NCT queries

teednab-el

Ok I passed my NCT today after a retest and strange enough I have a few questions that someone here can answer.

As a retest costs €28, My understanding of a retest was that the NCT mechanics would have to use their testing machines or equipment to test the car again on the areas that weren't satisfactory on the first attempt. My car failed the NCT a week ago due to perished brake line hoses and the printout stated that the brake test would have to be done again.

That was fine, I went away and replaced the brake line hoses over the weekend and booked the test again for today. The NCT mechanic asked me if I had the original printout of the test faults that occurred on the first inspection. Funny enough I had them with me but correct me if I'm wrong I thought they have all this information in their database at the NCT centre? I gave him the fault sheet and he took it away with him. He then took my car and drove it around the back of the centre. I was expecting it to be brought through the different testing lanes of the NCT centre (In my case the Brake Test lane) but the mechanic didn't drive my car in at all. I can confirm 100% the car didn't enter any lane. I timed the minute he drove the car away and surprisingly enough, three minutes later, I see my car driven back to the car park again and test over (this is no exaggeration!).

The questions I asked myself after the test were

A) Did the mechanic even put my car on the machine or use testing equipment? In that short space of time I doubt it? You couldn't test nothing properly in 3 minutes unless it was a visual check.

If he only checked that the brake line hoses were replaced, why was I charged for a retest? Why didn't my car go on the brake test lane?

C) Why did he take the original test fault sheet with him? Is that procedure?


Hopefully someone knows the answers to these questions.

Thanks.

Cill Dara Abu

Visual check maybe?

teednab-el

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Visual check maybe?

Are there fees for a visual check?

Cill Dara Abu

It's a retest so you get charged either way, does'nt matter if its a visual check or not.

It's a money making racket, simple as that.

TestTransmission

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

It's a retest so you get charged either way, does'nt matter if its a visual check or not.

It's a money making racket, simple as that.

You don't get charged either way :rolleyes:

14. If I fail my NCT, when can I book a re-test?

All re-tests must be booked within 21 days of the initial test. Re-tests which do not require the use of a test lane, will be free of charge. Free re-tests will cover minor visual items for example, replacement of windscreen wiper and registration plates. Re-tests must be completed within 30 days of the initial test or a full test will need to be repeated and charged accordingly.

Your car isn't 4WD or something OP?Did you ask them why it wasn't tested on a lane?

teednab-el

TestTransmission wrote: »

You don't get charged either way :rolleyes:



Your car isn't 4WD or something OP?Did you ask them why it wasn't tested on a lane?

No just a Front wheel drive Audi.

I never asked but I was thinking about it in detail when I was driving back home from the centre. It should have gone on the machine into a testing lane for the brake test and it didn't, I saw this with my two own eyes. I would have been much happier if it was tested on the machine, seeming it cost 28euro for the retest. If the mechanic did a visual check in which I think he did, then I should have paid no fee simple as.

langdang

Sounds like he may have only done a visual check, but he may have scooted the car around to the lifts at the end of the lanes to have a proper look. If it involves a lane/machinery at all then it's chargeable it seems. Doesn't sound too mad that he would have wanted a proper look and therefore would have used a lift. If you got the cert I wouldn't be too unhappy - replacing brake lines could cost a pretty penny (for an old car) if fuel tank had to be dropped etc. Sounds like you got a cert with only minor repairs. How bad ha? What were your results from the actual braking test - did it pass or fail braking force?

teednab-el

langdang wrote: »

Sounds like he may have only done a visual check, but he may have scooted the car around to the lifts at the end of the lanes to have a proper look.

He didn't, I kept a close eye on my car going in and my car didn't enter any lane. There were a few other cars inside but my one wasn't. I had a good view of all the lanes.

langdang wrote: »

Doesn't sound too mad that he would have wanted a proper look and therefore would have used a lift.

Not trying to be smart here but I dont think a person could get a car on and off a lift and have done a check in less than 3 minutes. Could I be wrong?

langdang wrote: »

If you got the cert I wouldn't be too unhappy - replacing brake lines could cost a pretty penny (for an old car) if fuel tank had to be dropped etc. Sounds like you got a cert with only minor repairs. How bad ha?

Well not really,

I had done a lot of work to the car two weeks before the test. Its a car that is well looked after by the way and service regularly. I had to get timing belt and other stuff replaced as it was due to be done/ or needed to be done and got a full service also so it was costly. I had spent €800 just to get some of those things done, spent €170 on two new tyres and tracking before spending €50 for the first test and spending €80 to get the brake line hoses replaced and then €28 for the retest.

So I put more than a €1000 into the car just to get it through the test. I'm not complaining about the first failure by the way, If the brake line hoses had to be done, they had to be done. I'm just on about the way the retest was conducted.

langdang wrote: »

What were your results from the actual braking test - did it pass or fail braking force?

These Figures are from the retest but were similiar to this on the first test.

