Does anyone know what they call the MOT equivalent in the US, is it an annual requirement, and does it compare to ours in its scope?
Man from Nantucket - is a simple query like this enough to tempt you out of lurkdom, Randolph?
Also it would be interesting to hear about the equivalents from other countries, too, eg I've heard that in japan it's near impossible to pass, hence the ample supplies of used parts that get shipped to us, and conversely, i'm not sure how accurate this is, but someone told me that in Australia an MOT is not necessary unless the car is to be sold.
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The Yanks probably don't need an MOT, LeZebre. The manufacturers have to make sure the vehicles are perfect and indestructable, less somebody sues them for billions after their brakes failed at 250,000 miles without a service. :-)
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I just know in Nevada that you take your car to a vehicle inspection station when it is to be registered. There they check the VIN # against the title document and carry out emissions testing. This is colloquially known as getting your car "smogged".
Every few years they change the reg plates (tags) with those nice pretty pictures as background and you have to tuen 'em in for this year's version. You mustn't stick a registration renewal decal on old tags.
Most states have something similar, but at least in Vegas, that's it.
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In California cars have to pass a smog test regularly - I think every year, but I may be wrong on that - and I think that includes some safety checks as well. They are just about to tighten this up considerably, which will put a lot of old cars off the road. And I mean old. Unrestored (but still quite smart looking) 1960s and 1970s vehicles are still around in quite large numbers. Others are so heavily used that the paint has worn away in places, such as above the drivers' door where the driver rests his/her hand while opening it. A neighbour of ours had one with a rectangular rust patch on the trunk lid almost exactly the same size and shape as one of those paper grocery bags - I wonder what could have caused that? That was a Chevy Nova, 1969 model, I think. They only rust superficially of course, in that climate.
Chris
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Thanks for the replies guys.
I don't like the sound of the 'smog' inspections moving to include checks which lead to depleting the numbers of lovely not-quite-classics, 'gas guzzlers' though they may be.
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Our local 'roadworthy' test is only done on transfer of ownership.
As this is seldom done legitimately - most deals of this type are for a handful of cash and no papers change hands - the deathtraps on our roads have to be seen to be believed.
Even when vehicles are stopped for unroadworthy qualities, they only get a 'producer' and have to fix the relevant bits. This leads to a lot of tyre and headlight 'borrowing' going on amongst owners.
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Back in Zimbabwe, there was no requirement for MOT at all, except in vehicles used for public transport, and, like Ian has said, seldom done legitimately.
Most vehicles will have a cursory check 2-3 times a year at a road-block, where the cops will 'test' something on the car. Might be the hooter, hand brake, brake lights etc.
Strikes me that this has some advantages over a once-yearly MOT? Any thoughts?
Friend of mine got stopped once, having just changed a wheel after a flat. His spare was completely bald, even showing some canvas. Officer walks round the car and asks him to sound his hooter, then comments "You are lucky we are not checking tyres today."!
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In Spain, they have yellow "Cert of Worthiness" (I paraphrase), which has to be displayed on top of windscreen - damned good idea, surely!
El Hacko
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Philippines has no test of any sort. All you have to do annually is bring your vehicle for "stencilling" -- someone does the equivalent of a brass rubbing of your engine and chassis numbers and these are checked against your title. Trouble is this can take half a day plus the other half in traffic so to save time lots of people just don't bother to register their cars...
If there was any kind of roadworthines test this would in theory eliminate a major percentage of buses, trucks and jeepneys, but in practice would lead to mayors, congressmen and other biggies setting up testing centers under their brother-in-law's names and developing this useful form of income stream, thus ensuring every vehicle was tested rigorously and charged a suitable amount before being let back on the road. This would have absolutely no relevance to mechanical condition.
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The Australian roadworthy test (known as a pink slip after the pass certificate) is an annual test after the car is three years old. The pink slip is required to obtain the compulsory 3rd party insurance (green slip).
Similar in strictness to a UK MOT but no emissions testing as of oct 2001 (this may have changed in the last year since I returned to the UK.) However any oil leak will fail a car!
regards
Ian L.
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However any oil leak will fail a car!
I always wondered why Land Rover's share of the Australian market collapsed.....
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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I lived in the USA (New York state) for a year and had a beaten up Chrylser to drive around in. The car had 56,000 miles with worn cams and looked like junk. It also had a worn front tyre (bald shoulder). It was a dog.
However, the car was a company pool car and I was advised that its annual "Department of Transportation Inspection" was due. So I took the car to Kwik-Fit type place to get it done..any repair work was covered by the leasing company. The car passed with no work being required..even though the steering had 2" play and the front tyre was knackered.
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