NCT A farse?

breanoh

I have had nothing but positive experienves with the NCT. They are always very helpful, and are very fair. I know that NCT have to test their equipment either daily or weekly depending on the machine, and they are all calibrated. The thing with the Popper doors is a safety concern, and they are a daft modification anyway. It is up to the gardaí to enforce the law on the roads, and Once the car has been presented for NCT in crrect order and passed it is nothing more to do with them.
Mr. Lightbulb..... What can I say...... Check your lights on the MORNING of the test, NOT the night before! Anyway, why do you have 6 lights illuminated at the front of your car? By law you are only allowed one dipped beam per side, all other lights have to come on with the headlights, so they could have made you re-wire your car, that is a safety issue (ie blinding other drivers at night by having exessive lighting) The issue of tehre being a blown bulb is another safety issue, how do you have full vision at night with only one dipped light? (rememberin my earlier comment about auxhiliaries!) Danger to pedestrians and animals on country roads/ main roads (unlit with no footpath)
And with regard to the newer cars, Have heard a couple of (confirmed) stories about running 04's and 05's through for a laugh and them failing on brakes and worn suspension........... There is (to the best of my knowledge) a better pass rate amoungst the older cars than the newer ones.
So think of this before dissin the NCT.

Anan1

Gyppo - I wouldn't be particularly surprised at a brake imbalance appearing and disappearing on an 11 year old car. It could just be that a caliper was a bit sticky, etc. I'm not saying that this definitely was the case, but it certainly appears to be a realistic possibility to me.

dubtom

I have issues with the nct too, I think it's basically a money spinning exercise. I failed on a headlight alignment, brought the car up to quickfit on the naas road and they couldn't align it because the alignment nuts were seized, so I did nothing with it, Brought the car back to the nct, the guy jumped in and had it up to the machine before I had a chance to get into the centre,stuck the aligment thing in front of the light, took all of 5 seconds and passed it.I'm convinced that a certain percentage of cars will fail just so the nct can keep their numbers up and make more money, I'd love to know if the employees are given orders to fail cars on aligment and things that can't be 100% verified by an independant,hint hint cosmo K

shoegirl

JoeySully wrote:

Had my nct retest today!

Here are some problems theat i know about my car!
1. weak starter motor
2. Smooookeeee is hell
3. timing is defo off.
4. emmisions leaking from exhaust manifold
5. intermittent brake light prob(think i might have fixed this on though)
6. exhaust hitting offf undercarrige over bumps. hitting the handbrake under car.
7. Oil leak
i cant believe
NCT RESULT : PASS
ps. yes i do intend to fix these problems

I can nearly beat that:
air flow sensor causing power loss when accelerating
1 RH rear and 1 LH front ball bearing gone
rusty exhaust box
power steering fluid leaking on one side of steering rod
bushes on front suspensions sh**ged
Plus a few minor problems that aren't safety issues (difficult to unlock doors, wiper blades, and two swithces cuasing the alert when lights left on not to work)

Also noticing the timing starting to go off, but trading car in this week so not worried about it. Would have cost me 900 euro to fix! Mechanic told me it was unroadworthy, but he did give it the worst service I've ever had in 8 years of owning cars I'm a bit cynical. Actually suspect he didn't service it at all.

NCT was about 12 weeks ago, failed initially on a tiny bulb being missing, but went to garage next door and got it replaced. When I went back to the NCT centre the guy just peered out the window at the car (he couldn't possibly have seen if I'd actually replaced the bulb) and printed off a PASSED certificate!

Gatster

Sorry about my written english, hope its not too bad

It's not bad at all, but how about spoken? The two guys last year in Ballymun couldn't communicate with each other, never mind me (lots of pointing ensued). I have no problem with the failure last year (track rod) but do with the inability to speak plain English. Same story this morning despite a pass.
My mate's wifes old Uno passed despite the indicators not working correctly and the sunroof glass being held in with duct-tape. Luck of the draw as far as I can see, well at Ballymun it seems to be.

green-blood

well English isnt our offical first language either, maybe we should send all NCT employees to Connemara for a summer !!!!!!

