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MOT history lookups for garages: spot advisories at booking

Look up a car's DVLA details and MOT history from the reg at booking-in, so past advisories get quoted before the car arrives. From about $138£104€124A$200C$196 a month.

At a glance

  • What it costs$138–165£104–124€124–148A$200–238C$196–233 a month

  • Worth, in extra profit or time saved in the worked example$274£206€245A$396C$387 a month

  • Pays for itselfWithin the month

  • Sign up and configure; no technical skills neededEasy to set up

Figures come from the worked example below, using its stated assumptions. Tool prices checked . How we check prices

The problem

When a car is booked in, someone types the make, model and engine by hand and nobody looks at what last year's MOT flagged. Advisories such as tires near the limit or corroded brake pipes come up again on the day, when the customer has no time or budget. If one advisory job a week at $160£120€143A$230C$226 goes unquoted because nobody saw it, that's about $686£516€614A$991C$970 a month of work missed.

What the AI does

Workshop Software's DVLA lookup and MOT history fill in the vehicle's details from the registration and show its MOT history, including advisories from past tests. At booking-in, the service desk reads the advisories and offers to quote for them, so the customer can say yes before the car arrives and the parts can be ordered.

A worked example

A garage in Stoke-on-Trent books in about 60 cars a month. The service desk runs a lookup on every booking and, where last year's MOT had advisories, mentions them when confirming the booking.

Before

Vehicle details typed by hand for about 60 bookings a month; past advisories rarely checked

After

Details filled in from the reg, and about 1 advisory job a week quoted and booked in advance

What it's worth

About $274£206€245A$396C$387 a month in profit, at an assumed 40% margin on $686£516€614A$991C$970 of extra work (1 advisory job a week at $160£120€143A$230C$226 times 4.3). That is against $132£99€118A$190C$186 to $158£119€142A$228C$224 for the software plus about $7£5€6A$10C$9 in lookups (60 at 9p).

How to set it up

  1. Set up Workshop Software (Silver is $158£119€142A$228C$224 a month on monthly billing, or $132£99€118A$190C$186 billed annually).
  2. Run the DVLA lookup on every new booking instead of typing vehicle details.
  3. Read the MOT history for advisories and note them on the booking.
  4. When confirming the booking, offer to quote for the advisory items and order parts if the customer agrees.
  5. Count advisory jobs booked this way for two months to see if it's working.

What goes wrong

  • The pricing page lists DVLA lookup and MOT history at 9p and registration lookups at a small fee per lookup without a figure. Check the rate in your account.
  • An advisory from a year ago may already have been fixed elsewhere. Ask, don't assume.
  • Offer the quote without pressure. Customers who feel upsold at booking may book elsewhere.

More ideas for Car garages

MOT reminders for garages: fill the diary every month

Your garage system texts or emails customers when their MOT or service is due, so last year's customers come back to you. From about $132£99€118A$190C$186 a month.

  • Costs $132–158£99–119€118–142A$190–228C$186–224/mo
  • Worth $798£600€714A$1,152C$1,128/mo
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Online booking for garages: MOTs booked while you work

A booking link on your website and social pages lets drivers book MOTs and services into your diary at any hour. From about $145£109€130A$209C$205 a month.

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Parts stock control for garages: fewer cars left waiting

Stock levels update as parts go on jobs, with low-stock alerts and purchase orders from the same system. From about $132£99€118A$190C$186 a month.

  • Costs $132–158£99–119€118–142A$190–228C$186–224/mo
  • Worth $322£242€288A$465C$455/mo
  • Pays for itself in about two weeks
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Live translation with ChatGPT Voice for car garages

ChatGPT Voice translates both ways at the counter when a customer's English is limited, so repairs are understood. From about $9£7€8A$13C$13 a month.

  • Costs $9£7€8A$13C$13/mo
  • Worth $137£103€123A$198C$194/mo
  • Pays for itself in a few days
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Repair explanations for garages: plain English for drivers

Build a library of short plain-English explanations of common repairs with an AI assistant, for estimates and texts. Free, or up to about $27£20€24A$38C$38 a month.

  • Costs Free–$27Free–£20Free–€24Free–A$38Free–C$38/mo
  • Worth $120£90€107A$173C$169/mo
  • Pays for itself in about a week
  • Easy to set up

Last updated October 17, 2026.