Driving a car that fails the MOT in the last month before the old MOT expires?

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If a car fails the MOT say 28 days before the old MOT expires, is it legal to drive the car during the 28 days before the old MOT expires?
 
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You will not be charged for driving without valid MOT, but you can be charged for driving a vehicle with known defects.
 
It's not illegal. The car is still in possession of a valid MOT certificate (the old one). As Prentice says, depending on what it failed on, you might be committing a separate offence by continuing to use it though. So, for example, if it fails on (say) a brake light out, you could still be pulled up for a defective brake light - just like you could the day after it got a new MOT.
 
Thanks guys, it's just the rear shockers, I have had an advisory notice for misting from them for the last 2 years. They bounce one and a half times and I can't see any oil, so I will have to wait and see.
 
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For sure, on the car shock testing is one of the most difficult things to do......testing for leakage is all very well, but not much help if the shocks are gas filled.
With the vehicle on vibrating plates the tester can get some insight as to how the shocks are behaving.
I do on occasion see the odd car with clearly totally shot shocks on the road though......the wheels are rarely in contact with the Tarmac!
John :)
 
Thanks guys, when I said "so I will have to wait and see", I meant that I take the car for the MOT with the intention of replacing the shockers soon after if they fail. Apart from buying the parts, I will get ready, tools etc, to do the job before the MOT.
 
"Gas filled" dampers are still full of oil. They just have a small amount of gas in them under pressure (sometimes in a separate reservoir) to lower the chances of aeration in the oil when the damper is being worked hard. If they're not leaking, chances are, there's nothing wrong with them. Get someone to follow you and see if they're bouncing. As John says, it's quite noticeable when you follow a car with duff dampers. If you're really bothered, can they be taken off easily to inspect? Are they separate to the springs or do they run inside the spring coils. If separate, drop them off and, keeping them the right way up, just try pushing them in and out and see if you feel resistance through the whole stroke. Often knackered dampers make a knocking noise over bumps.
 
Thanks Avocet but stupidly the brake pipes have to be disconnected to remove the strut :( No knocking noises.

Edit:

I don't want to spend any money on the car before the MOT in case it fails for something expensive like the cat, as I would then trade-in the car.
 
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I do on occasion see the odd car with clearly totally shot shocks on the road though......the wheels are rarely in contact with the Tarmac!
John :)

(Play music to "Skippy") :)
Seriously though, you do see the odd car going round still that you wonder if there is an MOT on. You see some real bangers down here occasionally, and it's not that long ago that I remember seeing a car with a hole in the sill.
Was it on here that someone said that the ANPR used by the police can have MOT and insurance status for vehicles loaded, but rarely does? I suppose they assume the road tax is enough.
 
get a car from Dec. 1959 no tax or mot needed - good enough for shopping in.
 
If a car fails the MOT say 28 days before the old MOT expires, is it legal to drive the car during the 28 days before the old MOT expires?
yep your ok legally till the existing one runs out.. but.. MoTs are for a reason so i'd use the time left to get it sorted.
 
If a car fails the MOT say 28 days before the old MOT expires, is it legal to drive the car during the 28 days before the old MOT expires?
yep your ok legally till the existing one runs out.. but.. MoTs are for a reason so i'd use the time left to get it sorted.
As has been said before true cannot be prosecuted for having no MOT but the MOT does not declare the vehicle is safe for the full 12 month period.

You can always be prosecuted for driving an unsafe vehicle, MOT or no MOT, plus doing so is contrary to the terms and conditions of your insurance policy so they could declare the policy void if a claim arose.
 
How sad to be buying and running cars when you cannot honestly afford to properly do so.
When I get to that point, driving, I shall give up. Failure is just what it is... Cars and people fail all of the time.
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