Well my wife's Passat is due it's first MOT this month and I'm not sure what to do.

As I see it we have 2 options,

1: Use an independant which is cheaper, I think it'll sail through it's test.

2:Main VW dealer and put it in just before the warranty runs out. Dearer but if it needs anything it may be done under warranty.

I'm not sure if they do a end of warranty check or what to expect them to say and if it's worth saving about £40 and going down the independant route.

I would got to the main dealer. I did with my Octi, just for that extra piece of mind.

TBH the majority of items (but not all) on a 3 year old car likely to be the cause of an MOT failure are unlikely to be covered by the warranty anyway - e.g. tyres, brake pads, blown bulbs etc.

Personally I use a local independent MOT station which does not do repairs or servicing. That way they have no axe to grind. Having worked for a main dealer previously I am aware that borderline cases were sometimes failed in order to provide work for the workshops.

I'm not suggesting that this is always the case and that all dealers are like this but it certainly happens.

I take my car to an independant. Exception being this year when I went to Kwik Fit where they thought one tyre had worn a little too much on one part of the inner edge. Everything else was fine.

If anything does fail you could always go to the dealer and ask what are warranty items.

If you can do a basic check before taking the vehicle for a test like make sure all the lights and seatbelts work as they should.

Cover the basics then at least you know you're not going to get a failure notice for a tyre, bulb or wiper blade.

Personally I use a local independent MOT station which does not do repairs or servicing. That way they have no axe to grind. Having worked for a main dealer previously I am aware that borderline cases were sometimes failed in order to provide work for the workshops.

Same here. First time I went I expected them to be offering a quote for the work but they just weren't interested. At least I know they won't fail it for no reason.

Exception being this year when I went to Kwik Fit where they thought one tyre had worn a little too much on one part of the inner edge. Everything else was fine.

I rest my case

I rest my case

At least it wasn't shock absorbers, discs, pads, drums, shoes, bearings, all 4 tyres and the spare.

The Kwik Fit monkey entered the wrong advisory code.

Spare wheel perished or smething like that.

Had to stick the spare wheel on (which was a new tyre), take it back then they issued a certificate.

As the MOT was free anyway I'm not too bothered.

Next time I'll def be using my usual testing place though.

Main dealer as it saved me a reasonable amount on the MK I.

We've already had a few things done recently including turbo, heated seat base and interior trim pieces.

I'm inclined to use the main dealer as arb bushes and the like are still covered. Everything seems fine with seat belts, bulbs and tyres.

For future mots I'll use the independant but for this 1 I think better to take advantage of the warranty. They haven't offerd to extend the warranty maybe they'll offer that at the time though.