VW Golf Mk2 Owners Club

General => Mk2 Golf Chat => Topic started by: Eddypeck on June 17, 2020, 11:59:43 AM

Title: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Eddypeck on June 17, 2020, 11:59:43 AM
So who's benefited from the 6 month MOT exentension? Mines been bumped from June 6 to Decemeber 6. Haven't used the car since March and it's been on SORN since lockdown started. I don't even think I'll recommision for July as I still have no where to go, but I'll tax the bike so I can restart my IAM which got put on hold.

Whilst the extension is great, I don't think I want a December MOT as any failure means I'll be out on the driveway in rain (or snow) with no evening daylight trying to get it sorted. But also not keen on a June MOT as a failure that close to Bristol Volksfest and other summer shows could mean missing a weekend out.

I think I'll present it for MOT in early September, (need to check Berkley Castle Show dates) after show season but before 'proper' winter hits. Feels like a good time of year for renewall, get everything checked, safe and ready to run through winter and not have any worries for summer shows following. Obviosuly regular checks and maintenace throughout the year will stay on top of any issues as they arise so in theroy no need to worry about a fail but you don't often get chance to get it up on a ramp so easy to miss something.

Anyone else got any thoughts on this, or thinking to manilulate the renewal date to yoru advantage?
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: paulnewman on June 17, 2020, 12:49:45 PM
Do you have a friendly garage that would do you a pre-mot check so you could get an idea of anything that needs sorting?  I know you would never drive the car if you were aware of any serious safety issues but it would give you a good steer on any issues that you could get sorted before gatting that pass certificate.  Unfortunately, there will be many people using the automatic extension to continue to drive unroadworthy vehicles without any thought for their own or anyone elses safety.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: tabbie on June 17, 2020, 01:44:59 PM
My local mot station/garage was operating as normal, I was abit shocked this was weeks ago now.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: L90E on June 17, 2020, 02:50:43 PM
Over here it's a government agency (at dedicated test centers) and not regular garages that operate MOT's

At the end of last year they'd a problem with virtually all of their ramps and there were delays / short extensions being given to certain classes / age of vehicle to try and manage backlogs.

Things have moved on with covid and they're completely closed down now with first 4 month then 6 month arbitary extensions being handed out, ironically up until the day after the 205 was due.

It's now a full 12 month extension... the penny dropped all they were doing was pushing the problem down the line a bit and creating a massive bottleneck. 1 year extensions should in theory mean there's going to be a more even demand when things go back to as they were.

My 6 month extension date takes me up to late October, but I'm hoping they might add another 6 months then to bring people like me into line with others.

Over here you can book your MOT (I think, without checking) up to 3 months in advance of the due date, but the date of the test itself cannot be any more than a calendar month before your existing certificate expires, or if it's the first one, the day it is due.

They're also debating whether or not to make MOT's every 2 years here in the future, regardless of everything else that's going on.

Part of the argument for it is I believe the very small proportion of collisions that can be attributed to mechanical faults.

I suppose you could counter that by saying it'd the annual MOT that keeps cars in a more roadworthy condition, hence less defects.

On the one hand I wish my cars were elligible through age, not to be tested, but I know I'd look after them regardless. I'm not convinced you can rely on everyone to be concientious about their cars without some sort of regular check.

On the other hand I struggle to follow the government logic by allowing age related exemptions, my first reaction is the older a vehicle is the more likely it is to need maintanance... odd one.

Big subject, no straight answers!

 
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Eagle on June 17, 2020, 07:48:24 PM
My local garage has MOTd two of our cars recently.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: rickygolf83 on June 17, 2020, 08:54:59 PM
My 8v has been extended but its been on sorn since November along with my Nova which has been extended to October. So doubtful they'll be turning a wheel anytime soon.

16v passed in January and is in use!
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: jenkiam on June 18, 2020, 10:28:23 AM
So who's benefited from the 6 month MOT exentension? Mines been bumped from June 6 to Decemeber 6. Haven't used the car since March and it's been on SORN since lockdown started. I don't even think I'll recommision for July as I still have no where to go, but I'll tax the bike so I can restart my IAM which got put on hold.

Whilst the extension is great, I don't think I want a December MOT as any failure means I'll be out on the driveway in rain (or snow) with no evening daylight trying to get it sorted. But also not keen on a June MOT as a failure that close to Bristol Volksfest and other summer shows could mean missing a weekend out.

I think I'll present it for MOT in early September, (need to check Berkley Castle Show dates) after show season but before 'proper' winter hits. Feels like a good time of year for renewall, get everything checked, safe and ready to run through winter and not have any worries for summer shows following. Obviosuly regular checks and maintenace throughout the year will stay on top of any issues as they arise so in theroy no need to worry about a fail but you don't often get chance to get it up on a ramp so easy to miss something.

