Should The MOT Test Be Harsher on Tyres (1 Viewer)

Apr 14, 2008
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Just collected motorhome after service and MOT. One advisory, offside front tyre has severe perishing within the tread pattern. How on earth can it be a pass with a tyre like that.
The tyre walls are fine as I always check them but never thought of checking tread, except for depth.
So two new Continental Camper 225/65r16 ordered to be fitted Saturday £257.02 including valve balancing and disposal of old tyres.
An expensive week. Still all ready now to get away in January as long as the snow is not to deep.
 
OP
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sweetie
Apr 14, 2008
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Just checked 5 years old. But not motorhome specific tyres although the tyre loading is correct the tyre is a Maxmiler EX. Already on van when purchased about 4000 miles ago.

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Mikey RV

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Mar 7, 2010
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Tyres are so important but so many peaple just don't seem to get the message how important. This year I put four new tryres on the rear cost nearly £600. Yes it's a lot of money and yes there was tread on them BUT the walls were starting to crack etc as they were six years old. £600 or a possible right off van due to blow out etc or even worse. We spend thousands on our motorhomes so a few extra on tyres is nothing in the scheme of things. Go check them now.
 
Mar 23, 2012
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I suppose failure of the tyre on the tread is unlikely given the thickness of the rubber or it would be a fail.
 
Nov 15, 2013
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For a mot tester to fail an item there has to be a reason for rejection (rfr) listed on the computer to choose. There is no rfr for severe perishing so it's advise only. I think most mot testers would agree it should be a failure. Your car will fail on a number plate light not working but will pass with a dangerous tyre!!

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Jul 12, 2013
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I think I prefer the present system regarding tyres where the examiner, if not actually failing the tyre, offers an advisory note. We are already inundated with legislation and treating us with a modicum of common sense seems no bad thing. As for the five year replacement date on MH tyres where some tyres will have been parked in the sunshine all the time, while others are kept in cooler climes. Places where the sun rarely shines and the van only does frequent short runs and will have had a very different life. Under these two extremes, would compulsory replacement be fair to all?
 

Badknee

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The MOT tester tested to the letter of the MOT law I suspect and added the advisory, well done that man/woman.
Remember too that it's not just the tyre failing that costs, a friend had a tyre blow on his two year old caravan that caused thousands to fix as it ripped it to bits under the wheel arch.
 
Oct 5, 2012
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The MOT tester tested to the letter of the MOT law I suspect and added the advisory, well done that man/woman.
Remember too that it's not just the tyre failing that costs, a friend had a tyre blow on his two year old caravan that caused thousands to fix as it ripped it to bits under the wheel arch.
Yes that's why I changed one of mine, the thought of the blow out taking out the bodywork on the rear.

Recently in Spain I noticed not many motorists bother at all to properly inflate their tyres.....

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sewinlynne2

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Jul 21, 2013
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My take on your problem, for what it's worth is that, an advisory on an MOT test is not a fail, it is a warning to you to use good judgement and rectify something that may fail while in use. I can cope with a bulb or 3 popping but not tyres. MOT will fail you on popped bulbs and tyres but the leeway that is given by the governing authority on the basis of a combination of legislation and industry advice leaves the ball in your court currently. Mileage on any 'van is not really an indication of tyre use or otherwise. You don't say how many miles on the clock on vehicle from new and 4k mls in 5 yrs is not a lot. Like most things mech. tyres like to be used regularly. In short I think you've done exactly the right thing. Your lives (and your 'van) are worth a lot more than a few hundred quid. There are plenty of people who may disagree but, they are more likely to suffer a catastrophic failure than you ever may. Happy Mo ho ing.
 

Puddleduck

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Best to get them changed. How would you feel if you have been advised (warned) but did nothing and there was an accident?

I'm still mad at my Dad for buying part worn tyres from a scrap yard for his previous car. Sure they may have been fine but they may not..... no way of knowing why the car had been scrapped.
 
OP
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sweetie
Apr 14, 2008
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My take on your problem, for what it's worth is that, an advisory on an MOT test is not a fail, it is a warning to you to use good judgement and rectify something that may fail while in use. I can cope with a bulb or 3 popping but not tyres. MOT will fail you on popped bulbs and tyres but the leeway that is given by the governing authority on the basis of a combination of legislation and industry advice leaves the ball in your court currently. Mileage on any 'van is not really an indication of tyre use or otherwise. You don't say how many miles on the clock on vehicle from new and 4k mls in 5 yrs is not a lot. Like most things mech. tyres like to be used regularly. In short I think you've done exactly the right thing. Your lives (and your 'van) are worth a lot more than a few hundred quid. There are plenty of people who may disagree but, they are more likely to suffer a catastrophic failure than you ever may. Happy Mo ho ing.
It will be 10 years old next month 31500 miles. We bought it 2 year ago at 27400 miles but I'll health only done 4000 miles in 2 years.
The 4 rear tyres where original when we purchased with 4.5mm tread but changed those straight away owing to age and left the fronts as they where only 3 at time.
 

