CAR MOT while on Military Basic Training

[RAYK47]

Hi all

 

after a bit of advice as my daughter has a bit of a conundrum.

 

My daughter is currently doing basic training with the RAF and we have just noticed that her car MOT will run out before she finishes her 10 week basic training.  During the 10 weeks she is not allowed to leave site (the car is with her) so wont be able to get the MOT done.  

 

She is going to ask if i can come and get the car (she will drive it outside so there is no contact) and i will take the car away and not return it until she finishes.  However she does not think this will be allowed.

 

its a pretty niche problem to have but any advice would be welcome. 

[Stu]

How far away from home is she staying? and once the training is done is she heading home or staying on camp? 

[RAYK47]

Hi Stu

 

its about an hour from home.  They dont know yet as it depends when the next training intake is (she has further training to do after basic). either way she should be home for a few days before going off again, where that is, is anyones guess. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by RAYK47

[Stu]

hmmm bit of a sticky one really! 

 

If it wasn't too far I was going to say book it in for an MOT for when she is allowed out and just take it straight there but an hour so around 40 to 60 miles max distance I wonder if a copper would argue that its too far to go for an MOT 

[Bender]

1 minute ago, Stu said:

hmmm bit of a sticky one really! 

 

If it wasn't too far I was going to say book it in for an MOT for when she is allowed out and just take it straight there but an hour so around 40 to 60 miles max distance I wonder if a copper would argue that its too far to go for an MOT 

I booked a van in for an mot, mot station was 280miles from the garage when I picked it up  

 

Can you not just pick it up and take it for an mot near the base. 

 

 

[RAYK47]

yeah but not only that.....

 

the completion date could change with very little notice, particularly if she gets reflighted.  

 

Thanks again. 

[RAYK47]

1 minute ago, Bender said:

I booked a van in for an mot, mot station was 280miles from the garage when I picked it up  

 

Can you not just pick it up and take it for an mot near the base. 

 

 

 

Noone is allowed in or out of the base.  She cant even come home at weekends, i think its because of COVID

[Bender]

Book car in for mot for when she's finished, at an mot station near where she is

[RAYK47]

thanks gents, i think that is my only option.  It will run out but so be it, we have all forgotten our MOT at some point.  I remember once i didnt realise for months, until my TAX was due.

[Bianco2564]

 

25 minutes ago, Stu said:

hmmm bit of a sticky one really! 

 

If it wasn't too far I was going to say book it in for an MOT for when she is allowed out and just take it straight there but an hour so around 40 to 60 miles max distance I wonder if a copper would argue that its too far to go for an MOT 

There doesn't appear to any distance limit on how far you can drive for an MOT test centre, but taking the Mick too much might not be a good idea if you get pulled over by a grumpy cop. You need proof of the test appointment aswell.

Not sure what would happen if there was an accident on your way to your usual MOT centre that you use, the insurance company would surely say you should have gone to one near the base?

Are you in the AA or anything? If so, pull a fuse out or something so it won't start, then get it recovered to your local garage for "repair" and MOT. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Bianco2564

[Bender]

When I was young and skint I always used to skip a month or so on car tax. 

 

Mate got pulled for no mot after being involved in a minor bump, he didn't realise it was out, made no difference to insurance and the police dealing with it said not to worry bout it and that was that. 

 

Doubt it be same now, any excuse to raise a few bob. 

[MikeHorton]

There's no distance limit as long as you have the mot booked and you can prove it there's no issue. Just have her ID with her and explain 

[TimR]

You can mot a vehicle  a month before expiry .

Dont go for the long distance option as if stopped police tend to do a thorough roadside inspection and can throw up 'dangerous condition ' charge .

 

 Also note most breakdown companies will not cover a vehicle that is not MOT'd and if you request service from them it will be charged .

 

And at last known T&C this included  a £99 surcharge and £2.50 a mile .

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by TimR

[TimR]

You can also mot a vehicle at anytime not just at its current expiry term ..

 

[RAYK47]

I know you can MOT month prior to expiry and it will be a month in a couple of days. However that does not help because she has the car with her now and has done for the last 4 weeks. Yes we could have done it before but we only found out today. 

