Fleets and grey fleet drivers with vehicle MOTs due this autumn should “book early to avoid stress”, according to AA Approved Garages.

More than 10 million car, van and minibus MOTs are expected to take place throughout this ‘Frantic Fall’

More than 10 million car, van and minibus MOTs are expected to take place throughout this ‘Frantic Fall’, due to the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the resulting MOT extension.

It’s the latest warning on a rise in demand this coming autumn. Earlier this summer, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the BookMyGarage.com real-time comparison site revealed the number of vehicles due for an MOT will surge by up to 23% in the late summer and into autumn.

The spike will see millions of additional vehicles require a test before the wave starts to subside from December, based on similar data from 2021.  

AA Approved Garages is also advising fleets and drivers to stay on top of their vehicle checks throughout the year. Its examination of the 2021/22 MOT data revealed that three in 10 (29%) cars, vans and minibuses initially failed their MOT, mainly due to defects which can be easily and cheaply spotted and repaired. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the top category for MOT defects; flagged on almost 3.75 million failed tests.

Suspension, brakes, tyres and visibility defects completed the top five MOT failures with repairs needing to be made on millions of vehicles.

However, in a poll of more than 13,000 drivers, two-fifths (43%) believed the main reason for MOT failure was due to tyre-related damage.

Penny Stoolman, managing director of AA Approved Garages, commented: “With more than 10 million MOT tests due to take place across ‘Frantic Fall’, the scramble for slots could be chaotic. Drivers who have an MOT due should book early to avoid stress.

“With household budgets stretched, drivers may be tempted to leave repairs on their car until the last possible moment or wait for the MOT to spot faults. But with colder, wetter weather due in the coming months leaving blown bulbs, torn tyres and cracked windscreens unrepaired could cause more damage to both the car and the wallet.”