It's about time I checked the wear on the front brake-shoes on my car. It's not that there seems to be any problem but they have now done me for 28,000 miles without a change
I could take the car for an MOT as this expired at the end of September, but I would have done this work before going there in any case. I do a lot of miles so I'm always conscientiously looking for potential problems and unusual sounds and changes in the handling of the car; so I'm not looking for any lectures about the importance of having a technically-trained, independent third party assessing my car.

But I am interested to know if anyone has changed their opinion from being very pro-MOT to accepting that the exemption is sensible. Has anyone here MOT'd their car since the exemption?

Morning Peter;
Yes, I have had my Fiat MOT'd since the exemption, and will continue to do so---if a 3 year old car needs an annual inspection, then a 43 year old car needs one---by an independent inspector who might pick up on something that I have missed, or glossed over.

Hi Peter

Did mine in June, straight through no problems and will be done year on year going forward. Also, on the Gov web site, my record of continuous MOT passes is maintained, which is very important in keeping the record straight. and it is a good mileage conformation track should I ever sell.

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

Hugh Jarce said:

Hi Peter

Did mine in June, straight through no problems and will be done year on year going forward. Also, on the Gov web site, my record of continuous MOT passes is maintained, which is very important in keeping the record straight. and it is a good mileage conformation track should I ever sell.

Cheers
Hugh Jarce

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...a very good point and actually the consequence of the exemption that I most regretted. It is also a way to track the issues that the car has had over the years. I notice a few professional resellers of exempt cars volunteering an MOT as an inducement to purchasers.

Hi Peter, I too will continue with the MOT, more for peace of mind than anything. I have always had a sneaking suspicion that insurance companies will contest the roadworthiness come the dreadful day a serious accident happens

Ian.

Re: MOT exemption-six months on-anyone changed their minds?

So that's three MOTs, no failures and no changes of minds.

The thing is that I had a feeling that a lot of people in the past either didn't use their cars and so omitted to MOT them, or hardly used their cars and therefore the test was largely pointless as it it was unlikely that the annual MOT would find some newly worn component. So I think a different question is in order as I'm keen to make certain that I'm a complete oddball by sticking to the rules and not MOT'ing my car.

I’ll bump this thread just to see if anyone has changed their minds about MoT’ing their cars considering the current restrictions due to social distancing etc.

Seeing MoT’s have been extended for all cars from 30th March for 6 months by the government from their date of expiry due to Coronavirus. It means that those that still MoT their 500’s for peace of mind, probably won’t get an MoT until at least September. Obviously depends on when restrictions are eased and garages can fully open. If they ease the current restrictions that allow us to take our 500’s out for a drive again, I suppose you could still say you are going shopping currently, will you be happy to drive your car without a valid MoT until you can get it retested?

Vitesse said:

will you be happy to drive your car without a valid MoT until you can get it retested?

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It seems ike the social stigma of driving without an MOT has been superceded by the perceived "offence" of having fun with a car. In fact, to be having any sort of (innocent) pleasure outside of the home environment has the potential to weigh you down with guilt or the presumption of being badly judged by others. I'm pretty resistant to those factors so although Sheila thinks we should try to be anonymous in the modern, as far as I'm concerned, a Fiat 500 is my normal form of transport and so it continues regardless of lack of MOT or facility to get one.

If the six month MOT extension is extended I doubt it will restrain many people from driving their modern cars, nor do I think most cars will enjoy the detailed attention to which most of our 500s are subject.

Other than handing me back a big chunk of the tax I have paid over the last forty-odd years during this period of furlough, the MOT exemption is one of the most pragmatic things the Government has done for me since paying me a decent grant through college.:worship:

PS. It's not the cost of an MOT that bothers me these days, it's just that when applied to one of these cars, the MOT can so easily be the catalyst which takes the car off the road for several years.

I always have my classics mot'd for the following reasons:
Peace of mind for me and any potential purchaser.
You can bet if you had a serious accident the insurance company would be all over it if it wasn't mot'd.
I've also found if you can find an old school garage that understand and like classics it's a good experience and you can learn a lot chatting to the guy while he's doing the work.

stocky said:

I always have my classics mot'd for the following reasons:
Peace of mind for me and any potential purchaser.
You can bet if you had a serious accident the insurance company would be all over it if it wasn't mot'd.
I've also found if you can find an old school garage that understand and like classics it's a good experience and you can learn a lot chatting to the guy while he's doing the work.

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All good points and each to their own.

I would get an MOT if I ever decided to sell the car but I never will sell it!.

If I had a serious accident I assume it will kill me! If I'm lucky and survive, you're assuming that an insurance company would be able find something wrong with the car which had caused or contributed to my misfortune; this is something I doubt. They could do the same with any MOT'd car and there is no guarantee that such a car would fair any better under close scrutiny.

You're lucky if you can find an "old school" garage, even more so after this crisis. I think it would be a rare mechanic who could add much to the story that can't be gleaned from this and from similar forums. My previous experience at KwikFit garages was that the young mechanics were very respectful and in awe of the car, but I felt that I was almost wasting their time as they got to grips with the funny features of the controls and mechanisms.

Many years ago a garage failed a car of mine on kingpin wear. They allegedly repaired the steering and in doing so left the bushes looser than before. Then, of course, they gave me a "pass" certificate.:bang:

I think an insurance company would be more likely to look at a car with no mot just to check it was roadworthy and we may all not be as good a mechanic as you. Also noticed the guy I use was open for business when I did my daily exercise walk yesterday.

stocky said:

I think an insurance company would be more likely to look at a car with no mot just to check it was roadworthy and we may all not be as good a mechanic as you. Also noticed the guy I use was open for business when I did my daily exercise walk yesterday.

