NCT vs. MOT

JcDubz4life

Im thinking about importing a car from the UK and have worked out everyting like VRT, insurance etc. the one thing Im left with is the NCT. The car got its MOT over there last month and I was wondering how this compares with the NCT. Could it pass the MOT and fail the NCT over here after Iv paid for it and brought it over? How do the two tests differ?/what are the similarities?

Thanks in advance

Tipsy Mac

JcDubz4life wrote: »

Im thinking about importing a car from the UK and have worked out everyting like VRT, insurance etc. the one thing Im left with is the NCT. The car got its MOT over there last month and I was wondering how this compares with the NCT. Could it pass the MOT and fail the NCT over here after Iv paid for it and brought it over? How do the two tests differ?/what are the similarities?

Thanks in advance

The tests are fairly similar, I would go ahead with it if it has passed the MOT, should only require Irish plates to pass the NCT.

gofaster_s13

The two tests are basically the same the biggest differance being that any garage can get certified to do MOT's and here its privately run, the Mot system in the UK is hugely corrupt and dodgy passes are easy to get.

klaus23

I've imported cars with fresh MOTs to have them fail the NCT, so yes, it's possible.

The MOT in the north is done in test centres as opposed to individual garages in Britain and is the exact same as the NCT right down to the sequence and checks.

EKRIUQ

MOT's seem very easy to get. Anytime I was looking at car in the UK if the car had little MOT left they said they could get one in a couple of hours if I wanted one. They never seem to worry about failing them which made me a bit suspicious as it would be the garage next door issuing them.

DublinDilbert

EKRIUQ wrote: »

MOT's seem very easy to get. Anytime I was looking at car in the UK if the car had little MOT left they said they could get one in a couple of hours if I wanted one. They never seem to worry about failing them which made me a bit suspicious as it would be the garage next door issuing them.

+1

Yea i've seen cars pass with defects the NCT would of failed them for. Although people in the north say the MOT is very difficult. One car i saw the wiper blades were completely degraded and covered in Moss, there was actually no wiper blade....

stealthyspeeder

gofaster_s13 wrote: »

The two tests are basically the same the biggest differance being that any garage can get certified to do MOT's and here its privately run, the Mot system in the UK is hugely corrupt and dodgy passes are easy to get.

Many many moons ago this was the case, but not now, the MOT can only be got at a few official MOT centres which are run by the government, I dont see how you could get an MOT in a couple of hours as they take 2 - 3 weeks waiting time from when you book it. The MOT is also a lot more expensive than the NCT, the machinery involed in testing the cars is more advanced and fails for minor problems such as wipers leaving streaks on the windsceen are not uncommon. This info from my friend who is a mechanic and would regularly do pre MOT services, no personal experience of it myself but if I was a betting man, i'd bet that if it passed the MOT recently, it'll pass the NCT

Edit~

This applies to Nothern Ireland and not mainland UK

gofaster_s13

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Many many moons ago this was the case, but not now, the MOT can only be got at a few official MOT centres which are run by the government, I dont see how you could get an MOT in a couple of hours as they take 2 - 3 weeks waiting time from when you book it. The MOT is also a lot more expensive than the NCT, the machinery involed in testing the cars is more advanced and fails for minor problems such as wipers leaving streaks on the windsceen are not uncommon. This info from my friend who is a mechanic and would regularly do pre MOT services, no personal experience of it myself but if I was a betting man, i'd bet that if it passed the MOT recently, it'll pass the NCT

The MOT test lane equipment and the NCT test lane equipment is the very same, I know traders in Ireland selling UK reg cars who can get the MOT cert sent over in the post from "contacts" in the UK.

rebel.ranter

I have heard anecdotes of the €50 NCT too, so there is no difference in corruption.

robtri

rebel.ranter wrote: »

I have heard anecdotes of the €50 NCT too, so there is no difference in corruption.

+1
I have heard, won't confirm seen, corruption in the nct, but thank god its rare.... very rare

gofaster_s13

rebel.ranter wrote: »

I have heard anecdotes of the €50 NCT too, so there is no difference in corruption.

What I have seen isnt anecdotal, I have seen a local trader get an MOT cert and tax for a 2006 Range Rover while it was parked in our garage getting work done. I have heard of dodgy NCT's but have never actually heard of someone getting one.

rebel.ranter

From what I have heard there are guys in the test centre that turn a "blind eye" to anything that does not require a read out in return for a €50 back-hander. So emissions, brakes & suspension imbalance would have to be right but things like broken tail lights, worn out ball joints, rust, dodgy seat belts, window winders not working, headlights mal-adjusted, etc. would not be failed. The list is endless.
I have not seen it first hand but confident enough that the source I heard it from is not bluffing. Thing problem is the mechanics in there have come from the motor trade population & will have friends/ex-colleagues put a little pressure or incentive to bend the rules.
It would be the same of any regulation service sourcing it's testers out of the group of people it is meant to be regulating. So don't take it that I am saying the motor trade is crooked, or any more crooked than anyone else.

L1011

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Many many moons ago this was the case, but not now, the MOT can only be got at a few official MOT centres which are run by the government, I dont see how you could get an MOT in a couple of hours as they take 2 - 3 weeks waiting time from when you book it. The MOT is also a lot more expensive than the NCT, the machinery involed in testing the cars is more advanced and fails for minor problems such as wipers leaving streaks on the windsceen are not uncommon. This info from my friend who is a mechanic and would regularly do pre MOT services, no personal experience of it myself but if I was a betting man, i'd bet that if it passed the MOT recently, it'll pass the NCT

You appear to be describing Northern Ireland, the old MOT system of garages doing it themselves still exists in GB.

stealthyspeeder

MYOB wrote: »

You appear to be describing Northern Ireland, the old MOT system of garages doing it themselves still exists in GB.

Thats correct, apologies! should have mentioned that in my previous post!

peasant

rebel.ranter wrote: »

From what I have heard ....I have not seen it first hand ....

why post it then? :D:D

rebel.ranter

peasant wrote: »

why post it then? :D:D

Alright I have seen it. There!

I have a friend in the UK who passes the MOT every year with a de-cat. His friend owns the garage and they just do the emissions test on a normal car and use these results for his car. I have also heard other stories which I cannot confirm but this one is definitely true.