Drivers who have their MOT is coming up have been urged to plan ahead. Car experts at Auto Express have urged people to act early ahead of the annual test or you could end up with a surprise bill for hundreds of pounds. Paul Barker, editor at Auto Express, said: "The best advice is simple: don’t leave it until the last minute.
"You can book your MOT up to one month - minus one day - before the current certificate expires and still keep the same renewal date for next year. It’s smart to book at least three to four weeks in advance, giving you time for repairs if it fails."
He said it's important to do some checks ahead of sending in your car for its MOT. Mr Barker explained: "The test itself is capped at £54.85, but you should always budget for potential repairs. Tyres, suspension and lights are the top failure points - so check those before the test.
"A quick pre-MOT check or service can save you money in the long run." Costs for a new tyre can range from £45 to £1,200 depending on the size and quality of tyre you need. For suspension, repairs and coil spring replacements can cost you £200 or much more, while getting a new light bulb can cost between £15 and £100.
So some standard repairs in all three areas can quickly rack up a bill of £400. If you car passes its MOT, it's also important to act on any advisories. Mr Barker said: "Once you have had the MOT, it is important to take any advisories — things like faulty lights, damaged suspension and worn tyres – seriously.
"Our research shows that one in seven drivers ignore these, which is worrying, because advisories highlight issues that aren’t yet serious enough to fail the test but could easily become dangerous or expensive if left unchecked." Lighting and electrical faults make up a quarter of all advisories, while a fifth of them are related to suspension problems.
Mr Barker said: "It’s really important to get advisories fixed as soon as possible. Ignoring them can compromise safety, lead to an MOT failure next time, and even put off potential buyers if you plan to sell the car."
The DVSA has been trialling a new anti-fraud measure where MOT testers take a picture of your vehicle. This is uploaded to the MOT Testing Service, to verify that your car has actually gone through the annual test.
This is because there have been issues with 'ghost MOTs', where an MOT is issued despite a vehicle not having actually gone through the test. A previous trial involved 170 MOT testers in 62 garages taking pictures of cars and other vehicles on a mobile phone or tablet.
This is now being expanded to other locations. A DVSA spokesperson said: "While only a small number of testers and garages are involved in MOT fraud, it does happen and puts our roads at risk.
"DVSA wants to create a level playing field for all and we’ve taken action, helping to reassure drivers that their vehicle’s MOT will be conducted to the correct standard. Alongside investigation of potential instances of MOT fraud our recent Photos of Vehicles at MOT trial has shown real promise so far and we're excited to roll it out further."
