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Help! think NCT are scamming me, does anyone know if there's a regulator???

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  • 21-10-2010 7:23pm
    #1
    Jane5
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭


    Hi,
    Apologies if there's already a thread on this. Have been going through NCT HELL recently!

    They keep failing me on things that they don't mention the first time around, so when I go back and back and back again to the garage they don't know to fix these things, if indeed they are faulty at all. Then when I ask why they didn't mention it the first time, they blank me.

    I'm concerned that I'm being scammed for the retest fee repeatedly here, and I have collected all the NCT reports in chronological order and highlighted the bits they initially fail to mention at all, and go on then to fail me on after getting over 1000 euros of stuff fixed.

    Is there a regulator they can be referred to for this? Like a Transport regulator or some equivalent? I'm clueless about this stuff, and would really appreciate some advice, as I'm broke from all their crap.


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    #2
    kona
    Registered Users Posts: 7,525 ✭✭✭kona


    Jane5 wrote: »
    Hi,
    Apologies if there's already a thread on this. Have been going through NCT HELL recently!

    They keep failing me on things that they don't mention the first time around, so when I go back and back and back again to the garage they don't know to fix these things, if indeed they are faulty at all. Then when I ask why they didn't mention it the first time, they blank me.

    I'm concerned that I'm being scammed for the retest fee repeatedly here, and I have collected all the NCT reports in chronological order and highlighted the bits they initially fail to mention at all, and go on then to fail me on after getting over 1000 euros of stuff fixed.

    Is there a regulator they can be referred to for this? Like a Transport regulator or some equivalent? I'm clueless about this stuff, and would really appreciate some advice, as I'm broke from all their crap.



    Maybe you should mention what the issues are? if your spending €1,000s on getting a car through the NCT thats insane! you get a car with 2yr nct for less than 1g!


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    #3
    Drummerboy08
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,102 ✭✭✭✭Drummerboy08


    I've generally found most NCT testers are honest. I'm just done testing 60 cars, and they've been spot on with each one.

    How long has there been between each test? Is it possible that the failure items are caused by something happening between tests i.e. they were fine at one test, but by the time the retest came around they had worn/broken/became loose etc?

    What type of car is it? Age? Mileage? It sounds like it has some serious problems.

    What test centre is it if you don't mind me asking?


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    #4
    Mr.MG
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭Mr.MG


    Is there more than 28 days between tests? If so they retest everything. If you get a retest within the 28 days they can only test the failed items.

    I have always found the NCT guys to be dead on. (dundalk)


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    #5
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,819 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Sounds more to me like your garage are scamming you...


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    #6
    ballsymchugh
    Registered Users Posts: 7,936 ✭✭✭ballsymchugh


    could you get your mechanic to take your car? i used to do that, the mechanic serviced the car and brought it to the nct himself.


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    #7
    kazul
    Closed Accounts Posts: 645 ✭✭✭kazul


    Can I be the first to call Troll on this? If it's true, why didn't you ask to speak to a Manager/Supervisor after the first (alleged) incident?
    If you get a fail on something, they only check that particular fault on re-test, it doesn't get a full re-test so no other faults should come into the equation...


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    #8
    Jane5
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Jane5


    That's not very nice, kazul, and I'm no troll!

    The first time they failed me on several specific things. I went to the garage with the list and they fixed all the things on the list.

    I then went back to the NCT, and they failed me on something they had not even mentioned in the first NCT, something which has not occurred recently by any means (a minor lighting issue). It couldn't have changed in the meantime as I stayed off the road without the NCT.

    If it was sufficient to fail an NCT, they should have mentioned it the first time. I would have gotten the garage to fix it as well.

    My garage were very nice about it and fixed it for no charge, as I've spent a blue fortune in there in cash over the last month.

    In the past while, many other people have come out with stories about this particular NCT centre, including my friend's father, who was told some guff about wishbone brushes, did nothing at all, took it back, and they passed him.

    I do believe they deliberately fail a certain proportion for income purposes, but the saga with my car is taking the piss, and I think there is real incompetency behind it.

    So is there a regulator that takes care of this at all, or are these guys unregulated cowboys?

    Thanks to all who gave advice, I especially like the suggestion of getting the mechanic to take it there-will def do that next time! Thanks!


