1st NCT, anything I need to know/do before I show up at the Test Center ?

huud

Hi,

This is my 1st NCT test, I have a Honda Civic 2006 manual.

Is there anything I need to know or do before I show up at the test center to avoid having to unnecessarily return back, or avoid failing the test, other that a faulty car.

Thank You

HildaOgdenx

These are the main things to bring/ have done beforehand if necessary.

Best of luck!

iwillhtfu

Bring a coat and a stool as the appointment schedules are very loose and you could be there a while.

Wanderer78

rock up a little early, maybe 20/30 mins...best of luck

huud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120068210#Comment_120068210

Thanks, appreciate that.

Thanks others for the input as well.

unnamed

Enjoy it .. you can watch your car go through the process (there's a window to the garage) and it's interesting (well I thought it was interesting).

Don't get caught out on something simple, make sure all the lights works and that there are no warning iights on. A friend of mine got his tyres changed before the NCT and the tyre place forgot to replace one of the wheel nuts, which was a fail.

Sarn

If it all goes well, double check the odometer reading on your cert to make sure it is correct as typos sometimes happen.

antodeco

Also, boot empty, glovebox empty (assume they are doing the OBD testing?) And any hubcaps off.

Check the tyre pressures aswell. If they're out alot, might cause slip alignment, etc issues

Wanderer78

having all the seat belts connected to their respective connectors, sometimes helps the lads along to....

SCOOP 64

If it has 7 seats make sure the back seats are up too, my failed on this last time , new regulation apparently.

Atlantic Dawn

Make sure that odometer reading on NCT cert is in correct units as per displayed on car, I've had km's entered before when it should have been miles so got them to rectify it there and then.

Before test check every single light on the car works and the tyres are correct thread depth, failing on these is a proper pain in the hole to have to come back for visual recheck. Every single time I'm at the NCT there's 4 or 5 people failing on lights not working, stuff that anyone with a working eye in their head could check.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069222#Comment_120069222

I think the tyres get correctly inflated before the light test

degsie

Check registration plate lights are operational, check you have windscreen washer, remove tyre dust caps as they tend to get 'lost' during testing.

huud

Thanks for the valuable input, very helpful.

cml387

I'd agree with turning up early. It's often happened to me that I've been finished before I was due to start if you see what I mean.

Bring all required documents, especially ID.

Make sure they can open bonnet (the bonnet release on mine had come off ages ago and was in the glove compartment, luckily he carried on after I fixed ii in place!).

MrCostington

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072417#Comment_120072417

I was at Northpoint yesterday and there was about 6 ahead of me in the reception. They were turning away people that were 20/30 min early. No covid restrictions so no need to wait with your car. OPs center may be different of course.

SCOOP 64

Yeah same as my NCT place, i was 20 minutes early was told to come back, just waited in the car.

The tyre dust caps is a new to me ,do they take these off?

huud

Hi All,

I was told the 3rd tail light (the one behind the rear seats) is not functioning, change it and bring it back, no retest fee, thats all.

I just wanted to ask if I have to go back to the same NCT center for this or can now be shown at any NCT center ?

Thank You

kippy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074013#Comment_120074013

I think there may be a mix up here.

Hub caps, if present, need to be taken off the car before testing but what I would call the dust caps (the screw plastic top that covers the tyre valves) most definetly need to remain on the car for testing.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076383#Comment_120076383

You can go to any centre/any time

MrMusician18

Make sure you have the legal minimum of tread on your tyres - that's a fail dangerous and they won't let you drive the car away.

If you try, they'll call the guards.

Atlantic Dawn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076383#Comment_120076383

Some of these are dead handy to fix, can be just a single bulb that goes in to the centre of it to replace.

huud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077024#Comment_120077024

Thanks, replaced bulb, passed NCT..

Thanks All again..

Grolschevik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077044#Comment_120077044

Well... they shouldn't, and they could...

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076441#Comment_120076441

the dust caps (the screw plastic top that covers the tyre valves) most definetly need to remain on the car for testing.

Eh? No they don't! The testers don't check these.

Arnout

First time for me going to the NCT next week (as I moved to Ireland only 6 months ago). My wife's car is up first, my own car goes in a few months. Now in the list mentioned above I see that I'd have to bring the registration paper for the car, but my wife has managed to misplace them and now we can't find them. Not straight away, anyway. According to her father we don't really need that. Is that correct, or is it really necessary to bring it?

