NCT - Sh!tebags

Gannicus

I rang the NCT crowd a few minutes ago to book me NCT for this month. I was told that there is no spots available until April (My NCT is due to expire this month) I was told I would be put on the priority list and get a text in 10 days with my date. This is some of the conversation I had with some Jung-wan who works there and why I feel soo f**ked off right now

Me: Can I get an e-mail to say that I'm on the priority list
NCT: We don't do that until we have an appointment for you.
Me: It's in case I get stopped by the Gards.
NCT: If they stop you its up to the Gards own discretion to penalize you.

So basically regardless of the fact I have requested an NCT that they can't provide me with until April unless a slot opens up, I run the risk of getting the car taken off me anyway..... I don't see why they can't just send a quick mail to say when I rang them and that I am awaiting an appointment.

The most annoying part is that If I don't in fact get an NCT until April when its NCT'd the disc will only cover me until FEB 2015. Pure joke.

numorouno

Big Steve wrote: »

I rang the NCT crowd a few minutes ago to book me NCT for this month. I was told that there is no spots available until April (My NCT is due to expire this month) I was told I would be put on the priority list and get a text in 10 days with my date. This is some of the conversation I had with some Jung-wan who works there and why I feel soo f**ked off right now

Me: Can I get an e-mail to say that I'm on the priority list
NCT: We don't do that until we have an appointment for you.
Me: It's in case I get stopped by the Gards.
NCT: Its up to the Gards own discretion if they stop you.

So basically regardless of the fact I have requested an NCT that they can't provide me with until April unless a slot opens up I run the risk of getting the car taken off me anyway..... I don't see why they can't just send a quick mail to say when I rang them and.

The most annoying part is that If I don't in fact get an NCT until April when its NCT'd the disc will only cover me until FEB 2015. Pure joke.

car won't get taken off you unless it's at least two months out. Also why not record the call to them do you've done recourse if you do get into bother

Collie D

If it's booked up it's booked up. She put you on priority list. Sounds like she did her best to me.

frag420

Is he the Korean guy? Maybe he didnt understand you?

Big Steve wrote: »

I rang the NCT crowd a few minutes ago to book me NCT for this month. I was told that there is no spots available until April (My NCT is due to expire this month) I was told I would be put on the priority list and get a text in 10 days with my date. This is some of the conversation I had with Some Jung-wan who works there and why I feel soo f**ked off right now

Me: Can I get an e-mail to say that I'm on the priority list
NCT: We don't do that until we have an appointment for you.
Me: It's in case I get stopped by the Gards.
NCT: Its up to the Gards own discretion if they stop you.

So basically regardless of the fact I have requested an NCT that they can't provide me with until April unless a slot opens up I run the risk of getting the car taken off me anyway..... I don't see why they can't just send a quick mail to say when I rang them and.

The most annoying part is that If I don't in fact get an NCT until April when its NCT'd the disc will only cover me until FEB 2015. Pure joke.

whiskeyman

try the nct website after midnight.
I remember hearing that's when it's database refreshes, and any cancellations hit the system, so you may be able to get a booking in then.

Besided, no guard will take your car if you have it booked in / if it's just expired.

kneemos

Noticed the local one is operating even on Sundays.
Perhaps they need more centres?

Yawns

You can book the NCT within 3 months of it expiring. You should be just pissed with yourself for not ****ing bothering to take note of when your nct is due. It's hardly rocket science. How the **** some people can even open a car door by themselves is beyond me. Oh no I can't get sorted due to my stupidity / laziness and I want someone else to sort it for me fast wah wah ****ing wah.

Nino Brown

You can book an NCT up to three months beforehand, NCT center's are busy. It's your own fault, I don't see what your problem is. The same system applies to everyone else and they manage.

Gannicus

Collie D wrote: »

If it's booked up it's booked up. She put you on priority list. Sounds like she did her best to me.

I'm not annoyed that its booked up (well not that much) I'm more annoyed that she wouldn't send me a quick e-mail to say that I have been put on the list and awaiting an appointment.

Nino Brown wrote: »

You can book an NCT up to three months beforehand, NCT center's are busy. It's your own fault, I don't see what your problem is. The same system applies to everyone else and they manage.