Anyone else got any thoughts on this, or thinking to manilulate the renewal date to yoru advantage?
I've done exactly that, as previously I had 2 cars due for MOT/Servicing in May every year. With my local VW garage re-opening, I've just had my R serviced/MOT'ed now (even tho the expiry date had been extended to Oct) & will get the other 1 done later in the year so i can spread the costs better!
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Damien.wrl on June 21, 2020, 11:01:23 AM
I know it’s Kwik fit but they book an mot online , choose your time slot £25-30..... I have to sort 5 mots so that’s quite a saving and it’s not an all day job
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Jedgar on June 21, 2020, 02:16:21 PM
I think your wrong saying it is a December mot for your car. The six month extension is the same for every car. It has to have an mot by end of September. The 6 months was from 31st of March
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Eddypeck on June 21, 2020, 03:00:36 PM
I think your wrong saying it is a December mot for your car. The six month extension is the same for every car. It has to have an mot by end of September. The 6 months was from 31st of March

Nope that’s not the case. Everyone gets a rolling six month extension from the date it was due. Therefore my June 6th MOT is now due December 6th. Easy way to check, online MOT check on DVLA website confirms it.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Jedgar on June 21, 2020, 03:13:32 PM
Ok i’ll Check that, always thought it was as I said. That’s good news for me as I only use my cars from may until end of October, so I wouldn’t need to mot any this year. Up here in Scotland we can only travel 5 miles legally, with a few exceptions, so the cars are not getting used much at the moment. Only use is a few miles to the supermarket and back.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: AndyBa on June 21, 2020, 04:37:58 PM
I know it’s Kwik fit but they book an mot online , choose your time slot £25-30..... I have to sort 5 mots so that’s quite a saving and it’s not an all day job


This made me think of you booking 5 slots on a single day and drip feeding them with cars. Therfore you'd only need one lift back from dropping the first car and a lift there to pick up the last one! That could be a very expensive day though :{)!

But back to Tim's point you really need your test date when the weather is reasonable and the daylight hours are long just incase there is an issue you can fix yourself.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: big F on June 30, 2020, 07:54:00 AM
Both my Golfs are SORN currently cant see that changing for this year, so MOTs have lapsed. The Polo was due on the 10 of June but as its my Daily its not going to wait till December. The local garages are swamped currently and my local place is not taking booking unless i want to drive 45miles to their sister garage. Theres a lot of cowboys in my area that use MOTs to get work so I’m very selective. Over the years I have caught a few out.  Fitting new brake pipes two years on the trot and both years the pipes still had the factory markings so were not OEM replacements or actually replaced at all.  They no longer trade...... A couple others just tried to blind me with motor science telling me the back flowing dodad was broken or my flux capacitor was on the blink.
They got told to F-off.

 I now just use the places that only do MOTs and dont give a rats arse if your car passes or fails as they dont do any work on them.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Eddypeck on June 30, 2020, 09:51:06 AM
I now just use the places that only do MOTs and dont give a rats arse if your car passes or fails as they dont do any work on them.

Likewise, I mostly use the local tyre and exhaust centre. They do a have the ability to carry out work but they don't push for it ... they have done the odd little job for me to get a pass. My son's clio had a bonnet latch that wasn't working. I asked them to WD40 it and give it a wiggle, which they did meaning I could take the car away again all legal. However it is the place that set fire to my Beetle, so as long as I don't let them do any welding I should be fine.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: nige t on June 30, 2020, 05:18:42 PM
The six months MOT extension due to Covid-19 is stopping from the 1st August.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Kenneth cartwright on June 30, 2020, 07:34:48 PM
Ha yes, we use 3 different MOT stations to pass our cars, depending on rush basically. 2 are happy to do work also but charge a fortune, so we normally collect rectify and return same day if possible.

yes the extension is ending soon, and to be honest some cars that are on the road now are totally illegal. We have had thread bare tyres, no exhausts,  broken screens all come in for servicing. some i darent even drive into unit.
 
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: Eddypeck on June 30, 2020, 08:54:24 PM
The six months MOT extension due to Covid-19 is stopping from the 1st August.

Yes, that just means if your Mot runs out on the 1st or after you have to take it in. But if your Mot is July 31st you still get the extension till January 31st.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: t2000 on June 30, 2020, 09:57:30 PM
Just got an extension on mine for 6 months, NI did state 12 months but contacted them and they said it may be extended in January if there is still a backlog.

That's what I like about Northern Ireland MOT's they do no work and are Government run and have no interest in failing it, if it fails it needs fixing full stop.
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: L90E on July 11, 2020, 12:42:14 PM
Bill... You're on line now, as I'm typing this, hopefully you'll see it sooner than later.

Check out the latest on the GovtNI site... Talk about confusing!

I think I'm right in saying they're starting up testing again soon, but limiting it to certain classes / catagories of vehicles?

The biggy from our point of view is that those owners who previously couldn't get their vehicles back on the road because MOT's had expired more than 12 months will be first in line.

I think also that like you and me, people issued with 4 / 6 month TEC's will be getting the difference and made up to 12 months when their current extension expires... read it and see if you agree?

On a side note... I see Arlene has agreed to get NI into line with the rest of the UK and vehicles over 40 years will be MOT exempt (for the rest of you - previously it was only vehicles registered before 1960 over here)

Not in law just yet, but promised soon (therefore don't rely on it!) 
Title: Re: Covid MOT extension
Post by: t2000 on July 12, 2020, 11:11:38 PM
Yeah I thought it was 12 months from the info posted on the GOV site but I only got 6 months, mine was due July5th I think, I can't see them clearing the backlog in 6 months personally as they had a backlog from shutting down prior to Covid because of all the cracked ramps.

Doesn't bother me tbh as I always keep my cars in a roadworthy condition, if it comes in January then I'll just book it in.