Is the NCT booking really that busy ??

DriveSkill

Is the NCT really that busy or is the booking system just crap ?

NCT due on 20th Apr and decided to go have a look to get a 'good' time but no availability in Mar/Apr or most of May in pretty much any of the centres which are close to me.

Seems odd that nothing and then suddenly there is a whole week of availability in the middle of May and then nothing again for weeks...

I did ring them but looks like they just see the same thing. I thought the backlog had been cleared by now....

NIMAN

Got my car done yesterday and noticed that online there seemed to be very little availability.

But I checked every day and seen that new appts came online, often just a week or so ahead, so my advice is to check often.

DriveSkill

NIMAN wrote: »

Got my car done yesterday and noticed that online there seemed to be very little availability.

But I checked every day and seen that new appts came online, often just a week or so ahead, so my advice is to check often.

I did notice that - at one stage I spotted a GREEN date in March but when I went back a couple of mins later it was gone again!

I thought people were avoiding the NCT but seems like its the hottest ticket in town

unkel

DriveSkill wrote: »

Is the NCT really that busy or is the booking system just crap ?

I get the impression it is just efficient. You need to book it a few months early for best results and then you can easily change the date / time online, especially if you try early in the morning (after cancellations are processed)

Whenever I am in Fonthill test centre (one of the busiest in the country) all testing lanes are busy most of the time and there are always some cars waiting outside, but never a huge queue. Efficient is what is is!

DriveSkill

unkel wrote: »

I get the impression it is just efficient. You need to book it a few months early for best results and then you can easily change the date / time online, especially if you try early in the morning (after cancellations are processed)

Whenever I am in Fonthill test centre (one of the busiest in the country) all testing lanes are busy most of the time and there are always some cars waiting outside, but never a huge queue. Efficient is what is is!

Too efficient for me Just missed a spot on Mar 25th in Blarney, it appeared but by the time I had filled in my email and phone number and got to book it had been taken by someone else!!!

Anan1

REALISTIC GUY HEAD.SCREWED ON. wrote: »

Close. They're just a bunch of lazy fucking bastards who don't have any idea what it is to do a days work.

Tenner says you turned up with something stupid wrong with your car and then lost the head when they failed you.

djimi

I got my test and retest both in under a fortnight in naas. Don't know if it makes a difference but I booked both over the phone. Depends where you are I guess.

DriveSkill

djimi wrote: »

I got my test and retest both in under a fortnight in naas. Don't know if it makes a difference but I booked both over the phone. Depends where you are I guess.

Phone didnt seem to help in my case, they basically seemed to see same info as I could on the web so I'm on a waiting list apparently for a free slot to pop up!

Cash is king

Anan1 wrote: »

Tenner says you turned up with something stupid wrong with your car and then lost the head when they failed you.

Bet ya twenty he is a Troll..

nct tester

Anan1 wrote: »

Tenner says you turned up with something stupid wrong with your car and then lost the head when they failed you.

and then he was gone. just like that

galwaytt

I booked a car in Galway yesterday, earliest date I could get was 17th May.

TheBunk1

I emailed them requesting an evening or weekend slot and they got back to me within 1-2 days. Emailed em the 22nd Jan and got slot for the 6th Feb. I failed and emailed about the re-test on the 8th of Feb and got a booking for the 20th Feb. Seemed fair enough to me.

It was Blarney test centre btw.

langdang

nct tester wrote: »

and then he was gone. just like that

Some mod has had their coffee boost this morning, he was vaporised before I could check out his other posts for similar informed, intelligent arguments


Anyway, to answer the OP, yeah it looks crazy busy at the moment online. Try ringing them early in the morning is the best bet I've heard.

DriveSkill

TheBunk1 wrote: »

I emailed them requesting an evening or weekend slot and they got back to me within 1-2 days. Emailed em the 22nd Jan and got slot for the 6th Feb. I failed and emailed about the re-test on the 8th of Feb and got a booking for the 20th Feb. Seemed fair enough to me.

It was Blarney test centre btw.

Well the lady I spoke to on the phone said they would come back to me with a date (spoke to her yesterday) so will give it a few days and see what happens. No major panic with it but I thought looking for a date 6 weeks in advance of the expiry was being very organised - obviously not organised enough

Col200sx

galwaytt wrote: »

I booked a car in Galway yesterday, earliest date I could get was 17th May.

Yep same here in Galway, booked 10th February, earliest I could get was 29th March.

