Do NCT if thinking about new car in 2 months?

david.carroll5

Hi all,

I have an 03renault megane. The NCT is due this month on it. I'm not sure if I'll do it as thinking about trading in for a newer car maybe in next couple of months. Like would it be worth my while doing the NCT (I'd need to get car serviced first as would have been about 18 months) and then when trade in at garage could say 'has just passed NCT' or do the garages care too much if NCT just up. Basically would the cost of servicing / paying for nct, etc be worth it if trading in soon if garage wouldn't give me too much more for my car that has just passed NCT?

thanks,

Anan1

The garage will work out the cost to them of servicing and NCTing the car and calculate that into their figures. Is that car supposed to be serviced annually or every two years, or is it due by mileage?

david.carroll5

yeah I think every 18,000 miles or 18 months - not sure

I was thinking the cost I pay for service isn't how much will cost them to service it themselves so from their point of view probably won't add too much value onto car.

cormac_byrne

If you were thinking of selling it privately, then it definitely would be more saleable with a new NCT, so just bung it in and see what happens.

If it fails the NCT, then choose to get it serviced plus fix whatever else needs doing, or if that looks too expensive, then trade it in and let the dealer worry about NCT etc... (like already mentioned cheaper for him to fix than you)

McSpud

I don't think many people would buy used car without NCT. If trading car unless just for scrap garages will definitely give you less money - if car is older they will discount a lot i think.

AsphaltRisin'

if you were selling privately then nct will definatley make the car sell much easier. and as for trade in, you WILL get less money for acar without test, and it'll probaby be the first thing a dealer will say when you ask about trading it in.

bazz26

I'd stick it through the NCT first to be honest. It only costs €50 and an hour of your time. If it fails for something small and cheap then either get it sorted or show the fail sheet to the dealer and he will revalue the trade-in price.

Trading a car with a soon to be expired NCT is not a good idea imo, it gives an advantage to the dealer, he is going to reduce the trade-in value of your car accordingly as he is taking the risk of an potentially expensive NCT failure that he needs to put right before selling the car on, even though the car might fly through it.

This what I am doing, my own car's first NCT is not due until early September, I'm planning on selling it in the next couple of months so have it booked in for it's NCT the week after next. That way it will have an NCT for 2.5 years which will make it easier to sell.

jvc

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd stick it through the NCT first to be honest. It only costs €50 and an hour of your time. If it fails for something small and cheap then either get it sorted or show the fail sheet to the dealer and he will revalue the trade-in price.

Trading a car with a soon to be expired NCT is not a good idea imo, it gives an advantage to the dealer, he is going to reduce the trade-in value of your car accordingly as he is taking the risk of an potentially expensive NCT failure that he needs to put right before selling the car on, even though the car might fly through it.

This what I am doing, my own car's first NCT is not due until early September, I'm planning on selling it in the next couple of months so have it booked in for it's NCT the week after next. That way it will have an NCT for 2.5 years which will make it easier to sell.

I thought the earliest you could NCT a car was 2 months before the NCT was due? Maybe it has changed since I checked last.

Carawaystick

jvc wrote: »

I thought the earliest you could NCT a car was 2 months before the NCT was due? Maybe it has changed since I checked last.

Nope, six months early
Do the nct and see what happens, it's only fifty quid.
get it serviced after if you think it'll get you a better deal on the trade in/sale

galwaytt

Carawaystick wrote: »

Nope, six months early
Do the nct and see what happens, it's only fifty quid.
get it serviced after if you think it'll get you a better deal on the trade in/sale

Nope, it's 3 month's....as the NCT and the nice men in the white car with the blue lights told me 3 weeks ago.......

bazz26

First NCT (4 year old cars) can be done 6 months prior to it being due.

Second and subsequent NCT can be done 3 months prior to it being due.

I had this argument with the NCT lady at the end of the phone early last week when I tried to book it to no avail. My car was first registered on 7th Sept 2005 and I was able to book a slot online last Saturday (7th March - exactly 6 months before it was due).