So you saved up and got a car, about three years ago, and you think it’s running smoothly and serving you well. You’ve gone in for any maintenance you need, taken good care of it, and even gotten it washed. What more could you do? The answer is MOT testing. As soon as you hit the three-year mark, you have to start taking your vehicle in for MOT testing. So if you’re approaching your three-year anniversary with your car, it may be time to start looking for MOT testing in Paignton.
What Is MOT Testing?
A MOT test is a Ministry of Transport test, and is designed to ensure that your vehicle remains roadworthy. It can also inform you if your car has any impending issues that are not critical at the time of inspection but could become so in the future. The inspection covers most parts of the car. An inspector looks at the interior of your car, inspects the exterior, and does a visual check under the bonnet and underneath the bottom of the car. The MOT checks for any obvious issues, but it is not a full service and does not indicate the mechanical state of your car. A MOT is vital to your car’s maintenance, but is not the only service you must have performed.
When Do I Need a Mot Test?
You have to get your first MOT test when your car is three years old, and after that point, you must get a MOT test annually. While you may arrange for reminders or some other way to ensure that you don’t forget, remembering and scheduling a MOT test is the car owner’s responsibility. When you receive a MOT test, and pass, you will be given a certificate. This certificate will include, printed on it, an expiration date. You can take your car in for MOT testing up to 28 days in advance of this expiration date, but you must take it in before the actual date. No matter when you get the vehicle tested within that 28-day period, the next certificate will expire one year from the last one. So essentially, if your certificate expires on August 7, 1995, and you get your car tested on July 29, 1995, your new certificate will still expire on August 7, 1996.
MOT testing in Paignton may not be the most glamorous part of car ownership, but it is a vital one. Be sure to keep on top of expiration dates and ensure that you are driving safe.
Monnington Motors Ltd provides a complete range of services for vehicles that require an MOT assessment, and pre-MOT maintenance.