# DVA (NI) cancel MOT car testing



## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Exemption certificates being issued to all but taxis and first time car tests.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51278271

Terry


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

dghr272 said:


> Exemption certificates being issued to all but taxis and first time car tests.
> 
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51278271
> 
> Terry


I thought the DUP wanted parity with the rest of the UK? Why is the NI first car test at 4 years unlike the remainder of the UK?


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It's time Government MoT centres in NI were cancelled and we had the same system as the rest of the UK.

Issuing exemption certificates makes vehicles safe does it?


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

rayc said:


> I thought the DUP wanted parity with the rest of the UK? Why is the NI first car test at 4 years unlike the remainder of the UK?


Their version of parity is very different from most folks, think same sex marriage, homosexual blood donation, women's right to choose, Sunday observance etc etc etc.

Terry


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

erneboy said:


> It's time Government MoT centres in NI were cancelled and we had the same system as the rest of the UK.
> 
> Issuing exemption certificates makes vehicles safe does it?


The cracks found in the vehicle lifts were first found in October, their handling of the issue is anything but uplifting.

I personally don't have an issue with our DVA centres as it ensures consistency in testing and excludes the well known issue of cowboy garages, and you know we have our own very special range of cowboys here.

Unfortunately the management of the current centres plainly leaves a lot to be desired.

Terry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Having had to run a fleet of vehicles never knowing how long the dealy for a test might be I would be glad to see them gone.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

erneboy said:


> Having had to run a fleet of vehicles never knowing how long the dealy for a test might be I would be glad to see them gone.


Big strides have been made recently due to the introduction of flexible working at all centres with them now working evenings and Saturdays.

You should have had a good fleet manager to plan ahead. :wink2: :wink2:

Terry


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

erneboy said:


> Issuing exemption certificates makes vehicles safe does it?


French and NI first MOT at 4 years whilst GB is 3 years. The French MOT is then every 2 years up to 10 years old. Are French registered vehicles less safe than GB ones? I have noticed that the vans of market stall holders in France and Spain look a 'little unloved'? Are they less safe than GB ones?


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

You can't plan for retest when they've failed a vehicle for something stupid.

Here's just one example. A van failed for too much movement in the steering rack rubbers. Even though the rubbers were perfect. A quick clean with silicone and jiggle a spanner on the bolts to make it look as though they'd been worked on, and it passed.

I have several other examples.


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## powerplus (Oct 6, 2014)

hi all

i found out yesterday that when you have a motorhome inspected in germany every 2 years they will do a full gas safety test including checking test dates of gas bottles and hoses


barry


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)




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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We do have (effectively) government MOT testing places here Alan, a Ambulance station tests all mine, and trucks use DVSA rented test bases.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes Kev. It's all we have and perhaps as Terry says they are generally prompt these days but there were times when there were three month waiting lists, and that would not have been accepted as a reason for driving without MoT. Hard to keep a business running with that kind of waiting time.

Depending on the day they'd also fail you for ridiculous things. We didn't have advisories. I had a van failed for a tear in the drivers seat covering. It was maybe two or three inches long. They just as soon have failed you and left you needing a full retest for something like that. Another time they failed my car, an old Alfa Spider because they front number plate was not vertical. The front number plate was never vertical on those cars, like the E Type it was across the slope of the front panel, still perfectly visible for all that. It had passed for years with the stick on number plate it had been delivered with when new. I got the local Alfa dealer to challenge it and they weren't having it. Hanging a vertical number plate on it was an act of vandalism but I did it just for the day and in subsequent years it was never mentioned again.

They couldn't test my Lotus Elise because it was too low to go on to their brake testers. In the end I just took it to Scotland every year and had it done there. 

Not a helpful bunch in my opinion. Officious. Perhaps not so much now, I don't know.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

No, I think Terry's right Alan, they're a whole lot better than they used to be.

And I too prefer our system to the GB system which, it seems to me, is much more open to abuse.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

We have noticed a definite improvement of MOT testing stations in our area at least. They now are given an hour and it is timed from when they log the car onto a computer to when they log the car out. This, it seems, makes them do a thorough test. I always insist that Chris takes the cars in as he knows what he is talking about and they accept that he will not give them the work even if they do find something that needs attention.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

jiwawa said:


> No, I think Terry's right Alan, they're a whole lot better than they used to be.
> 
> And I too prefer our system to the GB system which, it seems to me, is much more open to abuse.


Yes Jean much better now in terms of fully computerised as you enter, have found the staff helpful and happy to explain the readings as you progress through the test. Indeed two years ago I was getting handbrake failure readings, the tester called another guy and retested until acceptable readings were captured stating, "these Alko hand brakes brakes are a pain". Unlike previous tests they do now list Minor Defects that may require attention but not a fail in main test.

As for ordinary car testing I still feel like an expectant father when asked to side on the sidelines whilst it goes a the lift. :grin2::grin2:

Terry


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