MOT History – Why should you check your car’s MOT History?

March 24, 2022 by Zoe Hicks – 10 mins read

Whether you are getting your first-ever automobile or you are buying and selling your car for a higher model, purchasing a vehicle is one of the most interesting purchases you can make.

After years of having to be counted on by different people you can eventually get out on the road independently and, for those getting an upgrade on the current vehicle, this is a chance to begin and purchase a car that you are proud to drive. There’s no denying the advantages that come with having your car, however, it’s no longer as easy as amassing the keys and riding off. For those buying a used vehicle, the dangers can regularly be greater and with this in mind, it’s vital to make sure your automobile is road-worthy earlier than agreeing upon the sale. Taking a car for a test drive is all good, however, faults may additionally now not be right away obvious and it can regularly be hard to verify whether or not or no longer a car is the correct cost for cash only with a test drive.

An automobile will probably have a lot of mileage and usual wear and tear which are inevitable, however, its MOT records are what counts as this will supply you a clear thought of what sort of situation your car is in and whether or not it’s worth buying. To make certain you take all the integral precautions earlier than buying your new car, thus it is necessary to take a look at the MOT history of a car before making the buy decision. A whole and precise MOT History typically indicates a car has been nicely taken care of by its preceding keepers. And typically speaking, an automobile with a record of MOT history takes a look at faults and a lot of advisories which may lead to a greater risk of mechanical troubles and an increase in expense for repairing these problems, in the future. There are exceptions however this is the general rule and something to watch out for. Read on to know more about MOT history and why to check a car’s MOT History.

MOT History Check in the UK

The history of the MOT check is quite long. By doing a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test you are legally obliged to have your vehicle examined for their roadworthiness with this test. Interestingly, it doesn’t observe solely to highways but all different roads as well. It’s a legal requirement in Northern Ireland to have it every 4 years, in Great Britain it’s every three years. MOT checking was implemented in the year 1960, and used to be firstly simply a fundamental check – checking solely necessities like the brakes, lights, and steering, and used to be carried out after the vehicle was10 years old and each 12 months thereafter. Currently, it’s a lot more with extra data.

Why Check a Car’s MOT History?

An MOT is a legal requirement in the UK and is an important historic record for the vehicle. It will exhibit the faults and become aware of any potential future faults, you can assume it is like an encyclopaedia for your car. While it doesn’t exhibit each minor bit of detail, an MOT history is a beneficial element to know more about your vehicle still. Even if you don’t suppose you can find the money for an MOT, then take into account this: Any future customers of your automobile will prefer to comprehend why you haven’t. MOT checking out is a particularly trendy and standard practice every year for drivers in the UK, except your car is too new of course. This will additionally affect resale values, so it’s very essential to attain an MOT. 

So why is it so vital to get an MOT history check for your car? In the UK, motors that are over three years old ought to get checked in for an every year MOT check underneath the law. A car that’s failed its MOT isn’t allowed on UK roads. Some of the automobile components that get checked at some stage in an MOT encompass lights, the battery, tires, brakes, steering, and suspension. Furthermore, it additionally consists of the car’s interior workings and engine. Therefore, the fundamental cause of an MOT check is to make sure the automobile is ‘roadworthy’, or secure to drive. There are numerous motives why you may also choose to take a look at the MOT history records of a car. Typically, the MOT history records are checked when you are identifying whether or not to purchase a second-hand car, however, it can additionally be checked if you have misplaced the forms from preceding MOT checks on your vehicle. Now, MOT checks don’t inform you the whole thing about the fitness of the car – due to the fact they solely give attention to safety-vital components of the car, however, they can act as a suitable benchmark.

Why take a look at the MOT history of an automobile you are planning to buy?

If you are planning on purchasing a car, it may seem to be nice because of the rather excessive cost of many cars, owners will so often clean the whole thing in the engine and interiors to make the vehicle seem to be new and properly looked after. In some cases, this is a truthful indication that a car is cared for. After all, the keepers have taken the effort of really cleansing things. But hiding troubles indicates that the present-day owner can sell an automobile for a lot greater cash than they’d in any other case be capable of. The MOT history of an automobile can be discovered by providing its registration number on our website. If you see that the present-day keeper has been given advisories in MOTs two years in a row, then it may point out that they have now not tried to repair things. If you see some sorts of faults come up regularly, then it may want to additionally point out that the owner’s using style is the reason for these faults that could, itself, point out different troubles in areas no longer included through the MOT history checks.

