Lude Generation

My lude is due for it's MOT next week and i was just thinking a list of things to check before you send it off for it's MOT could save a few cars failing

There are the obvious things like bulbs and tyres but also so much else

I'm replacing my rear disks and pads as the Drivers side inner brake pad has twisted and basically only worn the top part of the pad, and the outside of the disc is rusted so you can see the calliper isn't working properly, but it isn't stuck, but maybe the pad has.

I'll check CV boots and Steering rack gaiters for damage

But what else can we check to try and get it to pass first time?

Dash lights, seatbelt function, steering lock function, blowing exhaust, cracks in windscreen, washer jet function, horn function.......

check the condition of the wheel bearings & the ball joints
anti roll bar
all your suspension basically
handbrake
any rust
sharp edges
beam pattern
front lights secure
cotter pins
check condition of your spark plugs just for the emmisions test give them a clean so they give full spark

Jack each corner up 1 by 1 and push and pull each wheel to check for movements. Same with wishbones, struts, control arms, rods and knuckles.
No holes in zorst. Seatbelts all work and all switches secure.
No exposed rust holes. You know what mean.
No mismached silver patches. Thats a fail.

get the car in the air and move the back & forward from 12-6 oclock
and the same from 9-3 oclcok

then check the steering rack in the same way and on the outside

pull on the anti roll bar

as above

i dont bother, say for instance you change a worn bearing or bad tyre but it then fails on something major (you have then waisted time and money). i just put it in and see what i have to repair/replace to get it through (if anything), they usually give you about 10 days (10 working days). my local will change small items like wiper blades or bulbs. i supose i quick look around doesnt do any harm, but if you notice something expensive just leave it and see what else it fails on, no point in spending £200 on tyres just to have it fail on something that condems the car. this is a little extreme but can happen (you may need that £200 for another car ) quite often i notice things it may fail on and it just sails through

my advice is if you have a reasonably sound car with the obvious thngs like workng electrcs and brakes and your tyres are ok then just take it and let the experts check it .if it fails you have 10 days to get the jobs done and you can retest it for free if its within that period anyway. if you know it needs a shed full of work before you take it that you couldn't do withn the 10 days then yes don't waste your money and sort it first but hey who has a prelude requiring a lot of work

littlefella types faster than me

or just give it to tramroad, doesnt matter how bad it is it will just pass anyway its who you know

What Littlefella and Trammy said

... Unless it's something majorly obvious, in which case I would have been trying to fix it regardless of the MOT anyway.