Need an informed opinion. To MOT or not to MOT

Shay HTFC · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Karma :

My bike's MOT is about to run out, but I am going to sell it almost immediately after.

It is a 1995 GS500 in not exactly the best condition. Now the question is, is it worth spending say £100 to get it through its MOT (need at least a new front tyre), plus another 50 quid or whatever it is on tax to make it more attractive, or should I just sell it as it is to a breaker or whoever wants it?

Even if it passes the MOT it will look like a shoddy wreck with wires hanging about, no windscreen (where it is obvious there should one), exhaust is rusted and crashed, dint in tank etc, ~60000 miles on the clock.

So yeah, do you reckon spending £150 on MOT/tax will add at least £150 onto the selling price? Informed opinions welcome Smile

Personally I don't even know if it is worth £150 even with a full years MOT Laughing

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Bloggsy · Spanner Monkey Joined: 08 Feb 2010 Karma :

If it is as you describe I would sell it as is for what I could get not waste time and money on an MOT

ian789 · Crazy Courier Joined: 09 Apr 2010 Karma :

Sell it as it is, make it cheap enough so new riders can afford it and fix it up themselves Wink

Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

MOT'd vehicles are much easier to sell. Smile

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

yeah you'll probably only just make your money back,
but it will be far easier to sell with the mot,
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ian789 · Crazy Courier Joined: 09 Apr 2010 Karma :

How much would you be looking for if you sold it with and without?

njd27 · Trackday Trickster Joined: 14 May 2007 Karma :

It's worth more as parts then, break it and sell the following on ebay:

1. Engine as a single item, buyer collects and removes from frame
2. Tank, fairings, electrical items
3. Wheels, suspension, etc
4. Final bits as a job lot
5. Frame with V5.

You can make a lot more than 150 quid if your time is cheap.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Go to your local bike tyre place and see if they have any still legal tyres in their rubbish pile - they pay to have them taken away, so are generally happy for people to take them.

Clanger · Stirrer Joined: 27 May 2004 Karma :

Advertise it, and if you get no interest, get MOT and re-advertise. Or, consider contacting one of those places that asks for bikes and see how much they will offer you as is.
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Gazdaman · I did a trackday!!! Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :

I'd say it's worth getting it through an MOT. Infinitely easier to sell.

MOT it cheaply, tyres can be dead cheap, tidy up the wiring. Sell it for a few hundred quid. Someone will buy it to commute on as a hack.

Gaz

Shay HTFC · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Karma :

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

If it looks really ragged, then at least sell it with an MOT fail sheet. That way your prospective buyer knows that it looks rough but is only a tyre away from an MOT, rather than thinking that it looks rough and everything is knackered.

Or, buy a tyre (£50), clean up the wiring and give it a general tidy and MOT it, then sell for good money.

For the money you expect for it, the mileage shouldn't be a major issue.

Gazdaman · I did a trackday!!! Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Karma :

I definitely wouldn't give it to a garage and give them licence to put it through an MOT, it's like writing a blank cheque, especially with a shitter.

Put it through an MOT, then post up here what it fails on, and we can help you judge if it's worth sorting or sending to the scrap heap in the sky.

Gaz

smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

Be aware that some of the more er, lenient MOT stations will test it quite bit harsher if they know it's being sold straight after the MOT.

Obviously it's understandable from their point of view, as they don't want to be shafted by an unhappy new owner.

Just a heads up, the fail sheet sounds like a good idea!

Shay HTFC · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Karma :

I meant that I would only let them do anything to the bike if it was only the tyre that needed replacing to get the MOT.

If they did the MOT and other stuff came up as failures, then they should leave the bike in the same condition that I brought it to them in so that I can take it back and 'do the repairs myself'.

I was thinking that hopefully they would be a bit more lenient because they know that if they pass it with only the tyre as a failure, they will get paid for changing the tyre.
If not, then they won't be touching it and will only pocket the £30 MOT money.
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