Welsh drivers spend nearly £300 getting their cars on the road after lfailng an MOT

MOT failures are costing Welsh drivers hundreds of pounds to fix – and get their cars back on the road. 

Motorists in Wales say they pay an average of £241 to correct faults that have been discovered on their cars during an MOT.

With the price of an MOT capped at £54.85, this means motorists whose cars fail the first time round are hit in the pocket for an extra £295.85.

A survey for the Good Garage Scheme – www.goodgaragescheme.com– shows Welsh drivers could be more clued up when it comes to making sure their cars are roadworthy.

Government figures show 30% of all MOT fails relate to lightbulbs, 10% relate to tyres and 8.5% relate to the driver’s view of the road, including issues with mirrors, wipers and washers[1]

But over a quarter (26%) of drivers in Wales have no idea how to test their tyre pressure and a fifth (21%) don’t even know how to pump their tyres up, while 40% cannot change a wheel according to the research. 

With recent news around the increase in emission failures, this spells more bad news for UK motorists. 

Phil Dugmore, technical manager at the Good Garage Scheme, said: “If drivers kept a closer eye on their cars they can avoid a hefty pay out to pass a second MOT.

“Simple things like learning how to check the oil and top it up – checking your tyre pressure regularly and making sure all your lights are working can keep your car ticking over and far more likely to pass its MOT first time round.”

A quarter (24%) of drivers in Wales said they had owned a car that failed its MOT and more than half (52%) have struggled to scrape the cash together to get their motor back on the road.

Drivers in Liverpool said they were hardest hit, having to fork out an average £441.38 on fixing a second MOT while those in Belfast got away with just paying £78.17.

A quarter of Welsh drivers (24%) say they do not know how to check the oil in their car – or how to top it up. 

A third (35%) risk serious engine problems by not knowing how to fill up the anti-freeze or coolant in their car.

The research showed a level of confusion among British drivers around the MOT, with nearly half (47%) falsely believing dirty headlamps will fail an MOT.

And seven in ten (71%) do not think having the reserve fuel light on when you take the car to an MOT can affect the result.

However, this can lead to a failure as the garage will need fuel in the tank to test fuel emissions as part of the MOT.

When it comes to buying accessories for their cars, drivers in Wales spend an average of £107 – just shy of the £134 they spend on servicing their cars. 

Only 15% of Brits are planning to get their cars serviced before winter sets in properly – potentially setting up a host of problems for the coldest months of the year.  

Mr Dugmore said: “Simple things like checking your battery, topping up antifreeze, checking your tyres and cleaning your lamps, windscreen and washers can all help stop problems building up for your car over winter. 

“So instead of just hoping our motors can get us through the colder months, Brits can save themselves a lot of time and money just by carrying out some simple maintenance checks. Should they find anything too tricky to undertake themselves, then a trip to their local garage should be relatively easy – some of whom will also offer free checks”.