Does anyone know whether a car requires 4 or 5 legal tyres to pass an MOT?
I'd assume it's 5 since you're required to have a legal spare when driving on the road, but then the MOT walk-through in the Haynes manuals makes no mention of checking the spare.
Reason I ask is that my girlfriend recently had a new front tyre fitted to her Fiesta. The other front tyre was almost down to the limit, so she asked the garage to swap it with the spare (plenty of tread). They told her the spare was unserviceable, and sold her a new tyre. They let her take it away, and I can't see anything wrong with it - original spare (Pirelli 2000) and looks like it's done 100 miles at most.
She's never had a puncture in the 2-3 years she's had it. So does logic say that if the spare wasn't legal, then it would have failed the last MOT?
Want to get my facts straight before I go ranting at the garage!
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You don't need a legal spare when driving on the road.
The only oddity is that if you have a 'space saver' spare then you will fail an MOT if it is fitted. If the spare is bald then the MOT tester should point it out, but that is all.
www.motuk.co.uk/manual_410.htm
Martin
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>>You don't need a legal spare when driving on the road.
Think you will find it is illegal..Its classed as driving vehicle with intent to use if you do get a puncture.
if spare wasnt changed by garage I would check out sidewall.
A less than worn tyre wont mean it is not illegal..sidewall damage may have occured..rendering tyre useless. Ie MOT failure
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Steve
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Sorry martin. not illegal to carry. is to use is what I meant to say..In which case why carry one
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Steve
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The spare tyre doesn't come in to the MOT test. You don't even have to have a spare tyre in your car. From your post the garage said the spare was unserviceable, but what reason did they give as to why it was unserviceable? Could it have been perished on the side wall, could it have had a bulge on the sidewall from a carcass failure, they could have picked a number of reasons as to why they needed to sell you a new tyre. I suspect though that the likeliest possibilty is that they saw it was a women and thought that they could give her a bit of old flannel about the tyre being too old etc etc and wouldn't be safe fitted to the car. I would certainly go and have a word with the manager as to why they declared your tyre was unserviceable.
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www.motuk.co.uk/manual_410.htm
www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/carlgvowners/mottesting/carco...m
Quote from above
Wheels and Tyres
Condition, security, tyre size/type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.
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An MOT test operator should look in the boot but not for the reasons many think - it's to check if there is any structural damage caused to the bodyshell.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Is it the same size as the other tyres ?
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The MOT testers 'bible' is a bit ambiguous. It says, the spare is not part of the test, but if fitted to the vehicle, must conform to the tyre regulations.
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I wouldn't call that ambiguous. It says the spare is not part of the test. If it has been fitted to the vehicle then it is no longer a spare.
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I agree, my 'spare', if fitted, would not conform to the regulations as it is of a different size. But sat in the boot It's ok.
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