Strange MOT history?
Discussion
Not sure where this kind of question should go, but...
I was looked at the MOT history, on the Gov site, of a car I'm interested in.
Car was registered January 2015. So first MOT should have been before Jan 2018. However, the first MOT didn't take place until Nov 2018 [so 10 months late], which it failed. The 'major defects' were light related [headlight, reg plate etc], so not really serious but classed as major and you'd need to get them sorted before legally being able to drive yeah?
Here's the thing I don't understand though. The car was then driven for another 3k miles and wasn't tested again until Jan 2019. It failed again on a light issue but that was then fixed and it passed the MOT the same day.
I can't work out the scenario that would allow the owner to drive the car after failing the MOT in Nov 2018. And why would that first MOT be so late [I guess it could have been sat unused for all of 2018, maybe at a dealer]?
Any ideas?
I was looked at the MOT history, on the Gov site, of a car I'm interested in.
Car was registered January 2015. So first MOT should have been before Jan 2018. However, the first MOT didn't take place until Nov 2018 [so 10 months late], which it failed. The 'major defects' were light related [headlight, reg plate etc], so not really serious but classed as major and you'd need to get them sorted before legally being able to drive yeah?
Here's the thing I don't understand though. The car was then driven for another 3k miles and wasn't tested again until Jan 2019. It failed again on a light issue but that was then fixed and it passed the MOT the same day.
I can't work out the scenario that would allow the owner to drive the car after failing the MOT in Nov 2018. And why would that first MOT be so late [I guess it could have been sat unused for all of 2018, maybe at a dealer]?
Any ideas?
Dave. said:
Crashed before the first MOT was due and sold through copart just before being put through it's first MOT....
Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
I'd do a Vcheck on the car before going to see it, so anything like that would be picked up.Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
The current owner has owned it for four years and is a car tech by trade, so would know if the car has previously damaged etc.
In some cases cars used as taxis have irregular MoT histories.
Some local authorities require taxis to have MoTs, but eg every six months and even if < 3 years old
Other authorities have a separate regime of 'taxi inspections' which are distinct from MoTs and won't show up on the MoT history, but mean the taxi doesn't need an MoT as it is already passed for taxi duty.
It's not immediately obvious how that would apply in this case, but it's a possibility to be aware of when you encounter cars with unexpected patterns of MoTs. I believe a VCheck will pick up taxi use.
vikingaero said:
Car could have been SORNed for whatever reason. Many of the bulb failures and number plate are minor jobs just to get the MOT station failure rates up.
Could have been SORNed in 2018 I guess, but that doesn't explain how the owner was able to drive it for a few months and covered 3k miles after failing the MOT in Nov. Build are obviously minor issues but they appeared as 'Repair immediately (major defects) on that fit MOT, so you wouldn't be able to drive it legally!samoht said:
In some cases cars used as taxis have irregular MoT histories.
Some local authorities require taxis to have MoTs, but eg every six months and even if < 3 years old
Other authorities have a separate regime of 'taxi inspections' which are distinct from MoTs and won't show up on the MoT history, but mean the taxi doesn't need an MoT as it is already passed for taxi duty.
It's not immediately obvious how that would apply in this case, but it's a possibility to be aware of when you encounter cars with unexpected patterns of MoTs. I believe a VCheck will pick up taxi use.
Car is a RS Clio...not great for airport drop-offs, but would be a fun ride for the passengers Some local authorities require taxis to have MoTs, but eg every six months and even if < 3 years old
Other authorities have a separate regime of 'taxi inspections' which are distinct from MoTs and won't show up on the MoT history, but mean the taxi doesn't need an MoT as it is already passed for taxi duty.
It's not immediately obvious how that would apply in this case, but it's a possibility to be aware of when you encounter cars with unexpected patterns of MoTs. I believe a VCheck will pick up taxi use.
trickywoo said:
Dave. said:
Crashed before the first MOT was due and sold through copart just before being put through it's first MOT....
Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
If had had to put money on a scenario something like this would be up there.Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
BUG4LIFE said:
trickywoo said:
Dave. said:
Crashed before the first MOT was due and sold through copart just before being put through it's first MOT....
Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
If had had to put money on a scenario something like this would be up there.Failed and couldn't be bothered fixing it for a few months.
Maybe....?
Check out for damage,if it drives ok buy it,only thing I look for is current MOT,even that means little
Giantt said:
You have a great faith in people's adherence to legality?
Check out for damage,if it drives ok buy it,only thing I look for is current MOT,even that means little
I guess I'd just question how well the car was looked after in its early days if owned by someone who would drive it with a failed MOT. The average Joe wouldn't.Check out for damage,if it drives ok buy it,only thing I look for is current MOT,even that means little
Since the current owner bought it [2020] MOT's have been clean as a whistle. He's an 'enthusiast' and Renault tech, so knows his beans.
Just had a thought though. Maybe the owner of the car is 2018 just totally forget the MOT was due and drove it for nearly a year without realising. My Wife and I did exactly the same thing with her Kia. We used it for six months, after MOT was due, and didn't get stopped once!
Last year I tested a van that failed on a few things. It was two months and about 1800 miles later when he brought it back for repair. He couldn’t be without it and wasn’t bothered about getting pulled, figuring a fine was worth it. I’m sure he only brought it back because he was going on holiday! As mentioned above, some people just aren’t that bothered.
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