#tipthursday Help your vehicle pass its MOT

We believe prevention is better than cure here at Maitland Motors, which is especially true when it comes to your vehicle passing its MOT first time or not.

Here are a few easy checks you can do at home before dropping your vehicle in for MOT that could help achieve a first-time pass, avoiding waiting on re-tests and repairs.

Checks can include,

  • Is there water for your window screens?
  • Are your levels inc oil topped up to the correct level?
  • Do your wipers work correctly and keep the windows clean and clear?
  • Do all your bulbs work? (Inc indicators and fog light?)
  • How are your tyres looking? When was the last time you had them replaced? Are they inflated to the correct pressure?
  • Are all your seatbelts working and assessable?
  • Are there any warning lights illuminated on the dash?
  • Check your mirrors. Is there a clear view of the roads behind and around you?
  • How do your brakes feel? Do you hear any noises while braking? Are they less reactive than they once were?

If you do spot or feel that something might contribute to your vehicle failing, getting it booked in or making us aware of it before testing means our techs can address it quickly and efficiently. Also, you are without your vehicle for as short a time as possible and have a better idea of any costs involved beforehand.

If you’re unsure about doing this at home, we’d advise booking in for a Free Pre-MOT. Our trained and qualified techs can do it for you. Call or leave a comment below for more info or to book in here at Maitland Motors.

When should you visit Maitland Motors?

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times here at Maitland Motors – “Prevention is always better than cure, especially when it comes to cars”. A few ways to ensure your car is running effectively, legally and more importantly safely is by keeping up to date with your car’s service schedule, getting any knocks, bangs or squeaks checked and being MOT ready.

Yearly Service. Your service schedule can be found in your own car’s manual where it will detail exactly when your make & model should be looked at, this is often age/ mileage dependant. Some times your car will require a full service, but the next visit it may just need an oil and filter change. By following this, it will help keep your car running to manufacture’s spec, prolong the many different parts of your car (meaning less repairs, less often), and nip any potential unknown issues in the bud. We’ve also put together a basic yearly schedule when you ideally should see us.

Your Basic Car Maintenance Schedule
Basic Yearly Maintenance from Maitland Motors

Get Noises Checked as soon as they start. Most of our common repairs that come from noises being checked are drop-links, track rod ends and ball joints. Nipping them in the bud stops the repair developing into far more serious issues, which will be more expensive to repair. Squeals could also mean your brakes are needing checked. If your car is making new and unusual noises, it may be a good chance to book in for a FREE Vehicle Health Check at the same time and get your car as a whole looked over.

Get MOT ready. (Especially if your car was given a Lockdown extension as it could be 18 months since your car last saw a technician.) Booking in prior to your MOT means we can spot and repair any potential MOT fails. Saving you time, money and being without your car for any retests.

To help take some of the stress away from car care and maintenance, we also offer a (limited) Pick Up and Collect Service from your home or place of work and Payment Assist where you can split your bill fee and interest free for any unexpected repairs (very handy at this time of year). Ask for more details when booking.

If you have any questions or would like to book in for a Service, Health Check or Pre-MOT then please email us or call the office. Ross and the team are always happy to help.

My MOT was due during the lockdown extension. What now?

Lockdown put a stop to almost everything this year including MOT testing. If your car was normally due its MOT between 3oth March and the 31st July, it was automatically extended by 6 months. Now that restrictions are easing and the government have ended the MOT extension, the 1st of these extended MOTs will be due soon.

Check when your extended MOT is due.

If your car MOT was due during the lockdown, we’d recommend checking when it is due now and planning ahead to get booked in. If because of lockdown, you car has mostly been sitting in the driveway or parked up it might be a good time to take advantage of our free Pre- MOT check. This will give us a chance to look at the car before test day and help spot any potential fails or issues; giving you the heads up on any further costs involved getting your car ready for its MOT and ensuring its of a safe standard. Just because you were given an extension, this doesn’t mean your car is automatically safe to be driving so might be worth getting in to see us, just from a safety point of view alone. Any lockdown MOTs do not have to wait to the new extended date, they can be carried out now for peace of mind. 18 months is a long time and a car can go through a lot of ware and tare.

As all garage MOT dairies are going to be even more busy than normal over the next few months with extended MOTs on top of regular MOTs, call and book yours sooner rather than later. Our diary is open all the way to December to help accommodate this. You can double check when your MOT is due by visiting the governments website, here.

Any MOTs due after the 31st July will need to be carried out as normal. These MOTs can be carried out up to a month , minus a day, before the due date to keep the same renewal date. So you don’t have to wait till the exact date it runs out to get it done.

For more info on MOTs you can also visit the gov’s “Getting an MOT” page, call us here in the office with your questions or leave a message below. We’re always happy to hear from you.

#tipthursday Book in for a Pre-MOT?

#tipthursday Why you should book a Pre-MOT with Maitland Motors.

This week’s tip is all about why you should book a Pre-Mot and how it can benefit you and your car.

A Pre- Mot gives us the chance to spot any possible MOT fails before it goes the test, by visually checking the areas of your car that an MOT covers. This will give you a heads up on what, if any, repairs your car may need to pass its MOT. If big repairs are needed, we can also give you an idea of the costs/ time scales involved so you can make plans to suit your budget and the time you can expect to be without your car for work to be carried out. (We do offer a courtesy car, T& Cs apply.)

We’d suggest a Pre-MOT a week before your MOT is actually due and don’t forget you can book your test 1 month minus 1 day before your MOT is due. Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to cars and being prepared for MOT day will save time, and money, the worry/stress of your car passing or not, and having to wait on re-tests. Just because it passed last year means nothing in the world of MOTs and a lot of wear and tear can happen over 12 months, esp if your car is due a service. Not to forget, a Pre-MOT with Maitland Motors is free!

If you have any questions about MOTs and your car or would like to book in, then please get in touch by phone, or email. We’re always happy to hear from you.