 

Thanks all. I will book something near RAF Halton as soon as I have confirmation of her finish date.  It will expire in the meantime but I doubt that's an issue was she can't use the car while she is in there anyway.  The first use will be driving it to the MOT 

[Old-codger]

Isnt there a garage right next to the base if I remember right.

[Stu]

 

11 hours ago, TimR said:

You can mot a vehicle  a month before expiry .

 

 

The problem is that the car is already on camp with no access to it so it can't be MOTed until it leaves came at which point it will have no MOT 

[RAYK47]

11 hours ago, Old-codger said:

Isnt there a garage right next to the base if I remember right.

probably but she is not allowed to leave camp and i am not allowed to collect the car. 

[Old-codger]

I realize that but what I mean is you could look up the garage and as soon as your daughter can leave get the car booked in for an MOT. As you drive towards Wendover going past the main base entrance on the left the garage was further down on the right. Its been a while since ive been by there though.

Edited February 19, 2022 by Old-codger

[RAYK47]

1 hour ago, Old-codger said:

I realize that but what I mean is you could look up the garage and as soon as your daughter can leave get the car booked in for an MOT. As you drive towards Wendover going past the main base entrance on the left the garage was further down on the right. Its been a while since ive been by there though.

yeah it probably what i will do, once she knows when she will finish.  currently its end March unless she gets reflighted for any reason.  Bearing in mind someone got reflighted 4 weeks for smoking a vape somewhere he shouldnt have been.  

[dex]

Congratulations to your daughter for joining up - please pass on to her that she will never forget recruit training, but as time passes it will be the fun/daft/happy bits which stay as the strongest memories

 

(and not so much the seemingly endless bollockings.....)

 

Assuming that the rules remain the same (not allowed to leave base) then it seems the best/only option is to provisionally book at MOT for the day after her graduation (I would suggest not early in the morning...) You can always re-schedule if she decides she loves Halton so much that she wants to stay on for a few extra weeks

[RAYK47]

15 hours ago, dex said:

Congratulations to your daughter for joining up - please pass on to her that she will never forget recruit training, but as time passes it will be the fun/daft/happy bits which stay as the strongest memories

 

(and not so much the seemingly endless bollockings.....)

 

Assuming that the rules remain the same (not allowed to leave base) then it seems the best/only option is to provisionally book at MOT for the day after her graduation (I would suggest not early in the morning...) You can always re-schedule if she decides she loves Halton so much that she wants to stay on for a few extra weeks

 

Thanks Dex, i am a very proud father. 

 

She struggled for the first couple of weeks and was getting anxious about being re-flighted, she couldn't bear the thought of having to do even longer than the 10 weeks.  She seems to have go to grips with this now and has accepted that "if it happens, if happens".  This has meant she is a lot calmer and seems to be enjoying it more (not that anyone can enjoy the sleep deprivation, endless miles running and gas chamber).  

 

There has been a development yesterday, she has been told that they cannot let her leave the base (at graduation) with no MOT.  So they have allowed me to go and get it MOT'd for her on Saturday afternoon after 1.  The issue is that i have rung every MOT centre in the area and not one has a clot (some are closed and the rest are just full).  However this means i will be able to bring the car home and get it done before it runs out.  She just wont have it there with her for graduation, I can pick her up anyway so no dramas.  

 

Thanks for all the advise everyone. 

[MikeHorton]

Good news a sensible outcome one less thing for her to worry about

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

The military making a sensible decision. This makes me nervous something sinister is afoot with the universe.

[dex]

On 22/02/2022 at 13:25, RAYK47 said:

She struggled for the first couple of weeks and was getting anxious about being re-flighted, she couldn't bear the thought of having to do even longer than the 10 weeks.  She seems to have go to grips with this now and has accepted that "if it happens, if happens".  This has meant she is a lot calmer and seems to be enjoying it more (not that anyone can enjoy the sleep deprivation, endless miles running and gas chamber).  

 

August/September 1997 (25 years ago!) I went through recruit training at Halton. I can still remember how being back-flighted/re-flighted was considered a fate worse than death.... Accepting that it actually will have helped her ditch a huge amount of self-inflicted pressure, good on her!

 

The 2nd time you go through a gas chamber and unmask is actually enjoyable if nobody else has been through it. It's still awful, but at least you have the advantage of knowing how awful it will be.