Well Nino. I rang there in the start of January when I was paying me car tax and I woas told by some aul dear that they couldn't give me an appointment because they hadn't released dates for february to ring in a couple weeks. So either the staff are pants at their jobs or they make things up as they go along.

fl4pj4ck

and FYI - if they cannot give you an appointment within 28 days you can insist on having it for free

whitewave

Have you tried other centres nearby? By nearby, I mean in the same county/counties next to yours.

To be fair, not that you'll want to hear it, the NCT is pretty much always booked out a month in advance....

Speak Now

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

and FYI - if they cannot give you an appointment within 28 days you can insist on having it for free

Yeah and when you point this out they always manage to find an earlier date Doesnt apply if you've already taken a date though!

Guy:Incognito

Big Steve wrote: »

Well Nino. I rang there in the start of January when I was paying me car tax and I woas told by some aul dear that they couldn't give me an appointment because they hadn't released dates for february to ring in a couple weeks. So either the staff are pants at their jobs or they make things up as they go along.

They have the internet on computers now too.

Gannicus

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

They have the internet on computers now too.

Wooowwwwwwww:eek::eek:

YouThere

Thanks for the reminder.

NCT expiring late March and just tried to book a test in Galway centre.
First slot available is next week (conflict for me).
And their next slot free is mid-April.
Suggesting that they're booked solid for 2-months in between?!

Anyway, I'm on the short list (presumably a "long" list by now!) and I will get a text once a date is picked.

Quin_Dub

As long as you have a print out of the email confirmation with the date you are fine...

I had a similar situation a while back , I got an NCT date about 2 months after the cert expired.

Kept the print out in the car , got stopped on 2 or 3 occasions at the standard tax/insurance check-points and each time I showed them the booking and the Gardai were absolutely fine. All they wanted to see was that it was booked..

DCarson

remember when they decided to test cars over ten years every year instead of every two years..seems they didn't really think it through,this means an increased work load and from what I can see there's been no longer hours worked or new centers open,no wonder there's a back log,morons

5live

DCarson wrote: »

remember when they decided to test cars over ten years every year instead of every two years..seems they didn't really think it through,this means an increased work load and from what I can see there's been no longer hours worked or new centers open,no wonder there's a back log,morons

The NCT centers have gone from 2 shifts to 3 shifts recently so they are open earlier, later and on weekends.

DCarson

5live wrote: »

The NCT centers have gone from 2 shifts to 3 shifts recently so they are open earlier, later and on weekends.

Any time I needed a test they were always available til after 9 and even on sundays

YouThere

>> They have the internet on computers now too.

In token defence of telephone bookings:
When you phone them, you only need reg, name and address - (rinse and repeat regularly if looking for cancellation!)

Whereas to use NCT online booking you need "date of first registration" (or existing booking ID) along with car reg - but our car registration cert is filed away somewhere safe (!) until next trade-in.
If I started looking for the reg cert, I'm sure I'd get distracted, forget again and end up with even less notice before expiry!

touts

I had the same problem. Three months wait for a slot. Yet when I eventually got a cancellation it was a slot for a Saturday afternoon. Turned up and there were 6 lads working but only 2 cars (mine and another guy whose car was finished 5 minutes after I arrived. Another person turned up about 5 minutes after that so lets say it averaged two cars being checked in the time I was there). Their little screen to tell people how long the wait will be started off as showing my car would take 30 minutes to complete yet it took less than 15. So that was 6 lads who between them could actually have done 12 cars in 30 minutes. But instead they only did two with the four other lads listening to the premiership on Today FM.

Yet the system said there were no slots available and I was only lucky to get a cancellation......

intellectual dosser

I don't understand why this is bothering you, you've left it pretty late in the game and now it's a big deal to you? Are you really just annoyed that it didn't go your way?

I'd expect you to have a date before the end of the month so you'll have your confirmation by then (I'm assuming that your current NCT cert expires on Feb 28th)

Gannicus

Quin_Dub wrote: »

As long as you have a print out of the email confirmation with the date you are fine...

I had a similar situation a while back , I got an NCT date about 2 months after the cert expired.