Curious also why they need it. Or my own 'registration paper' (aka ID) for that matter, after all they're testing the car, not me or the piece of paper.

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084797#Comment_120084797

I find that this, again, depends on the test centre. I have been asked for the Registration document in Deansgrange and Fonthill but not in Greenhills or Athlone. I can't recall whether I was asked for it in Naas but it seems to be a luck of the draw type thing. If you are asked for it and don't have it, then the NCT certificate (if the car passes) may be withheld until you come back with the document.

Arnout

Hm ok, I have an appointment in Greenhills, so maybe I'll get lucky.

cml387

I've never been asked for it in numerous NCT's. But I suppose the one time.....

littlevillage

Quick question. Will a car fail NCT if the drivers door won't lock ?

It opens & closes fine, but it just won't lock.

Will try to get it fixed, but might run out of time, before the test.

HildaOgdenx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120081647#Comment_120081647

Great stuff, it's a relief to have it over and done with.

SCOOP 64

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086940#Comment_120086940

Doubt it , not really a safety issue.

colml cule

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077044#Comment_120077044

In my experience anyway they won't call the gardai.

SCOOP 64

Friend failed on inner tyre worn last week they put a sticker on it dangerous to drive, he just took it off drove home , got tyre changed next day , first I've heard about calling gardai.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120077044#Comment_120077044

No they will not call the Gardai. Where are you hearing this nonsense???

Do you honestly think the Gardai are going to respond to an NCT Centre reporting

illegal tyres???

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120129608#Comment_120129608

Its not exactly nonsense. The tester is supposed to hand you a sheet of paper explaining that driving with a fail dangerous NCT is an offence and that they will call the Garda if you drive away. I’ve been given the sheet a few times and have been told it is illegal for me to drive away, obviously nothing ever happens of it tho.

Arnout

How else are you supposed to get your car fixed (regardless of what the issue is)?

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120130359#Comment_120130359

More chance of me finding Lord Lucan riding Shergar than an NCT centre phoning the Gardai

to report someone driving away with illegal tyres or a dangerous defect.

Arnout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084797#Comment_120084797

Well, today was the day.

And guess what?

They didn't ask for it. I only had to state my wife's name before the guy handed over the certificate.

Positive surprise (to me) also that it's valid for two years. I was kinda going by Dutch regulations that a car over 8 years old only gets one year and a diesel gets one year anyway. Never bothered to look up the Irish regulations 🤣

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133237#Comment_120133237

If you bring it in more than 3 months before its next due date as a 'voluntary' test, you will get 2 year certificate again I think.

Otherwise if it's being tested for its 10th anniversary it is only a 1 year certificate.

See #16 in the FAQ

https://www.ncts.ie/about-the-test/faq/

Arnout

Hmm interesting. The date of first registration is 5 November 2014. As a result of the 4 month Covid extension the due date is now 4 March, so since today 4 March 2025.

So if I bring it in on, let's say, 1 October 2024 (keep a bit of leeway in case it fails and something needs to be fixed), I would get a certificate that's valid up to 30 September 2026 (provided it passes, of course), whereas if I bring it in between 5 December 2024 and 4 March 2025, I'd get a certificate that's only valid until 4 March 2026?

Arnout

Sorry for the double post. I'm now reading this (and obviously that #16 hasn't been amended to allow for the 4 months Covid-extension):

Where a vehicle has already undergone a voluntary early test and the test due date has been reset, if this vehicle passes the test within 90 days of the 10th anniversary of first registration, a certificate valid to the 11th anniversary will be issued, and the test due date will be reset to the anniversary of first registration.

Based on that I'd get a certificate up to 4 November 2025 if I bring it in on 1 October 2024. But if I bring it in before 4 August 2024 (let's say 1 July, again keep some leeway) then I'd get up to 30 June 2026?

Then again that only changes it for four (or five, if I'm a bit later) months. Not sure if I can be bothered by that. Although a due date in the summer would be nice. Felt sick last night, no fun clearing out the car then in those freezing temperatures...

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133289#Comment_120133289

Ah didn't realise you had covid extension.

I don't think the voluntary test would account for that extension so you'd need to bring it in at least 3 months before 5 November 2024 so probably not worth it in your scenario.

Arnout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133318#Comment_120133318

Yeah see my second post just before yours. Thanks for thinking with me though, appreciate it 😀