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    #9
    Jane5
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭Jane5


    Oh, and as for the retest thing-don't get me started. I called to book the retest 20 days after the original. (You can do it up to 21 days after). This was not intentional, I had only just gotten the car back from the garage. They said there was nothing there, and even though I called repeatedly, could not get a cancellation.

    Now I understand they're busy, but that's not my issue. If I called to rebook and they can't accommodate me, they should rebook me as a retest for whenever they can, instead of insisting on a full test all over again.

    I call shenanigans!


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    #10
    deco nate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,340 ✭✭✭deco nate


    hi jane,you do know that if it is an advisory fail you dont
    have to book in,you just go back to them and they take a look
    at it there and then,at no cost to you,must be within the 21 days of
    the time of fail,hope this helps.
    this should have been expained to you.
    happened to me but was told just come back and we 'll have a look..
    and it passed.did you know this?
    you do not need to re book it!!


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    #11
    kazul
    Closed Accounts Posts: 645 ✭✭✭kazul


    So your car failed, garage fixed everything?
    You didn't check you lights before re-test, a bulb had blown in the meantime and you didn't notice?
    Lights fixed, car passed?
    What exactly did you spend thousands on?
    Why are you being so melodramatic?
    You're giving out yards but giving no facts. As for the "they fail a certain amount of cars to make money" guff, there's a separate part of boards for conspiracy theories, plenty of tinfoil hats over there.


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    #12
    kona
    Registered Users Posts: 7,525 ✭✭✭kona


    Id like to say that when I put my car through the NCT in Ballymun, The testers gave it everychance to pass, it only failed on emmissions(not a engine fault, just the way the engine is), He told me to go and retune it and hed put it on the machine, if it passed hed charge me the e20, if it failed I didnt have to pay.

    So From my personal experience, it may be a scam by the government, but IMO the testers are extremely helpful and I was very pleased with the treatment. I spent ages talking with him about the car and he said he understood how hard it is to get the particular car I have to pass and how much work they require.

    I say calm down with the shinanigans, IMO your drivin a ****box that you should scrap andgo buy one in good condition with a NCT instead. I love how your given so much advice by friends and family about how the lads in the NCT are muppets, but if your car was in such a crapbox to fail numerous times after over a grand sunk into it and they didnt advise you to get a new car with a NCT instead of throwing money away, then IMO they dont know their arse from their elbow.

    Calm down with the dramatics, tell some of the posters here the ISSUES with the car and get some advice, instead of having a Joe Duffy.


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    #13
    kazul
    Closed Accounts Posts: 645 ✭✭✭kazul


    +1 for the guys in Ballymun, I gave mine a good valet and a minor service before my last test and yer man cruised thru with his elbow out the window enjoying the ride. He told me after that it took him a while to get the reading low enough to (just) pass on emissions :D


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    #14
    PeteHeat
    Registered Users Posts: 648 ✭✭✭PeteHeat


    Got a Sunday morning test in Naas for my wife's car, checked the obvious on Saturday evening (I'm no mechanic), when the car was going through the test the front indicator was not working.

    No Conspiracy, bulbs can blow anytime, tester suggested go to the local Halfords get a bulb and come back which I did.

    A quick walk out to check the bulb was working and the car was passed, No Charge, can't get fairer than that.

    We all worry a little when having cars or vans tested however it is a good incentive to keep them in good road worthy condition, it also keeps the mechanics / garages honest !


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    #15
    F-Stop
    Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭F-Stop


    kazul wrote: »
    Can I be the first to call Troll on this?

    Without specifics about the issues and some sort of timeline, it really does look that way. 'Course I'd give the OP the benefit of the doubt if add some meat to this.


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    #16
    mickdw
    Registered Users Posts: 23,277 ✭✭✭✭mickdw


    As far as I know, if you are having your retest within the specified time, they can only retest the fail items of the original test and any safety critical item that has failed in the mean time that is visible to them. So for example if they saw that a brake line had been damaged between tests, they could fail it on that even though not mentioned in original report and even if they are not actually testing brakes in retest.


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    #17
    Atomic Pineapple
    Registered Users Posts: 18,272 ✭✭✭✭Atomic Pineapple


    You done the test.
    Failed.
    Got failed items fixed.
    Let the time you have to retest slip.
    Done test again (which would have been a full test again)
    Failed.
    Got failed items fixed.
    Done retest within time allowed
    Passed?

    So whats the problem? The way the NCT works, its time limits etc.. are easily found so you've no excuse there.

    Lesson learned, dont let the retest time slip next time.


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