How to Read Your Vehicle Health Check Report
When your car is with us for a service, an MOT or a repair, our technicians carry out a Vehicle Health Check and send you the results by text or email, usually with photos. It is a quick, honest picture of the condition your car is in. This guide explains how to read it and what to do with it.
The traffic-light system
Every item on the check is given one of three colours.
- Green means the item was checked and is in good condition. Nothing to do.
- Amber means the item is showing wear or is approaching the point where it will need attention. It is not a safety problem today, but it will become one. Think of amber as "plan for this".
- Red means the item needs attention now. It is either unsafe, likely to fail an MOT, or at the point where leaving it will cause further damage.
Why we send photos
A written note that says "front brake pads 3mm" does not mean much unless you know what 3mm looks like. So wherever we can, we photograph what we have found: the pad against a gauge, the tyre tread, the leak, the split boot. You should never have to take our word for it. If a photo is unclear or you are not sure what you are looking at, ring the branch and we will talk you through it.
Amber items: what to do
Amber is where most of the useful information lives. A tyre at 3mm is legal and safe, but it will be at the 1.6mm legal limit within a few months of normal driving. Brake pads at 4mm will last a while yet. A slight weep from a shock absorber will become a leak. None of these need fixing today, and we will not pressure you to. What they let you do is plan: budget for tyres before winter, book the pads in with the next service rather than as an emergency, and avoid a surprise MOT fail.
Red items: what to do
If something is red we will explain why and give you a price for putting it right. Common red items are tyres at or below the legal limit, brake pads worn to the metal, a corroded brake pipe, a play in a steering or suspension joint, or a lamp that is not working. If the car is in for an MOT, a red item is generally something that would fail the test. If you want a second opinion, that is fine. The report is yours and the photos are there precisely so that you can show someone else.
Authorising work from the report
The report includes a link where you can approve or decline each item individually. Nothing is done without your say-so, and you can approve the red items and leave the amber ones for later. Once you approve, we get on with it and let you know when the car is ready.
Keep the report
Each check is dated and stays on your record with us, so at the next visit we can see how things have changed. A tyre that was at 4mm last time and is at 2mm now tells us about your driving and mileage as well as the tyre, and it lets us give you a better idea of what to expect.
If you would like a Vehicle Health Check on its own, without a service, you can book one at any of our branches.
Book online at bestgarages.co.uk or call your nearest branch: Newport on 01983 533360, Lymington on 01590 674776, or Fordingbridge on 01425 561504.