Depending on previous experiences, the mention of an annual MOT could be a thing of dread or a minor annoyance. Booking your test early and planning the date that you will be without your car, or that you need to sit at the test centre for a short while, can help make the process a lot smoother while good maintenance of your car can help reduce the financial cost associated with repairs. Using a reliable test centre is also important.
The cost of the MOT itself is relatively low. Depending on where in the country you live, the test centre that you use, and any promotional offers or deals that may be running at the time, you should expect to pay anywhere up to around £40 or £50 although it is possible to pay as little as £30. Combine your MOT with a service and you can usually enjoy some money off what you would normally pay for both elements.
The MOT is a legal requirement on any car that is 3 years old or older and it needs to be completed every year. It is done to ensure that cars and other vehicles meet safety standards and environmental standards clearly set out. You should use a VOSA certified test centre, of which there are around 20,000 in the UK.
Keep your car in good condition to help keep the cost of your test down. This means checking oil levels, ensuring that bulbs are working, and regularly checking your tyre treads and pressure. If you see, feel, or hear a problem start to develop, then early intervention could be the difference between a relatively easy test and a difficult and costly MOT Durham.
The test itself will take less than an hour and test centres will offer you somewhere you can sit and watch the test being done. You are not allowed to intervene in any way but you are permitted to watch the test being done. You will be presented with any reasons for a failure and given the opportunity to take the car away or have the repairs made by the test centre that conducted your MOT.