[traveller2]

Have to get two cars put through an NCT soon, in the space of week.
What’s the standard cost for a check up for the car?
I know one car requires 300-400 work on it, oil leaking out from under engine, and something needs to be replaced connected to the shock absorbers, from what I was told when the tyres were replaced, and will have to be done.
I usually go through the main garages, and no problem with the service but just wondering what s the likelihood of being able to haggle a little on the cost?
Or am I wasting my time as the garages are out the door with people doing NCT’s!?

[Alanstrainor]

If all you're looking at doing is seeing what needs to be done for the NCT, just put the cars through and see what they fail on? Then just get that work sorted.

[Nissan doctor]

Originally Posted by traveller2

Have to get two cars put through an NCT soon, in the space of week.
What’s the standard cost for a check up for the car?
I know one car requires 300-400 work on it, oil leaking out from under engine, and something needs to be replaced connected to the shock absorbers, from what I was told when the tyres were replaced, and will have to be done.
I usually go through the main garages, and no problem with the service but just wondering what s the likelihood of being able to haggle a little on the cost?
Or am I wasting my time as the garages are out the door with people doing NCT’s!?

Pre NCT visual checks should be free in most garages. Pre NCT checks are fine, but only if you find a competent and honest garage as its an easy opportunity for some garages to over sell.

[traveller2]

Thanks for that folks, with one of the cars there is oil under the engine, on the ground, whenever it's parked up but the other car is hardly used.
I could put them through and chance it, but then again I might have to pay again for the test, and get the work done anyway.

[cletus]

If there's an obvious fault that you can rectify, or have rectified, then definitely do so.

However, if your putting your car in for a pre-nct just to see if there are any problems, then I wouldn't bother, just do the nct and see what arises. The retest is €28, so depending on what the car fails on, this may still be the cheaper option

[corktina]

you wont get any garage to do a pre-check for less than the €28 re-test fee and you risk them lumping in all manner of unnecessary work. Check what you can yourself and book them in.