If anyone believes the MOT system in the UK is better you are having a laf. The same garage that fails you quotes you for repairs...come on. Meanwhile if you think the NCT is too tough, try getting through a German TUV test, if the washer fluid isnt an approved brand you'll fail.

Cosmo K

It's not bad at all, but how about spoken?

Even better, with a bit of an Limerick/Clare accent:D

But I know exactly what you mean, and yes this is a big problem in some of the Dublin Centers like Deansgrange or Northpoint, where most of the staff is non irish. Quite frustrating for customers and the NCT staff.

il gatto

My car failed the NCT last week. It's a 98 Alfa 156. I know alot of people give them stick, but I've worked in stores for e few different makes and they're no worse than anything else out there. Anyway, the NCT did a hatchet job on my car. Wiper linkage? Wipers work fine. Very little play at the spindle. €191+VAT+labour. I also have to replace basically every link and bushing he could find under the car. All in it'll cost me almost €2,000. And thats a guy I know giving me a good price on the labour.
My problem is that I expected a wishbone, a droplink and a few bushings. He really went to town on it though. The car is tight on the road. There's little or no roll on corners. It doesn't sway or veer offline. The guy who's fixing it looked it over with me and said the anti roll bars were fine. When I showed him the NCT report he was shocked. Can't get bushings for it. Have to get both roll bars complete €216.80+VAT+labour. And an expirienced mechanic reckons their perfect.
I put a Peugeot 306 thrugh 3 years ago that was rough as a bears arse and it passed first time. I had to stop driving it shorly afterwards as it was so loose and hard to control on the road. Same with my mothers old Golf.
I'm not saying I didn't want to fix anything, but I know alot of the stuff it failed on was in good condition or at least not impacting on the cars safety. I think the tester just put down what an Alfa normally fails on without really checking. Only problem is, I really don't have any comeback and have to replace servicable parts because the tester doesn't like Alfas, or me, or was having a bad day or whatever reason.

Anan1

Funny that, I had the opposite experience when I dropped a 98 Alfa 156 in for NCT in Deansgrange on Monday. The car passed, but when I brought it for service today the mechanic (Gerry @ TI) told me I needed new anti roll bars, and that had he been doing the test, he would have failed the car!

il gatto

Oh to be in Deansgrange! I'm afraid my local test-center are only too observant. And my tax and insurance are both due in August as well:(

SouperComputer

@ il gatto, if a number of people (Clued in people) are of the opinion that the car is in good enough condition to pass, then maybe send it back in to the NCT without any work and see how it goes.

Misty Moon

il gatto wrote:

I think the tester just put down what an Alfa normally fails on without really checking. Only problem is, I really don't have any comeback and have to replace servicable parts because the tester doesn't like Alfas, or me, or was having a bad day or whatever reason.

As most of the tests carried out are controlled by a computer it's not very likely. Have you checked the NCT website or rung them? I can't remember but I think they do have some kind of appeals process if you really think your car should have passed.

miju

[quote=Day-wanna-wonga]
C*nts. They failed me last year because a bulb went sometime between the night before my test (when I check my front lights in a window reflection at night) and the time I brought it for the test the next morning. I had to go replace the bulb, and bring it back and pay €20 (approx) for a quick 'thumbs up'.
on.[/quote]

goes to show the inconsistency on the test , my other half failed (wipers broken) brought it back the next day with the problem fixed and wasn'[t charged anything because it was only a quick visual inspection , you sir got done out of €20 , LOL

englander

I have/had much more faith in the MOT system than NCT.

NCT is so hit and miss...

I brought a car over from UK after failing a recent MOT test before I moved.

I failed the MOT at a local garage due to ..

no battery mountings (rusted away).
A bush gone on steering column.
Anti rollbar link missing.
One of back seatbelts doesn't stay in the gadget.
Handbrake not holding well enough (cable not tight enough).
Half the passenger door missing (due to rust).

After importing car to Ireland was told I would have to do an NCT.

I decided to let it go through NCT and then decide whetehr to just scrap car or get it fixed depending on results.