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It's open to dispute how good a mechanic I am. But mechanical aptitude apart, Tony Vitesse is wondering if people who would normally prefer to have their car MOT'd are happy to continue to use them (where they can) whilst it is impossible to acquire one.

I assume there will be a number of owners whose MOT's have now expired when previously they will have been continuously tested?

I don't get my car MOT tested. But on it's yearly service I ask the company to perform all the checks of the MOT test to ensure madam is up to standard and safe.

R

Re: MOT exemption-six months on-anyone changed their opinions?minds

fiat500 said:

It's open to dispute how good a mechanic I am. But mechanical aptitude apart, Tony Vitesse is wondering if people who would normally prefer to have their car MOT'd are happy to continue to use them (where they can) whilst it is impossible to acquire one.

I assume there will be a number of owners whose MOT's have now expired when previously they will have been continuously tested?

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Yes exactly I was interested to see if those on here who were happy to continue to get an MoT in normal times, were now reconsidering if their current one had expired and are they are unable to get a new one? Does that mean they would drive their car without a valid MoT due to Coronavirus?

Some might think it’s irrelevant because you are not supposed to driving them at the moment but there is nothing stopping you from going to your local supermarket to get your essential supplies in your 500 rather than your modern.

On the insurance I guess Sean Is probably best to comment on how the companies view classics without an MoT, as that is part of what he does. My personal view is that so long as a Classic is legally on the road and I know insurance companies will do their upmost to not payout if they can get away with it. I can see the argument they might be more thorough in their inspection looking for a major default but I honestly don’t know if that’s just a story off the internet or an actual fact? None of us do, well maybe Sean does

When I was allowed to go to work (prevented by the fact that I am over 70) I worked 2 days a week at a "Classic Friendly" garage. There are quite a few of these garages spread around the UK; a system set up by Fuzz Townsend (he of "Car SOS" fame). There is such a thing as a "Classic Friendly Annual Check" which is just as comprehensive as an MOT---and carried out by people who know AND UNDERSTAND classic cars. In many ways this is better than an MOT, and if done annually (as mine will) helps check that the car is in good, roadworthy condition.

the hobbler said:

When I was allowed to go to work (prevented by the fact that I am over 70) I worked 2 days a week at a "Classic Friendly" garage. There are quite a few of these garages spread around the UK; a system set up by Fuzz Townsend (he of "Car SOS" fame). There is such a thing as a "Classic Friendly Annual Check" which is just as comprehensive as an MOT---and carried out by people who know AND UNDERSTAND classic cars. In many ways this is better than an MOT, and if done annually (as mine will) helps check that the car is in good, roadworthy condition.

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So are you having the “Classic Friendly Annual Check" now Tom as opposed to an MoT? What’s sort of cost is it?

The garage I worked at (and really hoping to go back to) is in Mold, about 10miles from Chester---we charge £54 for the check---there is about a 4-sheet checking sequence and a certificate is issued at the end. 85% of our work is 'classic', so we are fully 'au-fait' with classic cars and their foibles. At the risk of sounding as if I am trying to 'drum up business', I am firmly of the opinion that if a car is going to be used on the Queen's highway it should be annually checked. VERY few classic car owners have the facility to give their car a good, comprehensive check of the underside, and corrosion isn't mileage related!

the hobbler said:

There is such a thing as a "Classic Friendly Annual Check" which is just as comprehensive as an MOT---and carried out by people who know AND UNDERSTAND classic cars. In many ways this is better than an MOT, and if done annually (as mine will) helps check that the car is in good, roadworthy condition.

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The implication of this is that yours and possibly Fuzz Lightyear's viewpoint on the necessity for a classic car to have an annual roadworthy certificate has changed. Formerly the essential certificate was one issued by a VOSA accredited testing station and its trained employees working to a tried and tested formula which is widely understood and accepted. From your information, the CFAC appears to come from a well-intentioned but more limited knowledge and support base but is based on the MOT pricing. Of course, as with the MOT, the CFAC is only valid at the moment of issue.

I'm going to have to re-write the title of this thread, but it looks likely that the answer to my original question may be "Yes".:bang::bang::bang:

I must admit it seems a bit strange to trust that a classic car garage to complete an annual safety check for the same costs as an MoT. At least with an MoT you know that the mechanic completing the test will have been trained and certificated to carry out a set of government approved tests. How do you know that a mechanic that is part of the scheme is properly trained to carry out the CF test?

All I could find about the scheme on the internet is this. “Classic Friendly (CF) was a network of classic car-friendly garages, offering comprehensive safety inspections for MoT test-exempt classic cars as well as standardised servicing regimes, Founded by Fuzz Townshend, National Geographic Channel’s Car SOS presenter, the scheme sets out to offer cherished car owners a national network of quality garage services and body shops specialising in all Classic Cars. Due to various work commitments Fuzz had to step back from the CF business and since then the CF network has slowly disbanded.”

So it seems it is not really valid anymore.

Vitesse said:

I’ll bump this thread just to see if anyone has changed their minds about MoT’ing their cars considering the current restrictions due to social distancing etc.

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I've got my annual renewal notice for the insurance on Murf. Obviously that's not optional if I want to drive the car. When I was first back on the road it worked out at just a tad over £1.00 a week, but now it's over £80.00 a year. Still relatively cheap but enough to push me to decide to postpone the renewal until things settle down. I think that will mean having to SORN as well.