This article will answer the following questions?
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How do I avoid high vehicle servicing, repair and MOT costs?
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How to reduce oil changes and lubricant costs?
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How to make sure vehicle repair costs are genuine?
In May 2018 the UK law surrounding the vehicle inspection on cars termed the MOT changed.
One of the more publicised points in the media was that if your vehicle is shown to have a serious mechanical fault you run the risk of being fined or receiving points on your licence even just driving the vehicle to another garage to get repairs. Moreover, most breakdown covers don’t cover vehicles flagged with a serious fault on the MOT test to be able to recover the vehicle to another garage and so this led many to be fearful that you are trapped in having to pay whatever price the garage you had the MOT at charges rather than being able to shop around.
Despite the general publics long held belief that garages try to rob you with repair bills, most garages are actually honest in their estimates of repairs, meaning it is rare to be overcharged. This still doesn’t mean the bills can’t be expensive and there may be cheaper options if you were able to shop around.
One way to tackle the problem head on is to actually get a full suite of oil and fluid analyses on your vehicle before your MOT is due. That way many obvious faults are highlighted and you can shop around for repairs before the MOT. The cost of an oil sample is fairly cheap when compared to the MOT, so the total cost including your MOT is not that much more than the MOT itself. Even more beneficial is the saving on the potential repair bills you gain by being able to shop around.
One welcome point on the MOT check list was FINALLY brake fluid contamination is now a criteria point. So testing the brake fluid is part of the assessment. This has been long overdue and those who know me will know how strong an advocate I am of regular brake fluid analysis for contamination such as water that can potentially lead to loss of life if not resolved. So hopefully this is the beginning of more widely acknowledged government endorsement of regular fluid analysis programmes on vehicles to keep road users and vehicles safer.
If you would like to find out about testing the fluids in your vehicle then click the chat icon below.
