Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

MOT Compare Price

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
Post Reply
User avatar
flimper
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4591
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:47 pm
Location: Hampshire

MOT Compare Price

Post by flimper » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:31 pm

Wondering whether to go to BMW for £54.85, stumbled across this website, might help some https://racgaragecompare.co.uk/

Image
Piano black & black extended leather. Power mirrors, tinted glass, PDC, Prof hi-fi, CD, retro-fit cruise

User avatar
original guvnor
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 7044
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:59 pm
Location: Nottinghamshire

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by original guvnor » Sun Oct 04, 2015 1:42 pm

I'm always highly suspicious of discounted MOT's because how do they make any money?

I prefer to take mine now to one of these MOT only garages now. They have no axe to grind
- I.e. No motivation to "fail" on rather dodgy grounds.

User avatar
Marlon
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 10899
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:13 am
Location: Lancs.
Contact:

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Marlon » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:11 pm

Totally agree with the above, unless you have a garage you trust and have used for years - I have been going to the same family run garage for all my MOT and servicing for the last 15 years.
Image
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S

User avatar
srhutch
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 26959
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:22 pm
Location: East Sussex, UK
Contact:

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by srhutch » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:27 pm

original guvnor wrote:I'm always highly suspicious of discounted MOT's because how do they make any money?

I prefer to take mine now to one of these MOT only garages now. They have no axe to grind
- I.e. No motivation to "fail" on rather dodgy grounds.
This.

I did use BMW last year when they had an offer on. They failed it, and then passed it after adjusting the headlight, and for no extra cost. :o
Image

User avatar
PerryGunn
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 9785
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:16 pm
Location: By the seaside...

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by PerryGunn » Sun Oct 04, 2015 2:32 pm

original guvnor wrote:I'm always highly suspicious of discounted MOT's because how do they make any money?

I prefer to take mine now to one of these MOT only garages now. They have no axe to grind
- I.e. No motivation to "fail" on rather dodgy grounds.
Same here - if you book & pay online my local place charges a reduced rate of £40 for an MOT but, if you book/pay for it at least 90 days in advance, you can get it for £27
Alpina Roadster S #320
* Quaife ATB LSD * StrongStrut Braces * Turner RTAB Limiters * Gap-Tech RCH+ *
* Intravee & KCA-420i * Mini 0806 * Cheetah C550 * Stubby *

Marvin-HHGTTG
Member
Member
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 1:59 am
Location: Maidstone, Kent

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Marvin-HHGTTG » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:45 pm

PerryGunn wrote:
original guvnor wrote:I'm always highly suspicious of discounted MOT's because how do they make any money?

I prefer to take mine now to one of these MOT only garages now. They have no axe to grind
- I.e. No motivation to "fail" on rather dodgy grounds.
Same here - if you book & pay online my local place charges a reduced rate of £40 for an MOT but, if you book/pay for it at least 90 days in advance, you can get it for £27
Same here - Just MOTs for me. Ultimately the difference is only £10 between the cheapest and someone who I know is fair so worth it in my opinion. They failed mine then adjusted the headlights and passed it - first I knew about it was the extra sheet stapled to the back which was good of them. Still thorough though - spotted the slight tear in the tie rod boot that I put into it a month ago when attempting to remove it from the steering knuckle but down as an advisory as it's still clean at the moment. Got the replacement bits on the way now, just need a bigger hammer to break it free.
Image
Current: BMW E39 M5 | Gone: '06 Z4 3.0si Coupe, '03 Z4 2.5i Roadster

User avatar
DPG
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 4204
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:41 pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by DPG » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:54 pm

Mine is always £30 at Huddersfield BMW

Only ever failed one car and that was for a broken spring.

Mike6
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1074
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2015 1:17 pm

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Mike6 » Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:14 pm

It takes 45 mins to 1 hour to do an MOT. Work it out, the cheaper the price they are more likely to fail and charge you for minor adjustments.

User avatar
Taz
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 19501
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:56 pm
Location: Saddleworth

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Taz » Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:17 pm

last couple of years i have had mine done at VW, i think it was £35

User avatar
Angie4m
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 3700
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 10:47 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Angie4m » Sun Oct 04, 2015 5:33 pm

I always take my cars to the same place. Only used BMW once and it passed but cost an arm and a leg and in talking about 10 years ago and it cost about £70!) and it was carried out elsewhere. Not pleased with that to be honest.

I've heard of people getting groupon offers for a 'service' and MOT for £20/£30 and then the car fails on loads of costly things. Strange that. Never once heard of one passing but when challenged by someone with a bit of knowledge they soon change their tune about what's actually needing done.

So unless you've used a garage listed before and trust them, then I'd stay clear of cheap garages offering MOTs
Deep Sea Blue sDrive35is - I LOVE IT! Best car I've ever owned :) - Gone
RRS V8 Supercharged - Gone
Abarth 595 Competizione - Gone
Yas Marina Blue M4 Coupe - Gone

Current:
Protonic Blue i8
Amethyst 997
F56 JCW Challenge (19 of 52)

Still Shy and retiring

User avatar
pvr
Legend
Legend
Posts: 26276
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:27 pm
Location: South East UK

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by pvr » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:50 pm

For the Audi, they "forced" me to do the MOT there, as I have two year warranty with the car but only if you do the MOT there (servicing included for 2 years as well). Obviously full price MOT and obviously passed as they guarantee to pass it when you buy the car (with the two year warranty etc).
Current:
911-50 Black - unique spec
X5M - 575 hp of fun in a V8
Abarth 595 Comp.
Golf Clipper - collectors item
Z4 3.0si Black Sapphire
VW ID.3

Previous:
Z4M Silver Grey - non flimper spec (gone to Bing)
Z4 3.0 Toledo

User avatar
Steve84N
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 1:00 pm

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Steve84N » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:20 am

Headlight adjustment is a common theme here and it happened to us on the e91, I'm sure they were fine but they charged us £11 to adjust them. 20s with an allen key with no need to remove any parts... They failed it on the brakes too saying there was an imbalance on the front (one of the discs was not wearing on the outer edge like the other did to the edge) but there was no issue with it in use. Told them to stick it and changed all the discs/pads myself and they said we could retest for free as we paid for the headlight adjustment. Then they tried to charge us for the retest. KwikFit.

Still quids in with the cheaper garages though.

Plus to be fair the KwikFit I used where I lived before always passed my car every time, even with the pathetic handbrake on the e46. Halfords tried to charge me £160 to change the shoes. Cheaper to get the test at KwikFit and it passed!
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

Scooba_Steve
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 5277
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
Location: NW London

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by Scooba_Steve » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:42 pm

Halfords for my last MOT at £30. Advisories for brake pipe corrosion, rear bump stop not attached (???) and weeping diff. Seemed pretty legit to me so will use them again. If I get any grief in future though I'll use the council test centre.
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.

User avatar
toledo
Member
Member
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:32 pm

Re: MOT Compare Price

Post by toledo » Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:02 pm

If any of you are London based then I highly recommend The Test Centre in Deptford http://www.thetestcentre.co.uk

They are very friendly, you can watch them work, open 7 days a week, can book online and also really into their cars. Last year I took my 95 Merc SL500 there and ended up taking one of the testers out for a quick spin as he was drooling so much :lol:

Also they only do MOTs so there is no potential business for them if your car fails.

Will be taking the Zed there for sure when it's due.

Post Reply