Mot

[Steve G]

Just thought you may be interested in the following...

 

I've been taking all my cars to the same garage for MOT's for about the last 10 years, so I know the owner pretty well and he knows me and my cars.

 

Today I'd got both the Astra and Elise booked in for their MOT. I was a bit worried about taking the Elise due to it not having a cat (stuck in the garage with bolt studs that I can't shift) especially after he emission tested the Astra which was booked in first.

 

Anyway, when it came to the Elise, there was no emissions test and so I got my nice certificate for another year! Why, I hear you ask?

 

Well we got talking about the rules and regulations and he said that he is only able to test a car for how it is presented to him on the day of the MOT. As mine hasn't got a cat, he can't test it, therefore no failure. He doesn't have to test the car to make sure it is of the same standard as it came out of the factory - he can only test it in the state that it is presented to him.

 

He gave me some other examples too: If a car has a cracked windscreen - if you took the windscreen out (a bit extreme!) then he can't fail you. Similarly, if you had a blown bulb - if you took out the whole of the headlight unit (not just the bulb), he can't fail you!

 

This got me thinking - are other garages only in it for the money? To make a quick buck out of the re-test? Anyone got any opinions?

 

I trust this guy and what he says, but it's the first time I've heard of anything like this. The garage also does all the MOT's for Ralliart / Xtreme and so is used to seeing lots of cars with no cats.

 

If anyone is interested in knowing about this garage then drop me a mail and I'll pass his details on to you. He said he'd got no problems doing another few Lotus'.

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[Sol]

If that legally stands, that is great news, but I have serious doubts.

 

In theory, if you had no cat, or crp even(ie just a gap), then that logic would (sort of) stand. So if I took in just the front clamshell and the front 2 tyres, would I pass on the basis that they were legally ok, but the rest of the car wasnt..erm.."presented to him"?

 

Besides, as I understood it, the emissions test results should be automatically sent to the dvla in the new procedures(or at least that was what I was told). That said, if you had a friendly mot man and a "stunt double car" with emissions within limits, all is possible anyway.

[dobbo]

If something is fitted, it must be testable and pass. If it's not, no problems. eg a spare wheel must be inflated and have legal tread, but if it's not in the car it can't fail.

 

Where the difficulty is here is that the cat isn't what's being tested - it's the emissions of the engine, which the cat helps to reduce. Therefore if the cat isn't fitted the car fails its "emissions" test, not its "cat" test.

 

It is possible to get an Elise through without a cat if the exhaust is red hot when it's tested - take a hard drive and get the probe up the exhaust immediately you arrive. It should be OK.

 

Chris

[tazbaz69]

i was told by a guy that worked at MOT station before that most elise tend to fail the emisions testing due ot the length of the exhasut. He worked in garage that tested alot of car for a Lotus dealership and the way he said they got round it was they permantly had a espirt in the workshop so toke the readings of it instead.

[Mark A]

This doesn't legally stand up, think he was being kind.

 

An elise must meet a certain emissions standard, these standards are based on the age of the car and when the standard was introduced, whether the CAT is fitted or not, if the CAT isn't fitted then it is unlikely to pass, this isn't an excuse to not test but it is a reason to fail you.

 

Things like the spare wheel situation are due to the fact you don't legally need to have a spare in the car (like the Elise), it is the same with a windscreen. I have that situation with numerous things on the Mini. As it is 1962 it doesn't need seatbelts, the front indicators are white with white bulbs because they are also the side lights, etc.

[GCCK]

My car's only got 3 wheels, the fourth having fallen off. Since he can't test it with 4 wheels, he'll have to pass it as roadworthy.

 

 

 

 

Not really, but see my point. Where does it end? Next year, everything will be online, so the results will be presented straight to the DVLA. If it can't complete the test, it will fail.

[tazbaz69]

maybe so it will be online but wats stopping the MOT tester such as a mate probing another car for the emissions test? There is always way round things in life and i can,t see it changing really so someone somewhere will always be able to get ur catless car through its MOT i,m sure

[Sol]

If I was an MP, I would design a wearable electronically controlled guillotine for the tester linked to a live camera, remotely monitored by people who got bullied at school and those people that write letters of complaint to local papers about minor issues because they have nothing better to do with their lives.

 

For now, I am only entrusted with computer code. Hrrrmph.

[dobbo]

i was told by a guy that worked at MOT station before that most elise tend to fail the emisions testing due ot the length of the exhasut.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Surely it because most Elises don't have a cat fitted ???

[Scott_Mac]

The other issue mentioned above re: engine temp... that has to be recorded on the form now aswell, and has to be below 66 degrees (IIRC) so no chance there either

[Batman]

My 1992 Elan (no cat) failed the MOT on emissions, there was programme on the test machine to test pre-cat cars, so well done for getting away with it !

[Dave S]

Hi Steve

 

99% sure on this one, that your garage owner is wrong. He has to test to to original design of the vehicle in relation to the date of manufacture. ie one brake light. no seat belts, lights and the catalyst.

 

I think if the ministry saw his name and checked him he would loose his MOT certification very quickly so I would keep it quiet.

 

Dave