I was told after the test that it had failed due to my back lights being too bright and there must be an electrical fault....WTF?

It turns out the back lights dim after I start the engine. So I demonstrated this and they agreed to pass the car (despite all the known problems)

I then had a bit of a row as I got an NCT for 3 months only. I was bloody livid. It was because the cert only last until the anniversary of when the car was first registered. That just isn't fair and stinks of a money spinner.

Sure enough when I took it back 3 months later, they failed due to rusty door and rust under the car.

Didn't mention any of the other problems. (I got these fixed with the rust fixes). It was a foreign gentleman who couldn't explain exactly where the rust was. Just a blob of highlighter on a poor diagram of a car and lots of pointing and shrugging.

Give me the MOT system anyday. Yes there are dodgy garages but they risk losing their MOT status if they just give out MOTs.

If they fail you with a goal of getting work (which paranoia will always have you believe), there is no reason why you have to get the work done at their garage. You can also get it retested at another garage.

And theres none of this certificate from the anniversary of the first registration of the car.

And they all speak English, which is very important when you need to know what to fix.

alias no.9

Misty Moon wrote:

As most of the tests carried out are controlled by a computer it's not very likely. Have you checked the NCT website or rung them? I can't remember but I think they do have some kind of appeals process if you really think your car should have passed.

The bushings are a visual check. They do the axel slip allignment test but you can be failed on 'worn' bushings even if this is well within spec. Mine (also a 156) failed for a rear suspension bushing a few weeks ago, despite being well within spec for the slip allignment test. The bushing was on the hub end of the rear transverse arm and because the bushings cannot be bought seperately, the arm had to be replaced, €45 plus an hour of my time, so I suppose getting the old bush out and pressing a new one in might have been a lot more trouble than changing the arm. Anyway, back to the test center and they repeated the slip allignment test, it was improved, and put the car up on the lift and gave a glance, saw the new arm and did no more, just came out and gave me the cert. This despite the fact that there are several more bushings under there and the crayon mark his buddy had left the previous day was gone. I examined the bushing that came off and there didnt seem to be a whole lot wrong with it. Sorry if this has got a bit long winded.

Anan1

miju wrote:

goes to show the inconsistency on the test , my other half failed (wipers broken) brought it back the next day with the problem fixed and wasn'[t charged anything because it was only a quick visual inspection , you sir got done out of €20 , LOL

As has been pointed out repeatedly on this thread, they can't check headlight alignment with a blown bulb. This requires equipment to test, hence the charge. Might be an idea to read before you post next time.

Diamondmaker

Day-wanna-wonga wrote:

Your analogy is seriously stupid - you can't drive on 3 wheels, numb-nuts. I had 1 out of 6 front lights blown. Sliiiiiiiiiight difference.

Anyway - I'm done with this topic, so Anan1 will have to start following me elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Anan1
What an angry young man...

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

please stop following me to every thread i reply to.
thank you.

Anan1 wrote:

Is it just me, or are there a lot of little kiddies with different names but who sound remarkably similar running around here recently?

I thought this when I read that, well I thought the opposite of what you said actually
DM: "Oh there is Anan stalking again, driving his point home to boredom"

I can assure you that I am NOT Day wann wanna wonga ( stupid name in all fairness:D ) or the other guy who recently said the same. Maybe the other 2 are the same or maybe you DO stalk excessively.

I knew our agreeing would not last long:D

Anan1

My, who's paranoid today?;)

Diamondmaker

Your the one with the conspiracy theory that we are all one person!

This belongs on the cuckoos nest I think....
"Multiple personality Anan stalkers";)

chicken_food

speaking of nct farces, if i imported a car from uk and it was 1st regisestered in uk in 1993 november. does that mean when i go to nct it,it will only be done till november or will it be the date of 1st irish registered?

BnA

I have done 3 NCT's this year. One each in Nenagh, Charleville and Ennis. I had one pass first time, one fail on a headlight alignment and one fail on a light over the number plate. The two fails passed second time no problem.

I had no complaints at all whatsoever. I was never left waiting long. In all cases the staff were courteous, helpful and professional.

