NCT Scheduling

almostover

Just went on NCTS website there to book a test for the Vectra I recently imported. The nearest date I can get in any of the Cork NCT centres is in July! Whats the deal with that? Presume the Gardai will just have to accept that thats the nearest date I can get if I get pulled over?

CiniO

almostover wrote: »

Just went on NCTS website there to book a test for the Vectra I recently imported. The nearest date I can get in any of the Cork NCT centres is in July! Whats the deal with that? Presume the Gardai will just have to accept that thats the nearest date I can get if I get pulled over?

No. They don't have to accept it.
If they wish, they can fine you for driving without valid NCT.

System is flawed, and that's all. Possibly best to contact your local TD in relation to fact that NCT is required straight away on your imported vehicle, while you can't practically get it in 2 months.


Best what you can do for the moment, is ring NCT booking line, and request NCT appointment within 28 days.
If they can't give you one (withing that time limit), then your test will need to be for free. And obviously they want to avoid it, so you will get one within 28 days. Just make sure you use word "request" when talking to them.

This will help, however is still doesn't make it legal for you to drive a car before it's NCTed. Gards might put a blind eye on it, but it's fully up to their discretion. Crazy law, isn't it?

Skatedude

Just keep ringing every few days and ask about cancellations, it's the only way

almostover

It is mad! I think I'll cancel the online booking and give them a call on Tuesday. Everyting when it comes to motoring in this country is badly set up. I have to drive the car because I've sold my old car. It's taxed and insured and there is nothing I can do about the NCT. Whats this about a free NCT if they cant provide one in 28 days? Like there are 6 centres in county Cork and Kerry and Limerick aren't too far away either and nothing available until late June/early July

No Pants

almostover wrote: »

I have to drive the car because I've sold my old car.

Your lack of planning doesn't give you any special entitlement to drive a non-certified vehicle.

Stoolbend

If you have already accepted a date you aren't entitled to a free test if you can't get one within 28 days.

biko

Ring every morning.
See if you can get a slot in a neighbouring county.

almostover

Dont see why I should have to travel far considering there are 6 in my home county and 2 more near me in Killarney and Abbeyfeale? Surely they can provide a test in one of these locations in the next month or so. I want to test the car asap as I've it in good nick now and would like to get it through without hassle .

CiniO

No Pants wrote: »

Your lack of planning doesn't give you any special entitlement to drive a non-certified vehicle.

So OP's lack of planning consists of not finding out, that after importing a vehicle he will be forced to park it for few months, just because NCT system is not working like is should, and waiting times for a test, which should be no more than a day or two, are counted in months???

How can reasonably thinking person expect this?

Citizens information and any other leaflets, don't mention the need to park up your vehicle for months, just because NCT booking system is absolute disgrace...
Where was OP supposed to find out what is the story about it?

almostover

Yup and if my phonecalls are fruitless then I'll just have to book a slot in July and carry around a booking confirmation in the glovebox with me.

I have no probs with the NCT itself. It's a fair and important test but it seems to be poorly administrated.

Also I couldn't even check the test availability until this week as I didnt even have an irish reg number. And before anyone asks I paid the VRT well within the required 30 day window. In fact I have done everything by the book so far but the NCT issue has halted progress.

This comment: 'Your lack of planning doesn't give you any special entitlement to drive a non-certified vehicle.' smacks of of a know-it-all.

I'm sure any reasonable Garda will understand my plight

cerastes

CiniO wrote: »

Best what you can do for the moment, is ring NCT booking line, and request NCT appointment within 28 days.
If they can't give you one (withing that time limit), then your test will need to be for free. And obviously they want to avoid it, so you will get one within 28 days. Just make sure you use word "request" when talking to them.

Having just rang NCTS in the last few days for a relative who thought they could book online, upon checking for them it seemed their were no slots or times showing, looked like the booking part was down or no availability.
Rang them and was told first appointment would be late June for NCT, due end May and I encouraged owner to get it early if possible (I suggested even earlier than this).

Speaking to the operator, I said, if you cant provide the test within 4 weeks, then its free, correct.
they said, no thats not true, only that they have to offer the test, as it wasn't due for over a month. Basically they told me a person calling would have to wait till the day their nct was due before the free test could be availed of if you couldnt get a test inside 4 weeks, in effect forcing someone to run the risk of driving with no NCT.
All of a sudden, they could put us on a priority list and would get notification within 1-2 weeks.

https://ncts.ie/customer_charter.html
"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 lied to me about their own customer charter, even though I told them it was on their site, they told me it had changed, until I politely insisted, when they offered the magical priority list. I suspect they may even try not comply with that as they might say we accept the priority list, get an offer of a test within 2 weeks, but for it still to be a long way off.




