What does an MOT check?
An MOT checks that the important parts of your vehicle meet legal standards on the day of the test: brakes, tyres, lights, steering, suspension, seat…
3 min readUpdated
12 guides, each one dated and sourced
Car advice for UK drivers
Plain-English answers on MOTs, servicing, tyres, warning lights and your rights at the garage. Every fact is checked against its official source, and every page says when it was last checked.
MOT
What the test checks, what it costs, when it is due, and what to do if your car fails.
How much does an MOT cost?
The most an MOT test station can charge for a car is £54.85, and for a motorcycle £29.65.
3 min readUpdated
When is my MOT due?
A car needs its first MOT by the third anniversary of its registration, then every year.
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What happens if your car fails its MOT?
The result lists problems as dangerous, major, minor or advisory, and only dangerous and major problems cause a fail.
3 min readUpdated
Can you drive without an MOT?
Not on the road.
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How to check a car's MOT history for free
You can check any vehicle's MOT history for free with its registration number, using GOV.UK or our MOT check.
2 min readUpdated
Servicing
What a service covers, how often your car needs one, and what to ask a garage.
Interim service vs full service: which do you need?
A full (or major) service is a broader inspection than an interim (or minor) service, which is meant for the gap between full services.
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How often should you service your car?
As often as your manufacturer says.
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Safety checks
Tyres and dashboard warning lights: what the law says and what to do next.
What is the legal tyre tread depth in the UK?
The legal minimum tread depth for cars, light vans and light trailers is 1.6mm, across the central three-quarters of the tyre's width and around its…
2 min readUpdated
Car warning lights explained: what each colour means
Red usually means a serious problem: stop somewhere safe and find out what it is.
4 min readUpdated
Garages and your rights
How to pick a garage, and what you can do when a repair goes wrong.
Your rights when a garage repairs your car
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a garage must do the work with reasonable skill and care, within a reasonable time and, if no price was agreed, f…
3 min readUpdated
How to choose a good garage
Choose a garage that is open about its prices and checks, explains the work in plain language and gives you a written quote.
3 min readUpdated
Where the facts come from and how often we check them: how we write and check our advice.
Find a garage near you
Enter your postcode or town. It is free, and you contact the garage directly.