A futureproof MOT

In light of increasingly stringent MOT regulations, factors and garages should look into stocking and using MOT equipment from a supplier that is willing to work alongside them throughout the process.

Gott Technical Services has been supplying MOT test bay equipment for almost 40 years. To ensure the company can provide a reliable service, selecting the best products on the market is important. To this end, when it comes to recommending an exhaust emissions analyser, it always vouches for the Technique brand.

There are two Technique analyzer ranges; the T6000 and T8000. The Technique T8000 analysers include a petrol gas analyser, diesel smoke meter, and the most popular option, a combined gas analyser and smoke meter.

Combining forces

The combined model, the T8003, features a large touch-screen display for easy input of information and for moving through the test, whilst a keyboard, mouse and infrared remote control are also supplied to give the user a choice of methods of control that suits them.

At the heart of the product is a thin-client device that performs the same role as a PC on other machines, but it boasts more robust virus and malware resistant characteristics. Diesel analysis, RPM and oil temperature measurement are all carried out by modules that communicate wirelessly to the main unit via Bluetooth.

Gott regards the T8003 as possessing strong Wi-Fi capabilities, enabling it to be wirelessly connected to the laser printer that is provided, as well as providing scope for networking with other devices.

With everything mounted on a slim ‘totem’ stand rather than a cumbersome trolley, Gott belives that the T8003 is both distinctive and beneficial to its users. According to the company, the product has a very small footprint and takes up minimal space, and with space often at a premium, this can only serve to benefit the user. Further space and cost savings can be achieved by combining the brake tester, gas analyser and smoke meter into one unit.

The same, but different

The T6000 range includes the T6003 combined petrol gas analyser and diesel smoke meter, which uses the same software and test modules as the T8003, but is presented differently. Everything is controlled via a hand-held tablet which connects wirelessly with the gas analyser, smoke meter, RPM and oil temperature measurement device, and printer. All components are mounted on a wheeled trolley, making the T6003 more compact and easier to manoeuvre than the T8003. Whilst it may be cheaper than its ‘big brother’, the T6003 does not have the same scope for expansion and it cannot be connected to a brake tester.

Also of interest to Gott’s clients is its Bluetooth EOBD reader. The device plugs into a vehicle’s EOBD socket, and then communicates data back to the emissions analyser via Bluetooth and displays the results on the screen. EOBD management software can be run on the analyser, and this allows many functions to be activated, including access to current vehicle data, access to and clearing of fault codes, clearing of the MIL indicator on the vehicle’s dashboard, a test of the Lambda sensor, accurate reading of the vehicle’s RPM, and oil temperature measurement. The company claims that customers have been amazed at how much it can do for so little cost.

What’s in it for factors?

In terms of the end-user, Gott claims that the analysers are easy to use, reliable, future-proof, as well as only having one supplier to deal with throughout the duration of the equipment’s service life. According to the company, these benefits also affect the motor factors that choose to stock the products. Having a product that is well-received by customers – as well as having a supplier that is prepared to support the factor all the way through the sales and after-sales process – makes factors’ lives a whole lot easier.

Working in partnership with a supplier that is in tune with the demands of the market and is up to date with latest legislation is particularly important at a time when the DVSA is making some radical changes in MOT testing. Last year saw the introduction of the requirement for diesel smoke meters to be able to test vehicles to Euro 6 standards, and for the Technique range, this required an update. This year has seen the introduction of ‘Connected Equipment’, with the requirement for brake tester connectivity already in place, and emissions analyser connectivity planned to be introduced in 2020. Because of this, Gott insists that motor factors will reap the rewards of having a relationship with an MOT equipment supplier.