Brake Test.......... Brake Effort................ Ovality...............Imbalance

.....................Nearside.......Offside..........Nearside.....Offside

Front Axle..........2,790kN.......2,710kN...........51%..........53%............3%
Rear Axle...........1,920kN........1,910kN..........19%..........19%.............1%

Service Brake Effort: 68%

Parking Brake.......1,570kN........1,420kN...........................................10%

Parking Brake Effort: 22%

cjt156

Sounds to me like it was a visual as it would have passed the brake test on similar figures - did it say fail at that section originally. Or was it just for perished lines?
If he only did a visual to verify new lines were fitted I don't think you should have been charged the retest fee.

teednab-el

cjt156 wrote: »

Sounds to me like it was a visual as it would have passed the brake test on similar figures - did it say fail at that section originally. Or was it just for perished lines?

It was a FAIL/REFUSAL on Perished/Chaffed Brake Line Hoses both Nearside and Offside. This was stated on the Visual Aural Defects section of the test sheet for the first test.

cjt156 wrote: »

If he only did a visual to verify new lines were fitted I don't think you should have been charged the retest fee.

What gave it away for me was how quick the car was tested and how the car didn't enter any test lane.

-Chris-

Go back and ask for a refund. You don't have to pay for visual retests.

If they say it was a lane retest rather than a visual, ask for a printout of the new test results.

Sounds bogey to me...

teednab-el

-Chris- wrote: »

Go back and ask for a refund. You don't have to pay for visual retests.

If they say it was a lane retest rather than a visual, ask for a printout of the new test results.

Sounds bogey to me...

I found it impossible to believe the test could be over in 3 minutes.

What I found strange also was that he asked me for my original fault sheet, I never knew I had to bring it with me or must you have it with you on a retest? Why would he ask me for that?

Like I said I don't mind replacing a part in a car if the nct test states it needs replacing but my car was due for a retest, I paid for a retest and it wasn't retested. If I saw my car inside the testing lane, that would have been enough to convince me that the mechanic was testing it.

So thats the issue I have.

Should I go back to the centre and ask for a refund?

slimjimmc

teednab-el wrote: »

I found it impossible to believe the test could be over in 3 minutes.

What I found strange also was that he asked me for my original fault sheet, I never knew I had to bring it with me or must you have it with you on a retest? Why would he ask me for that?

Like I said I don't mind replacing a part in a car if the nct test states it needs replacing but my car was due for a retest, I paid for a retest and it wasn't retested. If I saw my car inside the testing lane, that would have been enough to convince me that the mechanic was testing it.

So thats the issue I have.

Should I go back to the centre and ask for a refund?

He probably asked you for the fault sheet to avoid him having to note down the VIN, go into the office, look up the last result on the computer and perhaps print out the fault list again. He would have course done all that no problem if you hadn't the sheet but why waste everybody's time if you had it nice a handy in the glove box all along.

The original failure sheet stated the brake test must be repeated so something isn't right, either the failure sheet is wrong or the 2nd tester took a short cut. In the former case you'd definitely be entitled to a refund, in the latter case I'd be seeking a refund and the proper retest (if required) to be done for free for the hassle they caused you.

teednab-el

slimjimmc wrote: »

The original failure sheet stated the brake test must be repeated so something isn't right, either the failure sheet is wrong or the 2nd tester took a short cut. In the former case you'd definitely be entitled to a refund, in the latter case I'd be seeking a refund and the proper retest (if required) to be done for free for the hassle they caused you.

I went back to the NCT test centre today and explained my story and demanded a refund but guess what they didn't give me any hearing. They said the car went up on the machine as there was a printout with the test results accompanying the nct certificate.

I said how could the car go up on a machine and off in again and back to the car park in three minutes? They gave me no hearing but they said it would have had to go back on testing machine to check that the hoses were replaced and that this would take whatever time was necessary. I know none of this happened. The car didn't even go in the first place. I was fighting a loosing battle after this. The correct time to approach this was the day the car was tested.

So at the end of the day, the NCT is a load of b**lix, and primetime revealed alot of what really goes on there behind the scenes. I am in favour of testing cars etc. but I am also in favour of a fair system for testing. This definitely isn't.

Pity, I didn't record it on my phone for evidence but I will know better for the future.

slimjimmc

The system is fair, but like anything it's difficult to guarantee that everyone will operate within the system, there'll always be some individuals who bend or shatter the rules whether out of laziness, time pressure or just thinking they're doing you a favour. However the response you received when you voiced your concerns was certainly not good enough.

If you want you can make it official and lodge a formal complaint. Contact their Customer Service and request a complaints form. It's less easy to dismiss something when it's in writing.

http://www.ncts.ie/contact.html

teednab-el

slimjimmc wrote: »

The system is fair, but like anything it's difficult to guarantee that everyone will operate within the system, there'll always be some individuals who bend or shatter the rules whether out of laziness, time pressure or just thinking they're doing you a favour. However the response you received when you voiced your concerns was certainly not good enough.

If you want you can make it official and lodge a formal complaint. Contact their Customer Service and request a complaints form. It's less easy to dismiss something when it's in writing.

http://www.ncts.ie/contact.html

Cheers for that, I will certainly be doing it.

unkel

teednab-el wrote: »

It was a FAIL/REFUSAL on Perished/Chaffed Brake Line Hoses both Nearside and Offside.

I had the exact same issue. And I can confirm this requires the brake test to be re-done, so not just a visual (free) check. It says so on the fail sheet.

You paid for the brake test but didn't get it. As slimjimmc said, you could put in a formal complaint

And fair play to ya BTW for spotting that they didn't re-test properly