# Getting van MOTd in Northern Ireland



## delicagirl (Dec 20, 2017)

i am planning next years trips......   i assume it would be legal to get my van MOTd in the north of Ireland ?    i also  assume that if my MOT expired whilst i was in the south of Ireland ( Eire) or anywhere on  mainland Europe)  that my insurance would be invalidated from the day after my MOT expired? 

Alternatively 

i know i  can apply for a new MOT  a month ahead of my current MOT being due  ...   is it possible to have it done  3-4 months ahead of its annual renewal date?


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## sparrks (Dec 20, 2017)

delicagirl said:


> i am planning next years trips......   i assume it would be legal to get my van MOTd in the north of Ireland ?    i also  assume that if my MOT expired whilst i was in the south of Ireland ( Eire) or anywhere on  mainland Europe)  that my insurance would be invalidated from the day after my MOT expired?
> 
> Alternatively
> 
> i know i  can apply for a new MOT  a month ahead of my current MOT being due  ...   is it possible to have it done  3-4 months ahead of its annual renewal date?



Yes, you can have the MOT done any time and several times a year if you so wish. The 1 month prior to expiry is to preserve the original date of the MOT. For a trip like yours I would have it done several weeks before the start of your trip just in case it fails.........


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## TeamRienza (Dec 20, 2017)

*MOT in N. Ireland*

Here is a link to the scheme here in N. Ireland.

MOT and vehicle testing | nidirect

Certainly people from here have had mot’s carried out in G.B. So I imagine you can have yours done here. There are only a handful of centres that carry out the test. It is government run, so you can be sure that you will not be ripped off for work ‘needed’. A lot of the test is computerised so there is less give and take possibly than across the water. If your vehicle should fail you can get a retest on the specific items at a reduced price, but there is a specific time frame.

On occasion the waiting list has been quite long, but not too bad at present as you can get a test evenings and Saturdays. However the online booking slots do not give availability far into the future, so timing could be important. You can do a dummy run on the site to gauge time frame available at present and see how the system works.

Davy


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## redhand (Dec 20, 2017)

From memory of living there I would suggest it would be easier to have it done in GB earlier rather than NI. Based purely on the fact that it takes more arranging as it is government run. Your regular tester should know your wagon assuming you have a regular tester


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## jagmanx (Dec 21, 2017)

*Yes*

For convenience and peace of mind etc get your MOT and yearly service done in UK
maybe at your usual Garage or near where you live.

Yes you will lose some MOT time on this one occasion but if you choose a date suitably remembering in future you can get it done up to one month before without losing the anniversary.

WE get our vehicle "Done" in mid-April to preserve the anniversary... Service at the same time ready for the summer !


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## wildebus (Dec 21, 2017)

TeamRienza said:


> Here is a link to the scheme here in N. Ireland.
> 
> MOT and vehicle testing | nidirect
> 
> ...


I used to think that and used Council MOT Stations, but stopped after they incorrectly failed the car on "significantly" worn discs (under 1,500 miles old) and advisory on rusty brake pipes (surface rust....wipe with a cloth came up clean).
Took to regular garage that passed vehicle with NO remedial work done in-between (AND also turned down the booked work for brake pipe replacement as not actually needed).

From what I have heard of NI MOTs, if it were me, I would get done in Uk before you leave and just accept the loss of a few months. Should it fail while away, it could really spoil your trip, especially if a part is needed specific to your rarer vehicle model to get a pass.


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## trevskoda (Dec 21, 2017)

Del get it sorted on mainland,no parts here and very few would work on it as being a oddball, mot is strict with only so many days to retest,plus you cannot rive it on the road if failed,only to and from place of test on that day.


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## delicagirl (Dec 21, 2017)

thank you  - i will get it done at my old garage before i go.


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## malagaoth (Dec 21, 2017)

there are no lengthy waits in NI (unless you want saturday morning)  I had my car 'done' a couple of weeks ago and the wait was a couple of days, I prefer the NI system to that in the rest of GB, yes it is probably more strict  but I would prefer my brakes to fail on the test centers rolling road than on the actual road, I have never been failed on something I thought should have passed.

You will however struggle to find a repairer other than a main dealer unless you are 'in the know' that said I think main dealer prices are possibly a little lower than in GB - I had mine seen by the local main dealer (who gets full marks from me by the way) he charged me £50 per hour but was able to identify the problem instantly and had the specialist knowledge and tools to effect a speedy repair - I only took it to the dealer in desparation after my usual back street guy spent an hour scratching his head and wanted to change all manner of stuff 'just in case'

All in however get it done at your usual place  - which you presumably know and trust and if you lose a few months on the deal  just accept that


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## harrow (Dec 21, 2017)

delicagirl said:


> thank you  - i will get it done at my old garage before i go.


Yes a very wise choice,

get it done on home ground before you go away, 

maybe mot test a couple of months before you go incase you need repairs carried out.

And then when you go away you will be confident that it's all been done.

Oh and make sure you have good breakdown insurance if you have a puncture !

Enjoy your holiday !


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## trevskoda (Dec 21, 2017)

malagaoth said:


> there are no lengthy waits in NI (unless you want saturday morning)  I had my car 'done' a couple of weeks ago and the wait was a couple of days, I prefer the NI system to that in the rest of GB, yes it is probably more strict  but I would prefer my brakes to fail on the test centers rolling road than on the actual road, I have never been failed on something I thought should have passed.
> 
> You will however struggle to find a repairer other than a main dealer unless you are 'in the know' that said I think main dealer prices are possibly a little lower than in GB - I had mine seen by the local main dealer (who gets full marks from me by the way) he charged me £50 per hour but was able to identify the problem instantly and had the specialist knowledge and tools to effect a speedy repair - I only took it to the dealer in desparation after my usual back street guy spent an hour scratching his head and wanted to change all manner of stuff 'just in case'
> 
> All in however get it done at your usual place  - which you presumably know and trust and if you lose a few months on the deal  just accept that



4 weeks for my last mot,mallusk.


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