If it’s a very minor fault that doesn’t warrant the test equipment being used then it will only need a visual inspection which is free. Besides the retest is far cheaper than the original test regardless of whether or not it requires a full or partial retest. People whinging about it being a “money racket” are missing the point, there are death-traps that have only been taken off the road because of the NCT, just think of the potential lives that might have been saved. I also think all cars should have to pass a yearly test as the condition of many crucial components can deteriorate massively in just a couple of months.

Wrong

The mob mentality again on the journal.

Retests for minor things are free within 30 days. Serious faults come with a technical document explaining exactly why the car failed.

Hear, hear Jim.

Following is not bullshit. Two weeks ago, my car passed the NCT without any warnings or comments. However, I failed it. Me! The driver/owner failed it. I forgot to bring in a form of I.d.
I went home immediately afterwards, got my license and brought it straight in. They then issued me the cert. since May this year, it has been the law that we must produce official I.D. Good idea. At least they can now prove who brought the car in, if there are claims of fraud or backhanders, and prosecute them along with the corrupt NCT worker.
But anyhow, I’d say my car is included as a fail even though it passed everything itself first time, the driver failed it !

Everytime I spot an NCT article on the Journal I feel compelled to share the following experience with readers.
A couple of years ago my 1990 Audi was due for a test.
It failed because the battery clamp was missing.
I went back the next day with the clamp in place.
Car passed.
A week later I brought my car into an official Audi dealer for a full service.
On collection of the car the mechanic said that he noticed that the car had recently passed the NCT.
He further said he was extremely surprised and puzzled as to why my car had passed.
I asked him why?
He said that the rear exhaust box was completely rusted through and about to fall off.
All the tyres were fitted the wrong way around. (Not according to the arrow which indicates forward running direction).
One of the tyres threads were below the legal limit.
In my opinion the NCT is merely another means of raising revenue.
Safety is of not of paramount concern.

Crap. I had a Nissan primastar with around 13000 mls the only “fault” was a small half inch diameter hole in back left indicator A tester from DOE told me there’s no point in bringing it for test as it would fail. How can the RSA say this is unroadworthy and more likely to
put people’s lives at risk. The vast majority of failures are a money grabbing scam.

my perfect universal new tyre made me come back for the pass! load of bollxx.when I came back,no staff around.so I rang “help line”.they rang the center I was in,who picked up the phone behind window??? I did! waste of space.follow the paper trail,money racket!!

Well said. I know people who dread the NCT and either look to change their perfectly good car for one not up for NCT yet, or they spend loads on these “per-NCT” swiz things. The RSA mandate is about road safety AND legality – proper number plates for example though those in themselves are not a hazard. Common sense passes the NCT for you. It’s quiet simple really.

Ah so your a mechanic. Not a professional driver

No vinny mechanics dont make safe or experienced drivers as such but Im glad your intrigued.. Try again.

So the ” As a mechanic” advice you’ve just given?

I am qualified mechanic but thats not the full story. Do you have any friends Vinny? Is this going to get romantic??

The money from retests would barely cover the cost of the testing when you factor in the wages for the mechanic and the cost of the specialised test equipment and the admin costs and premises.

Do you work there?

@ Ronan No I don’t. I just hate this mentality that it’s a money racket, it’s not much money for what it is. The problem is that it’s only a relatively short amount of time since it was implemented and people think that they’re being screwed especially if they fail no matter what it fails on be it a blown bulb or ineffective brakes. We were one of the last developed countries to implement routine car testing, so people do their usual thing of not trusting anything new that costs them money.

We don’t have bad roads, generally speaking.

You dont have to be a mechanic to work in the NCT centre

there are positive aspects to the nct no doubt.. I wouldn’t like to imagine the sort of death traps that would be on the roads without it…. but it is a money making racket that is another random stab at the Irish motorist… I don’t agree with annual testing either my 13 year old car is mechanically superior to a lot 5/6 dirt boxes no one cares for…what bothers me is nct exemtion for classic cars… if it was truly all bout safety why aren’t they tested ? the argument of less miles is irrelevant they’re used on public roads… older cars are less safe anyway even without mechanical faults so why not have even a basic test? cos there’s few of em and not enough money to be made?

I would personally never use a garage that advertised pre NCT checks especially the ones that do it for free, as they are only out to make profit for themselves and con prople who dont know much about cars, the NCT is actually one of the cheapest ways to get a comprehensive unbiased check on your car.

