I've been thinking of putting my car through the MOT a bit earlier, primarily for peace of mind but also I'll possibly be selling it soon.

 

The current MOT expires in November, if I go for an MOT now, and it fails, is the existing certificate invalidated immediately?

 

Normally I take my car a few weeks before expiration, fix any issues and get it retested before the old certificate expires, but that has always within the 30 period to preserve the MOT date.

I would say there's a grey area depending on what it failed on. If it failed due to something that made it not roadworthy (ie bald tyres), then you would be knowingly driving a car that shouldn't be on the road. If it fails because the airbag light is on, then I don't believe your existing one would be invalid.

No, you can continue to drive on the existing valid MOT. But read the link below which explains how you could come a cropper.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test

The relevant bit is:

You can still drive your vehicle if it fails the test and its existing MOT certificate is still valid (ie you got it tested before the expiry date). However, you might be stopped by police and prosecuted if your vehicle is unroadworthy.

The peace of mind bit is due to the emissions possibly failing, I'm sure it was a dodgy batch of fuel but I had an emissions warning light 5 times on the last tank (fortunately none on this one so far...) and a handful of times in the 6 months before that, would be nice to know whether the emissions are a problem or the sensor/ecu is just being over sensitive.

 

Also, August is a much better time to tinker with a car than November!

 

I think I'll rebuild the rear brakes (few split seals) and get her in for a test, thanks guys.

Thing is your next mot will be due in a tear from test date, and soonest you can do it (unless told you have to by police or vosa) is 3 months/90 days.

A bit early to worry if you ask me. I wouldn't be looking until October myself

Unless the rules have changed you can put your car in for its MOT a month before the test date and if it passes OK you will have a 13 month MOT.

No, you can continue to drive on the existing valid MOT. But read the link below which explains how you could come a cropper.

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/after-the-test

The relevant bit is:

You can still drive your vehicle if it fails the test and its existing MOT certificate is still valid (ie you got it tested before the expiry date). However, you might be stopped by police and prosecuted if your vehicle is unroadworthy.

But an MOT does not mean that the car is roadworthy even if just done.

Unless the rules have changed you can put your car in for its MOT a month before the test date and if it passes OK you will have a 13 month MOT.

 

That's the way I thought it too.  There's an "earliest" date for sure.  This isn't stopping someone simply paying someone labour rates to basically put a car through an MOT style test.

That's the way I thought it too.  There's an "earliest" date for sure.  This isn't stopping someone simply paying someone labour rates to basically put a car through an MOT style test.

 

The earliest date is simply to preserve the renewal date.

 

You can MOT earlier than that date but the renewal date then shifts to the date of your pass, rather than simply the old renewal date +12months.

 

If I want to sell the car I'll need to MOT it anyway, will be harder to sell one with 4months MOT as opposed to 12months. Apart from the emissions worry I don't think it will fail on anything else.