MOT Testing in Bigbury

Bigbury sits close to Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island, so in summer the lanes fill with visitors and a good many local cars spend time crawling in queues, which is hard on brakes and clutches. Come winter, the same vehicles are often left on the drive until the MOT date creeps up.

Automaster at Longcombe Cross near Totnes handles Class 4 car MOTs and Class 7 van MOTs, along with the repairs and retests that follow if something needs attention. Here is how it all works.

What is checked during an MOT test?

The tester works through a fixed list. Lights and indicators, brakes, tyres, steering and suspension, the exhaust and emissions, windscreen and mirrors, seatbelts, registration plates and the structural condition of the body are all covered, and any warning light on the dashboard is noted.

Slow summer traffic and stop-start lanes tend to show up in brake wear, so we would pay particular attention to the braking check on a car that has done a lot of that.

Tyres and lights are the commonest reasons for a surprise fail, and both are quick to check yourself before you book.

What is the difference between a major, minor and dangerous defect?

Minor defects go on the certificate but do not cause a fail. Major defects do cause a fail and must be repaired. Dangerous defects mean the vehicle is not safe to drive and should be repaired before it goes back on the road.

Advisories sit alongside these and tell you what is wearing. They are not a fail, but they are a good guide to what to budget time for.

• Dangerous: do not drive it
• Major: fails until repaired
• Minor: recorded, still passes

Is a pre-MOT inspection worth doing before a visit to the coast?

If you have been using the car heavily over the holiday season, a pre-MOT inspection is a calm way to find problems early. We check the same areas the formal test covers and give you a plain list.

A bulb or wiper blade is a small job before the test, but a failed result for it still means a retest.

Can you repair and retest after a fail?

Yes. If your car fails, we can carry out the MOT repairs and then retest. How the retest is handled depends on the fault and when it is brought back, so ask us at the time.

A vehicle with a dangerous fault should not be driven on, so tell us if you are unsure how to get it to us.

Where do I bring my car from Bigbury?

Our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and drivers from Bigbury, Ringmore, Bantham and Thurlestone use it. You can book an MOT online or by phone.

When asking for a quote, tell us if it is a car or a van, the registration, what fuel it runs on and anything that has been bothering you.