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GrimReaper
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 14th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 10:31 pm |
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The government are being told, which is why they want 2 year MOT's......
The point is, safety is the reason for MOT's......
However
http://video.news.sky.com/skynews/video/UK+News/1305886v_Meet_The_UKs_Most_Banned_Driver?lpos=UK+News_2&lid=VIDEO_1305886_Meet+The+UK%27s+Most+Banned+Driver&videoCategory=UK+News
This shows it doesnt stop unsafe drivers.......
Its far too easy for people, to tax, mot a car for a relative and LET uninsured, Unlicensed drivers use them... they pass the New ANPR cameras, as the car looks legal... it has no idea who is behind the wheel......which is why road safety isnt getting safer.... the loonies are still there.
Interesting point today, took my car for an MOT and sadly my old tester has been forced to retire due to ill health... asthma... from years breathing exhaust fumes.... (something you guys should note...) danger money springs to mind.... even though I know that means higher costs for me... Id like to know MOT'ing my car isnt killing you guys or making you ill.
The boss is now doing MOT's and went through my car totally different from old tester... asking me to remove items from windscreen area, that were there last year,and it passed fine.... and are out of WIPER swipe... but there we go... whats the point of trying to say anything... he even tried arguing about my rear child seat, he later corrected his statement, car passed with Advisory's.... but I will be looking for another station to use next year, not that I want a pass when a car should fail.. but for the reasons pointed out many times, we want the TEST to be as described on VOSA website... not made up as tester sees fit... yes I know, what one sees ok another might not, but if any of you had been there today , you would feel like me, it was like watching Laural and Hardy..... only it was not entertaining for me...
What I have not mentioned yet, is whilst I was sitting my mechanics course in college, I also sat an MOT testers exam, but not official, the tutors arranged it for me, so I know how to prepare my car, as I know what I should be looking for, and keep my car safe... It helps to know how to keep a car safe, as its almost a guaranteed MOT pass... just annoying when you know things are OK to pass, and tester "suggests" otherwise, you dont like to correct them, as you "feel" they might then go harsher......and pick on the slightest of possible problems. Like any business, there is good and bad... and thankfully 99% of testers are Good...
Lets hope new changes made by the Government are to ALL our satisfactions. I genuinely see both sides... and agree...
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castrolrob
Trade Member
| Joined: | Sun Sep 10th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 319 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 08:34 pm |
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the biggest costs of running a vehicle these days is-a-insurance-b-petrol-c-roadtax.all of these are outside our remit.they are also taken by the government,why not try complaining to them....
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volksjim
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| Joined: | Sun Nov 18th, 2007 |
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| Posts: | 104 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 10:01 am |
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thatchers legacy greed is good..by the way we don't charge 50 a mot
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GrimReaper
Member
| Joined: | Thu Feb 14th, 2008 |
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Posted: Sun Feb 17th, 2008 12:10 am |
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I agree, that set up costs and running costs for yourselves are not cheap.
But at the sametime, other industries have similiar set up costs, and do not have £50 every 40 minutes in, some MOT stations have more than that if more than 1 tester.
It just seems everywhere we look in the UK, everyone is after mass profit and retirement money in the first few years of setting up businesses.
Whatever happened to the long term investment?... making a job for life for yourself, with a regular turnover and stable salary....
I dont know your turnover..... so maybe £50 is low, but from my prospective, its expensive on top of all the other costs now that most motorists are paying.
I see the RAC spokesperson on BBC news has stated there are 1 in 4 cars uninsured, is it any wonder... there was a time £1000 a year would cover running costs for an old banger...... its now closer to £2000... taking into account, all the extra costs we have now that we didnt before, parking fees , tolls etc.
If I drove illegal ? just my petrol money to worry about... and If I got caught.. a fine and possible car seized... nothing really, if I just get a £200 banger and do the same again... so yeah road safety on New Mots, is having a great impact.... sadly not on road safety... just in honest motorists wallets.
