General Chat

Very sadly, I do know all these things.

Even more sadly, I have never outgrown my attitude problems.

Of course, had the mechanic thought to look before he put it in for testing, it would never have failed.

I thought the condition of the spare wheel was not part of the MOT unless it was a spare wheel fitted externally, and this would only affect an MOT where the wheel carrier/holder was insecure or faulty.

If you have a spare wheel it needs to be legal for the MOT but I don't have ne.

Can't even look after the ones I do have.

from the April 2013 version of MOT requirements........


•tyres and wheels: condition, security, tyre size/type and tread depth. Spare wheels and tyres are not inspected. Note: vehicles first used on or after 1 January 2012 - check of the MIL for Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

unless there is a later version............???

According to the MOT Inspection Manual, the condition of the spare tyre is not part of the MOT, unless of course it is in use.

The insurance on a vehicle is only valid if the vehicle is roadworthy. If it has bald / illegal tyres on it the insurance could be deemed void and the company refuse to pay out on a claim.

It seems to me that passing the UK MOT is not always a good test of the safety of the vehicle :-)


My brother died in 1990 and I went back for the funeral, spending 10 days with my sister-in-law

She had only learned to drive about 5 years before, about the time she left my brother.

Her daughter had a friend who was a car mechanic, worked in a garage, and was alos licensed to test cars for their MOT, etc etc.

He had helped s-i-l to buy an older model car after she passed her test, and he maintained it, AND tested it.

It had passed its MOT a couple of weeks before I arrived.



I have never driven, but have ridden as passenger in cars for literally hundreds of thousands of miles.

I sat in the front passenger seat ............... and was more worried about the car than about her driving :-0

..................... and her driving was terrible!!!



The worst was sitting there, and being able to see the road through the holes in the car's underbody :-)


A dodgy mechanic obviously .............. who did (?) the work, and then tested the car

The MOT is only really a true validation of the condition of your vehicle on the day it is done.

Which is why you are encouraged to do for yourself throughout the year

Tyre Checks, Brake Fluid Checks, Water & Oil levels, these all help to keep the vehicle roadworthy and ensure that your vehicle stands a better chance of passing its MOT the next time.