Spanish MOT stations now failing cars over dents and scratches they used to ignore
Spain's ITV vehicle inspection has tightened its criteria on dents and scratches, now classifying them as serious defects. Drivers are considering scrapping their vehicles over the arbitrariness.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
ITV tightens the screws: dents and scratches are now serious defects
The owner of a pickup truck with bodywork worn down by professional use is considering scrapping the vehicle for antiestéticar that the ITV (Spain's mandatory roadworthiness test) will mark it down with a serious defect for dents and chipped paint. Until now, these cosmetic flaws were dismissed with a minor fault or not even mentioned. The change in criteria, with no official notice, has raised alarms among drivers of 4x4s and vans.
The inspector's judgment: the ITV lottery
The Royal Decree governing technical vehicle inspections states that a dent may be considered serious if it has sharp edges or interferes with safety components. In practice, each inspector interprets the rule with wide discretion. According to industry accounts, ITV stations in various provinces have been applying stricter bodywork criteria since the start of the year. One hunter recounts that an acquaintance was given a serious defect for a dent on the rear fender of a Ranger, with no sharp edges. The industry's response is unanimous: lack of consistency and a sense of arbitrariness.
Avoiding the test as a response: is the ITV in crisis?
Faced with the crackdown, the number of drivers choosing not to take the ITV is growing. The latest available estimate puts the avoidance rate at 45%. Defenders of this route argue that license plate reading cameras and Guardia Civil (police) checks make evasion difficult in urban areas, but in rural areas it is still possible to drive with relative impunity. The debate over the ITV's legitimacy is gaining momentum: some call it a "scam and a mafia" designed to take old cars off the road, while others point out that its ultimate purpose is road safety.
Report the inspector? The proposal that divides opinion
Among the proposed solutions, one stands out: personally reporting inspectors who apply abusive criteria, rather than appealing against the station. The initiative, not yet consolidated, reflects the frustration of users who see mechanically sound vehicles rejected over purely cosmetic defects. The underlying problem is that each ITV station's assessment standards are not public, which makes any complaint difficult.
The case of the pickup that may end up scrapped is not an isolated one. More and more owners of work vehicles, 4x4s and cars with some "life" in them face the dilemma of repairing bodywork that only has sentimental or functional value, or giving up the vehicle. As long as the DGT (Spain's traffic authority) does not clarify the criteria, the ITV will remain a source of debate and, for many, of confrontation.
Related discussions in the forum
The owner of a pickup truck with bodywork worn down by professional use is considering scrapping the vehicle for antiestéticar that the ITV (Spain's mandatory roadworthiness test) will mark it down with a serious defect for dents and chipped paint. Until now, these cosmetic flaws were dismissed with a minor fault or not even mentioned. The change in criteria, with no official notice, has raised alarms among drivers of 4x4s and vans.
The inspector's judgment: the ITV lottery
The Royal Decree governing technical vehicle inspections states that a dent may be considered serious if it has sharp edges or interferes with safety components. In practice, each inspector interprets the rule with wide discretion. According to industry accounts, ITV stations in various provinces have been applying stricter bodywork criteria since the start of the year. One hunter recounts that an acquaintance was given a serious defect for a dent on the rear fender of a Ranger, with no sharp edges. The industry's response is unanimous: lack of consistency and a sense of arbitrariness.
Avoiding the test as a response: is the ITV in crisis?
Faced with the crackdown, the number of drivers choosing not to take the ITV is growing. The latest available estimate puts the avoidance rate at 45%. Defenders of this route argue that license plate reading cameras and Guardia Civil (police) checks make evasion difficult in urban areas, but in rural areas it is still possible to drive with relative impunity. The debate over the ITV's legitimacy is gaining momentum: some call it a "scam and a mafia" designed to take old cars off the road, while others point out that its ultimate purpose is road safety.
Report the inspector? The proposal that divides opinion
Among the proposed solutions, one stands out: personally reporting inspectors who apply abusive criteria, rather than appealing against the station. The initiative, not yet consolidated, reflects the frustration of users who see mechanically sound vehicles rejected over purely cosmetic defects. The underlying problem is that each ITV station's assessment standards are not public, which makes any complaint difficult.
The case of the pickup that may end up scrapped is not an isolated one. More and more owners of work vehicles, 4x4s and cars with some "life" in them face the dilemma of repairing bodywork that only has sentimental or functional value, or giving up the vehicle. As long as the DGT (Spain's traffic authority) does not clarify the criteria, the ITV will remain a source of debate and, for many, of confrontation.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (15 replies).
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