Fixter, the UK’s first end-to-end online car maintenance service provider, has revealed a significant surge in demand for MOTs, just ahead of the end of the Government’s initial six-month Coronavirus extension, and is urging UK motorists to book-in their MOTs now to make sure they have a slot for their car before the upcoming winter months.
A Fixter study, conducted across its network of independent garages, reveals that 75% of garages are experiencing a surge in demand for MOT bookings for October, November and December compared to normal year-on-year trends. Meanwhile, 45% of garages admit they are having to make customers wait longer than usual to book their cars in. To compound the issue associated with the MOT backlog, 70% of garages have experienced issues with increasing costs as well as delivery and sourcing issues of general parts such as tyres and brakes.
According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), 9.58 million vehicles got an exemption via the six-month government extension, which as of the 21st September 2020, 58.7% of those cars have yet to have an MOT. In a typical year, there would be approximately 6.5 million MOTs expiring in October, November and December combined. However, as a result of the extension, it is now predicted there will be a colossal 10.4 million MOT expiries across the three months – a rise of 58.9% on a typical year.
The consequence of this is significant, with there being no guarantee that UK motorists can get their car MOT’d in time, given the increasing strain on garages to meet an ever-growing demand. This leaves UK motorists vulnerable, as should they continue to drive without an MOT, they face the prospect of invalidating their car insurance, hefty fines and putting themselves, other motorists and road users at risk. In the case of a driver being caught without a valid MOT and their car being deemed unroadworthy, drivers face a fine of up to £2500 and 3 points on their license.
Subsequently, Fixter looks to ‘Keep Britain Moving’ by offering UK motorists the opportunity to save up to 30% on their next MOT, car service and repairs through its dedicated network of over 500 garages, as well as to secure essential appointments sooner rather than later.
Limvirak Chea, CEO and Co-founder of Fixter, comments: ‘The backlog of vehicles for MOTs is having significant implications on garages, which comes as a result of the six-month Government Coronavirus extension. Following our study, we believe the current backlog is just the start, and that significant waiting lists are yet to come from October onwards. As a result, UK consumers are facing a race against the clock to get their MOTs booked-in now, to avoid significant waiting lists, resulting in them potentially unable to use their vehicle’.
‘We noted during the first wave of the Coronavirus outbreak, in which we had our busiest ever week in March, how customers see their vehicle as a key part of their armoury to protect themselves and their families. With the country now seeing a rise in cases, we are urging UK car owners and fleet managers to book their cars in now to sidestep the MOT backlog issue, so that they can keep mobile in the safety of their own vehicle, as well as avoiding any future inflation in pricing’.
‘Turning a blind eye to your MOT certificate is not an alternative option for motorists, as it carries a significant financial and legal burden, resulting in costs associated with fines and repairs, a scenario given the current economic climate, all UK car owners will be looking to avoid.’’
‘We, at Fixter, are eager to Keep Britain Moving and to save British drivers money thanks to our highly qualified mechanics who deal with independent garages directly to ensure our customers’ peace of mind they are getting a fair and transparent price. As well as this, the convenience of our pick up and drop-off service allows our customers to have one less thing to worry about in these uncertain times’.
*Article Source  https://www.fixter.co.uk
