Mot time!!!

Where do you get your landy MOTed. Do you go to a specific place that specialises in landy's or just take it to any old one.

Reason for the question is mine is due and wondering if one that specialises in landy's will be a bit more sympathetic to all the issues of a landy.

Thnks Danny.

Yes... take it to a proper garage. under no circumstances what so ever use halfrauds auto centres.

Find an old school garage which has been around for years - or - a MOT only test place. Make sure you remain in the garage with your vehicle at all times and you drive it in and out.

I use a small garage 10 miles or so away from where I live. worth travelling to though. They'll even let me have a bit of tinker tie to sort out any issues while they check the rest over.

The other day I went to an independent Land Rover specialist near me. No complaints, great service, seemed genuinely interested in the car and me, and the vehicle received a clean bill of health. I'd be a bit reluctant to take it to a main stealer because last time I did so they found all sorts of things they wanted to replace at premium prices!

Bump said:

Yes... take it to a proper garage. under no circumstances what so ever use halfrauds auto centres.

Find an old school garage which has been around for years - or - a MOT only test place. Make sure you remain in the garage with your vehicle at all times and you drive it in and out.

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Erm, I would tell you where to go if you insisted on driving it in and out, as for remaining with it at all times, that's not an option, you view from the viewing area and that's it! Not sure why you suggest these, any reputable mot center is fine, there is noting special about a landrover really...

Take it to a dedicated MOT test station - preferably one that offers free re-tests. They will have no incentive to find things to fail it on - the opposite in fact.
My son is a tester and will replace bulbs / wiper blades / adjust headlamp aim etc FOC during the test, if it means that the vehicle passes.

That's a good shout then they can't decide that they want to fix then drive it home and fix it myself. I just need to find one that is decent does anybody know any in the catterick area that they use and are good?

Thans for the replies Danny.

I can't see why people are saying take it to an MOT only center, it makes it sound like all MOT centers are dodgy if they also repair cars, that's total rubbish. Take it somewhere with a reputation, if its a cheap '£10 MOT' garage then expect a failure, any decent sized, reputable garage is fine. The MOT is pretty black and white, if it fails ask on here, there is an appeals process 'if' you feel like you have been hard done by but nowdays there are very few dodgy MOT centers as the monitoring process by VOSA is quite intense, all your figures, pass rates, times and plenty of other details are monitored and your checked up on a lot more than you use to be!

Jongould said:

I can't see why people are saying take it to an MOT only center, it makes it sound like all MOT centers are dodgy if they also repair cars, that's total rubbish. Take it somewhere with a reputation, if its a cheap '£10 MOT' garage then expect a failure, any decent sized, reputable garage is fine. The MOT is pretty black and white, if it fails ask on here, there is an appeals process 'if' you feel like you have been hard done by but nowdays there are very few dodgy MOT centers as the monitoring process by VOSA is quite intense, all your figures, pass rates, times and plenty of other details are monitored and your checked up on a lot more than you use to be!

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Yes but allways good to have some were recomended (for repaires aswell)
Some testers can be proper t***s , there is a diferance in doing your job and being a ******

I know places that seem to think that every MOT you have, they can come up with around about £250 of work that needs doing to get it through. It's almost like they think that a vehicle shouldn't pass an MOT without some work needing doing.

If I get told mines failed it's mot and needs this work doing. It needs it doing.

yup, same here, chat to some local non mots garages, find out where they take them for MOTs, I take mine to a little back road place, been doing MOTs for donkeys, and does em for all the local mechanics etc, a good honest mot.

Speaking of which, need to get mine jet washed before its MOT this afternoon

ratty said:

I know places that seem to think that every MOT you have, they can come up with around about £250 of work that needs doing to get it through. It's almost like they think that a vehicle shouldn't pass an MOT without some work needing doing.

If I get told mines failed it's mot and needs this work doing. It needs it doing.

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Thats how a garage used to be when my mate worked there. Had an issue with another mate who always passed my cars MoT I was a bit annoyed when I found out. I want a safe car just don't want to be ripped off. My great uncle works at a garage a little further out but the last MoT it went for they found more issue to "fail" it on 10 days after it went in. So either he didn't do his job first time round or my car rusted in 10 days (possible with a d1 I suppose) my decent mate would let me fix smal issues I.e bulbs and the like on the spot. Even sat in it and helped him test it bit I did work there for a while.

As I tester you are taught to pass and advise a car not to fail unless certain criteria is met also remember a mot does not mean your car is road legal

Jongould said:

Erm, I would tell you where to go if you insisted on driving it in and out, as for remaining with it at all times, that's not an option, you view from the viewing area and that's it! Not sure why you suggest these, any reputable mot center is fine, there is noting special about a landrover really...

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erm, i would say thanks, but no thanks!
no offence intended jon, but i agree with bump

Spunka said:

Yes but allways good to have some were recomended (for repaires aswell)
Some testers can be proper t***s , there is a diferance in doing your job and being a ******

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hear hear!
(not directed at you jon!)

The best advice I could give would e go somewhere that charges Full price. £54. With a free retest. Alot but not all I must add. Cheaper mots. Are just getting you in the door. Don't use halfords. Don't use in"n"out.

I know its a bit far from Catterick but this may be of use to anyone North of Sheffield I always take my cars including the Land Rover to Thorpes at Thurgoland. The 2 guys that do the tests are scrupulously fare, the viewing area is officially behind a handrail in the MOT bay, although for old hands like me if there is anything wrong it's pointed out at the time. They don't do repairs, charge £30 and no retest fee. The only downside is you can't book in you just turn up and if necessary queue. I've been going there for way over 30 years and never had any cause for complaint.

I use Midland car company in Bath.

Their test fee is about £50 so a bit more pricey than some places but they usually do some fettling for you FOC.

They are extremely fair and if they tell me summit needs doing I know that this is genuinely the case.

nrgserv said:

erm, i would say thanks, but no thanks!
no offence intended jon, but i agree with bump

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Then we wouldn't do business. There is no way I would let a customer move a vehicle around my workshop, to many expensive things to hit, other vehicles, workers, equipment, just imagine you pranged another car, would you pay for it? your insurance wouldn't cover it neither would mine.

As for the viewing, no person should be in the workshop especially within the MOT boundaries. Not only is it illegal as you are not covered by the liability insurance but its just not safe, I have got 5 ramps here, I have vehicles moving around the workshop all the time, your safety is my responsibility so I am bound by my duty of care to make sure you are only in safe areas, that would be the designated MOT viewing area.

Jongould said:

Then we wouldn't do business. There is no way I would let a customer move a vehicle around my workshop, to many expensive things to hit, other vehicles, workers, equipment, just imagine you pranged another car, would you pay for it? your insurance wouldn't cover it neither would mine.

As for the viewing, no person should be in the workshop especially within the MOT boundaries. Not only is it illegal as you are not covered by the liability insurance but its just not safe, I have got 5 ramps here, I have vehicles moving around the workshop all the time, your safety is my responsibility so I am bound by my duty of care to make sure you are only in safe areas, that would be the designated MOT viewing area.

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thats fair enough and i respect that.

I take the landy to a reputable local garage who specialise in 4x4s. Last MOT they did for me they did a few minor repairs foc. They then failed it on rust but hey ho.

The missus focus on the other hand goes to "We only MOT" always gets a pass funnily enough!