Tag Archives: MOT

road safety

March is a mad month for MoTs

After its third birthday your car needs an annual MoT safety check.

Just think about this for a moment.

If you drive 20,000 miles a year, that’s 60,000 miles before too many cars get any independent safety checks.

This is because many motorists do little or no car maintenance until and some 40% of all cars in England, Scotland and Wales then fail their first MoT test. Which equates to a high percentage of cars on our roads in an unsafe condition.

Now imagine if our Government gets its way and decides to delay the first MoT test for vehicles until the fourth year? As FOXY sees it, this means even more unsafe cars on our roads than before.

We cannot see how this would be a good solution for anyone, even if it could potentially save motorists a one-off £50 (per car) by delaying the MoT by one year. Think of the associated road safety and accident handling costs you’d cause here, Mr Chris Grayling MP.

And let’s also remind ourselves that the 3 year first MoT regime is the same for vans. Yet vans are more likely to do an average mileage closer to 50,000 per annum. That’s a total of 150,000 miles before a van needs an MoT. And they fail this test in higher numbers than cars at 3 years old. How long have these vans been unsafe through maintenance neglect we’d like to know.

What An MoT Includes

We were reminded about this by an infographic we liked which was supplied by Motorparks.

Today’s MoT test looks at safety elements relating to Lights, Suspension, Brakes, Tyres, Windscreens, Exhausts, Fluids, Mirrors, Seatbelts, Doors, Horns, Registration Plate, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), Bodywork and Fuel.

If you know you have a problem in any of these areas, it might be wise to get this addressed/fixed before the MoT.

Remember that your MoT test is but a safety snapshot on the day. Even if your car passed the MOT, make sure you read and know about any ‘advisories’ listed. Chances are these will need safety-related attention soon.

If it’s to do with car tyre tread levels, ask the MOT station to estimate when you’ll need new ones – you don’t have to buy them from that business of course but at least you’d have some time to save.

FOXY Advice: “I’ve driven a range of tyres and I always say buy the best ones you can afford, especially if you drive a lot. You’ll know the legal tyre tread is 1.6mm but that tyre is virtually worn out. I always go tyre shopping when my tread is closer to 3mm. I’ve seen the difference this makes in wet conditions. And even 3mm tread is a long way short of new tyres at 8mm tread.”

Remember that your MoT doesn’t include engine checks. This is what your car service does and why you need one regularly.

You probably need a car expert to make sure all’s well on the mechanical side of things before the bills start to ramp up – or your car lets you down.

And whilst YOU might be mechanically-savvy, few of us are (male or female) so a professional mechanic will likely spot engine problems we’d miss, so they can be fixed more cheaply than when the part in question (or engine if it’s been starved of good oil) finally gives up the ghost.

If after inserting in treads around tyre, you can see any of the 20p coin rim your tyre needs checking now.

Is there anything you suspect your car’ll fail its MoT test on? Maybe you could remedy this in advance?

New car tyres for instance? If your tyres don’t pass the 20p test (see side image), chances are they’re both illegal and dangerous. And could kill if you need them to stop and they can’t in time.

In all cases, the driver is responsible for the condition of the car they drive and we all know accidents happen. So best not to wait to be told that your car caused or contributed towards a bad accident. When it’s easy to run a safe and reliable car – once you know how.

FOXY

If you want to know how to run a safe and reliable car, why not join The Club and we’ll get there together!

garage services

Should our cars be MOT’d after 4 years?

This logo was last used in January 2012 when this change was last proposed.

FOXY is asking women drivers for their opinions about increasing the period before a car has its first statutory safety check from 3 to 4 years.

Much as it did five years ago, the Government is seeking views on whether the age a vehicle gets its first MOT should be increased from 3 to 4 years.

Just to remind readers, the MOT is a car’s only statutory safety check and it is required annually after a car’s third birthday, even if it’s just a snapshot of safety areas on the day. Drive without one and your insurance is likely invalid.

As things stand, some 40% of vehicles fail their first MOT after 3 years so there is a definite safety concern were we to extend this period by a further 12 months.

The likely MOT verdict?

On first glance FOXY’d expect

+ motorists to say yes, because it’d mean them saving money and spending less time in garages.

+ car manufacturers and dealers to rewrite car servicing requirements to bring them more regular business in these early years.

+ garages and associated MOT service providers to be up in arms as this’d mean less business/more unemployment.

But I wonder how car insurers will feel about this knowing the relationship between safe cars and accident levels knowing that so many vehicles fail their first MOT at 3 years, concerning critical safety items like tyres.

And is it really a good idea to have vans on our road doing c50,000 miles a year for 3 let alone 4 years (150,000 to 200,000 miles without a check?) before they are subject to their first statutory road safety check?

Too important for women drivers to ignore

FOXY is preparing a response for the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) representing the views of women drivers and we’d welcome your opinion here.

As we see it, the UK’s MOT regime is ultimately about YOUR road safety and that of YOUR family, including pedestrians. This makes it too big a subject for women to ignore or allow men to make this decision, simply because they are more likely to be reading about this in the motor trade press.

I am particularly interested to learn why the Government is raising this debate, as it would surely earn less VAT money in the event of a first MOT after 4 years?

And surely this government has more important matters on its horizon.

But above all, I’d like to know who stands to benefit most from this proposal, if anyone.

We will then reflect your opinions and any concerns in our response to the DVSA.

Please have your say through FOXY by EITHER emailing your thoughts to info@foxyladydrivers.com or add to the thread at our Facebook Page.

