MOT and low miles

jonbeeza

jonbeeza

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The missus got a car a few years ago, and her car being bigger gets used more. Plus her car is more comfy, so I tend to use that myself also. Not much room in my little car, so it gets neglected.

It's that time of the year for my car MOT, and just sifting through my old MOT's. Last few times I have taken car for MOT, the tester has mentioned the low miles. I noticed the tester talking to the garage manager, I was wondering if they were discussing why not so many miles :thinking:

When sorting the bill out after the MOT, I mentioned to the manager the car was a second car, that was hardly used. He said they were wondering why there was not many miles since last few tests.

The miles I did in my car over the last few years.

2015 = 297 Miles
2014 = 457 Miles
2013 = 661 Miles
2012 = 2985 Miles
2011 = 5283 Miles

A big drop in usage over the last three years, probably should get rid of the car. Just hope they don't think I am clocking the car lol
 
LOL I do more miles on my drive way than that :) Out of interest what is it? On the face of it, it doesn't seem worth while the insurance, tax, mot etc. May be better value to just get a taxi.
 
They'd definitely be suspicious as the mileage is negligible. If I was you John I'd get rid of the car as the cost of keeping it, let alone the impact of not running the car regularly/reasonable distances could also mean that later on there may be other problems presenting. Tyres don't like being stood for example, the can go out of shape and also the tyre compound does breakdown due to the elements.
 
And yes good point, unless it is an Italian classic super car people will get very suspicious about that mileage...
 
dejongj said:
And yes good point, unless it is an Italian classic super car people will get very suspicious about that mileage...
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I think it possibly happens more than you realise,
I bought my present car @ 5 years old with 35,000 on the clock,
5 years later there is 51,000 on the clock
I've always had company vans or cars but do I do like blast mine when I get the chance.
The V6 is barely run in I guess :D
 
I bought a 15 year old Toyota for my daughter in law from my 80 year old neighbour when he gave up driving, it had full Toyota service history and had done 28K miles.
He liked having a car for convenience but really preferred being driven so used taxi's
 
dejongj said:
LOL I do more miles on my drive way than that :) Out of interest what is it? On the face of it, it doesn't seem worth while the insurance, tax, mot etc. May be better value to just get a taxi.
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+ 1
 
Cobra said:
I think it possibly happens more than you realise,
I bought my present car @ 5 years old with 35,000 on the clock,
5 years later there is 51,000 on the clock
I've always had company vans or cars but do I do like blast mine when I get the chance.
The V6 is barely run in I guess :D
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troutfisher said:
I bought a 15 year old Toyota for my daughter in law from my 80 year old neighbour when he gave up driving, it had full Toyota service history and had done 28K miles.
He liked having a car for convenience but really preferred being driven so used taxi's
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Well there you, I've learned something new :)

What a wasteful nation :p:jawdrop::exit:
 
dejongj said:
What a wasteful nation :p:jawdrop::exit:
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Not at all think of all that fuel I'm saving, and not throwing away a car in favour of a new one,
I believe I am doing my bit for the environment :p
 
I only really use my car for taking me to shoot weddings and the odd short social trip. Still manage to stick 15k a year on it. At the moment I'm trying to convince my wife not to buy a second car. Even after the summer we've had, she has her eye on a TT convertible.
 
I did 61 miles on my motorbike since last years MOT and 20 odd of those was travelling there and back to get the MOT done.:rolleyes: Still, it's ace knowing it's there if I fancy a spin:)
 
I drive about 30k a year in a work van but only a couple of thousand in my car, I wouldn't dream of getting rid of it though, it's used for trips out when on holiday and the odd long run. My last car which was too small for me and I didn't like driving barely made 4k in four years.
 
Steep said:
I drive about 30k a year in a work van but only a couple of thousand in my car, I wouldn't dream of getting rid of it though, it's used for trips out when on holiday and the odd long run.
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Pretty much the same as me, (y) although I do a few more than that in the works 4x4, its nice to drive something low and fast after that lumbering thing ;)
(Which BTW does get used quite a bit for what it was actually designed to be used for )
 
dejongj said:
LOL I do more miles on my drive way than that :) Out of interest what is it? On the face of it, it doesn't seem worth while the insurance, tax, mot etc. May be better value to just get a taxi.
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My car is the little Citroen C1, it's eight years old and only changed two tyres in all those years. What rely on public transport :eek:
Buck said:
They'd definitely be suspicious as the mileage is negligible. If I was you John I'd get rid of the car as the cost of keeping it, let alone the impact of not running the car regularly/reasonable distances could also mean that later on there may be other problems presenting. Tyres don't like being stood for example, the can go out of shape and also the tyre compound does breakdown due to the elements.
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I sometimes don't drive for about a month or two, even then it's just down the road to turn the engine over. I try to give it a quick blip to keep things clear. Other than that, I may push it back and forth, just to stop brakes sticking.
BRASH said:
I did 61 miles on my motorbike since last years MOT and 20 odd of those was travelling there and back to get the MOT done.:rolleyes: Still, it's ace knowing it's there if I fancy a spin:)
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My last big bike did not do many miles, it was a ZZR 1100. The miles were low, due to it being heavy on the fuel, so I was reluctant to ride it. Plus it was off road for months waiting for repairs. Other than that, best bike I ever had :)
 
jonbeeza said:
My last big bike did not do many miles, it was a ZZR 1100. The miles were low, due to it being heavy on the fuel, so I was reluctant to ride it.
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Let me get this straight, you buy a big powerful bike and bitch about the MPG? :p

