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NCT The Sillyness needs to end

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    #92
    goz83
    Registered Users Posts: 8,034 ✭✭✭goz83


    They failed my car because of window tints (ok thats fine). They also failed it because I had a sun strip, which covered less of the top of the windscreen than factory installed tints on windscreens. Safety issue? My hole! It was safer with the sun strip. You can wear near black out sunglasses, but they wont let you have a sun strip put onto the screen....bo11ox.

    I also disagree that they give all cars a proper safety safety check, because they miss things often, even if they have been pre-noted. The NCT I had in 2011 for my car needed a retest because of emissions and 2 brake hoses and the brake line. I cant remember which, but the emmissions got siorted after I cat a cat fit to the mid section but they missed either the hoses or brake lines, which were replaced a few days later.

    They fail for things not associated with safety. I dont needd to highlight them here though, ass e all know a thing or two about that. Broken aerials and different branded wiper ars wer already mentioned here. Oh that's a death trap, quick, burn it!


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    #93
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    They fail for things not associated with safety. I dont needd to highlight them here though, ass e all know a thing or two about that. Broken aerials and different branded wiper ars wer already mentioned here. Oh that's a death trap, quick, burn it![/QUOTE]


    Or LED Lights on Dashboard not blinking


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    #94
    JP85
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭JP85


    Ive gone on to the NCT website and the only bookings they will give me is for w/c 20th of May in fonthill and im out of the country that week and the same with Naas which is the only other one i could go to really, surely it couldnt be that booked up.

    The NCT is the biggest scam, i wouldnt mind paying about €20-30 for the test but when you are at the test centre and see how many cars that go through on a daily basis and how quickly it actually takes to do a car its some money making business


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    #95
    eamonnq
    Registered Users Posts: 4,010 ✭✭✭eamonnq


    JP85 wrote: »
    Ive gone on to the NCT website and the only bookings they will give me is for w/c 20th of May in fonthill and im out of the country that week and the same with Naas which is the only other one i could go to really, surely it couldnt be that booked up.

    You could try ringing them.


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    #96
    Bannasidhe
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    They passed my car in Feb but I had been having issues with a grinding noise coming from the front left wheel and the steering vibrating like crazy on certain road surfaces - had taken it to several mechanics but they couldn't find the problem.
    The problem was that a piston had seized and the front left brake was partially engaged all the time causing huge wear on the pad and the steering to pull to the left. Very rarely drive the car but needed it last week when the grinding and pulling was frankly scary. Took it to a garage and they couldn't believe it passed the NCT or that they didn't notice the wear on the brake pad.

    Same test centre passed my mother's car in Dec (13 years old owned from new by a little old lady, has less than 50km on the clock). Last week she got a puncture and went off to buy a new tyre, tyre guy noticed another tyre was not only split, but actually shredding - it was one of the originals. NCT failed to notice it...


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    #97
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    lots of mis-information in this thread....try the Motors forum for informed comment


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    #98
    Scarcely
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Scarcely


    Another silly fail was my cousin in north point only 2 weeks ago, the day before his test he went out and bought 4 new tyres, when they tested the car the tester said one of the wheel nuts on one of the wheels wasn't tight enough, he then told my cousin he wasn't allowed tighten it, but my cousin was to go outside and tighten the nut himself and once done he would receive his cert. my cousin then done so and called the tester guy out, he checked the nut and said yea that's fine and gave him the cert!! In regards to needing the nct disc for your insurance, from my experience I have noticed if you switch insurer 99% of the time you will be asked to produce the disc along with your licence


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    #99
    flutered
    Registered Users Posts: 6,677 ✭✭✭flutered


    do the nct workers not get 10% of the retest, paid in both june and december.


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    #100
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    corktina wrote: »
    lots of mis-information in this thread....try the Motors forum for informed comment


    What Mis-information people are telling and giving examples of why their cars failed and they silly reasons as to why how is that misinformation?

    Do you work for the NCT if so then please leave a constructive comment and not just a back seat comment with no backup for your statement


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    #101
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    well how about the one about off-road declarations finishing and all cars will have to be taxed even if they are chicken coops?

    As for "silly" reasons, most of them given are clearly safety issues.


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    #102
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,966 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    LordSutch wrote: »
    Looking in the rear view mirror as I drove home
    in the rain I smiled as I noticed that the rear wiper rubber blade was in tatters, literally the rubber had perished and was in tatters,
    but hey I had my NCT and the emissions were sorted :)
    Rear wipers aren't tested. You have two wing mirrors.

    Also every second hand Fiat would fail since their rear wiper motors can't take Irish rain.


