Are you one of those supremely confident drivers who know their car will sail through its MOT test every year? Or are you one of those drivers who spend ages panicking and fretting that this year it will all go wrong and you will have to pay a fortune to get your car back on the road or – worse – that you will lose it altogether because it fails the MOT test so spectacularly that it is no longer permitted on the road? Many people fall into the latter category – but only because they have not yet unlocked the secrets of MOT success! Here’s some expert advice for UK drivers on how to move to that first category of drivers.

Get Into a Routine

Get into a good routine with your car. This doesn’t mean only using it for the daily commute and restricting your movements in any way. On the contrary, drive yourself from London to nearby Basildon in Essex or all the way up to Scotland if that is where you need to go. Your ‘routine’ in this case will include a series of checks and processes that should be adhered to, no matter if you are touring a Scottish whiskey distillery or planning to spend a long weekend birdwatching in Basildon. They include things like listening to the vehicle as you drive along; looking it over carefully at least once a week; and – crucially for your MOT – being aware, all the time, of the items on the MOT checklist. You can enjoy MOT success every year by getting your MOT in Basildon at low prices from Elite Direct without any stress at all.

Check the Checklist

If you are not sure what the MOT inspector will look for, you won’t be certain that your car is up to standard. Familiarise yourself with the checklist (and do look for periodic updates too, don’t just rely on an old printed version of the test) and every now and then, check to see if, for example, your lights are all in good working order, or that your brakes are as sharply responsive as they need to be. Not only will this practice help you to pass your MOT test with flying colours, but it will help you to stay safe on the roads. After all, if you pick up a minor problem with your brakes and fix it quickly, then there is little chance that those brakes will suddenly fail just when you need them most – racing down the motorway in the thick of traffic, for example.

Book MOT Promptly

There is no allowance for vehicles with expired MOT certificates, despite persistent rumours swirling about that there is a two-week grace period following the expiry date. Instead, you can book your MOT test any time in the thirty days preceding the test without losing your MOT anniversary date (this is usually the date on which your car was first registered – its ‘birthday’, so to speak). Therefore, it is in your best interests to book your MOT as soon as possible, firstly to get it over and done with, leaving you with an effective thirteen month MOT certificate; but also, secondly, to give you the chance to effect any small repairs that might be necessary before the current certificate expires, so you are never without your car. Do note, this does not apply to dangerous or major faults: you will not be allowed to take an unroadworthy car on the UK’s roads and if you insist, the garage will be obliged to let law enforcement know!

Anyone can pass their MOT test for the first time every time. It just takes a little ingenuity and planning – being aware of what is needed from you and the car and forestalling any hint of failure before it can become serious.