Gorse Hill

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Feb 2, 2013
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I think I prefer the present system regarding tyres where the examiner, if not actually failing the tyre, offers an advisory note. We are already inundated with legislation and treating us with a modicum of common sense seems no bad thing. As for the five year replacement date on MH tyres where some tyres will have been parked in the sunshine all the time, while others are kept in cooler climes. Places where the sun rarely shines and the van only does frequent short runs and will have had a very different life. Under these two extremes, would compulsory replacement be fair to all?
In my experience yes, about 4yrs ago we were traveling to a site in Ary with a caravan, the tyres were about 5 yrs old plenty of tread
Parked on a farm where no sunlight got to them with short but frequent journeys and plenty of tread and they looked like new, yet had a blow out with 3 kids and the assistant in the car
IMO if they consider a tyre to require an advisory based on safety then it should be a failure
The experience caused me to get M/H which was the upside:xsmile:
 

Allanm

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When we bought our Winnebago I checked all the tyres. All 4 rear tyres were between 13 and 19 years old. Loads of tread and no cracking or perishing as the previous owner kept it under cover with tyre covers on.
The van had done 46000 miles, I assume with two of the original tyres on the back. Needless to say I had all 4 rears changed. Wouldnt fancy a blowout at 60 in a 7.5 ton vehicle.
The fronts were 3 years old and as new.
It would be helpful if tyre age was something checked at mot time, it passed its last test with no advisories and was maintained by a specialist RV dealer all its life. They obviously never checked the tyres at each service.

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Nov 15, 2013
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I think I prefer the present system regarding tyres where the examiner, if not actually failing the tyre, offers an advisory note. We are already inundated with legislation and treating us with a modicum of common sense seems no bad thing. As for the five year replacement date on MH tyres where some tyres will have been parked in the sunshine all the time, while others are kept in cooler climes. Places where the sun rarely shines and the van only does frequent short runs and will have had a very different life. Under these two extremes, would compulsory replacement be fair to all?
If as an MOT tester you advise an item like a tyre you hope that the customer takes on board your advise and rectifies the problem. Unfortunately not everybody is like that. Often you know that vehicle is driven away and won't be looked at for another year. Even when you do fail a tyre often the vehicle returns for retest with a part worn winter tyre, on the same axle as a nearly bald summer tyre that was advised. These vehicles are often used for school runs or mini cabs.
I personally think things should be stricter on items that are safety issues. There should be legislation on the use of winter tyres and stricter regulation of part worn tyres.
 

sewinlynne2

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Jul 21, 2013
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I also think that as full MOT histories of vehicles are now freely available for all to check that, in the event of an insurance claim your company would immediately look at the vehicles history including that and if they saw an ignored or overlooked tyre advisory and that could be shown to be in any way a contributory factor to the claim arising, then they would decline to pay out on that basis at least.
 

Chris

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I have got a thing about tyres.

I always change them on the car and van well before I legally need to.

To me along with brakes, tyres are the most important part of motoring.

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sdc77

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Jan 28, 2013
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@telsdog what's the issue with winter tyres? A fair few on here run with winter tyres all year round. . (Continental as a manufacturer has no issue with this - not sure about the other manufacturers)
 
Nov 15, 2013
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@telsdog what's the issue with winter tyres? A fair few on here run with winter tyres all year round. . (Continental as a manufacturer has no issue with this - not sure about the other manufacturers)
I don't think vehicles should be allowed to have a mixture of summer and winter tyres. Especially across the same axle. In the New Zealand equivalent of an MOT, if winter tyres are fitted they must be on all the wheels and have min 4mm tread. Many of our part worn tyre places sell winter tyres that come from the continent. They will just fit one to a vehicle.
I don't know about Continental tyres advice on this. Many all weather tyres now have the snowflake symbol.
 
Oct 5, 2012
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I don't think vehicles should be allowed to have a mixture of summer and winter tyres. Especially across the same axle. In the New Zealand equivalent of an MOT, if winter tyres are fitted they must be on all the wheels and have min 4mm tread. Many of our part worn tyre places sell winter tyres that come from the continent. They will just fit one to a vehicle.
I don't know about Continental tyres advice on this. Many all weather tyres now have the snowflake symbol.
I met a guy in Portugal who had MH tyres on the front axle and PLG tyres on the back, that shouldn't be allowed either :xdoh:

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Aug 18, 2014
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I personally think things should be stricter on items that are safety issues. There should be legislation on the use of winter tyres and stricter regulation of part worn tyres.

I'm with you on that one. Part worns should never be allowed to be resold/used again. Especially when they are charging you a disposal fee.

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