DriveSkill

BTW just to confirm the online system does seem to be pretty much real-time, slot just became available for this Sat in Little Island - unfortunately I'll be Dublin hopefully looking at an MX-5 but that is a different thread

Best advice seems to be keep checking and refreshing and then be quick once the date turns green!!

biko

"REALISTIC" troll pushed back under his bridge.

unkel

Col200sx wrote: »

Yep same here in Galway, booked 10th February, earliest I could get was 29th March.

Like I said, you need to book early. My test was due end of May '13, booked it about 4 weeks ago. Test was yesterday, my 12 year old car passed first go, NCTd for the next 15 months

GavRedKing

My NCT is up since January 31st, went to book it in the middle of Janaury and the soonest date I could manage was 28th March.

GavRedKing

Col200sx wrote: »

Yep same here in Galway, booked 10th February, earliest I could get was 29th March.

I had an option for the 29th March at a more favourable time but didnt bother with as it's a Good Friday, will they be open?

Col200sx

GavRedKing wrote: »

I had an option for the 29th March at a more favourable time but didnt bother with as it's a Good Friday, will they be open?

Ya I knew that was Good Friday too, but the fact they gave me the booking, I presume they'd be open?

GavRedKing

Col200sx wrote: »

Ya I knew that was Good Friday too, but the fact they gave me the booking, I presume they'd be open?

I'd assume they would be open if they gave you the booking, maybe give the centre a call and just confirm.

I managed to get the morning off work for my booking on the 28th so I'm not to put out about not getting the evening slot on the 29th.

Col200sx

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'd assume they would be open if they gave you the booking, maybe give the centre a call and just confirm.

I managed to get the morning off work for my booking on the 28th so I'm not to put out about not getting the evening slot on the 29th.

I'm hoping Good Friday will give me some divine intervention to help pass the test

ZENER

Sometimes just arriving and asking nicely will get you seen ! I needed a retest for the GFs car which had to be done within 28 days of the original test. Couldn't get an appointment despite ringing several different test centres. So I just arrived at Northpoint Ballymun and asked if they could fit me in and within 30 minutes I had the cert !

Ken

furtzy

Had mine in Sunday and the place was jammed. I booked the date 2 months earlier and it was the earliest I could get. The old E39 passed with flying colours

cjt156

Don't they have to give you a free test if they can't fit you within 4 weeks? Why is veryone accepting these wait times?

furtzy

cjt156 wrote: »

Don't they have to give you a free test if they can't fit you within 4 weeks? Why is veryone accepting these wait times?

I was doing mine early do the freebie didn't apply

Col200sx

GavRedKing wrote: »

I had an option for the 29th March at a more favourable time but didnt bother with as it's a Good Friday, will they be open?

Emailed them, and they got back straight away. Business as usual on Good Friday

pcardin

furtzy wrote: »

with flying colours

the most bizzare saying. Can anyone explain to bloody foreigner how this was developed? Just curiosity.

furtzy

pcardin wrote: »

the most bizzare saying. Can anyone explain to bloody foreigner how this was developed? Just curiosity.

Googles great

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/With_flying_colours

pcardin

Thanks! Makes sense now.

ba_barabus

They seem to be flat out currently as I've just called and can't get a suitable date (I'm away do its not their fault)

They did tell me however that extra dates will be made available for the last week in March if I'd like to go on the reserve list

ba_barabus

cjt156 wrote: »

Don't they have to give you a free test if they can't fit you within 4 weeks? Why is veryone accepting these wait times?

In my case I was offered a date that didn't suit. Everyone calling ATM can be put on a priority list where they will be offered a test in the last week of March. If it suits or not isn't they're problem

mgbgt1978

furtzy wrote: »

I was doing mine early do the freebie didn't apply

Makes no difference......they are obliged to test your car within 28 days of you asking for a test (by phone, you can't "ask" for a test on their website).

Unless you meant that you weren't bothered about getting the car tested within 28 days.
Even still, you should have pushed for it. Could have had a free test, or plenty of time to sort out a Fail before the old NCT ran out.

DriveSkill

Just a quick followup to confirm I got a date this morning for Mar 27th - in fact there are lots of slots available in that week in Little Island test centre.

So I guess motto is keep trying the website and eventually one will turn up.

Wolves8

I phoned up this morning & got an appointment for Friday week in Ballymun, not bad I thought....10 days later.