Which MOT station would you choose?

[Mark Elder]

The only two places I can find that are nearby and can test my 993 before the MOT runs out are at two extreems:

• Kwikfit
• My local OPC (who actually subcontract it apparently- but not to Kwikfit)

Any comments to help me make up my mind...?

 

[Porker993]

I only ever take it to my local independent specialist (Steve Bull, Devizes) who subcontracts it out. Difference is - he makes sure it passes, by doing any necessary work beforehand. I wouldn't take it within 1,000 miles of Kwikfit - they'll fail it and won't have the parts or knowledge to get it through. I took my LHD 3.2 carrera to National Tyres once - big mistake. Never again. They don't have the specialist knowledge or equipment to test these cars, let alone pass them.

I guess the lesser of the two evils is the OPC.

Still, I'm sure someone out there has great experience of Kwikfit and will let us know soon. Me - I wouldn't even buy tyres there.

 

[Pickled Piper]

If it's any help I took my 993 to a Lex Autocentre. I had them do it while I waited and asked if i could watch. The lads that did it enjoyed checking it over, were very interested in the car and treated it with kid gloves. At one stage I had about five people including the manager gathered round it asking questions and admiring it. They even gave me a free brake light bulb.

If you decide to take it to Kwikfit then make sure you stay with the car while they do it. If you can't stay then take it to the OPC.

pp

 

[Fred Hindle]

Don't know if you have already seen this site.

http://www.accessplace.com/mot-test

Lists all MOT Testing stations.

Cheers,

 

[zwhitea]

I've found that it is all down to how the garage takes the emmissions test, which will determine if these cars pass or fail... As just left on tick over they are likely to be just over, but the testing station should be able to rev the to something like 1500rpm during a portion of the test.. but many places find this difficult to do or don't bother.

My local garage always manages to get all our cars through, without breaking any rules.. and quite likes it when we take the 993, as he has to road test it for the brake test, as its four wheel drive..

Big garages and chains basically don't care about repeat business, where as the smaller outfits and specialist want you to come back so are not normally there just to make the fast buck.

If I was you I would talk to the testers at the OPC or look further afield

Adam.

 

[Blade_uk]

I was told they ran my car for 15mins then it would pass the emissions, any cars taken over to the test centre & left until the afternoon would fail if tested from cold. don't know how true this is, mine has sports exhausts with 100 cell cats & passed fine via my local OPC, took it to my OPC because they at least use someone who is familiar with dealing with such a fine car []

 

[clyde]

You could always take it to the garage that the OPC sub-contract it out to yourself.
I now take mine down to Motortune in Shotts, Peter knows these cars inside out. The first time I took it there was 2 years ago when poor emmissions caused it to fail the MOT at PC Edinburgh (sub-contracted). It was tested a second time (as part of the test) and failed again. I took it away and ran the car really hot to clear the cats and returned it a couple of days later but it failed twice again, with the results getting progressively worse. To cut a long story short, I subsequently took it Motortune where it passed first time with figures more resembling those in previous years.
Peter advised me that 993 engines are so efficient that they can pass the emmission test even with cat by pass pipes fitted.

 

[Mark Elder]

Thanks for all the comments and advice.

I only just realised (having seen Clyde's comment) that Motortune do MOTs, Phoned Peter but he's booked up till Tuesday.

So I'm off to the OPC to drink their coffee...

 

[Mark Elder]

Passed MOT at the OPC.
But....[]...door bash while with the OPC.
Made mistake of not staying with it (difficult to do at the OPC and anyway I had work to get done and assumed they could be trusted)

Of course the OPC denies it was them. But they washed the car (I suspect so that the very fresh mark in the coat of Scottish grime was washed away). It was simply impossible for it to have been there before I gave them the car because Val my partner owned up to bashing the door edge on the wall yesterday and I spent 15 minutes examining her small amount of damage (while trying not to get too angry) and today's mark is only 3 inches from yesterday's, so I would have seen it (and it's not been in a car park since).

I'm also not pleased with the way they cleaned it. The car was nicely zymoled (under the grime), totally without swirl marks. Now it's covered in circles where they have given it a hard polish round in circles.

Thanks for listening to the rant, I've already called chipsaway...

 

[harry]

Where in the west coast are you? I take mine to Phoenix Honda. They have a flat ramp lift (for NSX) and I stay with my car when MOT being performed. OPC in Glasgow subcontract it out, Motortune has rather aggressive speed ramps (OK for normal ride height) so I am not comfortable taking my low-riding RS there...place that George Morrison took the car has no respect for the car - again ride height an issue with my car. I now service my own car such is my distrust [].

Harry

 

[cococola]

I would always stay with my car as due to the intrest created,you usually find some kid who fancies himself in it playing with anything that moves[]

 

[peterarcher]

I think everyone has just about said it all but I would add this. Yes, they do need a warm to hot engine to carry out the emissions check, so I always make sure I arrive for the MOT after a little drive. This was after the only time I took it in cold and had to listen to them revving the nuts off it trying to warm it up .... horrible. I never did that again.
Peter