Motorists should look at one thing ahead of their MOT tests to reduce the likelihood of failing the annual DVSA check, according to a leading expert.
Daniel Meeghan, UK Country Manager of car diagnostic scanner Carly, has warned road users to always check their advisories in the weeks before an MOT test to avoid being caught out.
Advisories are problems which were identified by testers at the last MOT test but the condition was not bad enough to fail the check.
It may be easy to push these to one side as drivers continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis.
However, 12 months later the damage is likely to be worse meaning the minor issues from before are likely to come back to bite road users with expensive bills.
Daniel said: “On previous MOT tests you have had, there may be notes under the advisory section.
“This is usually anything that didn’t quite stop your car from passing last time but might have been close to. If you haven’t done anything about these issues since your last MOT, it is likely that they may come up as an issue on your next MOT.
“I would always advise that these advisory recommendations are taken into account and resolved ahead of the following MOT.”
According to Halfords, ignoring advisory notes for too long could dramatically backfire.
Not fixing issues could help motorists save the pennies now but leaving it could also develop into more serious issues requiring more expensive repairs later down the line.
Unsolved problems could also massively impact the vehicle’s potential resale value as the model will be worth less to buyers than a model in good working condition.
“Continually ignoring advisory notes could also affect your car’s sale price. Failing to fix problems could put off potential buyers, so it’s safer and better to get them sorted as soon as possible.”
According to experts at Carly, March is one of the busiest times of the year for MOT testers.
The month is “notorious” in the industry with many certificates expiring in March compared to other months throughout the year.
March usually sees a high volume of new cars entering the market because of the launch of fresh registrations, with MOT tests required three years after launch.