for pretty much anything.

[leowyatt]

For future reference Knipples you might want to look at part-worn tyres as they are muchos cheaper :)

[Knipples]

Thanks everyone, they were the original tyres for the car, so I guess they were bound to be due.
Car is home, I have been out and shouted at him and told him how cross hes made mummy. He doesnt seem to care though!
:confused:

[Stan_Lite]

Thanks everyone, they were the original tyres for the car, so I guess they were bound to be due.
Car is home, I have been out and shouted at him and told him how cross hes made mummy. He doesnt seem to care though!
:confused:

They're like that - no consideration. Never so much as a "Sorry" :rolleyes:

[A Place of Light]

For future reference Knipples you might want to look at part-worn tyres as they are muchos cheaper :)

Or remoulds tbh. Unless you're pounding up and down the motorway at speed (which is unlikely in a Corsa ;) ) then they're perfectly ok.

[Nutcase]

Vauxhall corsa 1.2 SXI.
It failed on
The front tyres (both) - I have alloy wheels so cant just bung a pair of cheaper tyres on it.
The exhaust (I was kind of expecting this as it was an advisory last year)
The number plate is deteriorating and had to be replaced.
Add in the cost of the MOT, and the VAT, and its a few quid short of 400 quid.

Stupid stupid car. Mummy will be giving it a good telling off when it gets home to me tomorrow!
:(

Ouch!

Agree with the others, those tyres are cheap! Puzzled as to why the exhaust only lasted 6 years though. I'm guessing you do a lot of short journeys?

Do you still take it to the main dealer for MOT's?

[Knipples]

Ouch!

Agree with the others, those tyres are cheap! Puzzled as to why the exhaust only lasted 6 years though. I'm guessing you do a lot of short journeys?

Do you still take it to the main dealer for MOT's?

Yup its because I basically live where I work so a lot of my journeys are taking Marchant to school and/or going to the supermarket. It was an advisory last time which is why I was expecting it this year. The car has only done about 3000 miles since the last MOT.

[Justsomebloke]

Just sorted my Insurance out for 150 quids a year ;D;D;D 43 quid down & 16 quid a month, Budget motoring at its Best :cool:
Next one is tax but that is a bit of a kicker as that is 101 quids for just 6 months :'(

Can't complain though a :)

[Justsomebloke]

Got my insurance paper work through yesterday & it's only 123 quid a year ;D
Woman said 150 but what the hay I won't argue. I am going to wait till the 1st of December to tax it though even though I am gagging to get back on/off the road.

How many days early can i get the tax ?

[A Place of Light]

How many days early can i get the tax ?

IIRC it depends whether the vehicle is already taxed.
If it is, and you taxed it today, then your years disc would last until the end of Dec 2009 (because you will already have a disc covering you until the end of this month). If it's SORN or just untaked, then your disc will begin immediately and as such you'll lose over half of november making your disc valid from today until the end of Nov 2009.

[Mark]

I'm going to plead ignorance - does that mean the disc lasts 13 months then, as that's what the above suggests? :dunno:

[A Place of Light]

I'm going to plead ignorance - does that mean the disc lasts 13 months then, as that's what the above suggests? :dunno:

No, because if the vehicle is currently taxed then you've already paid for this month so the 12 month disc won't start until the previous one has expired.

[Mark]

Are you saying the new tax would start in December, or January? :dunno:

[A Place of Light]

Are you saying the new tax would start in December, or January? :dunno:

If the car isn't currently taxed, then if you taxed it tomorrow you would get the rest of this month+the following 11 months.
If it IS currently taxed then if you buy a 12 month disc tomorrow it would expire dec 31 2009, as the disc you already have would cover you for the remainder of this month.