MOT's

[Maverick]

We all have experienced that one MOT station but I'm baffled at my latest experience.

Experience has taught me to take the motor to a place that only does MOT's, that way you know they are not gaining anything by way of unnecessary work. But constraints of split shifts meant that on this occasion I took it to a place close to home so I could drop off and pick up in my down time. (everyone is shut at 6am and 6pm). Anyway it failed on number plates. The same number plates that it passed on last year. Not a biggie, £11.50 for a new set on eBay, just an inconvenience of having to take it for a retest in the middle of the day.

The question is, if one place can pass the number plates and another fail them when they are not gaining anything financially what is going on out there.

[Nail]

Why did they fail? Is it because they've degraded?

[Vera]

Make sure the new number plates from eBay are MOT compliant.
If it says anywhere on the ad "for show use or display use only" or words to that effect they will likely fail an MOT again.

Better to go down to the local motor factors with the correct documentation and get proper plates.

No two MOT stations are the same even the same garage with different testers can give a different result, it's just life.

[JonOfham]

I've had a note on one saying number plate degraded but not affecting it's readability (or whatever they say).
The next year the same station passed it with no mention. Gotta love those self healing number plates.
I think they actually do note it even if it's just dirty.