If you need to know what to watch out for when getting your car ready for its MOT test, here are some of the things that might affect its road-worthiness.

Generally speaking, the most common reasons for MOT failures, according to MyCarCheck, are blown bulbs, chipped windscreens, worn brakes, shock absorbers and tires.

In fact, lighting & signaling failures turn up on 18.4% of tests, while suspension issues cause approximately 12% of failures. As for brakes, tires and the driver’s view of the road (windshield), they sit at 9.6%, 7.4% and 6.6% respectively.

“The MOT data is particularly useful as you can see if a vehicle sailed through its last test or needed work and a retest,” said MyCarCheck’s Roger Powell. “Potentially expensive items, like four worn tires, can be grounds to push for a price reduction.”

If you want to be even more thorough, you can go to MyCarCheck’s website and use their new free vehicle factsheet that allows you to check the MOT history and status of a vehicle, plus some basic spec data.

“Our new Vehicle Factsheet provides buyers with everything they need to narrow their search,” added Mr Powell.

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