If you are reading this, you probably aren’t under any illusions about the importance of having your vehicle MOT tested when it is due. 

As the GOV.UK website explains, the MOT test – the acronym standing for ‘Ministry of Transport’, the now-defunct government department long since replaced by the Department for Transport (DfT) – is a crucial test of the environmental standards and safety of your vehicle on the road.  

Hopefully, you won’t need us to tell you exactly when your vehicle needs to be taken in for an MOT. The general rule for new vehicles is that it will be required by the third anniversary of the vehicle’s registration, although again, GOV.UK provides an easy means of checking your own vehicle’s current MOT status, so that you can plan ahead. 

But let’s presume you have already picked out a decent-looking local MOT garage and booked your test. Is it then a case of simply handing your vehicle over to the technicians there, and hoping it passes with flying colours? 

Not quite. Here are a few things to keep your eyes peeled for even once you have arrived at your chosen MOT garage, so that you can be confident of everything going well. 

The cleanliness and professionalism of the garage 

Hopefully, when you turn up to whatever MOT garage you have selected, you will be given a positive first impression. Your vehicle should be serviced in a workshop that looks modern, clean, and well-equipped. 

You should also be able to have a direct, friendly and honest conversation with the technician who will actually be working on your vehicle. If there are any issues discovered with your vehicle, they should be able to explain them to you clearly, and what steps will be taken to address them. 

How the garage approaches any necessary repair work 

With any luck, there won’t be much – if any – work that needs to be undertaken on your vehicle to make it ‘MOT worthy’. But if remedial work does turn out to be required, your chosen garage should, again, be clear and honest with you about this. 

The cost of such repair work can naturally be a major cause of anxiety for many drivers – and that anxiety can heighten if it is difficult for the garage to provide a fixed price for the required work. 

Even in that situation, though, the technician should provide a high standard of customer service, explaining the issue to you and providing a detailed breakdown of the repair costs in relation to both parts and labour. 

Be sure to ask, too, how long any necessary repairs will take. 

What parts will be used, and will a warranty be provided? 

This is something you should really know about before choosing an MOT garage, as opposed to when you physically turn up there. Nonetheless, it’s worth double-checking that if the garage does need to carry out work on your vehicle, it will use genuine parts, as we do here at Advanced Service Centre. 

We take pride in not only meeting, but also exceeding the requirements of the manufacturer when we undertake work on a customer’s vehicle. When you select us over the other MOT providers in Thurrock, Essex that you may have been considering, we can provide a six-month warranty on all parts supplied and fitted. 

The other services and expertise the garage might offer 

The best MOT garages – whether in Essex or elsewhere – tend to be those that don’t ‘just’ do MOTs, but also effectively serve as complete destinations for vehicle servicing and repairs. 

Here at Advanced Service Centre, for instance, we have hard-won and wide-ranging knowhow and experience in the likes of general servicing, battery recharge and replacement, brake testing and maintenance, oil and filter changes, tracking and tyres, and much more. 

You should know something about your chosen garage’s broader expertise and track record before booking an MOT with them, as you can never be sure when more specialised work may be required – or desirable – for your vehicle. 

Nonetheless, while you are actually there or on the phone to the MOT garage when discussing your vehicle, it could be a good opportunity to ask the technician about exactly what else they do. Did you know, for example, about our remapping service that could be great for bolstering your engine’s power output and your vehicle’s driveability? Well, you do now. 

Amid today’s busy lives, many of us are accustomed to not really thinking about our vehicle’s MOT, right up until the moment it is due – then, we might end up booking just any old garage, regardless of the reputability of the given MOT provider. This is a shame, as your vehicle’s next MOT test could represent an excellent opportunity to start building a longer-term relationship with a great local garage. 

Could Advanced Service Centre be that garage for you? Give us a call now on 01375 384 883 or send us an email, and we will be pleased to discuss the particular needs and expectations you have for your vehicle.