Consistently over-worn tires would possibly point out that the driver likes to go speedy and or over-rev their engine. This, in turn, may imply that there’s additional harm to the take hold of the clutch from this sort of riding behaviour. Another purpose to take a look at the MOT history records of a car you are intending to purchase is genuinely to see how quickly you will want to take it for some other test. Many drivers use this to count on that they will want to pay a certain amount of cash and consider this into budgeting.

Verifying a car’s records would be clear and straightforward. But the reality is, no longer all dealers will be upfront with customers about a car’s past. Sometimes, there are gaps in a car’s previous history when it comes to annual MOTs. In other cases, the MOT history certificate’s receipt can even be forged. Therefore, now not solely is it fundamental to acquire a car’s full history, but it’s additionally quintessential to cross-check that data to make sure it’s accurate. Furthermore, MOT history records can supply you with a proper indication of how properly used to be the vehicle was considered after.

What does the MOT check cover?

  • An MOT check covers
  • Exhaust and Emissions
  • Cracks, chips in the windscreen
  • Seat Belts and safety
  • Number plate modifications and plate cloning
  • Lights, if they are properly working or faulty
  • Brakes
  • Tires, Wheels, and alloys
  • Doors
  • Seats – the widespread condition
  • Suspension
  • Fuel machine problems
  • Any dents in the physique or damage

Without these tests, your car will be severely impacted using resale values: in other words, you will get much less for your car when you come to sell. 

Why check the MOT history of your car?

In the same manner, it can be used to locate the MOT history records for your vehicle. This is normally accomplished when you favour selling the car however have misplaced your paperwork, or if you are conducting regular maintenance and prefer to test that each advisory has been fixed. Another purpose to take a look at your own vehicle’s MOT history records is if it’s a pretty old car and you have solely owned it for a few years. Advisories and repairs carried out years in the past would possibly point out ongoing troubles that you may additionally choose to address.

Motorscan MOT History Check

Our MOT history check is for free which includes the following:

  • If it passed or failed
  • Mileage recorded when it was once tested
  • What components failed at every test, and if any components had minor problems
  • When your vehicle’s subsequent MOT is due
  • Mileage status
  • Vehicle specification
  • Running costs

What occurs if your car doesn’t have a legitimate MOT?

This is a query with more than one answer, there’s are countless situations and issues that you may also face if your car doesn’t have a legitimate MOT, some of which are:

  • If you get caught using a car without MOT, you will be fined, the amount typically relies upon what type of car you are driving. 
  • You can’t tax an automobile except for a legitimate MOT.
  • Your insurance plan might also be invalid
  • It may additionally no longer be secure to drive the vehicle if it doesn’t have a legitimate MOT
  • If you are selling your car, you might also end up with troubles if it doesn’t have MOT

Checking the MOT history of your car

What used to be in the MOT check record that was once advised? You may additionally no longer have your MOT pass certificates anymore however it is possibly a top thought to take a look at your advisories from the ultimate 12 months so you can budget efficiently for practicable repairs on your subsequent MOT test.

Conclusion

The MOT check is an evaluation that all cars that are three years old and over should have on an annual basis. An MOT will check car safety, roadworthiness, and exhaust emissions and will contain a pretty thorough examination of all components of the vehicle. An MOT is something that motors want to endure yearly as a legal requirement and with this in mind, acquiring proof of these examinations is essential. A car owner will be awarded certificates after every MOT test whether or not they have passed or failed and additionally will include notes involving any advisories. To provide you a higher concept of your manageable new car’s history, you need to ask to see previous MOT history certificates, and similar to this, you will desire to test whether or not or no longer the car’s presently bought a legitimate MOT.

Whilst it’s preferable for a seller to provide proof of a car’s MOT history, this fact can additionally be located online very easily. You can take a look at the MOT history records without the difficulty of a car and this will provide you data such as whether or not it’s passed or failed, the mileage, the test centre location, details of failures and any minor issues, and when the subsequent MOT is due. Identifying any troubles the vehicle has had in the past will doubtlessly provide you with an opportunity to see if these have been rectified. A car’s MOT history records will assist you to verify whether or not the buy is worth the money. An MOT history certificate provides you peace of mind that you are getting the right choice of car. There are reasons why you might also desire to take a look at the MOT history records of a car. You must do an MOT history check when buying a second-hand vehicle, however, it ought to additionally be checked if you have misplaced the MOT paperwork from a preceding test. Although MOT exams don’t inform you the whole thing about the fitness of the vehicle, they can be a correct indication of practicable issues. 

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