Give your car a better chance of passing first time

If your car is more than three years old, an annual MOT check is a legal requirement to ensure it’s roadworthy. On average many garages charge between £35 and £45 for an MOT test but legally garages and MOT test centres are allowed to charge a maximum of £54.85 for the test.

Although many of us dread an MOT it can be a lifesaving test by picking up on faults with the vehicle that may be or may become unsafe in the very near future. It is illegal to drive a car with no MOT unless driving it to / from an MOT test station. Driving with no MOT will also invalidate your insurance.

There are ways in which you can try and give your car the best chance of passing.

Check your tyres are not only correctly inflated but also free from damage and have plenty of tread left on them. Check that all tyres have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm right the way around and across the central three-quarters of the pattern. A quick way to check is to insert a 20p piece into one of the tread grooves. If the outer edge of the coin is completely obscured then the tread depth is sufficient.