Top mobile mechanic and auto MOT testing verification Reading: An MOT involves dozens of checks on your car, ranging from the brakes and fuel system to lights, mirrors, seatbelts, windscreen wipers and exhaust system. You can also get an MOT done at a local council test centre. These test centres don’t normally carry out repairs as well as MOTs. It doesn’t cover the condition of the engine, clutch and gearbox. To find your nearest authorised MOT test centre, visit these websites. How long does an MOT take? An average MOT test takes between 45 and 60 minutes, but there are a couple of other things to take into consideration. Looking for Mot Reading or other MOT services services? A pre-MOT checklist should cover the following areas: Your lights need to all be in good working order. This includes your headlights, sidelights, indicators, and brake lights as well as your number plate light. You may need to get a friend or family member to assist you when checking the brake lights, or back your car up to a wall and check them via reflections. Things such as unsecured light mounts can also be cause for MOT failure. So be sure to check whether there are any wobbly lights on your car.
Check belts and hoses: A broken belt or a leaky hose can stop you in your tracks. For example, a snapped serpentine belt can cause several systems to fail, including your air conditioner compressor and power steering, according to Consumer Reports. Plus, they also point out that if your radiator hose is damaged or leaking, your car can quickly overheat, resulting in significant damage. To avoid any problems, you, or your mechanic, should check your hoses and belts during every oil change. Also, it’s easy to pop your hood occasionally to see if there are any overly worn belts, or cracked, broken or hardened hoses. As Bob Vila points out, if you hear any squealing or wailing noises when your car is running, a belt or hose may be going bad. Consult your mechanic and owner’s manual on how and when to replace any belts or hoses.
Many people don’t realize that your battery’s health is not only affected by winter, but by summer too. Heat can cause malfunction of the battery or its failure to operate properly. So watch out for telltale signs of your battery’s declining health over the summer months. This may include : Slower cranking of the engine than usual while starting the car; Dimmed headlights or internal lights; The “check battery” light on the dashboard is lit up. You should make sure the battery is in tip-top condition so as not to be surprised by a sudden and unwanted breakdown.
Ignore the myth of the 100,000-mile tune-up. “It doesn’t exist,” states Principe. “Each vehicle has a specific tune-up schedule recommended by the manufacturer. The more you keep the systems clean, the better the vehicle will run.” Variations in climate and driving style also dictate the necessity for maintenance. Commuting in dusty desert conditions will quickly clog air filters, while driving short distances repeatedly can wear out the exhaust system, as moisture is never completely evacuated. Extremely hot and cold conditions require more attention paid to radiator fluid and engine oil.
As well as using the correct lettering style and spacing, your number plates need to be clean and easy to read from a distance. Modified number plates, damaged number plates or otherwise illegal plates will fail the MoT. If you own a diesel car fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF), it could be given a Major defect and automatically fail the MoT test if it emits “visible smoke of any colour” during metered checks. Testers will also inspect DPFs closely for signs of removal or tampering, awarding a Major defect and failing the car if foul play is detected. Testers must refuse to test any car where the “DPF canister has clearly been cut open and re-welded” unless the owner “can show evidence that there was a valid reason to cut it open, such as for filter cleaning.”
When you come to sell the car, having a full service history will make it more appealing and boost its second-hand value, and if your car is written off, an insurer is likely to pay out more for a car with a full service history. Don’t forget to take your car’s service booklet (often found in the same pouch as the handbook) to the garage or dealership, so they can stamp and date when the service was carried out. A growing number of cars come with no service record or handbook, but the servicing agent should be able to log into the car maker’s online portal and add in information about the service that has been done. Find extra details at http://www.mot-centre.com/.
Cars are becoming ever more sophisticated. Unfortunately, this also means that there are more electronic components that could fail. Have you ever taken your car to a garage with a warning light on, only to find they can’t locate the problem? We use the latest diagnostic equipment to find the fault, and then we repair it. From ABS and airbag sensors, to engine management lights and air conditioning, we’re here to help you.
Changing the oil and checking the fluids is something your car cannot go without. Depending on your car and how often you drive, most cars need an oil change between every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. Making it a habit of changing the oil will extend the life of your vehicle and save you money on costly repairs. During routine oil changes, your mechanic can also check to make sure all other fluids in your car are topped off.
Headlights and indicators: front, rear, headlights (main beam and dipped), hazard lights and indicators. If any aren’t working, first check for broken bulbs and replace them. Brake lights: ask another person to check the rear brake lights come on when you press the brake pedal. Tyres: check all the tyres have at least the minimum legal tread depth of 1.6mm, or they’ll be marked as an MOT ‘fail’. This can easily be done with a 20p coin – see the diagram at Tyre Safe. The interior of your car will be checked as part of the MOT test. The seat belts; All seats within your vehicle must have seatbelts and all seatbelts must be in the correct working order. The type, condition and security of the seatbelts will also be checked.