Steph Savill

NB: The options being proposed are:
1. to keep the current period for vehicles requiring a first MOT at 3 years, with no change
2. to increase the age all vehicles get their first MOT from 3 to 4 years
3. to increase the age cars and motorcycles get their first MOT from 3 to 4 years, but keeping it at 3 years for vans in classes 4 and 7

garage services

Is it MOT time?

The MOT Test Centre in Deptford - FOXY Lady Approved of course
The MOT Test Centre in Deptford – FOXY Lady Approved of course

September is a busy MOT month so here’s some timely information to help you prepare for it, if this affects you. Here are three useful tips for starters.

1/ Did you know that your motor insurance could be invalid if you make a claim whilst your car is without a valid MOT?

2/ Your MOT can be carried out up to a month before its expiry date – potentially making it valid for 13 months.

3/ Be wary of cheap MOTs (the full price is £54.85) at garages you don’t know. But do be prepared to negotiate with a garage you know and trust when you have a car service done at the same time. Most garages will agree to discount the MOT fee, hopefully reducing this to 50%.

MOT advice

If your car is older than 3 years then it needs an MOT. The MOT is your friend – it’s a safety snapshot of the car’s roadworthiness but only on the day. Areas that are likely to become a safety-related problem during the short term are flagged up as ‘advisories’ and need to be read and acted on.

A good garage will predict when safety-related areas like brake pads and tyres will likely need changing based on mileage. And don’t think you need to have everything done immediately. Best to stagger non brake or tyre-related work to fit in with your finances.

Needless to say, your tyres are THE most important road safety related component as they are the means of your car staying on the road and/or stopping quickly in an emergency. Tyre safety is a combination of checking the condition of your tyres, their pressure and their tread.

Here’s some advice re tyre safety to help you in this area through the year.

A worrying number of motorists assume that a new car doesn’t need maintenance or tyres checking during their first three years of ownership. That is clearly untrue so please make sure that any members of your family and friends aren’t of that mindset.

Don’t forget your MOT

The busiest months for MOT tests are March and September to reflect new car registration months when car sales are at their most buoyant.

A worrying number of motorists forget their MOT date and, speaking from personal experience, that nearly included me after we acquired a nearly new family car and forgot to add that MOT to our family calendar.

Useful MOT resources

Here’s where to find out the MOT status of your car and when yours is due.

This is what the MOT test includes and how to prepare your car for it.

FOXY

You can choose a FOXY Lady Approved ie female friendly garage here.

garage services

Have you driven without a valid MOT?

guestblogThis is a guest post from Roy Chapman Ltd in Berkhamsted who were involved in a survey suggesting that many motorists are driving without a valid MOT not realising the risks they are running here.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) surveyed 1,000 UK motorists and found that a third of motorists have driven a car knowing it has no MOT.

Of those, 67% admitted driving for up to a week before having it tested, 24% drove without an MOT for up to a month, 7% for up to six months and 2% for more than six months.

What these motorists failed to appreciate is that they run the real risk of invalidating their motor insurance when they need it most. For example, we know of insurers that instantly refuse a motor claim on that basis. And if this isn’t bad enough, this also counts as a serious driving offence carrying between six to eight penalty points.

definitely a female friendly garage...As it seems, men are more likely to offend than women, motorists in London & the South East are more ‘forgetful’ than others and younger motorists are worst at remembering the test date.

The most diligent motorists were 45-54 year-olds we’re told.

To help motorists remember to have their car tested each year; Roy Chapman Ltd is urging motorists to use the free MOT service reminder launched by garage network, Motor Codes. Available at www.passmymot.co.uk, the service sends motorists a reminder before their car’s annual MOT is due.

In addition, some 5,500 main dealerships are committed to carry out a free 10-point pre-MOT visual inspection to help the vehicle avoid failing its test due to simple-to-fix issues. The full ‘Minute Or Two’ checklist includes checks of headlights, tyres, windscreen wipers and fluid levels.

You can find out which of these garages and dealerships are FOXY Lady Approved ie female friendly at the FOXY Choice website. We then use the Motor Codes logo and state which ones are dealerships operating the ‘Minute or Two’ MOT checklist scheme.

About Roy Chapman Ltd

Roy Chapman Ltd in Berkhamsted is a manufacturer dealer recommended by Ford and Mazda although they MOT and service all other makes as well. All MOT and service work is carried out by technicians trained by these two manufacturers using high quality diagnostic equipment and fully-approved parts appropriate to each specific vehicle.

women drivers

Thanks for your support…

As a result of our lobbying partnership with the ProMOTe organisation, HM Government has agreed that the UK MOT model is the safer choice than the EU alternative for UK motorists.

That’s a result worthy of celebration for all UK women drivers. It’s all too easy to do nothing, thinking someone else will do the right thing.

In FOXY’s experience this isn’t always the case, as in the EU ruling that is set to charge women the same insurance premiums as men come December 2012, in the name of equality. Can you recall anyone standing up for female motorists despite the fact that insurance has always been about underwriting risk and women drivers are known to be the statistically safer and lower risk gender on UK roads?

No protest from MPs or from the RAC or AA… And needless to say, we won’t hear this from insurance companies because they will be richer as a result of this ruling.

Well now FOXY will be speaking out about this unfair ruling that will mean women paying for accidents traditionally caused by young men and bolstering insurer profits. This is the next campaign we will be lobbying for on behalf of women drivers. Please add to our female motoring voice by joining FOXY Lady Drivers Club and we’ll keep you posted about car insurance buying advice and where the best deals for women are to be found.

FOXY