the fto and the mot ..
Please note that this is not intended to be a detailed analysis of the MOT test, but more a list of potential problems areas specific to the FTO, and what you can do to minimise the inconvenience and expense of your car failing the annual test.The following information is based on over 30 years in the motor trade and 10 years experience with FTOs. This advice should help you make a more informed decision regarding parts purchase and may also be useful for any DIY'ers out there.
the fto and the mot..
Getting any 10 year old car through the annual MOT test can be a daunting and often expensive procedure. Whilst imports such as the FTO have a good 5 years head start in terms of underbody corrosion compared to UK supplied vehicles, a poor approach to routine servicing can negate a lot of the advantages of owning an import. You may decide to adopt a laissez faire attitude towards the annual test and see what the MOT failure sheet looks like first before acting. You may well get a free retest but this will entail at the very least, the inconvenience of a return trip to the testing station. If you are under pressure and needing a test certificate in order to tax your car, then you are much more likely just to get the testing station to carry out the repairs. From our experience MOT testing stations may not be the best alternative for the repair of a specialised vehicle such as the FTO and it is unlikely that they will have access to competitively priced service parts.
