NCT online booking is useless

PrzemoF

/rant on
Do I have a wrong attitude? I can't book nct more than a month in advance and there is no hope of getting a date that is sooner than 6 weeks from now (mid May for my 2 centres in Cork right now). Combine those 2 things and the online booking is absolutely useless. I tried it to use it over last couple years and every single time I end up calling nct office, signing up for the waiting list and just accepting a date for the test.
/rant off

On the good side: the phone calls are handled in a very quick, pleasant and professional manner.

biko

What can I say, you're preaching to the choir.

tin79

PrzemoF wrote: »

/rant on
Do I have a wrong attitude? I can't book nct more than a month in advance and there is no hope of getting a date that is sooner than 6 weeks from now (mid May for my 2 centres in Cork right now). Combine those 2 things and the online booking is absolutely useless. I tried it to use it over last couple years and every single time I end up calling nct office, signing up for the waiting list and just accepting a date for the test.
/rant off

On the good side: the phone calls are handled in a very quick, pleasant and professional manner.

Book any date you can online and then keep checking the system frequently to amend the date to one that suits. You will get one that suits. You shouldn't have to do this but with the system as it is its the best way.

alexlyons

I'd normally agree, except back in january mine was up and went on and there was one test the next day and another day two weeks later with one slot left. Nothing after that for at least 4 weeks though...

But ye, if it can't be used normally its a waste of space

brightspark

Has anyone tried claiming a free test?

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.

tin79

brightspark wrote: »

Has anyone tried claiming a free test?

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

If you ring them up they will fit you in in the 4 week period in 99.9% of cases. Its not in their interest to give out free tests.

djimi

Yup, why anyone still bothers with the online system is beyond me. Pick up the phone and talk to an operator; for the sake of a 90 second phone call you will most likely get a date that you want.

Guy:Incognito

I booked our 2 cars in to naas online the other day for the same time in the 13th. Works for me.

SleeperService

The internet will never catch on.

ironclaw

Could be cured very simply with two online options: Choose Your Own Date or ASAP.

ASAP would automatically put you on a waiting list and you just get the next available slot (Maybe a prescribed minimum of 24 hours notice to you) Any booking system could be easily coded to do this. Its not rocket science. Unless of course you are a State funded organisation, then its in your interest work at a snails pace :rolleyes:

mgbgt1978

brightspark wrote: »

Has anyone tried claiming a free test?

Nobody, but nobody, has ever come on this forum and claimed that they achieved the holy grail that is a free NCT test.:)

jprboy

It's worthwhile checking the website circa midnight.

There's a view (not sure if factual or not) that cancellations appear up on the system around that time of the day

I wasn't having any luck with finding any available dates within two months when trying to book back in early Feb. One night I logged on just before midnight and got our two cars booked in for tests in within the following 2 weeks.

Worth a try.

mgbgt1978

Why would anybody waste their time searching, and searching, and more searching....for an NCT date.
Just phone them, request a test within 28 days, and let them do the work they are paid for.

ofcork

I booked online for cork little island 3 wks ago and got april 28 as the earliest,rang up a few days later and got 7th march in blarney.

PrzemoF

I just got a text message that the test is booked for 04.03. I was 3 days short of the holy grail... ;-)

tin79

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Why would anybody waste their time searching, and searching, and more searching....for an NCT date.
Just phone them, request a test within 28 days, and let them do the work they are paid for.

Because they very likely will send you a date or time that doesn't suit. People have kids, jobs, travel schedules and many more reasons why they might need a specific time or date.

bbam

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Nobody, but nobody, has ever come on this forum and claimed that they achieved the holy grail that is a free NCT test.:)

I was offered a free test some years ago after a dispute over my car beig failed... I declined the offer as the tester told me he'd fail the car if I brought it back.. I booked a test in the next closest centre and it passed..
Feckin Racket !

christy02

Same issue booking a test online. Nothing before may anywhere near cork. Rang and got adate for today. Sitting now in blarney test centre and the place is half empty!

No Pants

Maybe it's just a Cork thing. My nearest centre is Ballymun. I've one car going in there this evening. Earlier this week I booked the second one in online, going in on the 31st.

tin79

No Pants wrote: »

Maybe it's just a Cork thing. My nearest centre is Ballymun. I've one car going in there this evening. Earlier this week I booked the second one in online, going in on the 31st.

Ballymun Northpoint is very high volume. I think they have 12 lanes over the two centres so getting a space on a cancellation can be easier.

pa990

i went thru the whole telephone booking process, and was being given dates months in advance.
I simply asked for a date in the next 3 to 4 weeks, the guy on the phone said "OK .. we'll text you during the week with a date withing 4 weeks"

and they did.

i dont think anyone ever gets a free test, but asking for a test in 3 to 4 weeks will guarantee you a test within the month

coffee_cake

I've never had a problem booking them online

Chriscl1

I went online to book mine in last week, portlaoise and the earliest date available was June!!!!! Plenty of time to get that window regulator sorted then!

mgbgt1978

bbam wrote: »

I was offered a free test some years ago after a dispute over my car beig failed... I declined the offer as the tester told me he'd fail the car if I brought it back.. I booked a test in the next closest centre and it passed..
Feckin Racket !

This thread is about being able to book a test within 28 days (or the test is free).....
....congrats on using the head and booking at a different centre .

mgbgt1978

tin79 wrote: »

Because they very likely will send you a date or time that doesn't suit. People have kids, jobs, travel schedules and many more reasons why they might need a specific time or date.

...then book a test 3 months away (if you can find a date and time that suits) and let the NCT ignore their contract with the government.
It's your choice.

101sean

I need to book a couple of tests in April when I'm back in Ireland for two weeks, preferably in Cahir. I looked online a couple of weeks ago and it was coming up with heaps of appointments within 10 days. Checked back just now and the earliest dates are now end of May! I'll have to phone them and try and get something that suits.

In contrast, I got my UK company pool car MOT'd within an hour of asking at a garage 100m from the office.

Jesus.

Lads, I just had a look at my disks on the car and to my surprise my NCT went out last week! I could've sworn it wasn't up until June

Anyway, I've logged onto the NCT Site and I'd like to know if its just the days in Green on the Calendar that are available? If that's the case there's nothing until the middle of June. The thing is, I was going to put it up on DD next week because I want to sell it due to the seats doing my back in but who's going to buy an 11 year old car with no NCT? I'd be waiting a long time at best, I reckon.

Do you think I should book her in anyway and put it up on DD now or wait until it passes the test in two months? I'll have to look at the tyres but I've no doubt she'll pass otherwise.

Cheers fellas

bazz26

Ring them and they will put you on a standby list for a cancellation slot.

Jesus.

So it would definitely be worth waiting and getting the test rather than trying to flog it as is, Bazz yeah?

bazz26

A car with a fresh NCT will be more attractive to a buyer than one without one. Will probably be worth a bit more too.

Jesus.

Cheers mate. You were the only one that replied!