Kept the print out in the car , got stopped on 2 or 3 occasions at the standard tax/insurance check-points and each time I showed them the booking and the Gardai were absolutely fine. All they wanted to see was that it was booked..

as I said in my O/P they won't actually send me anything until they have a date but they don't know when that is. Thats my main gripe

DCarson wrote: »

remember when they decided to test cars over ten years every year instead of every two years..seems they didn't really think it through,this means an increased work load and from what I can see there's been no longer hours worked or new centers open,no wonder there's a back log,morons

Purely to make more money. Less than 1% of accidents are caused by defects in vehicle. No I will conceed that if we abolished the NCT the types of sh!te cars on the road would sky rocket and that stat would sharply increase but I think they should have left it at every two years.

cletus van damme

Yawns wrote: »

You can book the NCT within 3 months of it expiring. You should be just pissed with yourself for not ****ing bothering to take note of when your nct is due. It's hardly rocket science. How the **** some people can even open a car door by themselves is beyond me. Oh no I can't get sorted due to my stupidity / laziness and I want someone else to sort it for me fast wah wah ****ing wah.

given NCTs can only be valid for 1 year in some case- why the fcuk would you ring 3 months early.

It's teh state examination - they should ensure it can be sorted out within a reasonable timeframe.
3 months early is not reasonable

anyway no garda will take the car off you if it's taxed and insured. Just tell them the NCT is booked out - it's not like they don't know it is.

kryogen

My NCT has been out of date since Jan 2013, should probably get that looked at soon I suppose

--Kaiser--

Never had any reason to complain about the NCT. Possibly because I look after my car, know when the NCT is going to run out, and am very happy that there is a system in place to ensure that people put at least some maintenance into their vehicles

Yawns

cletus van damme wrote: »

given NCTs can only be valid for 1 year in some case- why the fcuk would you ring 3 months early.

It's teh state examination - they should ensure it can be sorted out within a reasonable timeframe.
3 months early is not reasonable

anyway no garda will take the car off you if it's taxed and insured. Just tell them the NCT is booked out - it's not like they don't know it is.

You can have it tested 3 months early so if it passes, you can have the cert which will cover until the next testing date which would be 15 months away. If it fails you can have still under a vaild NCT whilst getting repairs and awaiting a new date.

They have got a reasonable timeframe. NCT centers are open weekdays and weekends until 9pm. The OP it seems rang 1 NCT center and complained about being on a short list but no email confirming that he's on a list. This is not the fault of the NCT center but himself.

I could go on but why bother. The state of the average Irish person's driving and the ability of them to actually give a **** about their car is dire at the best of times. The ah shure **** it, it's grand attitude I won't take 2 seconds to look at my disc in the window. Wah they didn't send me a reminder anymore, how am I supposed to know my tax was due to be paid. It's always someone else's fault and not just for motoring related issues either. People are so ****ing stupid and it's starting to genuinely surprise me if they know how to ****ing dress themselves in the morning.

2smiggy

what i really dislike is the back dating of the test. My car was broke down for a few months, as the part was expensive and I had a work van I was in no rush. My test was 3 months out of date by the time I did it, so only got 9 months for the 'yearly' test. It's a real scam IMO.

Yawns

2smiggy wrote: »

what i really dislike is the back dating of the test. My car was broke down for a few months, as the part was expensive and I had a work van I was in no rush. My test was 3 months out of date by the time I did it, so only got 9 months for the 'yearly' test. It's a real scam IMO.

It's simply because it's tied in to the first registration date of your car. If it a year cert when you booked it, then you can be sure it would be abused like the old tax system. People would drive around with no NCT until caught and then "sell" their car to a wife or relative and heh presto new owner not liable for old NCT lapse and gets a new 1 year cert even tho it was first time care was tested in 5 years.

Interceptor

I stopped bothering to NCT cars ages ago. If it starts and stops then its roadworthy and if they really want to test it they can come around my house, give me €55 and I'll let them. This nonsense of making you comply with some regulation that has no bearing on reality and forcing you to pay for the inspection is against my religion and I am being oppressed by septic tank nonsense and NCT fundamentalists every day.

