Had a brand new car for 4.5 years, am aware that an MFK is normally needed at 4 years but have to wait for an invite to be sent, still not heard anything yet - is there anything I can do but just wait ?? (the car is insured and has street tax etc)

You don't need to do anything except wait -- you will be invited in due course. I just got invited for the MFK for my car in Basel, and it's about 9 months overdue.

Alternatively, in Baselstadt/Baselland you can have the TCS conduct your MFK (this isn't the case in all cantons, but today's your lucky day!):

http://www.tcs.ch/beider_basel/de/ho...ruefungen.html

However, if you want to have your car inspected by the TCS, you need to submit it for inspection before you are officially invited for your test. Once you are officially invited, you need to take it to the official Basel test centre.

If you want the peace-of-mind of having your car inspected, the TCS route is the most painless way to go.

what is "MFK?"

Motorfahrzuegkontroloder...

Periodic official check of a motor-vehicle.

Around here, they are generally farther apart than up north (one of my bikes was last done 9 years ago).

Tom

I figured it was Motorfahrzeugkontrolle... but that didn't make sense because that's the bureau...

..."kontroloder" doesn't compute...

Motorfahrzeugkontrolle is motor vehicle control,

Verkehrsamt is the bureau (Department of Motor Vehicles).

how thorough are they with their checks and what type of checks do they do?

Not here, you just have to have TCS do it before the invited test date (or a certain time before, can't recall), and as TCS is closer (Rivera) than Camorino, that's where I get the cars done (but bikes have to go to Camorino)

Tom

What would be the advantage of having the TCS do the inspection?

As Village Idiot has mentioned, you can have the car examined at TCS, but why would you want to do something about it?
Unlike the emissions test it's not your responsibility to stick to the 4-3-2-2-year schedule and there's no fine or other trouble as long as you don't receive the invite. I have received invites that were overdue for more than a year!

It seems to vary canton-by-canton. A colleague in Zurich checked and found that the TCS could only offer a pre-MFK check in Zurich, whereas here in BL they can inspect the car as long as you haven't received notice -- and it seems from your post that the situation is different again where you are. So much for Swiss efficiency.

In any case, since the original poster is in Basel, the Basel advice applies:

You can make an appointment at your convenience and the TCS may be closer depending on where you live/work. Other than that I wouldn't know. Maybe the TCS is less expensive?

When was that?

According to the TCS website the TCS Zurich does the full check and you can make an appointment with them even after you have received the invite.

It's rather like a UK MOT, just the car needs to be VERY CLEAN!

For me, it's half as far.

Tom

So, if you fail an MFK on something not so dangerous, for example track rod ends, I presume they give you 14 days or whatever to have it repaired and returned for another inspection?

If you go TCS off your own back, and the car fails on track rod ends, do the same rules apply? I would presume so as the TCS/MFK databases must be linked?

Yes, they do.

Tom

A bureau is a chest of drawers, oder?

You can plan ahead and get the test done at your convenience, it is about the same level of testing, but usually they only test the cars.

(I thought you had to do the TCS testing before the date stamped on the Fahrzeugausweis, but maybe the cantons vary).

One big advantage is when you want to sell the car, you can get a fresh MFK test done at the TCS and the car will sell much easier.

The exhaust / emissions test has to be up to date before the MFK / TCS begins. However if the car is in poor condition, they can also order
it to be kept off the road until repairs are done, ie it has to be towed away to a workshop.

In both the cantonal MFK and with the TCS, they will give you the stamp on the Fahrzeugausweis if the car is OK.
Otherwise you receive a list of defect(s) which you can get fixed and you then return within 10 days for a retest / inspection of the failing components.
For this retesting you pay an extra small charge.

The date stamped is the date of the last successfully passed test.

Tom