Driving England to Ireland - no MOT

winnie the poo · 15-11-2015 1:14pm #1

Hi,

I'm working in england at the moment and bought a car here about a year ago. I'm thinking of travelling back for xmas via hollyhead this year. The mot on the car will be out by a week when I travel home and I will probably mot it when I go back to england after xmas. just wondering will I have any trouble driving to Dublin without it. It's insured and taxed. First time travelling back by boat so not sure what to expect. Anyone done this before, do they check these things?

Thanks

Atlantic Dawn · 15-11-2015 2:34pm

I wouldn't risk it, the UK police are not like the Gardaí here.

winnie the poo · 15-11-2015 2:39pm

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

I wouldn't risk it, the UK police are not like the Gardaí here.

how do you mean? when I am driving to hollyhead? or going back after xmas?

K.Flyer · 15-11-2015 2:42pm

winnie the poo wrote: »

how do you mean? when I am driving to hollyhead? or going back after xmas?

Both.

Why not run it through the MOT before leaving for Ireland and save yourself any trouble if you are stopped by the Police.

rugbyman · 15-11-2015 2:42pm

After tweny years of travelling around the Uk, you have almost zero chance of getting any hassle, here or there

Regards

George Dalton · 15-11-2015 2:49pm

I got stopped once in the UK in a car with no MOT. Had bought the car and was driving it from Leeds to Holyhead. Got picked up by an ANPR system near Chester and was pulled over a few miles down the road by the police. They very nearly took the car off me. Ended up getting a fine of something like £80. That all happened about 10 years ago and I would say the chances of getting caught have only increased since then so I personally wouldn't chance it.

Hachiko · 15-11-2015 2:52pm

I work in England, as pointed out The UK is a bit more advanced than Ireland, ANPR cameras can read plates and plod can pounce on you in an instant, they have anpr recognition on the cars they drive too, no MOT is trouble.

I would get a MOT before you set off unlike you like taking risks.

whatever_ · 15-11-2015 2:59pm

Hachiko wrote: »

I work in England, as pointed out The UK is a bit more advanced than Ireland, ANPR cameras can read plates and plod can pounce on you in an instant, they have anpr recognition on the cars they drive too, no MOT is trouble.

I would get a MOT before you set off unlike you like taking risks.

I've been back and forth a lot ... I would aim to MOT before I left. If that were not possible, I WOULD (and have) take(n) the chance and I think it is very unlikely that you will be caught, provided you don't give the cops any cause to stop you.

CiniO · 15-11-2015 3:09pm

winnie the poo wrote: »

Hi,

I'm working in england at the moment and bought a car here about a year ago. I'm thinking of travelling back for xmas via hollyhead this year. The mot on the car will be out by a week when I travel home and I will probably mot it when I go back to england after xmas.

Out of curiosity, why don't you MOT it before you leave. Considering you can MOT vehicle up to 1 month in advance, you can probably do it anytime now.

just wondering will I have any trouble driving to Dublin without it. It's insured and taxed. First time travelling back by boat so not sure what to expect. Anyone done this before, do they check these things?

Thanks

To be honest, I'd be surprised if Irish Garda asked you to present valid MOT cert.
For some reason they don't bother doing such things on foreign cars - which is strange, but a fact.
I'd be worried though more, about driving UK registered car in UK without valid MOT.

Hachiko · 15-11-2015 3:31pm

whatever_ wrote: »

I've been back and forth a lot ... I would aim to MOT before I left. If that were not possible, I WOULD (and have) take(n) the chance and I think it is very unlikely that you will be caught, provided you don't give the cops any cause to stop you.

it doesn't work like that, all it takes is for you to be in proximity of a cop car, they can detect you with having no MOT, either than or passing an ANPR camera - good luck avoiding them.

15-11-2015 3:38pm

A few years back I drove a car with no MOT around London for 3 months and then drove it to the ferry and brought it back to Ireland permanently. Never had any hassle and was never stopped.

winnie the poo · 15-11-2015 3:54pm

thanks for the advice guys. I can mot it now, it's just I think there will be a bit of work needed on it to pass the mot and im a bit broke now coming up to xmas. I think i'll just have to mot it and accept the costs

can't be risking getting fined

Atlantic Dawn · 15-11-2015 4:38pm

If you do decide to risk it make sure it's not bringing itself to police attention, have all the lights in the car fully working, make sure thread depth is all legal on tyres, number plates are correct format and font etc.

CiniO · 15-11-2015 4:43pm

OP think of it in the following way.

You have a car which is not entirely roadworthy (as this is the reason you don't want it to put through MOT at the moment), but you want to drive it long distance to foreign country (UK to Ireland) without all required paperwork (MOT).

If you don't have cash to repair the car now, I'd either borrow some and fix the car, or just drop the idea of driving, especially abroad.

YouTookMyName · 15-11-2015 5:18pm

Would you not fly?

Being broke and driving back don't really go together you could be looking at £350 for the journey over and back.

Fred Swanson · 15-11-2015 6:17pm

This post has been deleted.

savagethegoat · 15-11-2015 6:24pm

It's not like Ireland, they have mobile camera cars patrolling housing estates and shopping centres etc which can photo every plate there in seconds and a ticket would be in the post.

One area they do keep an eye on is the road to Holyhead. I wouldn't risk it.

Hachiko · 15-11-2015 6:36pm

Does Ireland even have speed cameras, I saw none in August. Only speed vans in the side of the road

gctest50 · 15-11-2015 6:46pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

It's not like Ireland, they have mobile camera cars patrolling housing estates and shopping centres etc which can photo every plate there in seconds and a ticket would be in the post.
...

they'll have gear like this soon :

15-11-2015 7:55pm

savagethegoat wrote: »

It's not like Ireland, they have mobile camera cars patrolling housing estates and shopping centres etc which can photo every plate there in seconds and a ticket would be in the post.

One area they do keep an eye on is the road to Holyhead. I wouldn't risk it.

Yet in 3 months driving probably the heaviest policed roads in the UK I was never flagged once.

savagethegoat · 15-11-2015 8:05pm

buy a lotto ticket

Del2005 · 15-11-2015 10:04pm

Whatever about bringing a non MOT'd car out of the UK, which is risky on a heavily policed route where the UK VOSA and police like catching dumb Paddies in unroadworthy vehicles(it was the UK catching so many dangerous HGVs that forced us to change the DoE) . Driving off the boat in Holyhead the car will definitely flag on ANPR.

Even worse is that the OP knows that their car is dangerous yet still thinks it's OK to drive several hundred kilometres in it and some posters are telling them to drive on roads that they and their family will be using! The MOT and NCT might only mean that the car is safe when tested but knowingly driving a vehicle that can't pass though 2 countries is ridiculous.

Driving England to Ireland - no MOT

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