Drivers swerving towards 4-1-1 says MOT survey
21 March 2023 
89% drivers are in favour of starting the MOT when a car is four years old, rather than when it hits three years old, according to a survey from Startline Motor Finance.
The survey, undertaken as part of the monthly Startline Used Car Tracker, looked to road-test proposals contained in the MOT Consultation, also found that 71% of drivers are convinced that modern cars are safe enough to not need a MOT from the third year onwards, with just 36% claiming to be motivated by the cost-saving factor.
Commenting on the findings, Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “There’s clearly overwhelming public backing for this move, according to our findings. This puts the public very much at odds with the motor industry, which generally believes that a three-year MOT is essential and has been very vocal in criticising the idea.
“It’s striking that only around one in three people say that the cost of the test is a factor in backing the government’s proposal. It appears that drivers simply have a high degree of confidence in the ability of modern cars to resist any kind of treatment, believing that major faults are unlikely to arise by extending the test for a year.”
Moving back to the results of the survey, only 10% believe moving to a four-year start would affect road safety Paul observed: “From a corporate point of view, we very much agree with this 10%. While many cars fly through their three-year MOT test and are still very much in a roadworthy condition when they pass the four-year mark, others don’t.
He added: “You can talk to almost any motor mechanic and hear horror stories about what they have found when they have put cars up on the ramp for their first MOT – from failed suspension parts to tyres with literally no tread. It’s worth remembering that many cars of this age, especially those used on business, have covered a substantial number of miles.”
The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research.