Classic car owners want MOTs for older vehicles - even with talk of test price doubling

Owners of classic cars would welcome MOT tests for older vehicles, despite their motors currently being exempt from the annual roadworthiness check, which costs up to £55 before any repair bills are factored in.Under current rules, once a car reaches 40 years from its registration date, it automatically qualifies for 'historic vehicle' status, bringing with it a raft of financial benefits.These vehicles are exempt from clean air zone charges, including London's £12.50-a-day ULEZ. From the following year, owners are no longer required to pay Vehicle Excise Duty, better known as car tax.Reaching the 40-year milestone also exempts a vehicle from MOT testing, meaning it no longer has to prove its roadworthiness to remain legally on the road.However, a recent poll of 1,200 classic car owners found that almost two-thirds (64 per cent) would be willing to pay for an MOT to demonstrate their vehicle is safe to drive.The survey findings, shared exclusively with the Daily Mail and This is Money, come as the Government faces calls to increase the maximum cost of an MOT to £95 in a bid to support struggling garages. Cars over 40 years old are exempt from the MOT test, but a poll of 1,200 classic owners found that most want their vehicles to be subjected to an annual inspection to prove it is safe to driveHistoric vehicles do not require an MOT because ministers consider them cherished assets that owners maintain to a high standard due to their financial and sentimental value.But with models such as the Citroen AX, Jaguar XJ40 and Rover 800 qualifying for historic vehicle status from this year, not all older cars are valuable collectors' items.Many surviving examples of modern-classic cars are relatively inexpensive to buy. And with no legal requirement to undergo a roadworthiness check, there could be thousands of vehicles on Britain's roads with potentially serious defects.The latest available data suggests around one in five classic vehicles would fail an MOT.Between January 2019 and June 2021, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency carried out voluntary MOT tests on 121,204 vehicles aged more than 40 years, despite there being no legal requirement for them to pass an inspection.The results showed an average failure rate of 18.4 per cent.Classic car owners surveyed by insurer Hagerty UK said they would support an annual inspection, although most felt any test for vehicles over 40 years old should differ from those applied to modern cars.'A more sympathetic approach to older car testing would help keep unroadworthy cars off the road,' said one respondent who owns a modern classic Citroen.'A proportionate and appropriate testing regime would not be unwelcome. If there is a broader concern among the non-classic car community that our vehicles are unsafe, and that concern could be addressed by such a move, then this could be beneficial,' replied another collector of classic cars and motorcycles.'I don't want unsafe classic cars on the road, but I also don't think they should be tested as if they were modern vehicles,' added an Audi owner.Among those surveyed, 43 per cent said they still choose to put their cars through an annual MOT despite no legal requirement to do so, while many believe the current inspection process is not ideally suited to older vehicles.The poll also found that 43 per cent would pay more for a classic car with a valid MOT certificate, while 47 per cent believe mandatory inspections would help preserve historic vehicles for future generations.'I cannot understand why you would not have an MOT test for classic vehicles,' said one enthusiast who owns a Triumph TR3 and a Citroen 2CV.'I don't think any vehicle should be exempt from some kind of inspection,' added the owner of an original Ford Capri.Mark Roper, managing director of Hagerty UK, said the poll results show many classic vehicle owners have concerns about the current MOT exemption.'It is clear that many owners would welcome a classic-specific MOT test, one that proves roadworthiness through checks that are more appropriate for the age of the vehicle.'Most agree there should be some form of annual inspection, ideally carried out by a classic car specialist, particularly as many popular models are now exempt from any form of annual testing and can be driven regardless of condition.'The classic car industry also appears supportive of some form of inspection while retaining the current exemption system.'We support regular safety and roadworthiness checks for historic vehicles that are exempt from the statutory MOT, particularly when a vehicle is being returned to the road after a period of storage, following restoration, or after significant mechanical work,' said Dale Keller, chief executive of the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA).'There is a clear rationale for the current exemption, not least because historic vehicles often require specialist knowledge to assess properly.'However, we believe there is a strong case for developing an optional, industry-led roadworthiness inspection specifically for MOT-exempt historic vehicles.' The Independent Garage Association in Britain has called for ministers to double the price cap on MOT tests to help businesses facing 'unsustainable' operating costsJoin the discussionShould all cars, no matter how old or cherished, be forced to pass a roadworthiness test to stay on the road?What's your view?Could the cost of an MOT be about to rise?Last month, the trade body representing independent garages called for the maximum cost of a car MOT to increase from £54.85 to £95, arguing that the current fee has become 'unsustainable' amid rising operating costs.The MOT price cap has remained unchanged since 2010.The Independent Garage Association (IGA) says the current maximum charge of £54.85 'needs to increase significantly'.However, the proposed 73 per cent rise is above the rate of inflation.According to calculations based on Bank of England inflation data, the equivalent inflation-adjusted fee would be £87.31.Stuart James, chief executive of the IGA, said: 'We are being advised by garage owners that without a significant increase to the MOT fee, they cannot continue to sustain this ever-increasing cost burden.'The association argues that rising labour, rent, equipment, fuel, energy, compliance, administration and staff training costs mean the expense of carrying out an MOT now outweighs the revenue generated under the current cap.'Inflation alone makes the current MOT fee unsustainable,' the IGA says.The organisation has secured talks with the Government over the price cap following last year's announcement that a review would be launched.On October 21, the IGA and other industry bodies will meet with the Department for Transport to discuss a potential increase to the MOT fee cap. CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST