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We all know owning a car can be an expensive business and there’s a number of costs involved to keep it road legal and running safely-  insurance, road tax, as well as the odd breakdown, to name but a few.

The MOT is often at the bottom of the list and can sometimes be left a little longer than it should before being renewed. Inevitably you’re going to need a few things done here and there, but there are a few simple steps you can do yourself, to cut costs and save a few pounds.

No.1: Bulbs

A broken bulb can be an annoying little niggle, especially if it’s the only reason your car fails its MOT. The best way to check they are all in order is to get someone to give you a helping hand, by checking each bulb while you turn them on and off.

Check your main headlights, dimmers and fog lights are all in working order. Then make sure your indicators, both front and back, are all in order as well as your break lights. Bulbs start from as little as £2 depending on which one you require and are relatively easy to fit.

Watch this helpful how to video from Car and Driver Magazine and see how easy it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk1kFc56dwk

No.2: Wipers

One of the most common failures in an MOT and extremely frustrating considering how easy it is to do. Whether it’s simply changing the blade or the wiper itself, you can save yourself time and money, avoiding that pesky retest, by checking them beforehand.

Not only will it avoid you failing your MOT, but dodgy wipers can endanger your life by obstructing your view of the road. If you’re unsure as to whether or not your wipers need replacing consider the following:-

• Are they leaving bands of rain?
• Do they judder when moving across the windscreen?
• Do they leave an unwashed margin at the side of the wiper?
• Do they make a screeching noise?

New blades can cost you less than a tenner, so it is well worth giving both front and back wipers a test beforehand. Check out this easy to follow video from Fairleigh Dickinson University if you want to save yourself a bit of dosh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mOm2u9YqwA.

No.3: Tyres

Tyres are another one of the most common MOT failures. Replacing them can be expensive and so many of us tend to chance it. Not only will dodgy tyres fail your MOT, they can endanger your life and get you in trouble with the law at the same time.

It really isn’t worth the risk and depending on the make and model of your car and its requirements, shopping around can pay off. Depending on where you go you should be able to pick up a fairly good set of tyres for around £70-90 apiece.

Fitting them is a little more complicated and requires the necessary equipment, however paying a small fee to your local garage to fit them for you is always an affordable option.

No.4: The Horn

This isn’t a joke. A dodgy horn is a failure. However unless you’re prone to a bit of road rage, the majority of us will rarely use it and so understandably wouldn’t know if it was working or not.

Give it a blast and make sure it’s working, just maybe refrain from testing it late at night.

No.5: Number Plates

For many of us this won’t matter, as we go through our motoring lives having never tampered with our number plates. There are strict regulations where number plates are concerned and for obvious reasons (usually thieving petrol and avoiding speeding fines), not abiding by them can get you in trouble.

They must be in the correct font, colour and spacing, with no background pattern and be on a reflective material. If you aren’t sure if your number plate is road legal head over to https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/rules-number-plates and check you meet the required regulations.

No.6: Seat Belts

Again due to its life saving capabilities the seat belt is one of the last things you want to be faulty in your vehicle. As a result, a dodgy belt will most definitely result in an MOT fail. Not wearing one can also set you back as much as £500, so not wearing one or having one in working order is not a smart move.

You can pick yourself up a full replacement seat belt from any scrap yard for as little as £20, with smaller parts costing even less. Fit it yourself with the help of this video and save yourself even more money:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw6z2eVSY88

If you’re not sure about your seat belts you can find the full regulations here: https://www.gov.uk/seat-belts-law/overview

No.7: Clean your car!

Last but not least, and you might not believe it, but your local garage are well within their rights to refuse your vehicle’s MOT, if it’s in a right state. You wouldn’t expect to sell your home if it looked like a rubbish tip, so don’t expect your mechanic to treat your car any differently!

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