NCT in other countries

Lots of chat here sometimes about the NCT. I happened to be visiting a friend recently in Belgium and he was taking his car to be tested so I tagged along. So, here's how other countries do it if anybody's interested. I presume its all done under EC rules.


The NCT there (called the 'controle technique') is required annually on all cars over four years old. You can make an appointment or you can arrive on spec and queue up. A webcam shows the length of the queue so you can have some idea how long you might be waiting. http://www.autocontrole.be/ACTfr/startfr.html


Anyway we arrived about 11am on a wednesday morning. There were four lanes heading into the centre, one for commercial vehicles, one for people with appointments and three for casual callers (one of these was also for four wheel drive vehicles).


We took our place in the queue and 45 minutes later arrived at its head. We had to present the insurance details (there its the car that's insured not the driver) and the docs for the car. The tester checked these against the serial number in the engine compartment.


Then the test proper. The tester then got in the car and drove it over some rollers. These tested the brakes, front and rear. Then he drove to the next station which tested the headlights. We were outside the car but could walk alongside him.


Next he drove the car onto some pads on the ground that moved in and out. I think these would be checking shocks and steering etc. Then next it was driven over a pit where a guy underneath checked things with a lamp while a jack lifted the car up front and rear.


Next was the emissions test. A sensor was placed in the exhaust while the car was idling. The car was not revved at all, in fact the driver was out of the car while the test was being done.


Then we were given back the keys and told to park the car outside and go to an office beside it to collect our papers.


Two minutes later we paid the €36 fee, got the papers back with a cert for another year. The only item noted was that there was a possible oil leak which should be watched.


The entire process took just over an hour, of which 45 minutes was queueing time prior to the test.

Asmooh

Belgium suck just like Ireland, it's way easier in Holland!

Just go to any garage and tell you want a APK, pay 25 euro or so and wait.
If you pass you get a paper with the result or fixes that has to be done before next check.

No need to make appointments or special ways of doing things

goochy

The dutch way sounds just like the uk way rubbish. The doe tests run by local garages here are very hit and miss in my experience .would rather have things as they are without back log !

Asmooh

You cannot just start a garage in Holland or start a company for garage without certificates and renew them every year. Also do garages in Holland get unannounced visits for inspection

demanufactured

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Lots of chat here sometimes about the NCT. I happened to be visiting a friend recently in Belgium and he was taking his car to be tested so I tagged along. So, here's how other countries do it if anybody's interested. I presume its all done under EC rules.


The NCT there (called the 'controle technique') is required annually on all cars over four years old. You can make an appointment or you can arrive on spec and queue up. A webcam shows the length of the queue so you can have some idea how long you might be waiting. http://www.autocontrole.be/ACTfr/startfr.html


Anyway we arrived about 11am on a wednesday morning. There were four lanes heading into the centre, one for commercial vehicles, one for people with appointments and three for casual callers (one of these was also for four wheel drive vehicles).


We took our place in the queue and 45 minutes later arrived at its head. We had to present the insurance details (there its the car that's insured not the driver) and the docs for the car. The tester checked these against the serial number in the engine compartment.


Then the test proper. The tester then got in the car and drove it over some rollers. These tested the brakes, front and rear. Then he drove to the next station which tested the headlights. We were outside the car but could walk alongside him.


Next he drove the car onto some pads on the ground that moved in and out. I think these would be checking shocks and steering etc. Then next it was driven over a pit where a guy underneath checked things with a lamp while a jack lifted the car up front and rear.


Next was the emissions test. A sensor was placed in the exhaust while the car was idling. The car was not revved at all, in fact the driver was out of the car while the test was being done.


Then we were given back the keys and told to park the car outside and go to an office beside it to collect our papers.


Two minutes later we paid the €36 fee, got the papers back with a cert for another year. The only item noted was that there was a possible oil leak which should be watched.


The entire process took just over an hour, of which 45 minutes was queueing time prior to the test.

Sounds exactly like how the NCT and the CVRT tests are done.

Greenmachine

demanufactured wrote: »

Sounds exactly like how the NCT and the CVRT tests are done.

More or less except emissions are first, idle then low followed by headlights. One other difference here is you pay first. I imagine they have to do that here or you would have some folks refuse to pay if they don't pass.

Greenmachine

Greenmachine wrote: »

More or less except emissions are first, idle then low followed by headlights. One other difference here is you pay first. I imagine they have to do that here or you would have some folks refuse to pay if they don't pass.

You have to pay there to get your car documents back. The other thing is that there is no revving for the emisions test and most people turn up on spec without an appointment. Oh, and you can be with your car while the testing is done (maybe some places allow that here too).

Greenmachine

Deleted User wrote: »

You have to pay there to get your car documents back. The other thing is that there is no revving for the emisions test and most people turn up on spec without an appointment. Oh, and you can be with your car while the testing is done (maybe some places allow that here too).

I have turned up her for a retest. Mind you it was just a visual. I forgot to take off the hub caps, so they couldn't inspect the nuts. Drove home and took them off and drove back, and was seen in no time.

Asmooh

btw in belgium, any mod you make to the car you need to build back before the nct.. because they are not allowed to do anything.

biko

The Dutch and UK way is much too susceptible to corruption. Google Roobik Mirzabegi.

Belgium, Germany, Sweden etc have a similar system to Ireland where the tester has zero bias in whether the car pass or not.

Greenmachine

biko wrote: »

The Dutch and UK way is much too susceptible to corruption. Google Roobik Mirzabegi.

Belgium, Germany, Sweden etc have a similar system to Ireland where the tester has zero bias in whether the car pass or not.

Thats the principle at least.

Cosmo K

biko wrote: »

Belgium, Germany, Sweden etc have a similar system to Ireland where the tester has zero bias in whether the car pass or not.

Actually, the German system is completely different from the Irish System. The German system is a mix off the UK system, where inspections are done in garages by an automotive engineer. And the Irish system with a network of test centres operated by the big, licensed engineering companies like Dekra or the TUEV.