NCT Check

northdubgal

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for recommendations on garages in or near Balbriggan, for getting a pre-NCT check done on my car.

I am hoping that it won't cost too much as I'm fairly skint

Any suggestions?

tatli_lokma

got mine done in Michael Barrable motors in Airside for either €30 or €35. They didn't rub it in either getting me to get things done - they advised me I needed a new tyre which I knew about anyway and and then listed a two things I might need doing but that it was worth seeing if it passed first before spending out money.
I was happy enough with the service.

T-Maxx

Just take your car for the proper NCT - it's the best "pre" NCT you can get and it costs only €25*.

*€25 if it fails, gratis if it passes first time around.

Jimdagym

T-Maxx wrote: »

Just take your car for the proper NCT - it's the best "pre" NCT you can get and it costs only €25*.

*€25 if it fails, gratis if it passes first time around.

The NCT is 50€, pass or fail.
Defo skip the pre-nct. Let them tell you what to fix, and then get that work done. You could change everything on your car and ssomething still might fail. A pre-nct will just cost you cash, and even an honest mechanic could recommend something that actually would have passed, as is.

Beasty

Jimdagym wrote: »

The NCT is 50€, pass or fail.

I suspect that was the point T-Maxx was getting at - you have no choice but to pay the €50, as the NCT has to be done anyway. If it fails it costs another €28 (that's what they told me anyway!), assuming no full retest is required. If it passes it costs nothing more

I had my car serviced 2 weeks ago, pre NCT - amongst other things they changed the tracking rod and and parking brake pads. It went off for its NCT last week and failed on tracking and parking brakes! (and too much clutter in the boot:o) It appears the garage forgot to check the tracking after installing the new rod, and the brakes had not had time to bed in!

I guess this supports the argument to let the NCT determine what (if anything) needs doing, but I would still have preferred the garage to have got it right in the first place. I also think there are a number of basics you can do yourself, such as checking tyres, oil, water and coolant levels to avoid any "silly" fails.

northdubgal

Cheers everyone,

I'll just put the car in and see what happens so, the OH said the same as most of you here so fingers crossed it's ok!

T-Maxx

What I meant was that if your car passes the NCT first time around, the NCT center's "pre NCT" would be free - you'd only pay for the test, which is €50 IIRC.

On the other hand, if your car fails, you have to have it re-tested within a month at a cost of €28 IIRC, so said "pre NCT" would then have cost you €28.

Makes sense now Jim?

Jimdagym

T-Maxx wrote: »

What I meant was that if your car passes the NCT first time around, the NCT center's "pre NCT" would be free - you'd only pay for the test, which is €50 IIRC.

On the other hand, if your car fails, you have to have it re-tested within a month at a cost of €28 IIRC, so said "pre NCT" would then have cost you €28.

Makes sense now Jim?

Yeah, got it after Beasty's post. We are both saying the same thing. Just one point though. Any retest that doesnt use the machinary is free. As in, seat belts, lights, thread depths etc.

billyhead

Jimdagym wrote: »

Yeah, got it after Beasty's post. We are both saying the same thing. Just one point though. Any retest that doesnt use the machinary is free. As in, seat belts, lights, thread depths etc.

Thats not correct with regards to light. My car failed the NCT 2 weeks ago due to a front light out of position and I had to pay 28 euro to get it retested on top of the mechinics fee ti get it fixed

Beasty

billyhead wrote: »

Thats not correct with regards to light. My car failed the NCT 2 weeks ago due to a front light out of position and I had to pay 28 euro to get it retested on top of the mechinics fee ti get it fixed

They need to use specialist machinery to check headlight alignmment (hence the charge), but I guess if it's something like indicators or brake lights they can do it by simple visual inspecion (without charge). Hence .... it depends!

Jimdagym

Yeah, sorry, I could have been clearer there. When i said lights, I meant the bulb being gone, not position. Although I suppose if a front bulb is gone they cannot to the positional untill the bulb was in, so that could well be a 28€-er.