MOT Time

[Neil72]

My Elise is due it's first MOT next month (I like to plan ahead ) and I'm trying to decide where to take it. I have a trustworthy local garage that I've used for years but I doubt if they have ever clapped eyes on a Lotus before so this makes me a bit apprehensive about taking the car there.

Should I seek out somewhere else with Lotus knowledge/experience or just stick it into the usual place and hope for the best?

If I do take it there, what are the do's 'n' dont's that I should be pointing out to them? Jacking points? Anything else?

[roadboy]

Must be presented for Test with the undertrays removed. I would take it to your usual place and give them a copy of the jacking point page from the manual. Nothing else to worry about IMHO.

HTH

Dan

[RDH]

Must be presented for Test with the undertrays removed. I would take it to your usual place and give them a copy of the jacking point page from the manual. Nothing else to worry about IMHO.

HTH

Dan

I agree - if you know the guys, just explain the jacking points etc.

I've never had to remove the undertrays.

[Neil72]

Are the jacking points visible underneath the car when the undertrays are in place ?

I'm pleased to say that I've never had to jack my car up (yet ) so I don't know what it looks like under there.

[Shug]

Must be presented for Test with the undertrays removed. I would take it to your usual place and give them a copy of the jacking point page from the manual. Nothing else to worry about IMHO.

HTH

Dan

I agree - if you know the guys, just explain the jacking points etc.

I've never had to remove the undertrays.

Same here. Still, it's a fact that you should have had to...

[roadboy]

Rear jacking points aren't accessible with the engine bay undertray in place so you should definitely take the trays off or they are not jacking from the right place.

It is indeed stipulated by VOSA that the car must be presented for test with the trays removed. Remember the MOT tester is not permitted by law to remove them.

HTH

Dan

[tenkfeet]

At my last mot they used the middle jacking points and I pushed on the front to get the wheels up .

[gorrie]

Neil... Colin Brown in Broxburn did my 135R... and he let me sit in the car doing all the 'controls' while he did it.
I believe he also has maybe done Stu's (as in Mutts Nuts Stu)... because Colin was chatting away about a chap who used him that makes his own disks & tinkered on a laptop/ECU to get passed the emissions

Not the most attractive garage, and it's tucked away in an industrial estate that's hard to find... but hey... it passed & he didn't damage it

Hope that helps... Andy.

[DJ]

Another option reasonably close to you Neil is Tarduff Motors in Linlithgow. Co-incidentally mine is booked in there for it's MOT a week tomorrow and he does my brake fluid changes + MOTs on my other cars. Can highly recommend. V. busy family run garage - needs almost 2 weeks notice. Never had to remove rear diffuser/undertray either and he is well aware of the side jacking points on an Elise.

At my last mot they used the middle jacking points and I pushed on the front to get the wheels up .

The ones Tenkfeet calls the middle are actually slightly towards the rear, accessed from the side, and are identified by a wee blue sticker. Not sure about the pushing bit as easily lifts both wheels clear. Get yourself down on your hands and knees and have a look !

[Digital]

Another option reasonably close to you Neil is Tarduff Motors in Linlithgow. Co-incidentally mine is booked in there for it's MOT a week tomorrow and he does my brake fluid changes + MOTs on my other cars. Can highly recommend. V. busy family run garage - needs almost 2 weeks notice.

Ah, that's good to know, I've used them a few times for other cars, but never the Exige. They've always done a good job, so been happy to use them for any work on the Puma. As they're literally 5 mins walk along the road it would be nice to think I could use them in an emergency. The photos in the waiting area of lots of Ferraris getting worked on inspires confidence too - think they might have some tie up with Stewart Roden?

Jamie

[DJ]

Not sure Jamie, but Colin Low, the owner, used to own an immaculate 355. Think he has sold it now. It's another reason I am comfortable using him is because he is an enthusiast and the way he looked after that Ferrari.

[mwmackenzie]

Just drop it of at Ali SLS http://www.scottishlotusspecialists.co.uk/ and he'll have it all done for you and anything it may need will be done professionally by a Lotus mechanic and at a very reasonable cost

Mark

[Neil72]

Thanks for the suggestions chaps

Looks like I can either suss out the jacking points and stay local, take it to Colin Brown in Broxburn or Tarduff in Linlithgow, or let Ali get it done. Ali is the certainly the convenient option and I'll be taking it there next month for a service anyway but I noticed he charges £65 which is about double the price of what I can get it done for locally.

Luckily I've got a month to think about it and decide.

[cstrachan]

From VOSA guidelines -



This would suggest leave the trays on and what they can't see they have to pass.

[roadboy]

Its not about what they can or can't see. They have to be able to jack the car up (using a jacking beam) and that is not possible with the engine bay undertray in place.

Hence the requirement to present the car with the tray removed.

HTH

Dan