Reply To: Cost implications of connected MOT equipment remains major concern among garages

[David]

Is it DVSA that are forcing the changes? Modern vehicles are much more complex now than ever before. Is DVSA not just working within guidelines that the manufacturers could be recommending for testing modern vehicles?

Who is it that actually says that any Test Station must cut price their mot fee? Is it pressure from other Stations? There is a very well respected business owner on Facebook and he has done his best to help garages make money, but he always gets the same argument thrown back in his face, that being, if I charge X joe blogs down the road will charge less so I’ll loose the business. We had a customer the other day asking to book in an mot test for her car, she originally bought the car from us and has had previous mot tests with us, and this time she asked how much we charge, which I’d of thought she should already know because we don’t vary the fee from one year to the next, anyway I said £45 and she said you charged £30 last year, and I politely advised that we don’t vary the price as we do keep to the same fee, and then she said well they are £30 down the road. My point, do you really want that type of customer who is going to nit pick about any repairs if necessary and not want to pay for them either! Personally I’ve no time for people who shop round for the cheapest prices, my experience, training and time is much more valuable than joe blogs down the street, who eventually always gets the short straw. We’re in business until we retire not a two year hit it and then we are out.

If anyone wishes to point the finger for the way the market is a free for all any price goes, blame the government who started all this by telling the public to shop around for the best prices and not the best standards of service. Check the governments own charge out rates against each other and I’ll guarantee they are all the exact same price and fixed. They say “Different legislation” than yours?

I can’t make changes on my own, but if the whole industry backed me I’d have an increase in the test fee every year. It’s not as difficult as you think to get it, you must be like the government, ruthless.