Nearest NCT date online is 24th Sept - will I get away with that??

Stinicker

My father had his car for the NCT in Killarney yesterday, it an absolute farce he was talking to a woman who brought her car down from Cork City as it was the nearest date she could get. The new system of testing cars over 10 years of age every year will either have to be abandoned or they will have to open new centres and expand the testing network.

snaps

Stinicker wrote: »

My father had his car for the NCT in Killarney yesterday, it an absolute farce he was talking to a woman who brought her car down from Cork City as it was the nearest date she could get. The new system of testing cars over 10 years of age every year will either have to be abandoned or they will have to open new centres and expand the testing network.

It does seem to be after the 10 year rule this has happened.

ofcork

heartofwhite wrote: »

I was stopped two weeks ago in Terenure for not wearing a seatbelt and my NCT was out by one week. I had the test booked and I had the proof in the glove box. Well, I am not joking you, the guard went through me for not having a valid NCT. Along the lines of - you should not be on the road without a valid NCT cert and I can take this car from you right now if I feel the need to do so. I told him that I had it booked and he did not care and told me that if he saw me again and I did not have a valid cert, he would seize the car.

So, according to the law, no valid NCT displayed then you should not be driving the car on the road, end of.

Id say because of no seatbelt he went to town on you.

HappieChappie

Any friends in dealerships/ trade they seem to get first call on cancelations. may leave the car up to the NCT and if a slot becomes availible its taken. Might help

mgbgt1978

Supergurrier wrote: »

Online booking is total crap ring them between 9-9.30 am and be willing to travel abit

The point is that you shouldn't have to travel;

From their Customer Charter....

1. Ensure that the average lead time for an appointment at an individual test centre is less than three weeks and no greater than four weeks. The customer will be provided with a test free of charge where an appointment cannot be offered within a four week period provided that:

• The Customer has not declined a test appointment (either confirmed or provisional) more than twice, at a centre of their choosing, for the test due at this time
• The Customer has not previously accepted a booking outside of the 4 week period.

edit; also note that the 1890 number provided by the NCT is not included as part of your inclusive minutes on mobiles or landlines. You will be charged for it. Phone 01 4135994 instead to get through to the same dept.

snaps

Supergurrier wrote: »

Online booking is total crap ring them between 9-9.30 am and be willing to travel abit

Agree on the first point, but if you live 10kms from your nearest center why should you have to travel 50 or more km's to another center? Madness.

Have any of the authorities noticed the problems with waiting times, that article in the examiner is total rubbish, if the average waiting time was that, then there would be no problems. But with free slots 2 or 3 months out, surely it shows something is failing somewhere?

mgbgt1978

The problem is that Applus+ are not obliged to test every car within the 28 days (although anything beyond that should be free).
Let's say they turn over €40 million per year and around €6 million of that is profit.
Thay are not going to spend money renting, fitting out ,and staffing any new centres, simply because they are not contracted to do this.
If they have to give out the odd free test (and nobody has ever said here that they got one....a date always appeared within 28 days) then they are not spending money , they are protecting their profits.
This just shows that the contract drawn up by our people in power was flawed and didn't take into account any future changes in demand for an NCT test.

carzony

:P:P

CiniO

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

The point is that you shouldn't have to travel;

From their Customer Charter....

1. Ensure that the average lead time for an appointment at an individual test centre is less than three weeks and no greater than four weeks. The customer will be provided with a test free of charge where an appointment cannot be offered within a four week period provided that:

• The Customer has not declined a test appointment (either confirmed or provisional) more than twice, at a centre of their choosing, for the test due at this time
• The Customer has not previously accepted a booking outside of the 4 week period.

edit; also note that the 1890 number provided by the NCT is not included as part of your inclusive minutes on mobiles or landlines. You will be charged for it. Phone 01 4135994 instead to get through to the same dept.

It took me a good while to find this number when I was trying to rind NCT from abroad.

mgbgt1978

www.saynoto1890.com

Handy site for loads of Irish Companies that think they are doing you a favour by using a LoCall no.;)

Also it's often useful to look up a companies website and see what number they give for "calling from abroad". It will be a landline, not an 1800 or 1890 no.

galwaytt

eirator wrote: »

Depends on area, I'm waiting 12 days for a call back for a cancellation date and not a word yet, will leave it till Friday and get on to them again, when I called they promised me a date within 4 weeks - Waterford.

Correct. I'm waiting a week today for a call for a "priority" date. It seems they have a list going. Earliest date I have is late August.

gurramok

Stinicker wrote: »

The new system of testing cars over 10 years of age every year will either have to be abandoned or they will have to open new centres and expand the testing network.

Exactly. The peak years of car registrations were incidentally before 2003 as well as '06 and '07 which have to have the NCT done as well now.

eirator

Called about a test within "4 weeks or free" last Friday week and called back today as I'd heard nothing, told they have 10 working days from my first call to find me a date and I'll hear on Monday, Hmmmmm will report back Monday.

My case is a bit awkward as I don't have a mobile number that works from home (no coverage) so can't risk using a mobile number for contact so they are emailing me.

eirator

So just got an email with a booking date. For anyone interested here's the process I went through with the time scale.

NCT runs out 12th June
Checked about 3 months in advance and best date was after 12th June
Forgot about it for a bit (cut me some slack this is Ireland after all )
Woke up to needing an NCT and called up on the 16th May and specifically asked for a date within 4 weeks or free.
Told I'd be put on the priority list.
Mentioned mobile was no good for a cancellation as can't guarantee coverage at home. Agreed on email, told I'd get an email on or by next Friday (24th May) with a test date or if not by the Friday after (31st May).
Checked back today (31st May) and told as I'm on the priority list I'll get an email by Monday.
Email arrived a couple of hours later of date for 12th of June
- Only testing centre I specified was Waterford.