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Whether you’ve got a question or some helpful feedback, we’re all ears and would welcome your comments. If you do have a question, we will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible
Tougher rules are set to be introduced to the MOT test this Sunday but apparently half of motorists are either unaware or confused about the changes. It’s worth getting yourself clued up about the changes as from May 20th 293,000 cars in Britain will be exempt from having an MOT test and diesel drivers are particularly at risk of being affected by the new regulations.
What are the Major Changes?
From this Sunday, all faults will be judged against new Minor, Major and Dangerous Defect categories; any cars found to have issues that fall into the Major and Dangerous Defect categories will automatically fail. Cars that are judged to have minor faults will pass but it will be noted down on their MOT certificate alongside an advisory note urging the owner to repair as soon as possible.
Amongst the biggest changes, is the decision to let ANY car that is 40 years old or older, on the road without an MOT certificate. Cars that have been heavily modified however will still need to take the roadworthiness test. This move means that potentially more than 100,000 cars aged 40 years plus could soon be reappearing on our roads.
The test has generally gotten stricter for diesels, making it more difficult for them to pass. If your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate filter and emits smoke of any colour, this will be deemed as a major fault and fail straight away.
A new style certificate will be introduced with a simpler to read layout, making it easier for drivers to understand any faults found. Additional areas will also be assessed during the test including checks to the brake fluid to identify if it has been contaminated, daytime running lights, fluid leaks that can impact the environment, screen wash levels, brake disc wear and reverse lights.
Furthermore, if your car has been judged to have dangerous faults the option of driving it away to be repaired at a later date is no longer an option. If you were to take away an unrepaired car, you could now risk being fined £2,500 and also be the unlucky recipient of a few points on your licence.
With all this in mind, it could be a good idea to take five minutes to check around your car or if you’re worried about any of the changes feel free to give our aftersales teams a quick call for some advice.