Bailes1992

I'm considering picking up a car that has no MOT down South.

The car will fail it's MOT as it has bald tyres, No CAT, a very poor handbrake and it's washer motor has failed.

If I picked it up, fitted legal wheels and tyres to it and slung it straight in for an MOT (which it would fail) would it then be legal to drive the 200 miles back home?

Bailes.

RSmark84

No, MoT station has to be within a reasonable distance.

dizzy13

Book it in for an mot in your home town Then just drive it back. I'm pretty sure you can drive a car without mot to an mot station as long as it's booked in. So if you get tugged give them the garage number so they can call and check

Bailes1992

Massive shame. I was unsure if there was a local rule or not.
What's the going rate for a towing service? Anything more than Ł1/mile and that would make this cheap car not particularly cheap.

dizzy13

Sorry just seen other reply. Not sure then!!

dizzy13

Just book it in at a garage every 10 miles on the way home lol

RSmark84

Speak to Adam he's from Wales. Are you on the RSOC forum?

Caddyshack

You could die. Tow it home

matts1

Guessing you'll have not tax either as it can;t be transferred anymore? Might be far less hassle to get it picked up and delivered, or just hire a trailer for the day.

Fordmad!

Just hire a flatbed for the day be cheaper with no hassle involved

BigChuck

There's is no limit on the distance to the mot station. Just book it in to one local to you and drive it, just check the car has no obvious defects though.

The reasonable distance thing is a myth, I've never seen it referenced in any legal document

strada84

No it doesn't.

Book it into your local MOT Station and drive it there.

If I was driving it that far I'd want to do something about the tyres, but the rest sounds fine to drive home as long as you're sensible.

dizzy13

I agree I do it quite often and have never had a problem.

Fullflush

Use a trailer

BM08

As said you shouldn't drive it in these conditions with bald tyres for starters!

cossynut2

From what you have said about the current condition of the car, it sounds like you would be unlikely to drive it 200 miles without a big risk to your safety and the safety of other road users! As others have said,hire a flatbed for the day or get it picked up and delivered.

scoooby slayer

iTrader: (4)

trailer or don't bother imo.

visa_broke

He does mention picking the car up and fitting legal tyres to it BEFORE driving it home.....

strada84

As I said above, apart from changing the tyres, there's no safety risk there. There will be far worse cars on the road WITH an MOT!

No Cat is nothing, plenty of people on here will be driving de-catted cars, the handbrake won't affect how it behaves on the road and as for no washer motor, I'd go down with a bottle of Invisible Glass with rain repellent and clean the screen and shouldn't have any issues with that. Can always stop and clean the screen again if conditions get bad.

As long as the tyres are changed there's no reason not to drive the car 200 miles with the other issues.

I have a recovery truck and Brian James tilt bed trailer, so I usually use one of those to collect cars whether they're road legal or not, but there's no need reason not to drive 99% roadworthy cars if they're booked in for MOT.

cossynut2

Your shout at the end of the day, I presume everything else mechanically is ok. Have you driven it to check it out?

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

So if the car is booked in for a mot and the cops pull you surely they will still do you for having 2 bald tyres.

BigChuck

Not if he changes them like he said in the first post.

Vacuman

What about insurance? If it's not on the PNC as insured you could get tugged and all the hassle of proving you have it covered by some other means. Or perhaps I've been watching those late-night TV police shows too often.