MOT due soon

Might seem a silly question but I am a recent first time 996 cab owner and it is soon due an MOT can I ask do you trust general garages to do this check on your pampered pride and joy? I am a bit concerned about where to take it for this annual check as I do not want someone loose on my car that deals with corsa's etc all day or am I being over cautious? I have had over50 cars and never been a problem but they were mainly ford vauxhalls etc not quite the same really.

I have my MoT done by a local all-makes service garage... He does quite a few Porsches along with a myriad of £500 student bangers! TBH most franchised dealers and many Porsche Specialists sub-contract MoT tests anyway, so the chances are it'll end up in the same place anyway! ETA: If I'd taken my car to an OPC last time it would probably have cost me over £1,000 - instead of £45 and the price of a sidelight bulb... Read this thread... http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=41320&highlight=mot+sidelight

AS Wattie says. What I do though have a chat and make sure they know where the jacking/lift points are...on a 993 the oil pipes run one side and a/c pipes opposite just under the plastic sill covers which could easily be damaged. I dont know whether the 996 has a similar arrangement for the water cooling to the front rads. Ask them if theres likely to be any clearance issues getting on their ramps...just means they actually do check. With mine they have always had 2 guys guiding it on. Also if you're friendly and are watching they will be a bit more careful. I have had MOTs where they have said they're not going to do the full hard test on the brakes with the rollers as Porsche are so good which means its treated a bit more carefully(...probably as my car was fully waxed up and clean that I clearly would have sorted brakes if that makes sense.) I seem to recall the emissions test can throw up a few odd readings, can't remember if it was due to being twin exhausts?? Other than that I'm sure it will sale through.

I had my first MoT completed by the local OPC only to be rather disappointed when the stamp had Mr MoT written on it and they'd charged me a £25 arrangement fee......the subsequent MoT was done elsewhere.......

My local, all-makes garage make me sit in the car and work all the lights etc. whilst they do the MOT test. I'm looking forward to this year's test because they have installed a new brake tester which is designed to work with more agressive LSDs. The down side of this is that I don't get the oportunity to send the tester crashing into the dash board when we're doing the brake test.

put my 4S through Super Tyres in Welwyn Garden City - they were great and there was plenty of parking outside so no chance of damage before or after the test. I originally went to a place in luton but there was little parking and everyone around looked like low-life so I just drove off despite the AA hefty discount. Super Tyres were great, they put their best mechanic on the job - he really took pride in testing my car and treated it with the utmost respect. So the moral of the story is to check it out first and if you feel comfortable then go for it! Ray :thumb:

In the respect of MOTs things have gone and are getting more strict. I have heard that cameras linked to the ministry are even on the plans. What I am trying to say is garages do not act like they used to, it is too risky to do anything outside of the rules, MOTs are a huge percentage of their business. Also, by law, a viewing area must be provided so that you can watch everything they do.

^^ as above the rules are very strict and yes they are regulated for the customer to view everything that gets done. Just make sure the car is really warmed up before you take her for the emissions tests. The CO2 levels are very strict nowadays, and as a result alot of performance cars suffer here.

Quite right - garages are very strict... I've had all my cars tested at my local place for over 10 years now and know them very well - I always wait and usually have a chat about Porsches, German Shepherd Dogs (he has the biggest one I've ever seen sleeping under the counter). However, they still wrote out a failure certificate when my sidelight bulb wasn't working and everything else passed with flying colours! Incidentally, my emissions results were perfect - 0.001 g per whatever of HydroCarbons, etc. - Not bad after 107,000 miles and original exhausts etc. (and it's slightly overdue a service, so probably not running at its most efficient).

He's more worrried about his car being damaged by chavs than a dodgy MOT :bandit:

Wattie, I'm waiting for your 200k anouncement!!!!!!!!! :food:

I tell you what, nothing would make me happier than to be able to report even 150,000 miles on an original 3.4 996 engine... That might silence a few of the scaremongers! :wink: Watch this space... :thumb:

Most if not all garages now will only have their staff aged 25 and above to drive any car above group 10 due to insurance . Plus I am sure he will watch every move anyone makes.

Many thanks for all your words of comfort. I only ask because my last car was a focus cc tdci which I had new at 17k I went to great lengths finding the right ford garage for its first service you know mature guys etc. Two minor dents one on boot one on roof of a car later by them which had covered 80 miles and went in mint!! So yes it does concern me as they just dont seem to respect things enough for my tastes and I will be doing some up front checking before booking it in. Thanks again

No idea if this is any use to anyone but there's a place near my office in Brentford who's workshop is doing MOT for £35 inc vat which was the cheapest I have ever come across. His place is called "Carrera Worx" and they do it there on the premises themselves. I had the OH's Rangie done there the other week.