Do they still make Honda 50's? :D
 
Cobra said:
Let me get this straight, you buy a big powerful bike and bitch about the MPG? :p

Do they still make Honda 50's? :D
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I really do not know I managed to keep my Licence with such a big bike, I did manage to get banned twice many many years ago, but that was while driving farty little cars. You don't realise things like MPG, when you buy your first big bike. It's only when you go out with your biking mates, for a ride out down the road. It will cost you £20 quid to go for a blast down a few dual carriageways, get your knee down on a round about or two. Then £20 gone, just like that. Not forgetting the expensive tyres you get through, with heavy acceleration. All done many many years ago, of course :rolleyes:

Edit Honda 50 ? Did I miss something..hmm quick edit was it lol
 
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Trouble is. not using the car is not doing the car any good. The locks have deteriorated over time, I know this was a fault on the C1, but stood doing nothing isn't going to help. Don't think the car would be worth much now anyway! Maybe I should try and sell it, then get another car in two years time, otherwise I will lose all my full no claims bonus :confused:
 
Cobra said:
I just wondered if this was more to your liking? :p

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That brings back memories
I once bought a very tatty Honda 90 step thru that had done 40K for £30 when I needed transport and was skint
It never let me down and I got £25 for it when I sold it more than a year later :D
 
LCPete said:
That brings back memories
I once bought a very tatty Honda 90 step thru that had done 40K for £30 when I needed transport and was skint
It never let me down and I got £25 for it when I sold it more than a year later :D
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One of the best bikes ever made, and very very economical. I wanted to buy one a little while ago, but collectors are grabbing the good ones :(
 
jonbeeza said:
One of the best bikes ever made, and very very economical. I wanted to buy one a little while ago, but collectors are grabbing the good ones :(
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Yes they were great little bikes I've had a C70 as well I didn't know that they were now collectable
 
LCPete said:
Yes they were great little bikes I've had a C70 as well I didn't know that they were now collectable
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Yep, I was looking at a superb condition C90 from the 70s. It was described as A1 condition, it went for about £3000 I think. The earliest ones in superb condition, go for silly money :confused:
 
jonbeeza said:
Yep, I was looking at a superb condition C90 from the 70s. It was described as A1 condition, it went for about £3000 I think. The earliest ones in superb condition, go for silly money :confused:
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Wouldn't been seen dead on one then, my opinion hasn't hasn't changed ;)
 
Well just put a few more miles on the car, just filled up with petrol. This is to get it ready for MOT on Monday. Just a quick check of everything tomorrow, can't see anything that it might fail on.
 
jonbeeza said:
Yep, I was looking at a superb condition C90 from the 70s. It was described as A1 condition, it went for about £3000 I think. The earliest ones in superb condition, go for silly money :confused:
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Blooming hell that's barmy they were always cheap transport for the masses
 
Same with me car sits in driveway most of the time, but use it for visits to my daughter and it gets a good run out down the motorway. This puts a few miles on the clock normally only use it for going fishing and photography. Honda 50 prices of the clock. my neighbour got an NSU quickly cheap and an old pudding bowl helmet, some of the local bicycle boys love giving him a run for his money on the flat stretches.
 
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Cobra said:
I just wondered if this was more to your liking? :p

images
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I used to have one like that. The red paint was mint green and the white part was pink. I also had the exhaust of the SS50 on it so it was going diagnally upwards. Whilst mine was a C50 as the Cylinder block was stamped. A friend expanded it to a 90cc in his metal working class :) I did get a proper 90cc head on it.

That 4-stroke sounded fantastic when you remove the muffler. Oh and with a little screw you could stop the limiter kicking in :)

Oh happy days. It even survive an accident which launched me off it, then my girl friend, and the Honda which landed on top of her. I was able to lift it off her, then pass out with arm out of the socket, the ball broken off and a broken collar bone. Unfortunately I didn't have enough money to get it back on the road and the driver of the car had no insurance.
 
dejongj said:
And yes good point, unless it is an Italian classic super car people will get very suspicious about that mileage...
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My 28 year old VW Caravelle Syncro does about 100 miles every year, but it's just too handy for moving big stuff that I don't want to sell it.
 
Buck said:
They'd definitely be suspicious as the mileage is negligible.
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Peculiar sort of MOT tester that cares if you ask me. As I noted in my previous post I keep an MOT on my van that does barely any miles, I've had Imps that have done little more in a year as well, depending on how often they've been in pieces since the last test.
 
onomatopoeia said:
My 28 year old VW Caravelle Syncro does about 100 miles every year, but it's just too handy for moving big stuff that I don't want to sell it.
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I know going by my mileage, sensible thing is sell the car. I know I would not get anything much for it, even though it is low miles :(
 
How about the old days, if a car had done 60,000 miles it was considered finished. A modern car of today, with that mileage is considered nicely run in, with plenty of life left. :woot:
 
Lucky if I hit 2k a year with my landrover. Now I've bought a Saab as a commuter car for my epic 2 mile each way commute, that will probably halve.

I couldn't give a toss what an mot tester thinks of the mileage. It's my car and if I want it to sit on the driveway doing nothing, then that's what will happen!
 
My missus has recently changed her car. 10 year old 307 with 21k on the clock. She had it from new, use it most days but it was for short trips. Never had a problem at mot time as the garage knew us.
 
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