MOT Exemption for 40 Year+

[cassell]

Everyone's comments on here are relevant and well thought through and looking at the level of responses to the consultation I get the impression that the DTp and DVSA had already made their minds up before such responses were analysed!

One concern that I have is that I have a sneaking suspicion that cars over 40 years old will actually be automatically deleted from the DVLA database for MOT testing (V5 registration requirements will remain of course) so that it will be impossible for an MOT testing business to actually find the vehicle on the MOT system or issue a document after the test is completed, remember that the current 'certificate' is nothing more than a paper receipt as pass/fail records are held electronically by DVLA on their database for road tax and roadside enforcement purposes.

We will then be reliant on the testing business to issue some form of their own declaration/statement that the vehicle was 'considered to be roadworthy' at the time of the examination. I honestly can't see many garages, particularly smaller ones, having the willingness or resources to provide this, although of course the £50+ fee would still be welcomed by them!

Perhaps there's a business opportunity here for retired mechanics/technicians/engineers to supplement their pensions!!

Paul

[grahamwatson]

Originally Posted by cassell

I honestly can't see many garages, particularly smaller ones, having the willingness or resources to provide this, although of course the £50+ fee would still be welcomed by them!

Paul

I've always thought the £50 to be a bit of a bargain given the equipment and the time required to inspect the car. I expect that some MOT garages will be prepared to offer an equivalent for exempt vehicles, but I doubt they will feel obliged to stick to the statutory fee.

[tdz840]

The spec it mentions that an MOT can be voluntarily requested and i presume at the same cost.
Certainly my local garage has agreed to continue to offer this to me

[iain cooper]

need to keep my 1987 Golf Gti for another 10 years then

Iain

[arcturus]

I would imagine that like me, you would want the car testing if nothing else, for peace of mind, just to make sure that you haven't missed anything and the car is safe to drive. Most cars over forty years old would fail on emission test any way.

[CLIVERALLY]

OK for what it is worth..I am an MOT tester .

I would like to pitch in with the following

1) Mobile cranes --yep those big multi wheeled things you see---exempt and always have been

2) electric vans-----exempt and always have been

3) agricultural vehicles ..exempt

4)..Landrovers with Harvey winches= cranes therefore exempt

5) Kit cars based on pre 60 underpinnings-- exempt--and look at those if you want death traps

6) cars that were produced post 60 but whos production run span the cut off date-- Ford Consul MK2 1959 - exempt --Ford Consul MK2 1961 --same car-- not exempt

sorry I cannot see the hysteria..if you want your car tested you still will be able to,,for me dont go crying if Billy an newly appointed tester fails your car comprehensively through a lack of understanding of how your classic was made in the first place .

Before you all decide to hang me consider that most testers were not borne when your car was made and have little knowledge or empathy. Any car on the road it is down to the owner to ensure road-worthiness and a lack of such could invalidate insurance MOT or not.

I aint a turkey voting for Christmas for me everything on the road should be tested including cars that are over 12 months old -- I have seen cars on their first MOT fail badly on brakes, tyres and electrical issues.

[classicswede]

Dont get me onto farm tractors (big blopdy lorries) and the kids that go thrashing them around

[Jason123GT]

I agree with Clive... its no big deal, i would prefer drivers to get a yearly MOT - they cause most of the issues.. :-)

[RustyAmazon]

It would be interesting to see what happens to Insurance premiums after this takes effect. Sounds like a good excuse for them to rise further? I would still prefer the peace of mind of having the car checked by a qualified mechanic even though I follow the MOT inspection manual.

[Underdrive]

Ok, since everyone else is giving their opinion, for what it's worth I will offer mine (as an ex MOT tester). I'm left uncertain whether I agree with it or not, has anyone looked into the effects of the existing exemption (pre 1960?) for classics? 1. From the insurers' point of view the existing test small print says that it doesn't 'confirm the vehicle will remain roadworthy throughout the validity of the certificate' 2. As can be seen on this forum a lot of the faults occurring and problems found on our cars are not as a result of an MOT failure but the diligence of the owners who care about their vehicles. I doubt there are many classic car owners out there who run their cars into the ground not caring what condition it's in, as you get with a lot of modern cars say 15 to 20 years old. 3. Whilst we all discuss our Volvo related issues on this forum it may feel like there are a lot of us, bit fact we are a very small percentage of road users, doing a much smaller mileage. There are probably more tractors on the road each day than classics! lol. 4. The way people drive their cars (new or old) contributes more to the likelihood of an accident than a rumbling wheel bearing or a bit of play in a trackrod end.