NCT - Do you take everything out of the boot?

William Powell

I've NCT a few vehicles now and just looking though the checklist before tomorrows test I was reminded to sort all the junk out in the boot, but do you really need to have it totally empty I have in the past but at the very least I have a 2 gall water can (old habit from when I had a damaged rad), tool box (with handy spares - having a spare bulb saved having to go back on the last test), socket set, first aid kit, tow rope, foot pump and jump leads.

I'll be removing the many assorted carrier bags, 2 heavy wax proof jackets, booster battery, shovel, assorted bungy straps, 4 or more wagon tie down straps, 2 long lengths of rope and probably lots of other stuff and can undertand why they dont want your boot full of junk if they need a quick look at the spare tyre but do the testers get upset if you leave a few "useful" things in the boot?

Barr

William Powell wrote: »

I've NCT a few vehicles now and just looking though the checklist before tomorrows test I was reminded to sort all the junk out in the boot, but do you really need to have it totally empty I have in the past but at the very least I have a 2 gall water can (old habit from when I had a damaged rad), tool box (with handy spares - having a spare bulb saved having to go back on the last test), socket set, first aid kit, tow rope, foot pump and jump leads.

I'll be removing the many assorted carrier bags, 2 heavy wax proof jackets, booster battery, shovel, assorted bungy straps, 4 or more wagon tie down straps, 2 long lengths of rope and probably lots of other stuff and can undertand why they dont want your boot full of junk if they need a quick look at the spare tyre but do the testers get upset if you leave a few "useful" things in the boot?

Done the NCT this morning and the boot was full. It passed no problems:)

Atlantic Dawn

They need to check the spare wheel in the boot and that should be it provided there's no structural defect they need to check from inside. I suppose you can leave everything in it and risk them refusing to test it, depends on the tester on the day if they don't want to look at it.

bmw535d

i know a woman that was refused the test as she had 2 bags of shopping in her boot, she said she would take them out but to no avail and had to book another test. just depends on the tester.

Dublin Hibby

they got a bit shirty at me due to the body that was obstucting the view of the spare wheel

William Powell

Dublin Hibby wrote: »

they got a bit shirty at me due to the body that was obstucting the view of the spare wheel

Probably because they recognised the body as belonging to the previous tester who had given you a fail.

biko

I always clear it out, just such a nice guy me And I don't want to give them excuses after they failed me on not taking the hubcaps off my alloys...

William Powell

bmw535d wrote: »

i know a woman that was refused the test as she had 2 bags of shopping in her boot, she said she would take them out but to no avail and had to book another test. just depends on the tester.

Thats the sort of thing I'm thinking of and its no problem to take the few remaining ""essentials"" out of the boot just to be on the safe side.

slave1

My car is going for NCT this week and I thought you did not require a spare tyre, mine came with one of those space saver thingy's so I bought a second hand wheel/tyre instead, thing is the tyre is not legal (thread depth), however given it's just a spare I'm living with it until I replace one of the existing tyres with better thread depth.

So, do you need a spare for NCT?

slave1

Did a search on the NCTS manual and only road wheel/tyre subject to test so on that basis I'll leave the spare as is...

stevenmu

I thought that if the spare is there then it would be tested?

Gabbo57

NCT don't check your spare wheel, the boot should be relatively empty as the inspector needs to lift the cover up to check for any corrosion etc

Top Dog

biko wrote: »

I always clear it out, just such a nice guy me And I don't want to give them excuses after they failed me on not taking the hubcaps off my alloys...

I had to read that twice - failed you on not taking the hubcaps off your alloys?

coylemj

Top Dog wrote: »

I had to read that twice - failed you on not taking the hubcaps off your alloys?

The wheel nuts have to be visible so yes, you can be failed if the hubcaps are not removed though most alloys don't have hubcaps so Biko probably meant to refer to 'wheels'.

slave1

slave1 wrote: »

My car is going for NCT this week and I thought you did not require a spare tyre, mine came with one of those space saver thingy's so I bought a second hand wheel/tyre instead, thing is the tyre is not legal (thread depth), however given it's just a spare I'm living with it until I replace one of the existing tyres with better thread depth.

So, do you need a spare for NCT?

No need to buy the 2nd hand wheel/tyre.

slave1

No need to buy the 2nd hand wheel/tyre

It was purchased as I prefer a 'proper' spare, it wasn't bought for NCT purposes.