West Exe Motors offer MOT services on all car makes and models ensuring your vehicle is safe, reliable and conforms to legal requirements. With standards being tightened each year, it is vital you entrust your safety with an established, efficient and trustworthy company that employs fully trained mechanics. We are now operating the new computerised MOT so you can now choose to relicense your vehicle online.

For more information or to arrange either a MOT or pre-MOT inspection, please contact West Exe Motors today. To gain an understanding of the MOT requirements and procedures, please read the guidelines below.

MOT Guidelines

The MOT scheme is primarily a road safety measure designed to ensure as far as possible that all cars, motorcycles and light goods vehicles more than three years old are properly maintained in the interests of road safety and the environment, as everyone who uses a vehicle on the road is required to keep it in a roadworthy condition. Once a year vehicles are examined at an authorised MOT test station to make sure that they comply with the requirements of the law

The first test is required once a car is three years old. (There are different rules if you use it as a taxi) If a car is registered with no prior use on the road, the MOT will be required three years after the date of manufacture. For example, a car registered "from new" on 25th April 2000 will require its MOT no later than 25th April 2003. If a car is used prior to registration, as would be the case with an import, the MOT will be required three years from the end of the year of manufacture. For example a car manufactured at any time in 2000 will require an MOT no later than 31st December 2003.

You should be aware that the MOT certificate is not a guarantee of the general mechanical condition of a vehicle. The test certificate relates only to the condition of the testable items at the time of the test and should not be regarded as evidence of their condition at any other time; nor should it be accepted as evidence of the general mechanical condition of the vehicle.

The standard MOT test procedures are laid out in a manual, which we can make available to you, should you wish to view it. If your vehicle has failed the test, you will be given a failure document with reference to the manual. You can watch the test from a designated viewing area, but you are advised not to interrupt the tester while they are working. The Government Agency responsible for supervising the MOT Scheme is the VOSA. Remember only garages authorised by the Vehicle Inspectorate can carry out the MOT tests, they are easily identifiable by the blue, three triangle MOT Sign.

What items are examined in the MOT test?

Lighting Equipment, Stop Lamps, Reflectors, and Direction Indicators
Front and rear position lamps, rear registration plate lamps, rear fog lamps
Headlamps
Stoplamps
Rear reflectors
Direction indicators and hazard warning devices
Headlamp aim
Steering (including suspension)
Steering control
Steering system
Power steering
Suspension - general
Front suspension, front wheel bearings and driveshafts
Rear suspension and rear wheel bearings
Shock absorbers
Brakes
Parking brake lever mechanism
Hand operated brake control valves
Service brake control
Anti-lock braking system
Mechanical brake components
Hydraulic, air and vacuum systems
Brake performance
Tyres
Tyres
Roadwheels
Seat Belts
Seatbelts
General Items
Drivers view of the road
Wipers
Washers
Windscreen
Audible warning (horn)
Exhaust system
Exhaust emissions -petrol & diesel
General condition of vehicle -
Vehicle structure
Body security
Body condition
Doors
Load security
Spare wheel and carrier
Seats
Mirrors
Fuel system
Registration plates and VIN details