Faster NCT?

goz83

I bought a car that is more than a year out of NCT with the intention of flipping it, but I can't get an NCT date! My closest centre is Ballymun and I said I would go to South Dublin if needed. No dates available at either centre. How do I get a quicker date?

I am phoning every day for cancellations.

This inability for the test centres to meet the demand and provide test dates is an absolute joke! I can't remember the last time I rang them and got an appointment over the phone. They send a date weeks later by text/post and then you have to work your day around it, because god forbid you can't make it, you might never get an appointment.

dgt

I can't give any other advice other than keep ringing for cancellations

biko

Keep ringing. Maybe extend to Louth centres too.

djimi

If they are offering you a date that is more than 4 weeks away then remind them that the test will be for free. Youll find they will quickly find you a nearer date!

goz83

djimi wrote: »

If they are offering you a date that is more than 4 weeks away then remind them that the test will be for free. Youll find they will quickly find you a nearer date!

That's just the problem. They don't offer ANY dates! What they have started doing is putting people on a list and they text you with a date.

alias no.9

Try first thing in the morning, this is when most appointments are released into the system. Got mine tested in Fonthill last thursday and only booked it the previous week. Checked on the evening of the 24th and nothing until August anywhere in Dublin, checked the following morning and there was a couple in both Fonthill and Northpoint for last week but lots more later this month.

MrDerp

Do you know anyone working for one of the dealers?

When I bought my last car it was out of NCT by 2 months and the dealer was able to get an appointment for me 3 working days after I paid for and collected the car.

Do they have an inside line? Or was it just luck?

djimi

goz83 wrote: »

That's just the problem. They don't offer ANY dates! What they have started doing is putting people on a list and they text you with a date.

Even more reason to remind them of the free test so; might get them going a bit to find you a test soon!

discodavie

I'm in Kildare and rang looking for cancellation on Thursday at 6 none available rang at 7 got one in Naas 20 mins later.

If looking for cancellation you need to broaden where you will take it to ballymun Ashbourne drogheda etc is what you should ask for. I ask for carlow , Portlaoise Naas fonthill or greenhills and usually get them.

peter_dublin

Just of note, I was informed on ringing for a cancellation before that the bookings in the site are the same as they see, as I work on a computer all day I just refreshed over and over and have one with 25 mins for the next morning.

goz83

Thanks for all the help guys. I will keep trying them and refreshing the online bookings.

Car has no tax, so don't want to go too far either. It's a joke that anyone has to do this to get a test date. I will remind them of the free test tomorrow. How do I prove if I was waiting for more than a month anyway? Not that I would be waiting that long.

dingding

I think it is if they cant offer you a test from a month of when you contact them.. You need to as tomorrow for the free test when they cant get you an appointment in a month.

goz83

OK, I just want to check something here.

If I ring them tomorrow and they have no dates available within 4 weeks, do I get a free test, even if they ring me a week later for a test date within the 4 weeks from when I called them?

I just find it very annoying that they can't give dates and we're expected to suit them when we're handing over the paper. I see no dates at most centres until September. 3 centres had one day available this month. Ballina, Monaghan & Letterkenny

Dilbert75

Try Greenhills - my brother booked last week for a test next week. They had at that stage availability for every day of that week.

goz83

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Try Greenhills - my brother booked last week for a test next week. They had at that stage availability for every day of that week.

Tried every centre in Ireland mate. No dates this month with exception of the 3 above. I was just curious, so I checked them all.

djimi

goz83 wrote: »

OK, I just want to check something here.

If I ring them tomorrow and they have no dates available within 4 weeks, do I get a free test, even if they ring me a week later for a test date within the 4 weeks from when I called them?

No if you ring them and the best date they can give you is more than 4 weeks away then when you get the car tested on that date there is no charge. Make sure that you make them aware of it however; if you accept the date and dont mention it then afaik this does not apply. Probably why they are now taking details and texting automatically with a date.

Have you tried Naas? I had two tests this year and three last year and at no point have I ever waited more than 14 from the time of the phonecall to the date of the test.

goz83

Yeah, I checked them all online, but only rang about the Dublin centres. Will try again tomorrow. Somethings gotta give.

CiniO

djimi wrote: »

No if you ring them and the best date they can give you is more than 4 weeks away then when you get the car tested on that date there is no charge. Make sure that you make them aware of it however; if you accept the date and dont mention it then afaik this does not apply. Probably why they are now taking details and texting automatically with a date.

Mentioning free test to them still isn't enough.

What OP needs to do, is to ring them and tell them that he requests his test date within 4 weeks, and if this can't be made he wants to get his test for free.
Important thing is that it must be requested.

Then they will most likely tell they will contact him with an appointment within few days, and eventually they will give him a test within 4 weeks.

But if he already accepted or was awarded any other date, then there is no return.
That's why it's so important to start a first conversation with them with words: "I'm requesting a test within 4 weeks.

I always do it, and it always works.

vrusinov

I've booked a test online for 26 Aug just a few minutes ago at 'Northpoint 1 (Exit 4, M50)' center.
I've seen one date available mid-July on one of the Dublin centers but it was not working for me.

goz83

Rang this morning. Got a date for August 1st. Still, don't want to be holding onto the car that long.

ameee

Keep ringing. I tried making an appointment two weeks ago in northpoint and the nearest i could get was the end of august, i kept calling and got one for Thursday just gone . They advised calling first thing each morning.

hi5

Log on to the NCT website, fill in all the details and keep the page open with the calendar on it.
Every so often change the test centre to a different one, then change back to the one you want, this refreshes the page (do not press f5 as you lose all your details).
You will eventually get a green date, when you do, just click on the time and submit.
They update throughout the day, but they go fast.

goz83

Did that yesterday. Got a time this Saturday.