Working through my business plan for my garage, im trying to work out if i can afford to do MOT's from the start.
What costs are involved in the garage side of the MOT i.e how much is goes to the government?

Virtually nothing, they pay for the phone line as long as you're doing sufficient tests, you have to buy "credits" to be able to issue certificates, I'm a bit out of date on this but sure it's no more than about £1/£1.50 per test.

I would say look at the investment costs in equipment (which can be leased to spread the cost) but it was the best thing I ever did - just follow their rules (yes, even the silly ones) to the letter & you have a licence to print money - & DON'T discount the test except to the trade & even then not by much - far better to do 5 tests a day at full price than 10 at half price & be a busy fool!

slots are now £2 each im going to set up a garage with mot very soon most of the paper work to do with the mot is free

Costs for you to train up and become a tester or to get someone in to do the MOT tests who has the qualifications?

If it's you who wants to train up don't you need to have worked in a garage that does MOT and have been a mechanic for 4 years at least or something?

its free to train to be a tester just have to be nominated by a garage that does mots who know you

Thats what i did this year easy peasey

its a 3 day course or 4 day if you have not been in the trade 4 years and don not have certain papers and after that a on site inpsection/test to see if you are competent at doing the mot

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/So%20you%20want%20to%20be%20an%20MOT%20tester.pdf

There are the brake rollers, inspection pit, emissions and light test equipment and office security to consider as well as the personnel side. Anyone round here who charges full price will be a very lonely man, I pay £30 for a test on the car.

There's a bunch of garages around here who charge £25 a pop. It used to be the case that these cheap places always found a fault so they got some work or a re-test but that's not usually the case around here. The guy I use charges me £50 but I only pay for a pass. I use him because I trust him, I can be with him at the test (often working the controls, lights, etc) and I can have a good nosey under the car too. I've used him since before I was legally old enough to drive!
I have used the cheaper places when I've had no other choice or if I've taken a car on someone elses instructions, but I always get my cars done at my blokes place!

That didn't answer you question but as the others have said.......it is a good money maker but FFS, don't cut corners or be too greedy!
The guy I use had a car in for MOT that he didn't recognise (it's a local garage for local people..) and he didn't recognise the guy driving it who asked to sit in the 'designated MOT viewing area'. Neil moved the pile of boxes off the two chairs in the corner and realised who this guy was....... He did the test by the book. It took him over two hours and he found a few minor faults which he noted. He passed the car and off the bloke went. He returned two minutes later with another guy and they went through the car with Neil. He missed a worn brake pedal rubber, some delaminating of the edge of the rear number plate and some mistake on the 'puter. The car had been set-up with the wrong details which Neil should have checked or questioned, and put right, before the test was started or before the certificate was issued.

He got a report from VOSA telling him to be more vigilant in future!!!!

Don't forget criminal record checks, lease checks on business premises and if you have not been in business for 2 years you may have difficulty in getting a lease on the equipment . All? directors/testers have to have the criminal record check IIRC. Qualifications to do the job are also checked ie City and Guilds etc

You need a garage with room to have a designated testing bad aswell and the space around it for the equipment. There are set sizes etc for mot equipment. You also need a quality controller etc.
Your biggest cost is the equipent which as said can be leased but dont reckon youl get a lease for a new un established garage.

Just for reference I pay £46 for my tests which is at a tyre place. They get all my private tests and now all the business tests where i work. IIRC they charge 52 for public. As said dont be too greedy and dont charge to little. Mot's are easy money. IIRC the ministry advised price is 57.50 currently??

[Edited on 4/9/09 by Danozeman]

[Edited on 4/9/09 by Danozeman]

Brilliant, cheers guys.

I did know about the 4 year thing so i am trying to work out if i can afford to employ someone.

The equipment isnt too big an issue as most of it i will need for the garage anyway.

a complete test lane with minimal civil work will be around 23k for fairly basic class 4 kit . monthly costs will be around £100 for calibration and service contract if anything breaks.

quote:

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Originally posted by froggy
a complete test lane with minimal civil work will be around 23k for fairly basic class 4 kit . monthly costs will be around £100 for calibration and service contract if anything breaks.

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If it takes over 2 hours to do a test and still miss the basics then he should not be testing just goes to show that the guy is cutting corners 40 mins to 1 hour is more than enough time to carry out the test to vosa regulations

the vosa average time is 45 to 50 mins

i take 40 to 45 mins to do the test and thats takeing my time


http://www.ukmot.com/6-8.asp#Text_top

The number plate has to be able to be read at 20 meters away before a fail

re the brake pedal rubber is only a fail if worn right through so if it was worn right through and was missed very basic stuff given that your have to check that area for pedal security and colum linkage for wear

[Edited on 9/4/2009 by DRC INDY 7]

We started testing 15 years ago with used equipment, we have since replaced the rollers about 8 years ago and the lift in June this year, the beam tester is still going strong. I'd say VOSA will update the spec before we need to replace it. as for emissions testing gear we've had to buy new as the requirements change, one thing you need to think about is continued investment as you can't futureproof the stuff. If VOSA decide that next Friday you have to use a pink lift to test then you will have to buy one simple as.
Choose carefully as there is money to be saved by buying secondhand, the only downside is that you may not be able to buy a complete package to include 'civils' and installation etc.
Other than that like others have said, don't try and cheat, don't discount (at the end of the day its an hours labour plus your other costs) Know your customers and be fair with them even when things don't go to plan (occaisionally they won't)

I knew someone would comment on my post!! I carried out MOTs for four years and to do the job thoroughly, it took me over an hour. If you carry out each task as listed, in the correct order, it takes a long time! Experience and common sense tells you do several things at the same time which speeds things up. Since those days, the MOT has become a very different beast. I wonder if you'd admit to still taking 40minutes if you had a VOSA inspector looking over your shoulder? None of the points my man missed were classed as failures or dangerous. The point of my post was to highlight the pitfalls of thinking of the MOT as a cash cow, as many folks do, and not to have a dig at a bloke no-one on here knows!! Besides, he didn't pick up the points that you're saying you wouldn't have picked up on either!!

[Edited on 5/9/09 by owelly]

yep i would i had that pleasure this year when i had my on site test 45 mins no problems the only time it may be over the hour is when a tatty one turns up

you can do the test in any order as long as all the items are tested the vosa way is just a standard by no means the best way

[Edited on 9/6/2009 by DRC INDY 7]