MOT Changes

[Gordo]

VOSA has introduced two new checks to the MOT test from 27 April. Their web site says:

"The towing attachment test is being introduced to help prevent accidents caused by trailers becoming detached from vehicles. This test will take the form of a visual assessment to identify:

* excessive corrosion, fractures or damage;

* wear and tear of a tow ball, jaw, hook or eye;

* the presence, security and suitability of retaining nuts, bolts, pins and locking devices towbar condition and security;

* excessive damage, corrosion, fractures or inadequate repairs

The registration plate check is being added to ensure that plates are easily identifiable both to other drivers and enforcement agencies. These tests will ensure that registration plates:

* do not have a background overprinted or shadowed with text e.g. vehicle manufacturer name

* do not have a non-reflective border wider than permitted or positioned too close to the characters;

* have the correct background and character i.e. white on the front and yellow on the rear, both with black characters for vehicles first used on or after 1 January 1973;

*on vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2001 do not display plates with a honeycomb or similar effect background"

The cost of a MOT for a car is now £54 (90p more than last year)

[carracarra13]

cheers m8 thats very good info appreciated

[crazymac]

Tow equipment, about time really? Mind you, mine is detachable so won't be tested anyway!!

Regarding number plates, the people that want the illegal plates will just have another "legal" set and swap them at MOT time!!

[Llanigraham]

But you can bet a lot will forget, and then get a fail.

[Yoshi]

VOSA has introduced two new checks to the MOT test from 27 April. Their web site says:

"The towing attachment test is being introduced to help prevent accidents caused by trailers becoming detached from vehicles. This test will take the form of a visual assessment to identify:

* excessive corrosion, fractures or damage;

* wear and tear of a tow ball, jaw, hook or eye;

* the presence, security and suitability of retaining nuts, bolts, pins and locking devices towbar condition and security;

* excessive damage, corrosion, fractures or inadequate repairs

The registration plate check is being added to ensure that plates are easily identifiable both to other drivers and enforcement agencies. These tests will ensure that registration plates:

* do not have a background overprinted or shadowed with text e.g. vehicle manufacturer name

* do not have a non-reflective border wider than permitted or positioned too close to the characters;

* have the correct background and character i.e. white on the front and yellow on the rear, both with black characters for vehicles first used on or after 1 January 1973;

*on vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2001 do not display plates with a honeycomb or similar effect background"

The cost of a MOT for a car is now £54 (90p more than last year)

That one is going to cause a problem, cos as far as i remember you can get the old style black and silver plates if they were first regged up to something like the 13th of January 1973??  My old series 3 109 was manufactured in 1972 (so tax exempt) but wasnt registered til mid January 1973, but i will still allowed an age related plate!

[Gordo]

As I understand it, the rules on number plates aren't changing, it's just becoming part of the MOT test.

[Range Rover Blues]

If it was registered in Jan 1973 then it's assumed it was built during 1972 as most manufacturers were on shutdown over the Christmas holidays.