Stick it to the man OP, tell them I support you every step of the way.

'cptr

Gannicus

Yawns wrote: »

The OP it seems rang 1 NCT center and complained about being on a short list but no email confirming that he's on a list. This is not the fault of the NCT center but himself.

I am not complaining about fact that its booked out or that. Hell I'm not even annoyed that I have to put the car through the Junior Cert of motoring tests (redundant test) and pay them €50.

I am annoyed by the fact that she wouldn't send me something to say that I rang and I am on the list to have my NCT done.

Kimbot

Big Steve wrote: »

I am not complaining about fact that its booked out or that. Hell I'm not even annoyed that I have to put the car through the Junior Cert of motoring tests (redundant test) and pay them €50.

I am annoyed by the fact that she wouldn't send me something to say that I rang and I am on the list to have my NCT done.

You get a text with your nct date, if the guards stop you that will suffice as evidence. I was out of NCT for nearly 2 years (Imported car and i never got notified for first NCT) and when I copped on and booked it guards were fine once I had a date.

iDave

I couldn't book Dublin, so I booked Kells. Short hop up the M3. you don't even need to go into the town.

Sir Arthur Daley

The biggest question i ponder is would an insurance be non void in the event of an accident with no NCT?
We all know insurance companies will find some issue or detail to refuse to pay out.

ednwireland

ring them back and remind them of their charter

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

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.

basically they will provide you with an appointment within 3- 4 weeks otherwise they lose money (i've bene on the waiting list twice in the ast 2 years and got appointments with a couple of days ) dont worry about the knockers on here that obviously have lives so super organised they never forget anything

Yawns

ednwireland wrote: »

dont worry about the knockers on here that obviously have lives so super organised they never forget anything

Yeah it's a real pain having to having to organise something once a year or once every 2 years. Requires massive organisational skills. I must put that bad boy down on my CV!

juniord

5 points on your license for no nct , take a booking and if you get stopped by g/s show the confirmation text

Gannicus

jonny24ie wrote: »

You get a text with your nct date, if the guards stop you that will suffice as evidence. I was out of NCT for nearly 2 years (Imported car and i never got notified for first NCT) and when I copped on and booked it guards were fine once I had a date.

Yet again. I was not given a date. I was told they're are booked up to April and when I asked for that in an e-mail I was told no.

Yawns wrote: »

Yeah it's a real pain having to having to organise something once a year or once every 2 years. Requires massive organisational skills. I must put that bad boy down on my CV!

I didn't forget. When I rang at the start of January I was told to ring back the slots for February had not been opened. This all may by the sounds of it all be an issue in ballymun test centres but I rang the number online so I'm assuming its a central call centre.

Sir Arthur Daley

Big Steve wrote: »

Yet again. I was not given a date. I was told they're are booked up to April and when I asked for that in an e-mail I was told no.

Willo you try the advice in post #36? they will have to give you a date with that legislation.

whomitconcerns

BTW to be clear. Once your NCT is out you can have your car ceased regardless of whether you have applied, have a date, are a awaiting a retest, etc. There is no grace period just because of that.

Had this conversation with the guards last year. They literally said "you would have to get someone on a bad day to enforce it though if you have it booked"

TMC99

YouThere wrote: »

Thanks for the reminder.

NCT expiring late March and just tried to book a test in Galway centre.
First slot available is next week (conflict for me).
And their next slot free is mid-April.
Suggesting that they're booked solid for 2-months in between?!

Anyway, I'm on the short list (presumably a "long" list by now!) and I will get a text once a date is picked.

On their website I think they block out the slots so they can allocate them to people instead of giving a free test. So you either see a very quick booking or 2 months out. If you accept the booking in 2 months time you don't get a free test. If you don't take it and ring them you'll get a slot in the 'blocked out' period so they don't have to give you a free one and they have met their 30 days policy. The available slots this/next week are ones they haven't needed to fill and they release them for booking on the web.

cuana

kryogen wrote: »

My NCT has been out of date since Jan 2013, should probably get that looked at soon I suppose

I would do ASAP! I ended up with a fine & thankfully no penalty points but it meant a day in court

cletus van damme

Yawns wrote: »

You can have it tested 3 months early so if it passes, you can have the cert which will cover until the next testing date which would be 15 months away. If it fails you can have still under a vaild NCT whilst getting repairs and awaiting a new date.

