All registered UK vehicles require an annual MOT inspection to determine their roadworthiness. If your vehicle has its MOT coming up, then the chances are you’re probably wondering what exactly you can do to ensure that it passes without issue, and save yourself the headache of having to fork out for replacement parts!
A failed MOT test can lead to expensive repairs, as well as potential time off work while your vehicle is getting repaired, so you really want to try and avoid a fail if you can! Here at RAW2K, the vast majority of the vehicles you’ll find on our online car auctions are salvage cars, vans and motorcycles. These salvage cars attract thousands of trade and non-trade customers from around the UK, who bid on them in our fast, easy online vehicle auctions.
So, if you’re searching for a vehicle in our online car auctions, here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure it’s road worthy!
Wheels and Tyres
Correctly aligned wheels with the proper tyre depth of tread make all the difference when it comes to vehicle safety. However they’re also one of the most common reasons why vehicles fail to pass.
To avoid this, it’s best to inspect your tyres on a regular basis for any faults. To begin, ensure that all your wheel nuts are in place, including the locking wheel nut key. From there, examine your tyres for any bulges, cracks or irregularities in the shape or structure, as these can also bring you an instant fail.
Finally, it’s time to check that all-important tread depth. The law states that they have to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm across at least three-quarters of the tread, around the whole circumference of the tyre. How can you check this? Well, there’s actually a really neat trick you can use - place a 20p coin into the grooves of the treads and if the outer rim of the coin is visible then the depth is too low, and you’ll be risking an MOT fail.
Windscreens and Wipers
In order to pass an MOT test, you have to be able to see clearly through your vehicle’s windscreen. So, any cracks or chips will more than likely result in an instant fail, particularly if they’re on the driver’s side. We’d advise getting any repairs or replacement work done before the test, to avoid the headache that comes along with failing an MOT. As a side note - your windscreen wipers must also be free of any cracks, and be in perfect working order, which means that you need to make sure that the washer fluid is fully topped up before your vehicle’s test. As a side note, even a small chip in your windscreen can merit a fail in the eyes of the examiner, as it’s classed as a structural fault in the vehicle, which poses a risk of shattering.
Lights and Signals
These constitute another very common cause of MOT failure that can easily be avoided. Our advice - on the day before the MOT test, check that all of the lights are working correctly. This includes the fog lights, brake lights, side lights and headlights (obvious we know, but it still trips a lot of people up!). It’s best that these simple checks are carried out in the dark, so you can better see whether any of your bulbs need changing. In the eyes of the MOT examiner, a bulb that doesn’t work properly could serve as a potential safety risk while on the road, and it’ll certainly lead to MOT failure.
Giving all these factors a quick once over before your test means that your vehicle will be far more likely to avoid an MOT fail. However, if it does fail and you don’t feel it’s worth paying to get your vehicle back up and running, why not consider listing it on one of our online vehicle auctions?
Our online car auctions list thousands of used, salvaged and seized vehicles every week. The vast majority of which are salvage cars, vans and motorcycles. These salvage cars attract thousands of trade and non-trade customers from around the UK, who bid on them in our fast, easy online vehicle auctions. So, if your vehicle is past the point of being road legal, why not sell it with us?