    Scarcely wrote: »
    Honestly the amount of silly fails I've heard of is unreal. A couple years ago they wouldn't give me the cert because my indicator light "wasn't amber enough" how stupid was that!! I had to go buy a new amber light and return with it to get the all clear
    Don't get me started

    The problem is that even though an amber bulb costs about three times as much as a white one the only difference is a "not fit for intended purpose" plastic covering that flakes off during the bulbs life.

    And too many cars have the indicator beside other lights so on some in some conditions it can be hard to notice when it's not orange.

    Runaway34 wrote: »
    I had mine last Thursday in Northpoint and the car failed because the cover off my passenger wing mirror is broken. The mirror works perfectly and the electrics are not affected so I'm stumped as to why it failed. When I questioned this I was told there's a sharp edge exposed which there is not!! So not I've to but a new wing mirror which will cost €75 plus vat and then pay for the labour!!! Absolutely ridiculous
    It's a visual inspection so free
    isopon
    even tape might do


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    #103
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,966 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    corktina wrote: »
    well how about the one about off-road declarations finishing and all cars will have to be taxed even if they are chicken coops?

    As for "silly" reasons, most of them given are clearly safety issues.
    When did we get declarations ?


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    #104
    markhar9877
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭markhar9877


    Failed because one of my number plate lights was missing. Yes it had two but it failed because one was missing. Has to be the silliest ever.

    I went two years on my previous car with no NCT. It wasn't as if I hadn't tried to get it done. It kept failing though. Once for a number plate which was cracked. Then for bad shocks, which to be fair had gone. Also tracking. Then the airbag light came on.

    Every time I brought it in, it failed for something else. Misadjusted headlight and because he couldn't do the emissions test because it wouldn't idle properly. In the end it finally passed even though I did nothing about the headlight or the idle speed. I was amazed because apart from those issues it was making a clunking noise on full lock, the passenger window was locked closed. The passenger mirror was gone. The rear wiper was broken. The plastic protector on the underside was gone. The front bumper was mostly gone. It was dented, scratched and frankly a mess. But it had an NCT. I sold it since.

    Don't know why I even bothered with the NCT. I just wasted a load of money on pointless repairs to pass it.


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    #105
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    corktina wrote: »
    well how about the one about off-road declarations finishing and all cars will have to be taxed even if they are chicken coops?

    As for "silly" reasons, most of them given are clearly safety issues.


    Fair enough but explain to me how a bloody LED dashboard Light is a safety issue when old cars would not even have any Dashboard Lights so please explain as to why and how it would deem a fail. I am not knocking the Test itself I think it is a good idea but if you read my other posts where is the continuity it failed because of the person I got not because the Light was not working otherwise it would have failed last year and the year before that and the year before that look back at the posts and read about advice to go on a Sunday as they are more laid back, I'm sorry if it was imidiate danger to not have this light then it would be picked up all day every day there is no continuity with this test as the testers just do what they like it seems to piss people off and waste their time on a weekend just cause they are stuck working


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    #106
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,556 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    What annoys me is people who moan about failing for things that they know are not allowed.

    Window tints, sun strips etc are not allowed so why put them on your car?

    People who fail for not taking wheel trims off or having crap in the boot are especially stupid, I would question if they have the wit to be allowed to drive a car safely on the road.

    But, what really irks me is people who change their car so it passes the NCT (i.e. taking off whatever tacky modification they have attached) and then re-attaching after NCT. Makes a mockery of the system and should be clamped down on strongly.


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    #107
    JP85
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭JP85


    eamonnq wrote: »
    You could try ringing them.

    Yeah but thats a whole load of hassle and personal contact with anybody who works for the NCT should be kept to an absolute minimum


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    #108
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    When did we get declarations ?

    august 2013 ....:D rather proves my point on mis-info dunnit!


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    #109
    2 stroke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭2 stroke


    Eeeyore wrote: »
    Incorrect Sir as on my Car if I press the Rear Fog Light Button and even if my lights are not on it will still register a warning sound that a light is or has been left on somewhere. It is a Hyundai Atoz

    My appologies, I don't think I've ever drove a hyundai. Will it beep if the key is off/out of ignition?


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    #110
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    2 stroke wrote: »
    My appologies, I don't think I've ever drove a hyundai. Will it beep if the key is off/out of ignition?

    Nope it is not that fancy it will only Beep if the Lights are on or the Rear Foglight and you open the Door


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    #111
    knotknowbody
    Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭knotknowbody


    The NCT is a very necessary part of motoring, before it was introduced the standard of car maintenance in this country was abysmal. If you want to pass get a copy of the testing manual which is available for download and read what they test for and check the items that apply to your car.

