Large van MOT failure rate: An opportunity for CV repairers

Large vans have the worst MOT pass rate of any vehicle type seen on UK roads, so commercial vehicle repairers could generate new workshop business if they target their direct marketing towards businesses likely to be using these vehicles, according to the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF).

According to statistics recently published by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), commercial vehicles weighing between 3000kg and 3500kg had the worst pass rate of any vehicle in the year 2007-2008, with a failure rate of 44.7 per cent, compared to a failure rate of 35.2 per cent for cars and small vans.

Large vans are classified as Class 7 in the MOT test, and are favoured by small business, rental companies and the self-employed because can be driven using an ordinary driving licence, without the need of an “O” licence.

The top three failure items for these vehicles were:

Brakes: 32 per cent
Lights: 29.8 per cent
Suspension: 14.9 per cent

These would all be covered in a regular service.

Stephen Coles, Head of the RMIF’s MOT Technical Operations, commented: ‘With such a high MOT failure rate, it is clear that very little maintenance work is being performed on these vehicles. Their owners may not realise that prevention could be cheaper than cure in the long run. This means that with correctly targeted marketing, commercial vehicle repairers could generate new business.’

RMIF member commercial vehicle repairers that want advice on marketing their workshop or MOT activities should contact the RMIF.