No NCT disc

Bored-Stupid

Was caught around christmas in my last car of not having an NCT disc displayed.Any chance of getting a ticket at this stage?

P.s isnt it a joke that you can get 5 points for not displaying an NCT disc but only 3 points if your caught driving on a combination of drugs and drink!!

mike65

Really? I was stopped yesterday and my NCT is out since end June, he waved me on.

Mike.

Darragh29

Bored-Stupid wrote:

Was caught around christmas in my last car of not having an NCT disc displayed.Any chance of getting a ticket at this stage?

P.s isnt it a joke that you can get 5 points for not displaying an NCT disc but only 3 points if your caught driving on a combination of drugs and drink!!

It must have been out of date for a good while if you got done for not having an NCT disc...

Guy:Incognito

Bored-Stupid wrote:

P.s isnt it a joke that you can get 5 points for not displaying an NCT disc but only 3 points if your caught driving on a combination of drugs and drink!!

IS there a specific points penalty for a combination of drink and drugs? Asuming you mean over the drink limit when you include drink, you'd get a ban would you not?

Bored-Stupid

Well it was 3 in the morning and the boys were on a back road doing little else!Also couldnt find anything else to do me on!

old boy

me thinks it was pointed out on this forum sometime ago that it a requirement not legestation

junkyard

I've never been questioned by the Gardai when stopped at checkpoints regarding no NCT disc on any of my cars. I never got any of my fleet tested and never will as long as I can. We must be the biggest suckers in Europe to put up with every rule and regulation that the EU throw at us. It never ceases to amaze me how compliant we are over here as the rest of Europe give the EU the finger. The NCT test is a joke anyway, yet another money making racket that some of us fools seem to think we have to put up with.

Dermo123

Came across checkpoint last weekend on a quite country road in my 1988 Merc. No NCT disc displayed (because I don't have one). Car is as good as new but the guard would not have known that. He directed his torch on my number plate for a few seconds then spent about 20 seconds reading the detail on my tax and insurance discs, I assume to see that everything matched up. He then waved me on and the lack of NCT never arose as an issue.
Mentioned this fact at work to the lads and one of them told me that the guards requested extra pay for checking NCT as well but got no joy so they do not question the NCT at the checkpoints generally.
I can't say if that is true or not but there is a sizeable amount of older cars with, out of date NCT discs or else not displayed at all. This must be due to lack of enforcement.
It begs the question if you were involved in a crash would the insurance companies have any issue with the NCT status of the vehicles involved?

ZENER

When the NCT first appeared were we not informed that we would be unable to tax our cars without a valid NCT. Also weren't the insurance companies supposed to request the cert before renewing the policy (mine does - Hibernian) ?

If both of these are enforced how do people get away for so long without the cert ? Or am I just being naive ?

ZEN

junkyard

As far as I'm concerned all my cars are well maintained, serviced regularly and will pass any motor assessors examination and that's good enough for me, I don't much like the idea of some failed motor mechanic telling me my car isn't roadworthy because I didn't remove my hubcaps or that he can't make out "Corcaigh" on my number plate or some other stupid f**king excuse to extract a retest fee out of me. NCT no thanks, it's just another scam in dear old Ireland and by dear I mean expensive.......:mad:

yayamark

Bored-Stupid wrote:

Was caught around christmas in my last car of not having an NCT disc displayed.Any chance of getting a ticket at this stage?

P.s isnt it a joke that you can get 5 points for not displaying an NCT disc but only 3 points if your caught driving on a combination of drugs and drink!!

its a bit odd all right, but its not 5 penalty points for not having it displayed thats only a fine, its 5 penalty points for not having an nct.

Its the law, and it only means getting your car tested every two years, whats the big deal?

Jerryc

ZENER wrote:

When the NCT first appeared were we not informed that we would be unable to tax our cars without a valid NCT. Also weren't the insurance companies supposed to request the cert before renewing the policy (mine does - Hibernian) ?

If both of these are enforced how do people get away for so long without the cert ? Or am I just being naive ?

ZEN

By paying for both online

Wishbone Ash

Bored-Stupid wrote:

of not having an NCT disc displayed

Just to clarify - not having the disc displayed or not having a valid NCT Certificate at all?