Like I say, Its not you guys fault... your there making sure our cars are safe... but on the other hand, we are now paying crazy prices for motoring. I only do 4000 miles max a year, and if did not have to transport my son around, wouldnt even bother having a car, just have no choice, I have no other way of getting him around.
(Off Topic)....below
I could OPT for a Brand New Motobility car.. and say stuff it and have a new one every three years and not worry about MOT's, but I simply dont agree with the scheme... its a highly abused system, now used mostly by LAZY people, rather than true disabled people like my son. Then only doing 4000 miles a year, is a waste of a new car, and where i live, the local yobs would decorate it for me in no time... so I drive my 15 year old chariot, and pay the price.
(by the motability system being abused, I mean... look how many of said vehicles are 4x4... or sports cars... I have 3 family members, who all have New cars under the scheme, 1 heart attack, but drives to shop, parks in Blue Badge Bay, then walks around store for an hour???.... and two others who are.. overweight... but again, park in bays for disabled people, and wander around the supermarket for an hour or more, or even longer going in and out of shops in town. And the cars they have they either have to climb up into... or stoop low down into... go figure, claim at GP's they can hardly bend and stretch?? ) Bring back blue plastic 3 wheelers , I think.... see how many still opt for Motability cars then.
Last edited on Sun Feb 17th, 2008 12:23 am by GrimReaper
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castrolrob
Trade Member
| Joined: | Sun Sep 10th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 319 |
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Posted: Sat Feb 16th, 2008 07:53 pm |
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the average test bay costs 15000-30000 depending on equipment,2 peoples wages,leccy,premises etc,just the calibration costs etc are a couple of grand a year.thats a lot of 50 quid tests and has to be paid before you can start testing.even a clean/new motor takes a similar time to an old smoker(most of the time!)so any savings from testing new/well maintained cars would be fairly minimal, you are after all going thru the same routine and examining the same items.most garages rely on spin off work to make it a paying spec.if it were an easy/lucrative living do you think the government would have farmed it out to us in the first place?they dont want the hassle+liability either,mind you they dont seem to mind doing sva/cat c tests at a pretty penny......
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kev1975
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| Joined: | Wed Sep 5th, 2007 |
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 10:49 pm |
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£8.50 , bloomin ell , your doing better than me mate 
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volksjim
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 09:19 pm |
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 £50 an hour more like £8.50 for all the hassle
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kev1975
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 09:05 pm |
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there is a rebate as such for 1st time pass , if it passes thats all you pay & if it fails you then pay another 25 quid for retest , so the motorist with the dodgy car ends up paying more .
i do agree with what you say in general , especially the bit about testing new cars from 12 months onwards , some of the cars / vans we see with numerous problems/defects & sometimes dangerous .
people think there will be nothing wrong with it as it's only 3 years old , no mention of the fact that it's done 120,000 miles or whatever.
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GrimReaper
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| Joined: | Thu Feb 14th, 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 02:16 pm |
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Couldnt agree more about cars 3 years old and under... but then who checks the mileage?.. and when?... be much easier if all cars new or not have an annual MOT.
As for NON MOT inspections , that is not compulsory, so people decide if they want it, and whether they are prepared to pay the prices for it. MOT's are compulsory and we have no such choice, the only choice we get is which MOT Testing Station to use.
The fixed price set by the government is supposedly to allow fair trade... but all I have seen in the last year or so, are garages no longer doing MOT's. Many say, too much hastle involved, others say, they didnt like Big Brother breathing down their necks, and some well... they were not fit for purpose in the first place, and made far too much ££ from back handers.. you all know what I mean, that back street ££ garage....they struggle because now they have to do it right, and have been doing it wrong for so long have forgotten how to do it right.
I had a mate in the trade once who, Pre Computer MOT's told me what he paid for a Booklet of Certs... and then said how he can flutuate prices according to whether he needed to attract customers or not, when I saw the profits, I felt like becoming an inspector myself.... havent seen him in years to see how he now copes under the New System, but he was never short of a few pennies....
