Pre nct service in Dublin

Posy

Could anyone recommend somewhere to get my car pre nct serviced in (northside, preferably) Dublin? I'm dense about cars and wouldn't have a clue if someone was trying to rip me off so I'm looking for somewhere with a good reputation. The car is a Peugeot.
Any assistance appreciated.

Wishbone Ash

Why not send it through the test first and let them tell you if anything needs to be done?

Seth Brundle

what wishbone as said!
Plenty of places will check your car and take your money for the privelige but none of them will guarantee a test pass!

ballooba

These are the greatest scam ever. Garages will see dollar signs if you ask for one. Send it through and let it fail if necessary, you then have 21 days to get things fixed, and you will know what needs fixing. I did this with my sister's car recently. It needed a new wing mirror. It's going back in for it's free retest next week.

Posy

Does it not cost for a retest though, or would that be cheap compared to having lots of unnecessary things done to it?!!

Wishbone Ash

Karyn wrote:

Does it not cost for a retest though, or would that be cheap compared to having lots of unnecessary things done to it?!!

A retest costs €27.50 (it's free of charge if the car does not have to be placed on the ramp to check it).

The NCT is totally independent and they don't have any commercial interest in failing the car but a garage may advise you to do lots of unnecessary work.

Get a friend to go over the very basics e.g. oil, tyres, tyre pressure, number plates, bulbs, windscreen washer etc. and leave the more technical aspects to the NCT.

Don't forget to remove wheel trims (if applicable) and any objects/bags from the rear seat and boot.

ballooba

I imagine a garage will sting you for a lot more than €25 for unnecessary items. If the car is in reasonably good nick with no glaringly obvious problems then I would send it in and see how it gets on.

Posy

Cheers for all the advice!

MR DAZ

Quick question for yee...

The wifes car is going in for the NCT tomorrow...... the back window washer doesnt work,.....the wiper works fine but the washer doesnt work.

Also it works fine on the front windscreen.


Will it fail the NCT for this?

Darren

ballooba

Is there water in it? It's probably a seperate tank.

Is the pump running? If so have you tried cleaning out the nozzle?

WindSock

I was told I my windscreen wipers would have to be changeg and the hub caps off my tyres had to be taken off before my NCT. I forgot to do all this, and it didnt come up in the test. So I wouldnt worry about washers too much.

MR DAZ

I looked for a second tank meself and couldnt see one....also the nozzle doesnt appear to be blocked, tried cleaning it with a needle ages back

thanks for the replies lads.


car is a VW Golf 1.4

is_that_so

I tend to get my annual service just before the NCT. My garage guarantee to fix any problems that come up in the NCT at no extra charge.

ballooba

Check this out:
http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=11060

It seems there is no rear tank.

Seth Brundle

boreds wrote:

I was told I my windscreen wipers would have to be changeg and the hub caps off my tyres had to be taken off before my NCT. I forgot to do all this, and it didnt come up in the test. So I wouldnt worry about washers too much.

It largely depends on who is testing the car and the mood they are in! This is why the NCT is flawed as there isn't a consistent level of scrutiny given.

is_that_so wrote:

I tend to get my annual service just before the NCT. My garage guarantee to fix any problems that come up in the NCT at no extra charge.

Thats good but at the same time they will not guarrantee that something they have satisfactorily checked will pass (e.g. headlamps).

MR DAZ

Car passed this morning - /phew

Posy

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Don't forget to remove wheel trims (if applicable) and any objects/bags from the rear seat and boot.

Why must you remove the hubcaps? Also, do you leave the wheel jack in the boot or take it out and should seat covers be taken off?

Thanks all for the above advice which I hope has stopped a garage reefing me for a few hundred quid.

Posy

Congrats by the way Mr Daz.

Wishbone Ash

MR DAZ wrote:

the back window washer doesnt work,.....the wiper works fine but the washer doesnt work

The rear wiper or washer are not tested as part of the NCT.

(There is no statutory requirement to have a rear wiper/washer on a vehicle).