Bored-Stupid wrote:

P.s isnt it a joke that you can get 5 points for not displaying an NCT disc but only 3 points if your caught driving on a combination of drugs and drink!!

A drink driving offence would also include a mandatory court appearance, monetary fine and a driving ban.

maidhc

yayamark wrote:

its a bit odd all right, but its not 5 penalty points for not having it displayed thats only a fine, its 5 penalty points for not having an nct.

There are NO penalty points for not having an NCT or an NCT disc. While a mandatory court appearance and 5 penalty points is provided for in the 2002 Road Traffic Act, the section relating to the NCT has never been brought into force, and as such is not law.

Darragh29

junkyard wrote:

I've never been questioned by the Gardai when stopped at checkpoints regarding no NCT disc on any of my cars. I never got any of my fleet tested and never will as long as I can. We must be the biggest suckers in Europe to put up with every rule and regulation that the EU throw at us. It never ceases to amaze me how compliant we are over here as the rest of Europe give the EU the finger. The NCT test is a joke anyway, yet another money making racket that some of us fools seem to think we have to put up with.

Someday someone with your mentality will be the cause of a serious accident where several people will be killed (like what happened when several children, I think it was 5 children, were killed when the school bus overturned in the not to distant past and it turned out the ABS system was not working), and it will end up being a defect with the car which caused the crash and the fact that the car wasn't NCT'd in years will be found to be a contributory factor and the driver will be hung out to dry for it.

DublinDilbert

junkyard wrote:

As far as I'm concerned all my cars are well maintained, serviced regularly and will pass any motor assessors examination and that's good enough for me, I don't much like the idea of some failed motor mechanic telling me my car isn't roadworthy because I didn't remove my hubcaps or that he can't make out "Corcaigh" on my number plate or some other stupid f**king excuse to extract a retest fee out of me. NCT no thanks, it's just another scam in dear old Ireland and by dear I mean expensive.......:mad:

I've no doubt your cars are all road-worthy condition, anyone who is into their cars will keep them in good safe condition ( which probably includes everyone on this forum)... The problem is the 95% of the population who aren't into their cars, its in all our interests that their cars are maintained to a safe standard, the NCT & enforcement of the NCT is the only way this can happen...

I do agree that the NCT it stupid forcing that the county should be irish, but it is a good thing that they are cracking down on reg plates that they are a standard font / size cause some people will just take the piss and put on tiny reg plates...

I also like getting my car back from the NCT and looking over the figures to make sure the brakes are all pulling the same amount, cause there'd be now way i would know this otherwise, also i don't know one garage that has a rolling road who could perform this test...

Darragh29

DublinDilbert wrote:

I've no doubt your cars are all road-worthy condition, anyone who is into their cars will keep them in good safe condition ( which probably includes everyone on this forum)... The problem is the 95% of the population who aren't into their cars, its in all our interests that their cars are maintained to a safe standard, the NCT & enforcement of the NCT is the only way this can happen...

I do agree that the NCT it stupid forcing that the county should be irish, but it is a good thing that they are cracking down on reg plates that they are a standard font / size cause some people will just take the piss and put on tiny reg plates...

I also like getting my car back from the NCT and looking over the figures to make sure the brakes are all pulling the same amount, cause there'd be now way i would know this otherwise, also i don't know one garage that has a rolling road who could perform this test...

A lot of garages have the same equipment as the NCT now, especially garages that do any amount of NCT prep work.

Esel

Darragh29 wrote:

A lot of garages have the same equipment as the NCT now, especially garages that do any amount of NCT prep work.

I seriously doubt that. Have you seen the NCT equipment? Rolling road etc?

mike65

As long as you can tax and insure a car without the NCT many will not bother getting it done.

Mike.

mikemac

DublinDilbert wrote:

I do agree that the NCT it stupid forcing that the county should be irish, but it is a good thing that they are cracking down on reg plates that they are a standard font / size cause some people will just take the piss and put on tiny reg plates...