@Eoin, the article does not refer to “free” retests.

Read my comment again Hugh I replied to someone talking about pre NCT checks carried out by independent garages some of which offer this service for free and my point was that some of these garages use this to draw customers in and then they find a litany of faults with the car, not all of which will be real.

Or maybe you’re getting confused about my previous reply to you when you claimed ” Re-test without use of test equipment is 27 euro “. So I posted a link to the NCT FAQ ncts.ie/faq.html which states “Re-tests, which do not require the use of test equipment, will be free.”

I hope this clears things up for you as you seem to be very confused.

Stickers are designed to be v difficult to remove.

@ Paddy O’Donnell
That has to be the most unique spelling of the word ” centres” I’ve ever seen

Wrong

Re-test without use of test equipment is 27 euro. Still a handy little earner.

Oh, silly me. The same gombeens who saddled us with the bankers debt, and the cost of the Quinn’s tomfoolery, i.e debt incurred by private enterprise, not the tax payer or government, wouldn’t stoop so low as to indulge in shenanegans with the vehicle testing process in order to squeeze a few more more bucks out of the hard pressed tax payer.

Only a fool would think such a thing. LMFAO ;)

Read question 9 on this link before you put your foot further in it Hugh http://ncts.ie/faq.html

@jim and eoin have ye forgotten prime time investigates? 50 euro left out on a seat would have got a yoke held together with sello tape passed, at a number of different centers’s!

@ paddy that was corrupt individuals not the testing process.

I know they are not all the same. Just can be tough to find one you can trust! Im hoping my latest choice may be more trustworthy as they offer a discount to employees of the company I work for. Thus i’m hoping they wont risk the bad press!

i meant years

You could say the same about tyres and other components. It is a point in time test, it is up to the owner to maintain the car for the rest of the time.

All the NCT can be is a snapshot of the condition of the vehicle at the time of the test.

Not the first bad thing I’ve heard about them as well as my own bad experience with them where they broke a part on my car due to their own incompetence then tried to charge me to replace it.

I also know people that have worked there servicing cars (not just changing tyres) that have no qualification whatsoever as a mechanic.

Was that in Limerick? If not it must be a wider problem with them.

Do you accuse everyone that doesn’t agree with you of having ulterior motives ?

FYI I don’t nor have I ever worked for ncts or applus ( the operating company ) I just think with the shockingly poor attitude people have to car maintenance not to mention the shoddy work I’ve seen even some reputable garages turn out that a standardised car test is a good thing.

@eoin, i never said you did! you must have implied, and i’m happy people have differing views, makes posting on topics that bit more interesting!

Advance pitstop by any chance ?

So you were blinding oncoming cars, thats dangerous and irritating for other road users…bloody joke indeed.

That should only require a visual inspection which won’t cost you anything unless you also failed on something else of course ?

@Eoin . Light alignment requires a check using equipment so it does incur a cost at the NCT centre…

My mistake I didn’t read it properly. That deserves to be charged for as misaligned headlights/people with heavy loads not dipping their lights is a very big hazard as it dazzles other road users.

Any proof or just throwaway sound bites ?

Typical throwaway comment.

primetime investigates!!

Based on what are you making that statement?

And it’s up to the driver to make sure the vehicle is in roadworthy condition.

Here here!!!!

Not actually true I’m afraid

there’s no vehicle inspections at all in the US ? I wouldn’t be sure of that… I think it varies state to state as Im pretty sure California does anyway..

Statistics dont tell me everything. Give me the statistics for the number of people killed wearing a seatbelt. What we get on our roads are reports after accidents. I am a professional driver I see people killed everyday on the roads of Europe & sometimes the US. I do believe there is no test in the US & this is the other extreme. I dont dispute the benefits of the Nct but some of it is totally over the top. We have cars failing over headlight alignment & the majority of the roads here are not fit for purpose. All the rules for the citizens & none for the state. As for seatbelts & drink driving we have a culture change in Europe towards these. They are becoming less & less of a problem but the state has no reponsability for its own infrastructure & that must change. Give me all the stats & then I will make my mind up.

Virginia the biggest issues of road safety are road conditions & driver behaviour. Seat belts & what not dont change that.

Seatbelts do change it because if your unlucky enough to meet a driver exhibiting bad behaviour then a seatbelt will more often than not save you thus enhancing the safety of your trip

Vinny you must be a fan.

Obviously not