Elite Direct explains the importance of ensuring your vehicle has its MOT

Is there a difference between a service and an MOT?

If you are new to driving or car ownership, you might only know the words MOT and service as being something to do with your car, but not be completely sure what they are and how to go about organising them.

Let’s take a look.

What is a service?

A service is the equivalent of a wellness check or physical at the doctors. The mechanic will change many of the consumables in your engine (oil and air filters, for example), and make sure that the vehicle is running well with everything working at optimal levels.

There are three types of service: interim, full, major – which range from a quick once-over to a thorough and intensive investigation of your car’s operations.

What is an MOT?

The MOT test was introduced in 1960, when car ownership was massively increasing – along with the incidence of accidents. This was because many of the cars and trucks on the roads were old and in poor condition.

To get these literal death-traps off the road, the MOT test was brought in, and is – at heart – a checklist of items that every vehicle needs in order to be deemed roadworthy; that is to say, safe to be on the roads.

Every car over the age of three must have an annual MOT test to make sure that it is roadworthy. If your car is nearly three years old, simplify your MOT test in London by choosing Elite Direct for a quick and affordable service.

Which one do I need?

This is something of a trick question, as you need both for your car to be in the best possible condition.

However, the MOT test is a legal requirement for all cars of the age cited above, while servicing schedules are entirely up to the customer, and there is no check on whether your car has been serviced recently.

But getting your car serviced appropriately is vital if you are to pass your MOT test, so many people have got into the habit of teaming their annual service (usually a full or major service) with their MOT test, so the mechanic can spot and fix any minor issues before they raise eyebrows during the MOT test.

If you drive a lot, more than 12,000 miles in half a year, you should consider a six-monthly interim service to keep things ticking over properly.