They have got a reasonable timeframe. NCT centers are open weekdays and weekends until 9pm. The OP it seems rang 1 NCT center and complained about being on a short list but no email confirming that he's on a list. This is not the fault of the NCT center but himself.

.

they should give him a date - he is obliged to get it test when it expires , not jump through hoops for a state cert.
why the fcuk is it his fault they can't handle the volume for their test?
3 months early? wtf...

Yawns wrote: »

I could go on but why bother. The state of the average Irish person's driving and the ability of them to actually give a **** about their car is dire at the best of times. The ah shure **** it, it's grand attitude I won't take 2 seconds to look at my disc in the window. Wah they didn't send me a reminder anymore, how am I supposed to know my tax was due to be paid. It's always someone else's fault and not just for motoring related issues either. People are so ****ing stupid and it's starting to genuinely surprise me if they know how to ****ing dress themselves in the morning.

rabble.. rabble......blah blah....

At least your in tune with your username - making me yawn with your meaningless drivel

Tommy Dillon

The NCT is a money making scam. Everyone will tell you that. Their equipment isnt calibrated correctly and will give you false readings . They arw making a fortune from us and its nit even properly monitored by the government. Another example of brown envelope culture here in Ireland

biko

That is fascinating, can you perhaps link to some sources for your claims?
Where does the money go? Do NCT give it to the government?

According to this NCT is on par with everyone else.

Overall, from the high-level comparison with car testing regimes in other countries, it appears that the scope and content of the test in Ireland is generally in line with good international practice.
In some aspects the Irish system has been innovative in comparison with others, with particular focus on the level of automation, use of SMS and modern technologies, technical solutions in light beam testing and the like, as well as operationally having a supervisory and quality review body, independent of the testing authority.

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/7750-0.pdf

cletus van damme

biko wrote: »

That is fascinating, can you perhaps link to some sources for your claims?
Where does the money go? Do NCT give it to the government?

According to this NCT is on par with everyone else.

http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/7750-0.pdf

you mad fellow....:pac:

It's the department of transport's site....it would be a shocker if they didn't come back and said it was a good. It's like look at the daily mail for a report on immigrants... ha ha

Who knows maybe the NCT equivalents all over europe are a sham too?

an EU directive for screwing their citizen - who'd could dream up a dastardly plan like it??? :pac:

The Backwards Man

I always get a text within 24 hours when asking for a cancellatiom date, usually for within the following week.

TwoShedsJackson

Tommy Dillon wrote: »

The NCT is a money making scam. Everyone will tell you that. Their equipment isnt calibrated correctly and will give you false readings . They arw making a fortune from us and its nit even properly monitored by the government. Another example of brown envelope culture here in Ireland

Incredible stuff alright. So how has my car gone through 2 NCTs with no problems and not a brown envelope given to anyone.

Maybe getting it serviced a couple of times a year had something to do with it?

It's the lazy attitude of 'I bought the car, why should I pay to service/maintain it' that is ridiculous. Yet another attempt to abdicate personal responsibility.

moxin

The largest amount of cars on the road are registered in the '00 to about '05 years. Apparently the govt thought that all these people would buy new cars through the lower motor tax incentive but unfortunately this section of the populace can't afford new cars. So this saga of the lack of NCT bookings availability is down to both the NCT operators and the Dept of Transport as they never planned properly for the yearly test of 10yr+ old cars.

donegal__road

a neighbour of mine was stopped at a checkpoint before Christmas, his NCT for 4 years overdue.. guard told him to sort it out.

renofan

kryogen wrote: »

My NCT has been out of date since Jan 2013, should probably get that looked at soon I suppose

I didn't bother NCTing a car I had once, went through a checkpoint with it 5 years out of date in culchie land and the Guard gave me a thick culchie laugh and said "Jaysus you'd want to think about getting the aul NCT sorted". So I thought about it for another year!

I love culchie Guards, most have common sense or can't be arsed with the paper work. That must be 5 or 6 years ago now.