I didn't know about this. Apparently, your local council will MOT your car. Less likely to get a big repair bill too

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

That's handy to know, there's one near me too! It is hard not to get a hint of ulterior motives when you get a fail from a repair centre.  2003 Vogue 4.4 V8 Java Black

I used a couple of these and they are very good. You park your car next to all the refuse collection lorries etc but they know their stuff and have no reason lie as they don't do repairs. They can be a little out of the way depending on where you live as the boroughs in London share facilities with others further out. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

We have "alans test centres" in derby and the surrounding area. They only do mots, no repairs, i always use them as they give an honest appraisal, full test fee no deals etc, but if the cars right it will Pass, if its a wrong un it will fail.

Just put my old pug through, failed on dodgy earth on the lights "christmas tree lights" nipped off fixed it and they ran it through the bits they needed to, passed. Cost the princely sum of £0 to fix. Result. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Lookers do mine for free as part of the annual service... Graham

____
Gone: 10MY L320 RR Sport HSE, Ipanema Sand
Gone: 20MY Jaguar iPace HSE, Silicon Silver
Gone: 17MY RR Evoque SE Tech, Loire Blue
Gone: 08MY Discovery 3 XS, Stornoway Grey
Gone: 07MY FFRR TDV8 Vogue, Stornoway Grey

I'll thoroughly endorse using the Council garages for MOT'S.
I took mine to one which serviced everything from minibuses to Unimog snowploughs and a full range of police vehicles.
You pay full price for the Test, but how many people have got a fresh ticket from somewhere that charges £20 for one . . . .
 Where do you go after one of these . . . ?

I take my 7.5T race truck to the Warrington bus depot. The fellas are sound and much more chilled than the VOSA place I used to go to. Never taken my car there yet but certainly for bigger stuff its really convenient. Onto my 2nd FFRR, this time an L405 5.0L SC AB in SVO Palette black.

I always make a point of saying I'll be doing the work to a car if it fails, some MOT centres ask if you're doing the work anyway.
It shouldn't change the result....

I've been going to the same garage for over 25 years. It costs me the full fee but I know it is done properly and if there are any problems I don't pay for a retest.