Car soon due an NCT test

Glenman

Sorry if the following queries have been answered many times before.
I am driving my first car and the NCT is out of date in mid February. I am not familiar with NCT testing etc….
Do they automatically send out an NCT appointment?
I’m from Donegal and the car was last tested in Donegal but I now live in Galway and it would be handier to test it here. If I ring up the national NCT centre can I get an appointment for Galway….once you give the car reg number will they know all the history etc…?
How long does it take to get an appointment, I suppose it varies between centres.
And finally the car is a 97 VW polo, she is running well and seems to be in perfect working order. Should I take her to a pre-test garage to get her checked out or should I just get her tested and see what happens?
Many thanks.

cantdecide

Glenman wrote: »

Do they automatically send out an NCT appointment?.....If I ring up the national NCT centre can I get an appointment for Galway….How long does it take to get an appointment, I suppose it varies between centres....Should I take her to a pre-test garage to get her checked out

The luck of the draw with changing cas has meant that I've not been in a position to receive a notice, but the last car I had where the NCT expired, I heard nothing. I heard talk of them not sending out reminders any more but I don't now if this is true.

They will test the car anywhere you like. If you do get a reminder, it will be listed as the closest center to your address (might be Donegal) but you can ring and change no problem.

If you really think the car is okay and it hasn't been six months since the last service, I'd send it through. You might be lucky enough that it needs nothing. If you take it for a pre-test, you may still end up failing on the day (happened to me) which is a waste of time and money for a pre-test IMO.

yeah-boy

Some garages cost 200 for pre tests. Id pay the NCT fee and let them tell you what needs to be done. No offense but your car is probably worth €1500 so would be wasting money on a cheap car. thats my opinion and the opinion of mechanics I know ! Anyway, just check the usual before you get her nct'ed, tryes, tyre pressure, breakpads, lights etc. Let them tell you about the emissions and that jazz if your car should fail.

pele10

The last two times I have not even went to a garage for a PRE NCT, they are the biggest money making scam. My car passed straight through each time.

Even if its fails, its 27 quid if they need to use the equipment and free if its a visual problem. So in theory it costs 27 quid to find out exactly what needs to be fixed, rather 200 for a PRE NCT and them adding new parts for stuff that it would not fail the NCT for

Glenman

If your car fails first time round, how long do you have to get the car re-tested for a fee of 25 euro?

pele10

Glenman wrote: »

If your car fails first time round, how long do you have to get the car re-tested for a fee of 25 euro?

I believe its four weeks

Glenman

Thanks for all the info...and finally, how long roughly after ringing will you get a test appointment?

DannyBuoy

Glenman wrote: »

Thanks for all the info...and finally, how long roughly after ringing will you get a test appointment?

Depends on the test center, ring the central call centre on 1890 412413 and they'll tell you.

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

cantdecide

Glenman wrote: »

Thanks for all the info...and finally, how long roughly after ringing will you get a test appointment?

If you want to get it out of the way, apparently cancellations come on-line first thing the following morning so if you want it quick, ring @ 8am and give them the locations of 2 or 3 centers nearby.

Glenman

Is is just the car reg number you need when ringing up to make an appointment? Also, do the centres be open on a Saturday or late in the evening. Do people usually need to get time off work to take in the car?

bazz26

All you need to know is on here:

www.nct.ie

DannyBuoy

Glenman wrote: »

Is is just the car reg number you need when ringing up to make an appointment? Also, do the centres be open on a Saturday or late in the evening. Do people usually need to get time off work to take in the car?

Again, depends on the centre, some of them are open 7 days a week, some days from 8 in the morning to 9.30 at night apparently. If you can get in after hours no point in taking time off work, only thing is everyone is probably thinking the same.