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[Kernowcam]

I was talking to my local mot place / garage recently. They were kindly checking my brake hoses / lines after repair work.
We were discussing the mot exempt business and was being told of an old exempt vehicle which had an accident recently. The obvious question when you have to talk to the authorities is , is the vehicle roadworthy and are you qualified to comment on that.
Considering the benefit of an mot on an old vehicle for £54 it seems a bargain for the peace of mind to have a proper check over every so often.
Also we discussed the problem of bringing an old vehicle for mot and it being failed with serious faults thence off the road. The logical answer Is a pre mot check and a list of faults to rectify before a test.

A mate has bought an old exempt ‘kit car’ vehicle  and to be honest I suspect would struggle to pass an mot  but really needs it.

[oilstain]

^^ as said
I think it is a good idea to get your exempt Land Rover checked by a 'experet'
I have all my 3 series checked by a friend who does MOT's and is experienced with older Land Rovers and I have any problems fixed by my him/me/ an other. Whilst not a true MOT I now it would then pass one and I have some piece of mind that I have overlooked a issue

[ChrisJC]

I have heard of an MOT tester will do the test, then abort it at the end if the vehicle will fail. That way you get to find out what needs doing, but don't end up with an MOT failure on the record.

Chris.

[crumbly65]

Considering the benefit of an mot on an old vehicle for £54 it seems a bargain for the peace of mind to have a proper check over every so often.

Completely agree!

My mechanic has an agreement with the local MOT station, whereby we take my S2 there, they issue the MOT,  telling me & my guy what needs doing (if anything as my S2's well maintained), and we then go back to his workshop and do any work.  I might have to leave it with him whilst I get a part, but that's rare.

It's worked very well for the past 15 years.......

[Peter Holden]

My nephew and I (both with years of mechanic experience) drive and inspect each others land rovers on a regular basis, much more frequent than the once per year MOT.  The tester at the MOT station that I use has tested our cars and camper for years, he runs a classic Capri is happy with the cars and the camper which he says are some of the best kept vehicles he sees.  I dont have the land rover tested but whenever I have worked on the brakes I take it for him to test the efficiency with his tapley meter.  He thinks I over maintain it, he says I am paranoid about it.

Peter

[oilstain]

My nephew and I (both with years of mechanic experience) drive and inspect each others land rovers on a regular basis, much more frequent than the once per year MOT.  The tester at the MOT station that I use has tested our cars and camper for years, he runs a classic Capri is happy with the cars and the camper which he says are some of the best kept vehicles he sees.  I dont have the land rover tested but whenever I have worked on the brakes I take it for him to test the efficiency with his tapley meter.  He thinks I over maintain it, he says I am paranoid about it.

Peter

Regarding testing with a tapley meter, I ask as I have 2 of these.
Besides a visual inspection of all brake parts, inc. inside the drums, is testing with such a meter all that is required

[Wittsend]

I love my Tapley meter  but more as a fire-side ornament than a tool.

Based on the toppling brick principle. If you don't have a Tapley a common or garden brick will give you a good idea of how your brakes are working.
You put the brick in the passenger footwell - just as you do with the Tapley.



I test my brakes on the bit of flat road to the junction at the end.
Driving at walking speed, with the palm of my hands on the wheel rim - I brake hard.
If there is an imbalance from one side or the other, you can feel the wheel turn away from the weaker adjusted side.
If it pulls up straight and the front wheels lock up, then the brakes are OK.
It should then pass the MoT brake test with ease.
The handbrake test is easy too - find a steep hill (yes they do exist in Norfolk) or driveway and see if the brake will hold the vehicle. It soon becomes clear if it doesn't.

 

[Matt Reeves]

The trouble is not all MOT testers are created equal, I have mentioned previously my local duos taste for alcohol and narcotics, and whether a vehicle passes or fails has little to do with its actual condition (one day VOSA will catch up with them no doubt).

The other issue is most testers these days are utterly clueless about any vehicle over ten years old.

Safety checks/a second opinion are the way to go, but likely have little legal standing in the event of an accident.

[The Shed]

I agree that not all testers are created equal. Took my '63 Series some time back when it was required. The young, to me, tester failed it as she only had a wiper on the drivers side.
I explained that there was no provision for a second. Luckily an older mech' explained to him that they where an option back then !
My local tester said he could do MoT but not a pre-MoT. So if it failed that would be recorded. Not sure I would want details on record and means even a relatively minor defect could potentially put me off the road.
Also on the subject of MoT's do they do a smoke/emission's test on older vehicles ? Not sure my diesel is up to it. 

[Peter Holden]

Smoke test on older vehicles is "visual"

According to my tester friend who tests series land rovers with a tapley meter, he wont use the rolling road tester because it is not unknown for them to be stuck in 4wd with disasterous consequences.

Peter

[Wittsend]

Just for fun the MoT tester will stick the probe in the exhaust pipe and give you the reading/results. This is handy as it gives you an idea of the state of tune of your engine.

The "emissions" test is subjective.

Providing you don't smoke the place out - it will pass.

 

[Clifford Pope]

MOT testers don't seem to mind smoke and fumes. Mine have usually left the engine idling throughout the test while checking non-engine stuff. Once it took ages because the computer was slow. He sat happily in his office with the exhaust pipe just outside the open door puffing exhaust straight in.

[Daisythelandy]

The last time I got an MOT the guy who was used to MOTing the Landie picked up the hose to put up the exhaust then realised he didn't need it but said shall we do it anyway, the result was - it was cleaner than the Ford 'Fester' he had in an hour before....

[Serious Series]

4 years now since mine became MOT exempt asked my tester when he did the the test if he would do an MOT type exam for me each year with out putting it on the system , he was not interested.
Had used the same garage for 20 years for all my vehicles , do my own checks now on landrover , my son inlaw now gets my car maintenance.
My old tester got bored one year and did a smoke test on my 200DI engine and comment how clean it was.
He was happy chap the last test as he managed to find steering relay arm loose and a headlamp faulty so failed it took it  home sorted head lamp earth 2 hrs later with new relay arm and bolt fitted he came outside rocked steering wheel then went back to the computer and issued the certificate.

[Smokey 11a]

Completely agree!

My mechanic has an agreement with the local MOT station, whereby we take my S2 there, they issue the MOT,  telling me & my guy what needs doing (if anything as my S2's well maintained), and we then go back to his workshop and do any work.  I might have to leave it with him whilst I get a part, but that's rare.

It's worked very well for the past 15 years.......

Naughty he could loose his license for this and the place it's MOT status. (I know it goes on I was an MOT tester)