What's Involved with an MOT? 

Darren deserves a tip/lunch bought for him for taking his time to explain and answer every question.

When you own a modified, old, rust prone car, the MOT involves a lot of nerves and anxiety.

That machine for the headlights is like your car going to the opticians 🤭😅

Always great when your car passes it’s annual physical with flying colours.

I would take my car to that garage based on that guys attitude and politeness alone and I live 225 miles away, what a legend.

Amazing video, most of the time you just read a list of what they look into but actually seeing someone doing it is pretty refreshing.

At a time when money is tight for many folk & servicing is sometimes skipped, the MOT test is still the best value you'll ever get for a full check of all safety-related items on your car.

I've always wondered what happens when my car gets an MOT haha. I always just drop it off and hope for the best. Very interesting Ashley!

If I lived in Liverpool, I would take my car to that garage for everything 🤙 what a top guy!

I took my car to go have its MOT this morning, only to find that the passenger side wing mirror had been pulled completely off during the night. But it turns out the left mirror isn’t necessary to pass the MOT and I have a new one arriving in a day or so.

Good mechanic. He closed the bonnet rather than just letting it slam down.

Yes! Would love to see more of this kind of content. Dealing with garages is tough for many people starting out (and many people who have been driving for years). Ps. Great job, Darren.

It used to state on the MOT that it is not evidence of the roadworthiness of the vehicle. That applies as soon as it's driven out of the garage that carried it out.

Thanks for sharing. Darren and his garage are really cool as they’ve allowed us all to get an insight into MOT testing. I’m sure a lot of people worry about sending their cars in for MOT , from experience some garages behave unscrupulously, where they’ve fabricated work that needs doing and then charged you extortionately. My car passed its MOT last week with 0 advisories.

Good job Darren, explaining things so well. Very interesting!

Well done for gaining that insight, especially to the garage and Darren for allowing it.

You missed the bit out where you leave a crate of beer on the passenger seat for the mechanic.

Appreciate videos like this ? There is a lot more involved in the world of cars than just driving. Much appreciated look into the MOT and servicing of a car !

Ash read my mind again. Just booked my MoT this morning for November.

Great video of an MOT test Ashley. It gives me more of an idea of what goes on.

Great video. An excellent insight into keeping the MOT inspector happy. 🙂👍

More content like this please! And more from Darren! I like to think I’m clued up on car mechanics to an extent. But I wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to learn more. Definitely didn’t know that black brake fluid is a fail

Great video. I used to be an MoT tester up until six years ago, I would have got in great trouble for doing a video like that, I was always told that the public should stand in the viewing area and weren’t allowed to interfere at any point in the test. Maybe I’m just too old school!

Forgot the bit where the MOT man makes ya wait 15 minutes because the DVLA system flags up an error if the test is done too quickly! lol

This video is an amazing insight on what happens when your car goes for an MOT fab thanks 👍

Really useful thanks. Going to top up my screenwash now!

I got the dodgiest MOT yesterday. Passed first time and I only had advisories on the break pads + discs. He didn't question the fact my Airbag light was on, and my brake callipers are seizing too.

Very insightful, I never considered some of the complications of issues which I might of thought of as minor before. Saying that I still disagree with LEDs bulbs in totally not accepted in regulations but that's legislation and regulations. Thank you both Ashley and Darren.

My matiz fails every 2 years thanks to the amount of rust underneath it. The MOT for that is 4th October but I usually get it done in the 4 weeks leading up to needing doing. I tend to get the repairs done by the MOT garage but this year I think the corrosion is going to need to be done properly. I've just got a new agila to replace it but the MOT for that is July so I'm planning on getting that one done again in October so that everything is back where it needs to be.

Nice of Daren to take part in your video , This video was quite helpful 👍👍.

