Supporting Owner Drivers
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Supporting Owner Drivers
According to the well-worn proverb, prevention is always better than a cure. And when it comes to the dreaded MOT, never were those words of wisdom so pertinent. A fail can mean huge problems if your vehicle has to come off the road for an extended period of time, but with a little bit of TLC, getting your MOT can be AOK.
While we’re on the subject of proverbs, here’s another one to annoy you: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. So if you don’t want to fail the MOT, plan not to. Simple.
A courier driver’s van is subject to a lot more mileage and wear and tear than a conventional private vehicle – so there are a lot more reasons for it to fail. In fact, 20% of all vans on the road fail the test the first time, leading to:
That’s the bad news. The good news is that with a bit of maintenance, forward planning and commitment, you can vastly increase your chances of passing the first time – saving yourself time, money and a jolly big headache.
Don’t get caught short: Keep yourself abreast of exactly when your MOT is due. Check the expiry date regularly so it doesn’t creep up on you, and make it a point to book your vehicle in to the garage at least a month beforehand and ask for a reminder in the week prior.
Do your own regular checks: Make a weekly (or at the very least, monthly) checklist that you carry out on your vehicle, without fail. If you make it a habit it’ll get less and less painful as time goes on.
We’ll finish how we began: with the proverb about prevention. Once you’ve succeeded in passing the MOT, it’s not just about sitting back and congratulating yourself. (Well, maybe just a quick pat on the back.) Pre-empting and preventing any issues in between tests can also save you expensive breakdown callouts and time off the road. Regular maintenance shouldn’t just be a ploy to pass the MOT – it always makes good sense. So in the spirit of good sense, we’ll leave you with this simple but sage advice:
If you’ve got any other tips on how to be an MOT marvel and pass first time, every time, do let us know.
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