MOT related question....

[Wilberforce]

Wotcher folks,

I know there's one or two folks on here who are, or have been, MOT bods, but anybody will do, I promise
Basically, I've got to get round to MOTing and taxing the Bus soon, but something's worrying me. After a slight oil-spill incident earlier this year when avoiding a cyclist on the wrong side of the road coming round a corner and no lights (in the dark, natch) the back seats and part of the carpet were removed from my LWB and thrown away as they were soaked in used oil. Same with the inner parts of the rear seatbelts as the seats were down and they got soaked too. I'm on about the lap belt, and the short straps that the 3-point belts click into.
Obviously at the moment I'll fail as the rear 3-point belts are currently insecure due to the missing part, but if I totally remove the remaining parts so there are no rear seats, and no rear seatblets either, am I still going to fail the MOT??

Cheers guys,
Jim.

[Drift]

No seats = no belts needed, so it will pass

[john (smifffy)]

no rear seats so no need for belts as it classed as a van

[Wilberforce]

Just being vaguely paranoid, seeing as the Bus is technically still a 5 seat vehicel, despite the missing bits.

[BoxCleva]

LIke most things it's about interpretation Jim. My MOT tester would pass it with no seat belts in it I suppose as it's registered as a 5 seater the MOT station could fail it. But you could drive it around the corner to another that would pass it

[Trugga]

My Sport got an advisory one year for "no rear seats" - was probably covering his "bum" for being unable to check the rear seat belts (which were also obsent).

Why not contact the MOT station and tell them that the bus will be presented without rear seats and belts as you're looking for some new ones after spilling oil on them. He might be ok with it.

Lawrence

[dt1968]

had a chat with our mot man regarding this,,, if it isnt fitted it isnt testable!! therefore remove them and all should be well... dave

[Wilberforce]

Right, that seems to put my worry to bed then...
No rear seats, no rear seat belts = no problem. Maaaarvellous. Best clean her up a little, bleed the brakes, then present, and see what we get...

----Edit----
Actually, thinking about it a little, I should have realised this. Used to work for White Arrow, many moons back, and the first thing the company did with their vans was strip out the passenger seat & belt. Can't believe they'd be the only ones doing so, or that it would be done if it was in any way dodgy.

[gregster]

do you want a rear seat Jim...as have got a spare one

[Wilberforce]

I'm not sure actually Greg... Cheers for the offer, mind.
I was thinking about this the other day, and I can't remember the last time I actually had enough bodies in my car to actually need the rear seats. I've slept in the back of the LWB more often than I've carried 2 passengers. Assuming she passes, I might be in the market for a replacement interior carpet though, if only for noise deadening properties, and maybe build a storage tray affair into the back so it levels off with the boot.