Interesting background. Usually I get mine done at the same dealer which has the contract to do annual services under warranty (as long as it’s within the recommended mileage), so the arrangement is usually that they do the MOT early in the day, and do any extra work later on. They deal with several ‘brands’ in different locations (quite close together), but with the MOT work being consolidated at one site, so there’s a little ‘road test’ in between as well.

Where I live, the MOT station is seven miles away, so you stay with the car until it's tested. You are allowed to observe the MOT in progress (under normal, non-covid conditions), and the tester will point out anything requiring attention. Technically, you cannot go under the car with the tester, and strictly speaking, you're not supposed to touch the car during the test. I always observe the test, and since a large part of my early career was involved in vehicle operations (I cannot say what or where), I often got drafted in as the second 'hand' during the test (It's a bit like a vet operating on their own animal!) and did the steering and brakes assistant parts (rocking the steering wheel, pushing the brake pedal and pulling the handbrake lever, as well as wipers, screen washer, horn and lights etc.) You have no say on the tester's findings of course, and you are under the tester's instruction. - Not permitted now, but it was interesting. Did you know that if your car has a towbar, its electricals are also tested? - I was a bit surprised at that, about ten or fifteen years ago when it was first introduced. And to think, when the test was first introduced, it was little more than a brakes, lights and steering check, bodywork wasn't even looked at, and nor were the tyres, as long as the tyres weren't worn through to the cords, tread was almost 'optional'!

Just had my MOT yesterday, no advisories but a cracked spring coil caused it to fail the first time. For an extra £90 to replace it, i hope it's fixed that slight clunking sound i've been hearing when passengers have been in the back.

It comes as a surprise to some that mot testers can't dismantle anything but there are good reasons for this. Firstly it means a test would take longer and the other main thing is who is liable if something breaks during being stripped down or won't go back together properly

My thermostat (stuck open) had failed but it went through MOT with some other issues (not emmision related) but even though the car was running rich it still passed it 😂 only downside is i'm filling up way more often than i need too... good old vauxhall vectra

I always watch an MoT being done to my car - every testing station has to provide a viewing area but you are not allowed to interfere and it's very rare to actually speak to the mechanic whilst it is being completed.

Such a helpful video. Thanks a ton...

There isn't many jobs where a person is replaced by a metal rod. Interesting to see and get familiar with the correct process of an mot.

hes an honest mot guy. youll find a fair share of them who are super picky and just want you to have repairs done which aren't major

Cassies law 🇬🇧 and the importance of the over 70’s understanding it’s implications could be a topic for a video

A lot of people think a MOT is a service, it’s not. It’s a safety check

Great thing in Croatia is "Technical correctness days" are exactly a month before my yearly MOT. They're days when you can have you car checked for free..just that, only a check, it doesn't have anything to do with your actual MOT. It's always in November.

been driving for 6 month and already knew all this. probably because the MOT garage I went to had me sit in the car and do everything that she couldn't do and look at at the same time :D

Cheers from northern Germany, much appreciated.

I got advisories on my cars first MOT for an aftermarket Ford exhaust that passed emissions, a magic tree air freshener and a 100% readable number plate. My previous car, an Audi A4, never had an advisory in 10 years. Needless to say I never went back to my local Ford dealer and the car hasn't had any advisories since. So it goes to show how inconsistent MOTs are.

I’m a mot tester I’ve just passed my CPD for the second year trust me DVSA always do changes each year

Years ago you were able to catch these testers out by taking your vehicle to 2 separate testing stations and comparing the results.With information being on databases now this has been eliminated.

Thank you 👍🏼

I can do my own MOT now! Cheers mate!

Ahhhh the dreaded mot .....interesting to see ....and great to see the 4 legged "workforce" too 🙂

Surprising there are not many up to date mot testing videos on utube with the government bringing in a few extra test points!

