MOT due this month

[springtime]

Hi
MOT Is due this month & I am thinking of using my nearest VOSA testing station on the Slyfield Industrial Estate in Guildford Surrey.
Has anybody had any experience of these?
What is the score on headlamps? Mine are the originals with black tape to stop them from blinding oncoming traffic - this has been sufficient for passing it's previous MOT.
Similarly, do they do an emmissions test on both the LPG and gasoline?

Steve

[zaskar]

Using the local VOSA or local authority (library vans/bin waggons etc) testing station is a very good idea.
They cannot / are not allowed to do paid work on public vehicles and can only test them, hence there is far less likelyhood of some green eyed muppet thinking, "nice one, this guy must be loaded, lets see what we can make out of him". (Not ALL garages are like this!)
I used to use the Hackney Carriage inspectorate at Gorton Monestry (Manchester) for about 10 years and never had any problems at all. Only thing is, you MUST make an advanced appointment and cannot just turn up on spec.

Headlamps - You shouldn't need any tape. American headlights (at least for RV's) aren't biased to one side, they simply point downwards.

Emmisions. - As a great deal of council / official vehicles are now running LPG, there's a good chance that they'll be geared up to test em i would have thought?

[UK Streamer]

I was told by my VOSA chap that they do check the LPG, although it is not so stringent. He curses me because I am still on petrol and their (Petrol) tester is always playing up - but he perseveres and gets there!!

I agree with Zaskar, the RV headlights are not or should not be biased. Many a time new owners have spent a fortune on new lights when not needed.

As a pre-test check I up to a wall or similar and look at the pattern from the lights, or just crouch down and assume the position as if in a sports car coming towards the RV and see if blinded. That should give an indication if your on the right track. (and before someone jumps in and says you can't rely on such a 'test' - it's only a guide )

Hope this helps.

[springtime]

I used Renault Trucks in Reading.
A very friendly place, they adjusted both headlamps, tightened a loose chassis bolt & put protective grease on a slightly corroded brake pipe where it touched the chassis. All for nothing.
However it failed on the steering idler ball joint, rs side and faulty rear fog light.
It was a pain to source the steering part & a bigger pain to fit.
However, now finally completed.
The rear fog was down to a corroded connection, easily fixed.
Retested this morning & it passed.

Steve

[BREEZE]

I used Reading trucks last week - first mot (have used them for my previous e350 minnie winnie) and I agree they are helpfull - tweaked the headlamps f.o.c, sadly a failure on emissions on the n/s due to the clowns that supplied the RV and fitted a new tail pipe with a join 4mm to large. I admit I must also be a clown as I have never noticed the glaring error (I know it was replaced as uk style clamps have been fitted, where as the o/s has heavy duty us type clamps) Quick cut & weld in the correct pipe size & all is well.

[Jan Pendreigh]

We would recommend Lincoln MOT Centre on the Outer Circle Road, LN2 4HW. www.lincolnmotcentre.com Tel 01522 527342 (Tom or Ken). Good choice of appointment times on all days, access for an rv good. Not affiliated to a garage so 'strict but fair'.

[Moosehead]

When I took our Brave for its first MOT in our hands at the start of October I purposely left in switched on to LPG as I assumed they wouldn't bother switching it over to petrol and I knew the emissions would be ok on gas.
Looking at the emission readings on the ticket I assumed correctly

[Rambler]

Hi All
Had the Motorhome in for annual MOT at the local VOSA Station who has mot it from new. Now on its 4th test I got 3 certificates Pass,Fail,Advisory anyone else experienced this, I thought it passed or failed. The fail was on the head lights as the beam pattern was not as should be according to them, even though they passed it OK the last 3yrs. The advisory was for the Number plate letters not the correct size. Has anyone come across this before? Tester says if I don't get it done it will fail next year.

[silverado]

hi steve dont no about your lights but they test it on lpg & petrol shoudn't be a problem though rog

[Loddy]

I believe they check the emissions on the fuel that is set on presentation of the vehicle

Loddy

Vehicles which run on more than fuel (eg petrol and LPG) should be tested on the fuel they are running on when presented.

There is a slight difficulty with LPG vehicles: the hydrocarbons are propane rather than hexane. So the HC reading obtained must be divided by the propane/hexane equivalency factor (PEF) marked on the gas analyser. For example:

An LPG vehicle gives a HC reading of 700 ppm.

The PEF marked on the machine is 0.48.

So the actual MOT value is

700/0.48 = 1458 ie fail.

Some exhaust gas analysers have an a