Hoot guide to MOT testsAt Hoot, we want to help you with more than just your cheap car insurance needs - so we've produced a series of useful guides to help you get the most out of motoring. There's a guide to every subject from what to do if your battery dies to how to make your car less appealing to thieves, and dozens more besides. This section of our website is also where you'll find answers to any general questions you might have about motor insurance. For instance, see our jargon-buster if you're not sure about car insurance policy small print, or check out the guide to finding cheap car insurance if you're planning to go on an economy drive. This particular guide concerns the UK MOT test. It covers what an MOT is, what one costs and what it all involves. What is the MOT test?
The MOT test is a mandatory annual check of a vehicle's roadworthiness which applies to most cars over three years old.
MOT stands for the Ministry of Transport, a now defunct Government department that presided over the test's introduction in 1960. It was the forerunner to today's Department for Transport (DfT). The test is currently regulated by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (or VOSA), which is sponsored by the DfT. Along with proof of motor insurance, an MOT pass certificate is required when applying for road tax. Valid MOT cover is a legal requirement for virtually every driver in the UK (although some 'limited use' and agricultural vehicles are exempt) and the only journey you are permitted to make without it is a trip to the testing station. Most repair garages are authorised to carry out MOT testing. However, it's important to realise that taking your car in for a test does not constitute 'a service', and a pass certificate is not a 12-month guarantee of roadworthiness. The MOT test is a check on vehicle safety and emissions only, and overlooks many of the mechanical systems (such as clutch and gear box) which are vital to keeping the car running. How much does it cost?
Test fees are set by the DfT, so you will pay the same for your MOT no matter what garage you visit. A poster detailing these prices must be displayed at every test centre, so you're in no danger of getting ripped off.
Prices differ according to your vehicle's class, which is determined by its size. As of 2006, an MOT test for most motorbikes (Class I) costs £27.15. For Class IV vehicles, which includes most cars and light vans, the fee is £50.35. What is tested?
Like the prices, the number of items to be checked for an MOT has grown considerably over the years, with the most recent addition being a revamped and now highly-sophisticated emissions test.
You don't need to worry about your 30-year-old Ford Capri (or similar) not meeting 2007 emissions standards, however. Your car will pass the MOT test providing it meets the standard that was expected in its year of manufacture, not the current year - so the Capri will only get a visual emissions check. By comparison, three-year-old models need to be as clean as a whistle to get through.
Besides the emissions test, standard MOT checks include your registration plates, lights, steering and suspension, brakes and tyres. For more info on what testers look for, as well as tips on how to fix any problems beforehand by yourself, see the Hoot guide to passing your MOT test. Lastly, it's important to realise that the MOT test is based in the main part on observations alone. Testers are not permitted to dismantle any part of your car while they are checking it, nor can they fail any vehicle based on the suspicion that hidden problems exist. On the positive side, this means that you should be able to identify any problems which could prevent your car from passing at home, without getting your hands dirty. However, it also adds weight to the fact that an MOT test is no substitute for a garage service - so you should really get one of each done on a regular basis. If your car fails
If it doesn't pass the MOT test first time, most people leave their cars at the garage for the necessary repair-work. In such cases, the cost of the second test is usually waived. However, those who choose to take their cars elsewhere for fixing could end up paying a second test fee if they don't return within a specified time period.
The rules regarding the cost of re-tests were amended in 2006. Since then, cars left at a test centre for repairs are eligible for a free re-test anytime up to ten days afterward. Those taken away and returned within ten days can be re-tested for half the original amount, though in certain cases (generally where only minor repairs are needed) a free re-test is available if they're brought back the following day. Try cheap car insurance from Hoot
MOT tests can cost you dearly if they require much repair-work, but switching to a cheaper car insurance policy can help you recoup some of the cash. At Hoot, cheap car insurance is our speciality, and we regularly save customers up to 30 percent of their old motor insurance quotes.
We can afford to do this because we don't believe in flashy advertising and renting high street shops like most other car insurance companies. As an ad-free, online car insurance provider we save a tremendous amount of money, and it all gets rolled back into our customers' motor insurance premiums. So for an amazing cheap car insurance quote, click below. 
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