Cheers Darren

This is a MOT test being videoed...of course he'll go up and beyond and do every single thing he's meant to! most MOT stations do the basics and thats it, remember watching Halfords do my MOT through the dashcam after and they only did the most important bits some garages don't even do most parts or have the tools for things like headlight checks, MOTs are so relaxed in the UK your mates garage can give you a full MOT without even taking it. Bought my sister a Corsa last year that apparently had passed a MOT a week before, turned up with wood screws holding reg plate and bumper on, hazards didn't work, wiper arms didn't have blades on, seat moved as you braked, indicator bulbs for sidelights, some bulbs missing, still passed its MOT a week before and why MOTs are absolutely useless! not only can they be faked so easily but nothing checks the MOT garage has done every test and done it correctly and they cant even remove anything so your wheels and undertrays hide most things anyway.

Take in mind all garage mechanic in UK try to take as much as possible from your pocket get sold yoir car walk or use buss or have car but use a Council MOT not garage who to mislead .

Interesting video!

Thanks for the great video - very interesting! Can you do one on an annual service too?

I had my MOT done on Tuesday. When I drove to work on Thursday my Speedo dropped to zero and is now broken. Back in the garage already 😓

In Northern Ireland they're done in government run garages. There are a few grumblings that in England an MOT involves a friendly garage and a nudge and a wink.

Brilliant watch, wow 👍👍👍

first thing i noticed in that garage was the tecalemit 4 post lift

Thanks… very helpful 🚗💨💨💨

Well most garages will go under and pull a few things bang a few bits and brake your car so you go back to the garage

Your car can fail its mot if metal is pretruding from the surface of the bodywork, if its been in a accident for example, or rotted wings etc, in that it can catch a pedestrians clothing when they walk past. In the not too distance past the mot man used to test drive your car on the mot, but not now. I can't believe that a car can pass its test with a screw or nail in the tyre, in that a tyre can easily blow out on the motorway with said objects.

We're not allowed to film MOT tests here in Northern Ireland, even have to turn off dashcams before the car goes down the lane. We have government run facilities where you drive the car down lanes through a big shed with the different stations for emissions, light alignment, then they drive the car onto the ramp/lift (I guess it's an insurance thing, some people would probably drive off the side of the ramps) at the end for suspension testing and underbody inspection. I don't understand the no filming thing as you are there for the whole process in person usually (covid restrictions are a bit different). :) Edit; You can find videos on here though of it, 'Northern Ireland MOT' should get the videos, one telling the driver to turn off the camera.

I failed an MOT because the gap between the two blocks of characters on my reg plate was too small

I generally respect the process, it is a long time (at least 30 years.) since a tester tried to fail me on something just to generate work and the process keeps dangerous cars off the road. This year they found that one rear brake wasn't working at all a fact that I had somehow missed. My old kitcar had two sets of horns, a little polite one on the end of the ex Marina indicator wand and a set of airhorns on a discreet little red button on the dash, just an easy finger prod away from the steering wheel. It was always fun waiting for that moment when the tester, like the Mangalore aliens in Fifth Element, wondered what the little red button did...

Depends where you take your car.

I have seen that process before as the garage I used to use before moving house you could stand and watch them doing the MOT which I always found interesting. Just bought a 4 year old car with 12 months MOT on it which is good I don't have to go through that until next year.

Thanks for the video. the mechanic is cool and helpful.

And, when owning a classic car, make sure to find a place where they know what the law actually requires of a vehicle that age. Here in Norway, for my 1968 Beetle, it's actually the code of 1942 or something like that, that you're supposed to use :)

The tester didn't remove the airfreshesner hanging on the inner windscreen middle mirror which is instantly a fail because of ristriction of view during test and if he did remove it before starting the test he is covered and all he needs to do is advise on the VT20 "items removed prior to test".

The MOT has now actually changed, if you take your car for it's MOT early and it fails for "Dangerous" faults you are NOT allowed to drive it as it goes on the DVLA database almost immediately once the tester uploads the information and if stopped by the police you could be issued with 3 points, banned from driving and fined upto £2,500... Having said that you can drive you vehicle if it has failed on "Major" faults providing they do not make the vehicle unroadworthy or a danger to others.