Was thinking about this today just on number plates. If they started passing people like saying "The Irish is wrong but the car is sound so you pass" then it may seem fair to most people but it's a bad idea.
Otherwise people would start altering their plates, starting with the Irish as "that's not serious" but where would it end? Give some car owners an inch and they'll take a mile.
What we have now regarding number plates is fair. There's a set standard so either comply or fail. And it leads to less confusion

Boggle

If they started passing people like saying "The Irish is wrong but the car is sound so you pass" then it may seem fair to most people but it's a bad idea.

No, your number plate has zero effect on the car's roadworthiness and so should not be on the NCT.
Things like that are the reason why people like me won't take the NCT seriously (I'm more worried about my tyres and brakes tbh!!).
That and the things liek your NCT being valid 2 years from date of renewal instead of test just annoy people as it reinforces the notion that its primary purpose is for revenue, not safety.

Wishbone Ash

Boggle wrote:

your number plate has zero effect on the car's roadworthiness and so should not be on the NCT

It is important, in the interests of road safety, that registration plates can be easily identified to other motorists, Gardaí and via traffic/speed cameras. The simpliest way to do that is to have a standard type, otherwise the merits of all designs would have to be considered individually which would be time consuming and expensive.

Boggle wrote:

That and the things liek your NCT being valid 2 years from date of renewal instead of test just annoy people as it reinforces the notion that its primary purpose is for revenue, not safety.

If it is a legal requirement that it is done every 2 years then I can't see why giving 2 years from the date of renewal is a problem. Otherwise motorists would pospone their tests and attempt to do less tests than legally required over the lifetime of the vehicle.

junkyard

Darragh29 wrote:

Someday someone with your mentality will be the cause of a serious accident where several people will be killed (like what happened when several children, I think it was 5 children, were killed when the school bus overturned in the not to distant past and it turned out the ABS system was not working), and it will end up being a defect with the car which caused the crash and the fact that the car wasn't NCT'd in years will be found to be a contributory factor and the driver will be hung out to dry for it.

Absolute rubbish, I have newer equipment in my garage than most of the NCT centres and I'm a qualified motor assessor, my cars are better maintained than the majority of them on the roads today. I know of some people who borrow tyres and even lights to get their cars through the test to get a piece of paper to say its road worthy.......yes, until they get home and put their defective parts back on the car. The NCT test is only valid for the time the car was tested and even at that the test results fluctuate wildly at the testers whim.

2stageturbo

Do traffic wardens enforce the law with regards to the nct ? Or can they make more money for Bertie and boys from the usual offences ? Have a car with a nct that expired in 05 and have no intension of getting it done.Valid tax and insurance is more than enough for the average guard, unless its a traffic mule.;)

Darragh29

junkyard wrote:

Absolute rubbish, I have newer equipment in my garage than most of the NCT centres and I'm a qualified motor assessor, my cars are better maintained than the majority of them on the roads today.

I don't think the age of your equipment is really important. If it is newer than the NCT equipment, good for you. I've a new Sun VIC 3000 brake, suspension & sideslip test lane here and I have a new Sun DGA 1800 gas analyser. It does the exact same thing as the MAHA test lane the NCT centre use across town. Being qualified as a motor assessor doesn't really have much to do with the NCT process. You won't find many motor assessors working for SGS putting cars through NCT's in test centres across the country. The NCT forces you to put your vehicle through an independent road worthiness test. If your standards are apparently higher than the NCT criteria, what's your problem with the NCT???

junkyard wrote:

I know of some people who borrow tyres and even lights to get their cars through the test to get a piece of paper to say its road worthy.......yes, until they get home and put their defective parts back on the car. The NCT test is only valid for the time the car was tested and even at that the test results fluctuate wildly at the testers whim.

I know what the NCT involves mate. Can't say I've heard of people borrowing new parts from other cars to get them through the NCT. Most normal people comply with the requirements and have whatever work that needs to be done on their car so that it is roadworthy. I put about 5 cars a day through the NCT process on behalf of customers and I've never been asked once to take a shortcut like the type you mention above.

ktisel

Couple of people I know have driven around for years with no NCT and never had any problem in that respect from the cops....

Must say though, if I'm buying a car I'd like to see it has been through the NCT......

Also - Quinn Direct never ask if the car is NCT'ed...... Just happy to take your money...!

