October 2021

OCTOBER 2021 AFTERMARKET 55 www.aftermarketonline.net 18 August: MOT wave about to hit 6,952,454 MOTs are set to expire across England, Scotland and Wales during September and October, according to the latest figures released by the DVSA. This 1.3 million increase represents a 22% rise on pre-pandemic levels.9.58 million drivers opted to take advantage of the 2020 MOT exemption and time- shifted their Spring/Summer tests into the Autumn, which has altered the pattern of testing through the year going forward. As a result, The Motor Ombudsman is expecting its Garage Finder tool to see a major upshift in use by motorists as a they race to find a garage to perform a MOT for them. Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of the Motor Ombudsman, said: “After a small uptick in the number of MOTs forecast to expire during August, there is a notable acceleration in the volume of MOT certificates due to come to an end in September and October. This means that it’s going to be an extremely busy period for MOT stations up and down the country during the next few weeks.” According to NGK Spark Plugs, thousands of vehicles will fail the test on emissions leading to increased demand for Lambda sensor replacement while there will also be big demand for pre-winter servicing spark plug and glow plug replacement. Mark Hallam, Marketing Manager, NGK Spark Plugs, said: “Workshops are set for a busy Autumn as they deal with the anticipated increase in demand for MOTs as well as vehicle owners’ pre-winter servicing requirements. Both factors will lead to increased replacement of Lambda sensors for vehicles that fail the MOT emission test and also spark and glow plug replacement as owners make sure their vehicles are ready for the onset of the cold winter months. Workshops can be safe in the knowledge that NGK has the necessary quality components available to help them through this busy period.” 19 August: Ben’s ILC The Climb postponed Ben’s Industry Leader Challenge (ILC) fundraiser, The Climb, has been postponed to February 2022 at the earliest due to Tanzania remaining on the travel red list. However, those due to take part will instead undertake the National 3 Peaks Challenge, tackling the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales, from 31 October to 3 November. As part of their training, the industry leaders have recently tackled the Yorkshire 3 Peaks and Mount Snowdon. The team have also been on the Brecon Beacons, Edale in the Peak District and the Surrey Hills. The total distance covered so far is 726km, amounting to a height gain of 29,480m and just under 1 million steps. By the end of 2021, they will have reached 1,509km and a height gain of 92,508m, which will total over 2 million steps – equivalent to climbing Kilimanjaro almost 16 times. Matt Wigginton, Director of Partnerships, Engagement & Income, said: “We’re disappointed that we can’t tackle Kilimanjaro this year, so that’s why we’ve decided to take on the gruelling National 3 Peaks Challenge during the same week in November to keep us on our toes. Together with our intrepid team of industry leaders, we're committed to challenging ourselves and raising the £300,000 we desperately need so we can continue to support our automotive family.” 26 August MOT test numbers up by 45% in Q2 45% more MOTs took place between April and June of this year, compared with the same period in 2020, according to test data from the DVSA. The data, obtained by BookMyGarage.com through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, shows the improvement as the sector begins to move beyond the wake of the MOT exemption. However, test numbers were still down 32% compared to Q2 2019. According to Karen Rotberg, Co- Founder of BookMyGarage.com, the rest of 2021 is expected to stay busy, but not at the same level as was seen in 2020: “We knew the six-month MOT extension would have an impact lasting several years, but this data shows that in the first year alone, MOT numbers have already rebalanced somewhat.” BookMyGarage believe that the improvement of MOT test numbers in Q2 was probably partially driven by a combination of used cars being sold with a new MOT, and three-year-old cars having an MOT test for the first time. While MOT test numbers between April and June are still some way off 2019 levels, it’s interesting to see numbers have recovered by almost half, or some 1.7 million tests. Approximately half of the 3.4 million additional MOT tests that took place between September and December last year have already been conducted. So, while this season will still be busier than normal for garages, we don’t expect it to be quite to the same extent as last year.” Workshops are set for a busy Autumn as they deal with the anticipated increase in demand for MOTs ”