'NCTing' a japanese import

japanpaul · 12-12-2005 11:20am #1

Hi
I imported a 1999 Toyota Yaris auto and have to get it NCTed in the next few weeks. Is there any common problems that Japanese imports would fail on, ie emissions, light alignment, etc?
We did the Japanese version of the NCT(much stricter over there) and the car got a full bill of health in April. I'm just worried that our test might have different requirements.

Thanks

JohnCleary · 12-12-2005 12:09pm

Just make sure it has a rear fog light!
Japs arent required to have a fog light, thats why you see the fog light cut into the bumper on imports like Colts, Hyundais etc

japanpaul · 12-12-2005 1:10pm

I'll have a look when I get home. Pretty sure there isn't one there.
Is it a big/expensive job to get fog lights fitted?

JohnCleary · 12-12-2005 1:12pm

They could be built into the rear light clusters. Check the interior of the car for a fog light switch

prospect · 12-12-2005 1:12pm

You don't need a rear fog light for the NCT.

The only thing I had to do with my car for the NCT was cover the side reflectors, which are red. Any reflector on the side of a car must be orange to pass the nct.

JohnCleary · 12-12-2005 1:14pm

prospect wrote:

You don't need a rear fog light for the NCT.

Thats news to me!
OP: Sorry if ive given you misleading information...

Ratchet · 12-12-2005 1:19pm

never had any problems when doing NCT jap imports

prospect · 12-12-2005 1:19pm

JohnCleary wrote:

Thats news to me!
OP: Sorry if ive given you misleading information...

You may be mixing it up with the UK MOT, they require a rear fog light. Hence Jap imports, that were later registered in britian have those horrible stick-on rear fog lamps.

From www.ncts.ie (Car Testing - Inspection List)
Section 4.Light
Stop Lamps
Rear Lamps and Registration Plate Lamps
Indicators / Tell Tales
Side Lamps
Headlamp Condition
Headlamp Aim
Aux Lamp Condition
Aux Lamp Aim
Reflectors

Kersh · 12-12-2005 1:20pm

Well, if the car HAS rear fogs then they must be working. If it DOESNT have rear fogs they dont care. As you just brought yours in, it shouldn have rear fogs, so you should be ok, unless you bought off a dealer, in which case he may have fitted them.

japanpaul · 12-12-2005 1:32pm

It was my own car that I brought back with me so I'm pretty sure it doesn't have any fog lights at the rear. All buttons are accounted for on the dash.
I checked on Google and it looks like the test for rear fog lights is only for the MOT anyway.
It says on the NCT website that the front lights have to be at the correct angle. Does every country have its own rules on this, or is the 'correct angle' the standard factory set angle?

blastman · 12-12-2005 2:36pm

japanpaul wrote:

It says on the NCT website that the front lights have to be at the correct angle. Does every country have its own rules on this, or is the 'correct angle' the standard factory set angle?

I think every garage mechanic and NCT tester has his own rules for this. If you're lucky, you might get them to coincide. :rolleyes:

japanpaul · 12-12-2005 3:45pm

I think the best way is just pay the E50 and hope for the best.:D

Ivan E · 12-12-2005 3:57pm

The most crucial thing you can do with regards an NCT and a Jap import is to find out the length the NCT will cover. There are some bizarre rules as far as I am aware. For example, a standard '99 reg car could be due its NCT in 5 months. So when your car is put through, it will be dealt the same. The difference is that instead of NCT'ing your car as a first time car and giving it a 2 year clearance, they will just do it for 5 months and then you're due to do it again like the Irish reg. '99 car.

The other thing is, that if you are within 3 months of the next due date, they will give you the 2 years otherwise you will only get what's officially left on a car of that reg. date. So if you they will only give you 3.5 months or the likes, hold out until the 3 month mark if you can.

I am not fully sure of the ins and outs of it and from I am aware, it works differently for UK imported cars. But its one of the many reasons people are a bit p*ssed with the NCT. So check it out before you book it in.

MercMad · 12-12-2005 5:12pm

Also you should check on your ownership documents how many seats are stated, e.g 4 or 5 and ensure you have the same number of seatbelts.

Not all imports have the same seat rating capacity !

japanpaul · 12-12-2005 5:13pm

Thanks for the tip.
By the time I get the car registered and insured it will be nearly Christmas anyway. The guy in VRT office responsible for Transfer of Residency is on holiday this week so can't get a reg number, which in turn means can't get insured (according to Hibernian anyway). Madness:mad:
It will be mid January before I get set up on the NCT database I think.

PlayaFlow · 12-12-2005 8:12pm

Kersh wrote:

Well, if the car HAS rear fogs then they must be working. If it DOESNT have rear fogs they dont care. As you just brought yours in, it shouldn have rear fogs, so you should be ok, unless you bought off a dealer, in which case he may have fitted them.

eh no , ive got one of those bumper fog light things, it doesnt work - but its there .
my car passed the nct twice with no probs whatsoever. its also a jap import.

Most impostant bit of info; make sure the battery is starpped in place , as ive been told soame jap cars battery are only sitting on somekind of support and not fully starpped in.

'NCTing' a japanese import

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