Wishbone Ash

Darragh29 wrote:

Can't say I've heard of people borrowing new parts from other cars to get them through the NCT

It used to be a problem in commercial DOE tests.

Guy:Incognito

ktisel wrote:

Also - Quinn Direct never ask if the car is NCT'ed...... Just happy to take your money...!

I know it's cool to hate Quinn and all, but I havent been asked by any insurance compnay if any of my cars were NCT'd .

2stageturbo

Hibernian asked me when i sold a 01 car and changed to a 95.

Guy:Incognito

2stageturbo wrote:

Hibernian asked me when i sold a 01 car and changed to a 95.

I had a 93, 2 94 cars, a 97 and a 00 car with hibernian in the last 18 months or so and was never asked. The gf wasnt asked eaither (00 scenic)

junkyard

The points I'm making regarding the NCT is firstly the NCT is really only valid for the duration of the test, and your really at the whim of the tester as to whether or not your going to pass and secondly as far as I'm concerned, it's just another stealth tax which the government hasn't the balls to implement properly because they were losing too much money from people not paying their road tax.

Darragh29

junkyard wrote:

The points I'm making regarding the NCT is firstly the NCT is really only valid for the duration of the test, and your really at the whim of the tester as to whether or not your going to pass and secondly as far as I'm concerned, it's just another stealth tax which the government hasn't the balls to implement properly because they were losing too much money from people not paying their road tax.

I can't agree with the whole "stealth tax" argument because I don't know many garages that will carry out the standard of inspection that the NCTS do for 49 Euro. What you get is a lot for what you pay when it comes to the NCT, it's not like stamp duty where the government make 40K plus if you move house. The government had to introduce vehicle testing due to an EU Directive, which made car testing compulsory in EU member states. I'm sure if the government wasn't compelled to introduce road testing, it wouldn't be with us.

Yes, the NCT is a snapshot of your vehicle at a particular time on a particular day, we agree on that. There is nothing wrong with that. No matter what way you go about testing cars, a handful of people will always come up with a way to get around the system to their own advantage. The fact remains that the vast majority of people engage with the system honestly and fairly and probably enjoy safer motoring because of this.

I've a car here today that I'm putting through the NCT for a customer next week. It needs 2 front tyres, rear wheel cylinders and brake shoes. If this car didn't have to do an NCT, these parts would probably not be replaced any time soon. Is it right that this car should continue driving around with 2 tyres below the minimum thread depth and one seized wheel cylinder and 2 worn brake shoes or would it be better that the above defects get nabbed through the NCT process or better still, eliminated during a pre-NCT process???

Revelation Joe

junkyard wrote:

The points I'm making regarding the NCT is firstly the NCT is really only valid for the duration of the test, and your really at the whim of the tester as to whether or not your going to pass and secondly as far as I'm concerned, it's just another stealth tax which the government hasn't the balls to implement properly because they were losing too much money from people not paying their road tax.

Cobblers.
The tester has to test your car within certain limits. If any of the tested items, e.g brake imbalance, falls outside those limits, it fails. Simple.
Stealth tax? Even more cobblers. The NCT has taken thousands of dangerously maintained old wrecks off the roads. Yes, the NCT only proves the car is roadworthy at that time, but any roadworthiness test is the same. Even the UK MoT states that. In fact, the MoT is stricter, more expensive and an annual test, so think yourself lucky!
I would never buy a car that did not have a long NCT/MoT nor would I run a car without putting it through the test when due.

Darragh29

junkyard wrote:

It's just another stealth tax which the government hasn't the balls to implement properly because they were losing too much money from people not paying their road tax.

I have to say, the NCTS is one of the few things the government has managed to get right. It's a fair, objective system which can only promote safer motoring. It is transparent and open to scrutiny, you have a right to appeal. I've never had any issues with the NCT as a process and I spend many hours of the week dealing with cars on the way into the NCT. The only time I've seen any departure from the script when it comes to the NCT was actually on this forum when a poster was failed on a re-test for reg plates after being passed for this item on the first occasion, which was corrected when the poster escalated the issue with head office.