Like I said I am not knocking MOT stations, they are something we need... I just think the playing field could be or should be level across the country. Even on here, testers disagree on what should or should not pass, and some even say VOSA are wrong, whose opinion should we trust?..... this is not good for end users...... I trust my own judgement, ... but for many people, they havent a clue.....bit like asking a hairdresser to pull teeth....
I know as testers you may feel £50 is fair, considering, the cold working conditions etc, and hastles, but there are plenty of people on minimum wage working in the cold, facing hastles... so that is open for debate, I personally dont think it can be justified...its an inspection Not repairs... fair play if you then carry out repairs, costs are then justified.. I know what a pain rusted nuts and bolts and oil everywhere can be... but you seem to have missed the point... £50+ is a fair price to those who bring a shed in, and expect you to pass it.... they have spent nothing all year keeping it running sweet... but £50 for those of us who service our cars, and pay to keep it running sweet, so that when you guys see it, its a nice 1st time pass , doesnt seem fair, you have less trouble inspecting our cars, as everything is doing what it should and all the pieces are there in the right place, not bodged up...
Thanks for allowing me my thoughts though...its nice to find a nice open for debate website like this... appreciated.
And for the record, I always tip MOT testers.... just as I tip my hairdresser.Its not done for favour.... its done because I appreciate his honesty and I know he gets a basic salary..its the gaffer who makes the £££, but with rising prices, I simply wont be able to do this in future.
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martins
Administrator
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 01:25 pm |
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It can also be very easily argued that the MOT, as a comprehensive annual safety and emissions check, is extremely good value. A quick look on the web will show non-MOT vehicle inspections at £99 - £150, and that probably doesn't even include emissions.
Perhaps there is also a case for there to be a mileage limit if the vehicle is under 3 years old.Last edited on Fri Feb 15th, 2008 01:26 pm by martins
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GrimReaper
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 01:09 am |
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I personally dont find car ownership cheaper now...... Higher road tax(thankfully mine is Free at present), higher fuel costs, and insurance premiums that seems to rise every year , not go down like it used to, and to top it off MOT's now at the £50 mark, for a 40 min test on average.
I wish I could earn £50 in 40 minutes. Yes I know garages cost money to run as do staff wages and all the new computers, but £50..... for checking a car over..... and you say running a car has never been cheaper??? I suppose not if you own an MOT station?? you can afford the higher costs.
And all this in the name of Road Safety....... I wonder why the government doesnt seem to be stopping the millions of unsafe, uninsured illegal drivers on the road?.. probably because they cant make them pay so easy, like they can honest road users, we have simply become an easy target from all quarters.
I think more statistics need to be made public on road traffic accidents and what the causes were.. poor maintenance of vehicle or driver error, or pedestrians at fault.
All I see in papers, when accidents occur are Driver Error( driver under influence of alcohol, or drugs, or speeding) ... seldom is poor vehicle condition a factor, but I do accept it must happen also.
You said it yourself... you see the worst cars, in the worst conditions... they should pay.. and pay a high price... but for those of us who spend out year in year out to maintain our cars in tip top condition , we should get a rebate... if we pass MOT 1st time, we shouldnt be funding the dangerous clowns on the roads, but we do...
I know from speaking to my local family run MOT test station, that the new computer system, has made cash input tighter, in the respect, they have fewer cars through now... as they have set times.... but then that beggars the question, if Road Safety is paramount, how were the MOT stations getting so many more cars done in a day before?? were they being checked correctly?.... we already know the new system is being "worked" around..... ie... are all cars put on Emission machines the actual car which is having the MOT at the time?..... rumours say no... pubs are a good source of info.... but even the Police know this... I have had them say we all know "that" garage in such and such a street where you can still get a bent MOT..... it happens....
Whilst I appreciate the views of the Mot test stations and its staff... I also think change is needed, costs are getting silly now, and I think Gordon Brown realises it... millions of decent honest drivers, have had enough... and they are also the Voting Public.....
