Mobile Pre-MOT Inspection

How we carry out pre-mot checks

An MOT checks around 70 items covering roadworthiness and emissions. A pre-MOT inspection goes through the same checklist so we can identify and fix advisories and failures before your test day — saving you the retest fee and the inconvenience of driving a failed car. We check lights (headlights, brake lights, indicators, number-plate illumination), wiper blades, horn, tyres (tread depth, condition and pressure), brakes (pad and disc condition, handbrake operation), steering and suspension (play, boots, dampers), seatbelts, bodywork and glass (cracks and chips in the driver's line of sight), and emissions (idle CO levels on petrol, visible smoke on diesel).

Common MOT failures include worn tyres (tread below 1.6mm), failed or dim bulbs, a cracked or chipped windscreen in the driver's eyeline, worn brake pads or discs below the minimum thickness, play in steering or suspension joints, seized caliper sliders causing uneven braking, and high emission readings — often caused by a faulty lambda sensor or a blocked catalytic converter. On diesel cars, a DPF issue can cause an instant failure on the smoke test.

If we find issues during the pre-MOT check, we'll advise which ones are definite failures, which are advisories likely to be flagged, and give you a quote to fix them before the test. Some repairs — lights, wipers, minor bulbs — we can do on the spot. Others may need parts ordering. Either way, you'll go into your MOT confident the car is ready. We can also advise on MOT centres in your area if you need a recommendation.