Ed Evans speaks out
An MOT test doesn’t mean a car is safe
THE MOT test is a good value safety check, but it doesn’t confirm that a vehicle is safe. The tester does not dismantle parts nor even take the wheels off to aid inspection, so a lot of potential trouble spots go unchecked. In theory, that’s okay because all those other areas would be checked as part of the service schedule, assuming the full service schedule is carried out at the prescribed intervals.
We’ve probably all heard the patter from certain car sales people: “We’ll give it a full service before it goes out, sir/ madam”. In many cases that amounts to an engine oil change and maybe new oil and air filters and topping up the underbonnet fluids. Axle and transmission oils are unlikely to be checked, nor wheels and brake drums removed for inspection, and there’s likely to be little interest in the condition of brake lines and underbody corrosion if there’s a recent MOT pass certificate lurking in the sales office. Land Rover main dealers and good independents can be expected to service the vehi
cle according to Land Rover’s schedule, and also know all the hidden problem areas that need to be checked as part of the service and pre-sales inspection. Otherwise, it’s worth having a recentlypurchased Land Rover over ten years old checked by a knowledgeable garage, and getting straight back to the selling dealer if a significant safety issue is found.
Typical points – and things that should be looked out for during a good service – include corrosion around seat belt anchor brackets (hidden between the body floor and the chassis), worn drum brake shoes and incorrectly fitted shoe springs, power assisted steering pipes that are grooved behind their P-clips securing them to the chassis, cables and fuel lines chafing against other components.
It’s advisable for Mot-exempt classic Land Rovers to be submitted for a test, despite the shortcomings of the test. For these historic class vehicles thorough servicing checks are especially important to confirm no hidden areas or parts are deteriorating into a dangerous condition.
The ultimate responsibility for all of this, plus the safety of passengers and other road users, is absolutely on the driver.