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castrolrob
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Posted: Fri Feb 15th, 2008 12:02 am |
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car ownership has never been so cheap.an old smoker to run for a year?300-400. as such many cars myself and most other testers see dont get maintained at all if ever.the only time they see a spanner is at mot time.the government dont do common sense-thats down to us.all we do is spot the worst at test time-dont mean its a good car/roadworthy.il cogitus nil sodimus est.
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nicknak
Trade Member
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 10:11 pm |
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It will never happen because it would be against the law, and the goverment implement the law.
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volksjim
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 08:47 pm |
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| the most of joe public only get their vehicles repaired at mot time or serviced when a problem arises it is a very sad fact also certain vehicles have to get a mot at 1 year old taxis..hgv...ambulances..all types of psv's.it's very true what you say about a very well maintained vehicle..it sure makes my job a lot easier so why not a discount i totally agree with you there.the only way that would work is if the govt. set a standard price for all testing stations which i can never see happening
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GrimReaper
Member
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Posted: Thu Feb 14th, 2008 07:43 pm |
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I know this is a very "old subject" now, and I apologise in advance, I have been reading these forums with fascination, and learnt a lot, BUT....
Was thinking about what most say here about them proposed 2 year MOT,s and how dangerous it is, what with Brake Wear and Tyre wear etc....
Then I thought about the current New cars, who wait 3 years.... before some ever see an inspector?.... I often look in carparks at Tyres etc, and have seen two year old cars with bald tyres..... where is the safety worries from concerned MOT inspectors then?.... there are plenty of boy racers tanking around nowadays in new cars, wearing tyres and brakes faster than usual...
Surely if we are talking safety, ALL vehicles should be tested every twelve months, regardless of age? what "statistics" are there that NEW cars NOT tested until 3 years old suffer more accidents due to wear and tear, age doesnt make a car any less safer either, My car is 15 years old, and is probably better maintained than a lot of new cars, everything always gets changed as it is needed, it has to be as its used to carry my disabled son, and I trained as a mechanic, so know when things feel wrong or sound wrong, and I deal with them.
Its okay to shout we need MOT every twelve months for safety reasons but what evidence is there ??... so one car had an iffy problem 12 months later, I have taken cars 3 years in a row and passed every year??... maintenance is the key.. why should I pay £50 a year when mine passes everytime, just so the idiots who dont look after their cars get picked up at MOT time... maybe VOSA should have a system where a car Passes its MOT 1st try , they get 50% discount....... then I would be happy... knowing the dodgy cars were being detected and paying for their lack of care, and those of us who do look after our cars, save money. Of course, life in the UK dictates, that more cars would then probably fail..... as a money saving exercise, but thats just me, suspicious of everything I have no control over.
I am not saying 2 year MOT's are a good thing.... just think if most of us have to have MOT's every 12 months, so should everybody..new cars or not.
I seldom have big MOT repair bills, because I do maintain my vehicle properly, which is one of the reasons for failures, poor maintenance, and some drivers not having a real feel for their cars and what it tells them on the road, the weird squeal or squeak...that odd crunch, and strange wobble... stop ignoring it, take it in .... if you can find a decent garage who is "Fair".... another reason for poor maintenance, people frightened of being stiffed as some are.... no excuses though for dangerous vehicles..full stop.
Thanks for a superb site, and sorry to "rant"....
ps. sorry for posting in here if not allowed... Last edited on Thu Feb 14th, 2008 08:06 pm by GrimReaper
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MOTman
Super Moderator
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Posted: Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 01:45 pm |
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Yes some Labour think tank have come up with this hair brained idea of 'saving motorists money'!!! It's still only an idea and many in the trade are fighting back that this will cost lives as well as unemployment in garages.
In answer to your other point about becoming an AE. If you take over within 12 months of the other AE relinquishing control, VOSA usually allow same set up again ie grandfather rights. You can also usually take over without any interruption to the business if planned well with seller and VOSA ie one closes Friday you open on Monday! Get an application pack from VOSA, read through then contact VOSA.
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birdmerc
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Posted: Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 12:49 pm |
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| Hi its amanda here again, have also heard a rumor that some time soon mots for cars will be every two years ??? does any one know about that ? many thanks amanda
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