I dont mind the test being unavailable, but it should be for a number of reasons, you cant even make an appointment 3 months before its due.
But the unavailability shouldnt mean an owner or new purchaser cant use their car just because they cant have it tested or inspected, assuming it has passed its last NCT or has some valid foreign at least EU standard equivalent MOT type of document. Nor should it be based upon the luck of getting a Garda in a good mood that day to decide whether or not a person driving without an NCT in such circumstances should or should not be penalised.

No Pants

CiniO wrote: »

So OP's lack of planning consists of not finding out, that after importing a vehicle he will be forced to park it for few months, just because NCT system is not working like is should, and waiting times for a test, which should be no more than a day or two, are counted in months???

How can reasonably thinking person expect this?

Citizens information and any other leaflets, don't mention the need to park up your vehicle for months, just because NCT booking system is absolute disgrace...
Where was OP supposed to find out what is the story about it?

You're over complicating it. How about having a second car ready to drive before you sell the first, especially when claiming that you need a car.

CiniO

cerastes wrote: »

Having just rang NCTS in the last few days for a relative who thought they could book online, upon checking for them it seemed their were no slots or times showing, looked like the booking part was down or no availability.
Rang them and was told first appointment would be late June for NCT, due end May and I encouraged owner to get it early if possible (I suggested even earlier than this).

Speaking to the operator, I said, if you cant provide the test within 4 weeks, then its free, correct.
they said, no thats not true, only that they have to offer the test, as it wasn't due for over a month. Basically they told me a person calling would have to wait till the day their nct was due before the free test could be availed of if you couldnt get a test inside 4 weeks, in effect forcing someone to run the risk of driving with no NCT.
All of a sudden, they could put us on a priority list and would get notification within 1-2 weeks.

https://ncts.ie/customer_charter.html
"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 lied to me about their own customer charter, even though I told them it was on their site, they told me it had changed, until I politely insisted, when they offered the magical priority list. I suspect they may even try not comply with that as they might say we accept the priority list, get an offer of a test within 2 weeks, but for it still to be a long way off.

So they lied to you over the phone, most likely because they know they can lie without any consequences, but I assume you will get your test within 4 weeks, because they know thet otherwise they would have to give it for free.

I dont mind the test being unavailable, but it should be for a number of reasons, you cant even make an appointment 3 months before its due.
But the unavailability shouldnt mean an owner or new purchaser cant use their car just because they cant have it tested or inspected, assuming it has passed its last NCT or has some valid foreign at least EU standard equivalent MOT type of document. Nor should it be based upon the luck of getting a Garda in a good mood that day to decide whether or not a person driving without an NCT in such circumstances should or should not be penalised.

Firstly nct test should be available on the spot if system was to work normally. At least for people vrting theirt cars or those returning cars onto the road after offroad period.
And secondly nct for imported cars should be only required after test cert from country of origin expires.
Then there wouldn't be a need for garda to give any leevay.

CiniO

No Pants wrote: »

You're over complicating it. How about having a second car ready to drive before you sell the first, especially when claiming that you need a car.

Yeah sure, I'm overcomplicating it.
System where you cant drive your newly imported car for few months is perfectly normal, as well as a need to organise another car for the meantime.
It must be just my tiny brain which can't understand that logic. Sorry for being so ignorant.

No Pants

CiniO wrote: »

It must be just my tiny brain which can't understand that logic. Sorry for being so ignorant.

No bother.

Skatedude

No Pants wrote: »

You're over complicating it. How about having a second car ready to drive before you sell the first, especially when claiming that you need a car.

A second car?how much money do you have?

Guy:Incognito

Skatedude wrote: »

A second car?how much money do you have?

Not selling the car he already had wouldn't have cost anything extra.

CiniO

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Not selling the car he already had wouldn't have cost anything extra.

So you support this idea as well?
You think it's right that our law requires someone to avoid driving newly imported and registered car for months?

Maybe without selling the car, OP couldn't afford new one.
And even if OP could, there are hundreds of people who can not.

CJhaughey

Why should anyone have to have a 2nd car? FFS its a TEST, it should be readily available within a week or two. In actual fact it should be a drive in affair not booking months ahead.
The system is broken and needs to be fixed. There should be more than one testing company so they are kept on their toes.
Monopolies are not good when it comes to this kind of thing, too much scope for the kind of carry-on that we see here now.

almostover

I have been put on the priority list and will be provided with an NCT within 28 days. Problem is I work 9-5 Monday to Friday and there's no guarantee that they can provide a weekend/evening time slot. This is a farce really and it could be possible that I have to take time off work to do my NCT :P

No Pants

Skatedude wrote: »

A second car?how much money do you have?

I already have a second car. Both went through the NCT within the last month.