I remember I failed a few years ago in Limerick with a 96 Mondeo on emissions. I went out to my mechanic and hooked it up to his machine and it was indeed sky high. He tinkered around with it, stuck in a bottle of something and got it down. He told me it was barely below the limit and it was touch and go whether it would pass or not.

Went back in to my NCT centre to re-sit the test. Yer man came out to me afterwards with a cert and told me I was very lucky. He said he did the emissions test and it just barely failed. He did it again, same result. He said the system wouldn't let him print a Cert unless he had a positive result, so fair play to him, he stuck at it and finally on the 8th go it passed.

Sound out.

BnA

chicken_food wrote:

speaking of nct farces, if i imported a car from uk and it was 1st regisestered in uk in 1993 november. does that mean when i go to nct it,it will only be done till november or will it be the date of 1st irish registered?

It goes on the date of first registration. (i.e. November 1993)

However you're not too badly off.

The way they work it is....

A car has to be NCT'd 4 years after first registration and every 2 years after that.

So, your car would have been first due it's NCT in Nov 97 (if it existed back then) and every two years after that....

So it's due it an NCT in...

Nov 97
Nov 99
Nov 01
Nov 03
Nov 05
Nov 07

So basically, if you do your NCT now, it's not due again untill November 2007

chicken_food

appreciate the help bna-its a load of my mind. now ill just wack it through the nct and see what needs doing after!

Blue850

Friend of mine had a Fiat Tipo fail with a perished brake hose, no problem brought it to his mechanic to find all the hoses were perfect. A shot of Back to Black on the hoses and back it went for a pass.

GarH

I don't know if it's off-topic (sorry if it is) but could someone tell me how NOT having the county name in Irish on the reg plate constitutes a fail?
I thought the NCT was for roadworthiness and emmissions?

Motormouth

I put a 00 Seicento through a few weeks back. Knew it needed 2 front tyres (badly) and a brake light bulb, but ran out of time and fired it through rather than lose the slot.
You can see what's coming.......Back she came with a fresh ticket for 2 years!!!! Happy Days?? Maybe, but a bit hard to take when I've had to stomach failures cos the rear seatbelts were under the rear seat (ie out of view) oe there was something missing from the tool kit!!!!:rolleyes:

Anan1

GarH wrote:

I don't know if it's off-topic (sorry if it is) but could someone tell me how NOT having the county name in Irish on the reg plate constitutes a fail?
I thought the NCT was for roadworthiness and emmissions?

I'd say it's on the basis that anyone stupid enough to bring a car for test with incorrect number plates really shouldn't be driving.

Alun

GarH wrote:

I don't know if it's off-topic (sorry if it is) but could someone tell me how NOT having the county name in Irish on the reg plate constitutes a fail?
I thought the NCT was for roadworthiness and emmissions?

Basically the NCT, quite rightly, demands that you have 'regulation' number plates to pass, due to the requirement that they be legible to law enforcement personnel, speed cameras etc. which kind of falls under the roadworthiness / safety remit. However, the regulations in place regarding number plates also demand that the county name be in Irish, I think due to some pressure put on the government by the Irish language lobby, to put it politely. Now clearly, it wouldn't make too much sense to have two sets of number plate regs, one for the NCT and another for all other uses, so we're just stuck with it I'm afraid. In any case, anyone who doesn't know about this by now, must have been living on Pluto for the last year or so.

Torq

Hi Guys,
I'd advise picking up a copy of the department of the environment nct book, you can get it in easons or the government publications shop on molesworth st.
I replaced a torn cv boot on my fiesta a week before the test and they failed it as i hadn't put any cable ties on it, I just didn't have any at the time. The dept book gives info about the condition but does not say it has to be secure.
I went back for the retest a couple of days later, after putting a couple of clips on, armed with my DoE book. They showed me the check list on the pc with the security of the boot as a test item. I got the retest for free as I argued that they could not test me on something the DoE had not specified.

So if in doubt check the book, stand your ground and argue your case.

Keep well,
Torq

green-blood

well said

So if in doubt check the book, stand your ground and argue your case.

but for the love of God make sure you have a case before making a tit of yourself