Craig Cox, who works at Walsall Wood Tyre and Service, answers questions from viewers on his firm’s TikTok account. And in a recent post, he explained the key differences between classic and modern vehicles when it comes to MOTs
A popular online mechanic has shared some expert advice on his TikTok, revealing all there is to know about classic car MOTs.
Craig Cox, from Walsall Wood Tyre & Service, dishes out pearls of wisdom and nifty tricks in his viral clips on TikTok to clue up drivers on penny-pinching as well as staying safe on the road. In one of the latest clips, he demystifies how cars over 40 years old are put through their paces for an MOT. This comes hot on the heels of news suggesting these vintage motors might face yearly checks soon.
He said: “Just like any other car on the roads, MOTs are MOTs. The only real difference between classic cars and more modern vehicles is the rules and regulations on which you test them. Things like rear foglamps, which were only added from April 1, 1980. Daytime running lights, tyre pressure monitoring, things like this are obviously not going to be tested on a classic vehicle, simply because it’s probably not got them.”
Since 2018, there’s been a break for vintage cars over 40 years old from the annual MOT test that is obligatory for today’s vehicles, reports the Express. But with many auto enthusiasts tinkering away at home restorations, some petrolheads has warned that this MOT exemption might spell trouble for those behind the wheel of yesteryear’s vehicles.
The DVLA has not yet confirmed any changes to MOT regulations, however has encouraged classic car owners and clubs to come forward with their views on the subject. Nevertheless, owners of classic cars can currently still voluntarily get their vehicle tested, with Craig stating that many mechanics will do prior research to know exactly what to test.
He added: “We typically refer to the manual [for each car], and that gives us the exact criteria that we can test to for a specific vehicle. Most good testers will do a little bit of digging and research before they actually test the car.” Currently, there are around 330,000 vehicles in the UK that were built before January 7, 1984 and are therefore exempt from needing to take an MOT.
In addition, owners of these vehicles do not need to pay any road tax, instead simply registering their car with the DVLA for free, and are not charged for entering low or ultra-low emission zones. Whilst classic car owners understandably support the measures put in place to preserve the vehicles, some groups have called for mandatory inspections to take place before a recently restored vehicle returns to the road.