Darragh29

junkyard wrote:

The points I'm making regarding the NCT is firstly the NCT is really only valid for the duration of the test, and your really at the whim of the tester as to whether or not your going to pass and secondly as far as I'm concerned, it's just another stealth tax which the government hasn't the balls to implement properly because they were losing too much money from people not paying their road tax.

And another point as Revelation Joe has pointed out... A lot of the NCT process is completely objective with no human subjectivity whatsoever involved. Brake imbalance & efficiency, suspension efficiency, engine emissions, sideslip, all these items are passed or failed by a machine, the tester has no input into the result, other than ot hit enter to capture the result the machine has recorded.

Chaz

A car of mine, tested in Dundalk last year passed despite having tyres with massive bumps on them where the tyres we falling apart. I only noticed it the morning of the test. It passed like that - I replaced the tyres immediately after the test.

Should see if I can find pics of the tyres ......

NCT on my car was worthless - the tyres were about to blowout.

junkyard

I've seen cars that failed retested only to pass without have had anything done to them!!! There are ways and means, some testers are more lenient than others and some just set out to fail the cars anyway....you can't tell me otherwise I've seen it myself firsthand. As far as I'm concerned it's up to every individual to keep their car roadworthy, I'm not for one minute saying I approve of unroadworthy cars.

colm_mcm

junkyard wrote:

. As far as I'm concerned it's up to every individual to keep their car roadworthy, I'm not for one minute saying I approve of unroadworthy cars.

I strongly disagree with you on the stealth tax issue, how much cash is left over from the €49 test fe after costs are covered? feck all.

If it wasn't for the NCT people would quite happily drive around in unsafe cars, as was the case before the NCT came in.
Look at the number of cars that fail for having incorrectly adjusted headlights, at least these people have to get them adjusted every 2 years now.

It's up to each individual not to drink and drive too, on your rationale we should just leave it up to people to not drink and drive and it wouldn't happen.

Wishbone Ash

junkyard wrote:

As far as I'm concerned it's up to every individual to keep their car roadworthy

junkyard - that is precisely why we need an NCT system!

junkyard

I know I'm fanatical about my cars but from what yer all telling me I must be the only one who maintains my cars on a regular basis....does everyone else just rely on the NCT test and the local garage at service time, when or if that happens? If that's the case it doesn't surprise me that there are so many accidents. If the aircraft industry applied the same standards we see huge carnage every day and pilots with L plates..... I genuinely thought people were more responsible.:(

Guy:Incognito

junkyard wrote:

I know I'm fanatical about my cars but from what yer all telling me I must be the only one who maintains my cars on a regular basis....does everyone else just rely on the NCT test and the local garage at service time, when or if that happens? If that's the case it doesn't surprise me that there are so many accidents. If the aircraft industry applied the same standards we see huge carnage every day and pilots with L plates..... I genuinely thought people were more responsible.:(

Your awfull naiive so. Especially for someone who is in the industry.

Even just from boards it is obvious to see the results. The Alfa threads arethe prime example. Theres plenty of people on here with faultless 156's and haveing a great ownership experience. Then theres the ones who come on saign theres is falling apart and breakign down.

The difference once it gets down to the details is the good ones are ver well looked after. If people arnet lookign after whats under the bonnet I can see other things (brakes, tyres etc) being left as long as possible to get "value" from them, as well as that I'd say theres a good proportion of people who specify cheapest as their onlyt requirement when getting maintenance parts.

People cant be relied on to self relulate when their own money is being spent.

maidhc

Stekelly wrote:

Your awfull naiive so. Especially for someone who is in the industry.

Even just from boards it is obvious to see the results. The Alfa threads arethe prime example. Theres plenty of people on here with faultless 156's and haveing a great ownership experience. Then theres the ones who come on saign theres is falling apart and breakign down.

The difference once it gets down to the details is the good ones are ver well looked after.

... A "good" car should be very reliable without needing constant money being pumped into it. That is how all my cars have been. I have spent nothing on my focus in the past 1 1/2 yrs except oil and filters and it has 80k on the clock. It passed the NCT too, and not only that but everything was well within the tolerances. Our mondeo only had a bit of money spent on it for the first time this year... not bad for 190k (and it is still on the same brake discs!).