    If you don't want to read the manual a simply rule to follow is, if it's there and is related to safety, either through your ability to control your car, or your ability to be seen or signal other drivers then it has to work properly and as originally intended by the manufacturer, the testers don't make the rules they only follow them.

    My current car is 9 years old, when I bought it 2 years ago it was the newest car I had ever owned, in all the cars I've had since NCT was introduced and all the cars I look after for family I have never had a fail because I prepare the car beforehand, I'm no mechanic but you don't need to be to see something like a bulb isn't working.

    The problem with a lot of people is they don't prepare, they say to themselves "I'll run it through and let them tell me what is wrong, sure it might pass" but them complain when their car doesn't meet the prescribed standard. I appreciate not everybody would be confident checking/changing brake pipes/pads etc but they should be able to check and change bulbs, and other basic tasks, to be honest it should be part of the driving test that you can perform these kind of basic maintenance tasks on your car.


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    #112
    JP85
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭JP85


    knotknowbody wrote: »
    The NCT is a very necessary part of motoring, before it was introduced the standard of car maintenance in this country was abysmal. If you want to pass get a copy of the testing manual which is available for download and read what they test for and check the items that apply to your car.

    If you don't want to read the manual a simply rule to follow is, if it's there and is related to safety, either through your ability to control your car, or your ability to be seen or signal other drivers then it has to work properly and as originally intended by the manufacturer, the testers don't make the rules they only follow them.

    My current car is 9 years old, when I bought it 2 years ago it was the newest car I had ever owned, in all the cars I've had since NCT was introduced and all the cars I look after for family I have never had a fail because I prepare the car beforehand, I'm no mechanic but you don't need to be to see something like a bulb isn't working.

    The problem with a lot of people is they don't prepare, they say to themselves "I'll run it through and let them tell me what is wrong, sure it might pass" but them complain when their car doesn't meet the prescribed standard. I appreciate not everybody would be confident checking/changing brake pipes/pads etc but they should be able to check and change bulbs, and other basic tasks, to be honest it should be part of the driving test that you can perform these kind of basic maintenance tasks on your car.

    There's always one...


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    #113
    Agricola
    Registered Users Posts: 6,547 ✭✭✭Agricola


    Nash Bridges wrote: »
    The sticky door handle used to be a problem with older Fords, particularly on the rear doors if not used regularly. With handle staying pulled out, the door wouldn't close properly or lock. Going around a corner or roundabout the door would swing open, passenger could fall out or door could hit a pedestrian, cyclist or another car.

    That seems like a very real safety issue to me.

    Well in my case the door handle being in the up position had nothing to do with the locking mechanism to shut the door. Once the door was closed, the door was closed, as normal, but the handle was just stuck in position - sometimes. But I take your point about other models which may leave mean the door is not actually closing.

    This kind of raises another issue that is common with the NCT - consistency. In a previous test, I was failed on rear wheel alignment. The mechanic told me due to the age of the car he could not get the wheels aligned to regulation exactly but they were only 2mm outside the tolerance. Which realistically means absolutely nothing (on the rear suspension at any rate) The mechanic advised that I should explain this to tester and common sense would prevail. Indeed it did, I passed, despite the fact it was technically wrong. Unfortunately, the first tester was sorely lacking in common sense. Computer says NO - FAIL!


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    #114
    dharn
    Registered Users Posts: 2,574 ✭✭✭dharn


    corktina wrote: »
    august 2013 ....:D rather proves my point on mis-info dunnit!

    We are in the realms of time travel now...


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    #115
    m5ex9oqjawdg2i
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,221 ✭✭✭✭m5ex9oqjawdg2i


    MidlandsM wrote: »
    yeah, so - im praising the ethos of the test, but just saying its a tad dear as you can mot a car in the uk for £30.

    I love it when people try to compare countries on specific areas. It's such a silly argument.


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    #116
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    knotknowbody wrote: »
    The NCT is a very necessary part of motoring, before it was introduced the standard of car maintenance in this country was abysmal. If you want to pass get a copy of the testing manual which is available for download and read what they test for and check the items that apply to your car.

    If you don't want to read the manual a simply rule to follow is, if it's there and is related to safety, either through your ability to control your car, or your ability to be seen or signal other drivers then it has to work properly and as originally intended by the manufacturer, the testers don't make the rules they only follow them.

    My current car is 9 years old, when I bought it 2 years ago it was the newest car I had ever owned, in all the cars I've had since NCT was introduced and all the cars I look after for family I have never had a fail because I prepare the car beforehand, I'm no mechanic but you don't need to be to see something like a bulb isn't working.

