Official Tips from MOT Testing Centres

MOT seems to be an opportunity to throw money at a vehicle no matter how new your car, or how reliable it seems to be most of the time. Your MOT station takes the thing in and does the work, which you don't really understand or get to see; and then you get hit with a bill for some unnameable piece of metal that looks like it fell off the back of a fridge, without which your vehicle is apparently illegal. MOT testing centres all over the country give this kind of shock to customers on a daily basis. Those customers need to find themselves someone they can trust – and they need to take some advice on how to prepare their vehicle for an MOT into the bargain.

Any good MOT station will let you remain present for the whole of the test: and it will be happy to explain everything that is being tested, why it is being tested, and how, on request. As a general rule of thumb, never use MOT testing centres without an observation bay: and withdraw your vehicle from MOT in any garage that tries to give you reasons why you cannot remain and watch your car being tested. There's only one reason for refusing visual access to your own MOT, and that is exactly the reason you'd think it is: an MOT station that won't let you in to watch your test has something to hide.

Don't accept charges you don't understand – have them explained to you. Be courteous and polite at all times, but make sure you know what you are paying for. If you aren't happy, don't use MOT testing centres that have charged you for things you don't feel happy with next time your vehicle needs work, servicing or another test. There is an ultimate censorship all garage users can apply at any time – not happy with the service, walk away. If everyone did that shoddy garage workmanship would soon be out of business.

There are one or two MOT station generated tips that can help in preparing a vehicle for test, too. Make sure the carburettor is clean, the spark plugs are well oiled and the air filter is clean. You can clean an air filter with a vacuum cleaner or hose pipe – getting the crud off it can have a positive impact on the emissions part of the MOT. MOT testing centres have to check your vehicle to measure the concentration of pollutants in its exhaust emissions: a blocked air filter can give an incorrect reading that causes a fail.

Before you decide for sure on an MOT station, find out if the one you are thinking of is going to recharge you for a new test if your vehicle fails the first one. No garage worth using will charge for a retest – you should expect to have a grace period to have the work done, but the second test should be free. MOT testing centres not offering this service are not to be trifled with.

Back yourself up with a little prior knowledge and don't be afraid to walk away. That's the secret of a good MOT.