I think the NCT is good value though, and yes it forces some people to sort out their cars, and for that it is probably a good thing.

Guy:Incognito

maidhc wrote:

... A "good" car should be very reliable without needing constant money being pumped into it. That is how all my cars have been. I have spent nothing on my focus in the past 1 1/2 yrs except oil and filters and it has 80k on the clock. It passed the NCT too, and not only that but everything was well within the tolerances. Our mondeo only had a bit of money spent on it for the first time this year... not bad for 190k (and it is still on the same brake discs!).

I think the NCT is good value though, and yes it forces some people to sort out their cars, and for that it is probably a good thing.

Regulaly checking levels and more fequent timing belt changes than a different ake does meanyour pumping money into a car.
Its a different issue and not a afety issue as such but some cars just require more care than others.Thats not bad thing. Who decides whats good ? what exactrfirgures is it based on for oil/belt etc changes? Some cars are better than others at withstanding neglect. You can get away with not checking levels etc on a lot of cars but on othe you cant.

How often do you have to service and maintain things on a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?

maidhc

Stekelly wrote:

Its a different issue and not a afety issue as such but some cars just require more care than others.Thats not bad thing.

...yes it is a bad thing! My capri needs more maintenance than my focus... and that is a bad thing and precisely why it is insured to drive 3k P.a... and why i use it as a toy rather than a serious mode of transport!

Stekelly wrote:

How often do you have to service and maintain things on a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?

See above... it is no ferrari though!

It is also why I bought a 34year old "fun" car... so I wouldn't have to bother with the NCT. If the brakes pull a bit, so be it it. if the suspensions are a bit out, so be it.. i'll fix them in due course, I don't need a test to tell me.

Guy:Incognito

maidhc wrote:

...yes it is a bad thing! My capri needs more maintenance than my focus... and that is a bad thing and precisely why it is insured to drive 3k P.a... and why i use it as a toy rather than a serious mode of transport!

Why didnt you buy a Corolla instead of th efocus so, probably wouyld have been a step up again.

Different car are just that different, otherwise evey car would be the same and have the ame service intervals, oil changes, timing belt changes etc. It's up to the person buying whethte they are happy doing thiese things more regularly fora car with personality. The problem arises when people buy an Alfa and treatit like a Toyota.

junkyard

Plenty of Alfa's down my way that have been well looked after by "specialists" and even enthusiasts and they still fall apart and blow up but I won't even go there before the "Anti-Alfa-Response" team rush in to quell the flames.:)

yayamark

maidhc wrote:

There are NO penalty points for not having an NCT or an NCT disc. While a mandatory court appearance and 5 penalty points is provided for in the 2002 Road Traffic Act, the section relating to the NCT has never been brought into force, and as such is not law.

i'm afraid that is incorrect. I know for a fact it is in force. upon conviction in court. the details are sent to the relevant agency and the penalty points applied. FACT.

maidhc

yayamark wrote:

i'm afraid that is incorrect. I know for a fact it is in force. upon conviction in court. the details are sent to the relevant agency and the penalty points applied. FACT.

It isn't incorrect. The RTA 2002 provides for 69 penalty point offences, however only 36 of them are currently implemented. The NCT isn't one.

FYI: http://www.penaltypoints.ie/the_full_list_of_offences.php

Darragh29

maidhc wrote:

It isn't incorrect. The RTA 2002 provides for 69 penalty point offences, however only 36 of them are currently implemented. The NCT isn't one.

FYI: http://www.penaltypoints.ie/the_full_list_of_offences.php

No mention of that link of a drink deriving offfence, unless "driving a vehicle when unfit", can be considered to be drink driving...

maidhc

Darragh29 wrote:

No mention of that link of a drink deriving offfence, unless "driving a vehicle when unfit", can be considered to be drink driving...

It is. Catch all to include drink, drugs, prescription medication, person just off a general anesthetic etc

Not that it matters. A person convicted of drink driving will often get 2 years off the road, and their licence endorsed and be generally uninsurable for about 6 years.

commited

Lads - I'd be careful - most insurance companies wont pay out unless your car has a valid NCT/MOT cert...