    The problem with a lot of people is they don't prepare, they say to themselves "I'll run it through and let them tell me what is wrong, sure it might pass" but them complain when their car doesn't meet the prescribed standard. I appreciate not everybody would be confident checking/changing brake pipes/pads etc but they should be able to check and change bulbs, and other basic tasks, to be honest it should be part of the driving test that you can perform these kind of basic maintenance tasks on your car.

    I am still waiting for someone to point out the safety issue with a poxy LED light on a Dashboard not lighting up as I have already stated old cars would not even have these lights and also it was passed on the visual which had the casing removed so the Bulb was exposed surly an exposed Dash is more a saety issue then a covered up one with a tine Bulb no lighting.

    You mention their manual but it is obvious that not all of the NCT testers follow this manual otherwise this would have been spotted beforwe hand if it was really that dangerous to myself and other road users.


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    #117
    eamonnq
    Registered Users Posts: 4,010 ✭✭✭eamonnq


    JP85 wrote: »
    Yeah but thats a whole load of hassle and personal contact with anybody who works for the NCT should be kept to an absolute minimum

    A phone call is a whole load of hassle? Imagine the phone calls you will have to make if the Gardai decide to take your car off the road.


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    #118
    knotknowbody
    Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭knotknowbody


    Eeeyore wrote: »
    I am still waiting for someone to point out the safety issue with a poxy LED light on a Dashboard not lighting up as I have already stated old cars would not even have these lights and also it was passed on the visual which had the casing removed so the Bulb was exposed surly an exposed Dash is more a saety issue then a covered up one with a tine Bulb no lighting.

    You mention their manual but it is obvious that not all of the NCT testers follow this manual otherwise this would have been spotted beforwe hand if it was really that dangerous to myself and other road users.

    I agree that particular issue is not a safety issue as such, more a reminder to the driver the fog lights are on and could potentially inconvenience following drivers, but it is fitted to the car so it has to work, also it could be a symptom of a bigger more hazardous issue with the electrics, so the tester has to make sure it is functioning as intended by the manufacturer before issuing the cert.

    I'm not standing up for them here but rules are rules and should be followed, I agree some of the rules like the county name in irish on numberplate's are ridiculous, but issues with the electrics and lighting should be taken seriously.

    In this country you can't win, follow the rules exactly as they should and their too strict on the minor stuff, then if they don't follow them there is no consistency. If your car is right it will pass consistently, if there is something wrong it usually won't pass unless you get lucky ;).


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    #119
    Eeeyore
    Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭Eeeyore


    knotknowbody wrote: »
    I agree that particular issue is not a safety issue as such, more a reminder to the driver the fog lights are on and could potentially inconvenience following drivers, but it is fitted to the car so it has to work, also it could be a symptom of a bigger more hazardous issue with the electrics, so the tester has to make sure it is functioning as intended by the manufacturer before issuing the cert.

    I'm not standing up for them here but rules are rules and should be followed, I agree some of the rules like the county name in irish on numberplate's are ridiculous, but issues with the electrics and lighting should be taken seriously.

    In this country you can't win, follow the rules exactly as they should and their too strict on the minor stuff, then if they don't follow them there is no consistency. If your car is right it will pass consistently, if there is something wrong it usually won't pass unless you get lucky ;).


    I call BS on that for a start as the guy even told me it had nothing to do with the cars electrics as the radio and all and every other electronic worked so it was not a Fuse issue.

    If they all followed the rules that would be great but it is obvious that they do not and their is no consistency in the testing just depends on who you get now is that really fecking safety so we leave our cars in to these so called experts who want us to have safe cars but yet not all of the testera would pass or fail giving same car with same issue so again I ask where the issue with a LED lightbulb is. Anybody?


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    #120
    Larbre34
    Registered Users Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    Captain Chaos wrote: »
    Then how are new first time drivers supposed to start off with your catch 22 situation you just pulled out of thin air.:rolleyes:

    What??:confused:

    If a car changes hands, then you are sent the documents to tax and insure it. No sane person would buy a car liable for the NCT without a current one on it

    A young driver going on someone elses car would rely on them to have its docs all up to date.

    Not difficult.....


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    #121
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,419 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Eeeyore wrote: »
    I am still waiting for someone to point out the safety issue with a poxy LED light on a Dashboard not lighting up as I have already stated old cars would not even have these lights and also it was passed on the visual which had the casing removed so the Bulb was exposed surly an exposed Dash is more a saety issue then a covered up one with a tine Bulb no lighting.

    You mention their manual but it is obvious that not all of the NCT testers follow this manual otherwise this would have been spotted beforwe hand if it was really that dangerous to myself and other road users.

    Every car with a fog light has a light on the dash the two go together.the purpose of the light is so that people don't leave their fog light on and blind other drivers.Amazing you don't get this.


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