Unhelpful NCT tester

my3cents

Normally I don't have any problem with the NCT or how its performed but this time I have an issue with the tester over whats supposed to be wrong with the car. If the problem exists all I want to do is know exactly where it is so I can get it fixed.

The report is advanced corrosion and when I questioned where exactly the tester said he pushed it with his finger and could feel it was soft. OK so I need to fix that so I asked again where exactly he becomes defensive and told me it was obvious and my mechanic couldn't miss it.

I didn't say the car had been up on ramps the day before and I and a mechanic had been carefully over it and found nothing to worry about.

There was a small bit of surface rust where the door opens on top of a rear wheel arch so I asked if that was what needed fixing? I was told that wasn't it and that it was obvious, with reluctance the NCT guy marked where it was on the report sheet diagram and that was that.

The problem is now that neither me nor my mechanic can find the problem so we are just going to weld a small patch over the area marked on the sheet and see what happens?

dr.fuzzenstein

I would appeal, if there's no rust, why should you fix what's not broken?

LawlessBoy

Put it through the test again in a different center? I did it recently with a family members car passed straight away. Less hassle then going through all the appeal process.

Damiencm

LawlessBoy wrote:

Put it through the test again in a different center? I did it recently with a family members car passed straight away. Less hassle then going through all the appeal process.

+1

My wifes car was through the NCT in January, few issues came up mostly minor and easy to fix. One strange thing was though that the mecahnic told me the cv joint (not boot) was knackered and would have to be replaced.. thought this was strange as when a cv joint goes you will know all about it.

Decided to hold my tongue until I spoke to my mechanic, cv joint was perfect. Fixed the other issues and had the car retested, needless to say it flew through the test. Mentioned the cv joint to the mechanic after i got my new nct cert, he shrugged his shoulders

Cee-Jay-Cee

Power wash the underside of the car and put it through again. If there is no rust then it should be fine. If it passes I'd then make a complaint about old soft fingers tester No.1

pheelay

LawlessBoy wrote: »

Put it through the test again in a different center? I did it recently with a family members car passed straight away. Less hassle then going through all the appeal process.

This.

I used to have faith in the NCT just like OP. I've also been a victim of these mysterious fails for problems that don't exist. In my case, I had "10mm of play in the steering rack". Re-test in another centre and it passed.

On the other hand, I've also had a car fail on a single €28 re-test item, but it should have failed on at least 2 others: brake line corrosion & wishbone advanced corrosion. Cynical me says €28 re-test is more important to them than safety Of 4 centres I use, I've found Fonthill the worst for this.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

its all a scam , and they are all w*nkers , thats the basic story with this fiasco

my3cents

Thanks guys, the problem is that I also have a couple of brake pipes that can't be argued over that need replacing (beyond cleaning and painting) so whatever I do regarding a retest I have to get them done.

Stoolbend

What make / model / year?

kilianmanning

A joke. If you brought it somewhere else for retest or wait to re-do a full test you won't have a problem. All the stuff they miss/don't bother recording aswell. Absolute waste of time, if only it didn't attract penalty points:rolleyes:

my3cents

Got to the bottom of what needed doing. No major problem and nothing that should have really failed but we stuck a big fat patch on it anyway.

The under body was solid but that thick under sealer type stuff had come away slightly from under one of the cils but not come off. The result was an area that was soft to push. Had to cut and grind it all off to put a patch on and there was only surface rust underneath.

Now good job my mechanic can read because I completely misunderstood the break pipes that needed replacing. The one at the driver side rear was obvious but the tester said that I'd tried and failed to cover up the rust when I'd painted the pipes so I thought it was the front driver side that needed replacing as thats the only one I'd painted. Well it wasn't as the sheet specifically said it was the nearside front that was rusted.