MOT upheaval a ‘red herring’
Increasing the age at which vehicles require an MOT from three to four years, as spelled out in yesterday’s budget, could be a red herring according to Warranty Direct.
Moving away from the traditional three-year MOT test to a fourth birthday safety check will mean essential maintenance is postponed, while motoring costs could actually increase.
The first MOT failure rate is also set to rocket from the typical 20%, with more components likely to be identified as requiring attention.
David Gerrans, Warranty Direct managing director, said, ‘Three years of age is generally a landmark age for a car. In most cases, it stops being covered by the manufacturer’s warranty and things start going wrong and wearing out.
‘Whilst adding another year before an MOT is due is a nod to manufacturer build quality, it could be viewed as detrimental to road safety, as the average driver will need to replace tyres and brakes before the four year mark.
‘Extending the deadline for the first MOT of new cars from three to four years, will only encourage motorists to postpone necessary maintenance work for anything up to an extra year, potentially putting the driver and other motorists at risk.’