Glad your doing a video on this. Annoying people don’t even look after their cars. The amount of people who never top up their oil. Or even top up water. Just keep directing them moan when the car stops working

Are doors required to lock in order to pass? My Grandad used to have a Citroen Xsara, and the central locking system used to fail constantly. However, I don't remember it failing on that... 3:47 I am going to get one of these! :D On second thoughts, they're quite expensive...

When I have my BOOM TRIKE mot,d ...I sit on the vehicle whilst ramp is in the air and operate everything for the mot man , when he asked me to test the horn ...I told him I had 2 ...First 1 was an arooga klaxon that deafened him..then 2nd made him jump out of his skin...it was a trucks air horn ...lol

Mind my old journeymin put the temp prob down dipstick tube to far and it got tangled up in the crank 😂

Should also come with a brew

Darren's a propper nice bloke you can tell

One or two changes since being in the Motor Trade; beneficial to watch nonetheless. A word of warning, though. MOT pass is not a 100% guarantee of roadworthiness...... Below is what I experienced with a BMW 5 series...... Whenever driving over a pothole - or similar - the steering used to shake quite noticeably. The MOT inspector had passed the vehicle and, apparently, found no fault..... I had even highlighted the issue as it was obviously not right 🤔. Two months later I had someone else (not an MOT inspector) out - at my request - for a brief drive. Within 30 seconds the problem was diagnosed...... Faulty shock absorbers. Suffice to say that all 4 corners were replaced before too much time elapsed. Problem solved. Apparently, before replacement, the car was a disaster waiting to happen - no joke! Don't rely on the MOT as things can slip through the net. Stay safe everyone 👍

I do like your videos tho this I’ll skip ad I used to do them

I usually watch my MOT being performed, unfortunately I find it interesting and I can look underneath too. Interestingly my hybrid does not undergo a emission test, it’s impossible! The guy who runs the garage does all MOT’s for the taxi trade for the council. He also looks after my Toyota but nothing ever goes wrong with it, he says, it probably never will!

Before taking your car for the MOT test, it's worth getting a mate to help you check all your lights are working, and replace any blown bulbs. My mechanic told me he's lost count of the number of cars he's failed because of one blown bulb!

Good Video

Looked like osf brake was binding a little

Darren was wrong about age of tyres --- as of 2020 Cars & light vans tyres max 10 yes old --- manufacture date on sidewall

Still waiting for delivery of my car, seems it failed spectacularly before they could even deliver lol. Fortunately they are sorting it out

5 years ago my car failed after springs broke on three wheels 😭

Wow, so the MOT is annual. In Germany it's every 2 years and the actual checks are not that thorough, at least not in my experience.

Do all my own repairs and per mot’s. But sill Found this interesting great video

Is full vin visible to mot tester on their system for comparison against what is displayed on the vehicle?

Always do the basic checks which you can fix before having one (checking lights, tread, fluid levels etc)... It could save you a retest/money! :) It did for me all because I checked my oil level

Was he actually logged on to the mot system during this video or a demonstration test

how do they test the brakes on a 4wd car? that could damage the all wheel drive system like x drive or 4 mition

I have a question if the engine part fault that appears within a car which is bought with 6 months of warrantee, and its not manufactured by the vendor anymore or its not available in the market, so can replacement or refund be asked from the dealer if its in 4 month of its warrantee period as clearly its not a happy car for the customer anymore due to parts availability???? what if the dealer says well MOT was clear as its not checked in MOT? Any advice please?

Will a car fail it's mot if the boot won't open?

Didn't know there was such a thing as a brake pedal depresser! Could do with one of those for checking my lights at home.

There are good honest mechanics out there. We need Darren down under.

It's the emissions test that worries me. My car is a Euro 5 diesel.

Surely MOT a few months earlier than Service is a better idea so at least you get a mechanic looking at your car every 6 months instead of just once per year??????

Very interesting to watch thank you. 👍