Check your MOT history (or anyone else's!)

Emp_Fab

Rather fab site that shows all the previous MOTs, the mileage, result, any advisories etc.

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

not_the_dj

Wow that's interesting looking up old cars I used to own.

kaypeejay

Checked my previous car and it showed 2 mot failures whilst I owned it for windscreen stickers. I never had an mot failure!!

jellyroll

Wow. My 1968 Spitfire is still on the road.

RaymondLin

Knew that for a while, super useful when looking to buy a new car.  

Sambostar

Yep, that and Ford Etis.

digitalscream

I was about to do a deal on a car this weekend, until I saw on there that they lied about it having no advisories on the MOT (it had loads). You've just saved me quite a bit of cash, @Emp_Fab

boogieman

I've just been looking at mine and found it's had advisories on the last two tests, but they aren't shown on the certificate. They are for "engine covers fitted", which just means the tester can't see certain items because the car's got the (manufacturer fitted) engine tray fitted. I guess that's just the tester covering his arse? 

holnrew

Seems like my last car was scrapped

rlw

Tried three and none was recognised 

octatonic

holnrew said:

Seems like my last car was scrapped

I wish I could buy it just so I could sniff the seat.

Sporky

I also quite like www.howmanyleft.co.uk

duotone

Tried 2 & they were both on there. 

DiscoStu

All mine are on there.  My last car which I traded in and was told would be scrapped got MOT'd 2 months afterwards so probably still going.  It was fucked! 

Emp_Fab

digitalscream said:
I was about to do a deal on a car this weekend, until I saw on there that they lied about it having no advisories on the MOT (it had loads). You've just saved me quite a bit of cash, @Emp_Fab

I'm glad to have been of service!  I'm looking for a small van at the mo and so far I've found one that claimed to have an MOT when it didn't, but of more interest to me is how the advisories have been dealt with.  I'm less likely to look at a van where the same advisories come up every year as it shows the owner is just lazy when it comes to maintenance.  Also, you can get an idea for serious problems that have been 'fixed' - corrosion around suspension mounts etc.  They may have fixed it well enough to get it through the next MOT but there will always be a risk of it coming back there.

In contrast, I checked out one van that had belonged to the Fire Service, serviced in-house.  It had passed every single MOT with almost no advisories, and then they were silly things like wipers or tyres getting a bit close to the limit.  I'm sorely tempted to buy it - but it's in Berkshire - which would mean a four hour train ride and a taxi - and then the same again in reverse if I didn't buy it.  Still... I may still go for it.  Regular proper servicing (not your local garage bare minimum oil & filters only job) is worth its weight in gold.

boogieman

My old 2001 Focus is still on the road with 140k on the clock. It's failed it's last 5 MOTs, although it looks like it's just been bunged in for a test then fixed each time. 

Foster

Emp_Fab said:

digitalscream said:
I was about to do a deal on a car this weekend, until I saw on there that they lied about it having no advisories on the MOT (it had loads). You've just saved me quite a bit of cash, @Emp_Fab

I'm glad to have been of service!  I'm looking for a small van at the mo and so far I've found one that claimed to have an MOT when it didn't, but of more interest to me is how the advisories have been dealt with.  I'm less likely to look at a van where the same advisories come up every year as it shows the owner is just lazy when it comes to maintenance.  Also, you can get an idea for serious problems that have been 'fixed' - corrosion around suspension mounts etc.  They may have fixed it well enough to get it through the next MOT but there will always be a risk of it coming back there.

In contrast, I checked out one van that had belonged to the Fire Service, serviced in-house.  It had passed every single MOT with almost no advisories, and then they were silly things like wipers or tyres getting a bit close to the limit.  I'm sorely tempted to buy it - but it's in Berkshire - which would mean a four hour train ride and a taxi - and then the same again in reverse if I didn't buy it.  Still... I may still go for it.  Regular proper servicing (not your local garage bare minimum oil & filters only job) is worth its weight in gold.

I can't recommend an old fiat scudo/citroen dispatch/peugeot expert highly enough (by old I mean old, anything pre 2005). Get the 1.9 non turbo diesel engine - utterly bombproof. They're utterly basic machines but it makes it easier to maintain (no central locking, electric mirrors, etc). Also fully galvanised from the factory so rust isn't much of an issue. It won't be fast by any means but it's perfectly good for a cheap van.

rlw

It seems to work only for vehicles that have remained on one plate all their life.

Sambostar

It' only goes back to 2006.

Danny1969

Fuck just looked and realised the wife's car has run out !

proggy

rlw said:

It seems to work only for vehicles that have remained on one plate all their life.

No it doesn't. I changed my plate recently and the old records showed up.