NCT question [wind screen crack]

Froststop

Hi guys,

My car is due for NCT soon and I have a crack on my wind screen about 5" long.:mad:
The crack was caused by a stone flying from another car. It's on the drivers side and is not in the line of vision. It starts on top and curves to the right so and dosen't seem to be extending. If it does extend it will go across the screen and not down into the line of vision.

When the sun visor is down, the crack is hidden completely.

Would this be a failure for NCT? Can anyone advise regarding this?

Thanks in advance.

Anan1

Have a look at P.26 here: http://www.ncts.ie/NCT%20Manual%20Revise%20May%202012.pdf

Froststop

Thanks Anan1,

That sheds some light on the situation, i don't think it's coming into any of the areas on the diagrams but I'll check it later when her in doors returns and post a marked up sketch showing where the crack is just to be sure.

Froststop

After checking P.26 from the Link I think I may be in trouble as the arc of area B goes higher on the screen, within 20mm of the top.
80% of crack is within the area B but is hidden when sun visor is down. If it extends it will go across the screen and not down into the line of vision.

Anan1

Do you have windscreen cover?

Froststop

Anan1 wrote: »

Do you have windscreen cover?

I think that question may be another way of telling me it will fail! lol

I have glass cover but I was thinking of rocking the boat with the Co Council first before having to claim on my insurance. It's a BMW screen, so I assume it will be expensive to replace.
We pay enough for road tax. Their getting about €1500 off me every year.

IMO if they can't repair the graves on the roads they should be held responsible. I hear a lot of people are chasing them now for damage to cars due to condition of the roads and they are paying rather than letting it go to court.

A long shot but may be worth a go.

Anan1

AFAIK you have to prove negligence to claim against the council. By all means try, but it may be an uphill battle. A glass claim won't affect your NCB, but be sure to insist that they use the correct OEM screen for your car - ie in the correct colour glass, with all coatings/top tint that the car came from the factory with. They may try to be difficult on this, but you have a right to an original BMW screen.

Froststop

I was thinking it may be best to get the main dealer to do it for those reasons.

Thanks for your advice.

Anan1

Froststop wrote: »

I was thinking it may be best to get the main dealer to do it for those reasons.

Mmmm, I'd steer away from main dealers if quality of work is a priority.

Froststop

Anan1 wrote: »

Mmmm, I'd steer away from main dealers if quality of work is a priority.

Now you mention it you could be right!
Would they not just get a windscreen company in to fit it?

Anan1

Froststop wrote: »

Now you mention it you could be right!
Would they not just get a windscreen company in to fit it?

Either that or an 18 year old apprentice with nothing but the weekend on his mind!

Froststop

Anan1 wrote: »

Either that or an 18 year old apprentice with nothing but the weekend on his mind!

He would probably do more damage than good

bazz26

Froststop wrote: »

I was thinking it may be best to get the main dealer to do it for those reasons.

Thanks for your advice.

A main dealer will most probably just farm the work out to a local windscreen replacement company.

Froststop

bazz26 wrote: »

A main dealer will most probably just farm the work out to a local windscreen replacement company.

I would think so as I've seen them send cars to other business for different job's. They don't do a lot of the job's themselves. Which raises the question why go to a main dealer for some services If the guy up the road will be doing it anyway.

I had a problem with another car last year and the main dealer could not find the fault and sent a bill for over €1200 + vat for work they carried out which was not required.
A self-employed mechanic had it found in ten minutes, it was only a €54 temp sensor.

Fozzie Bear

Froststop wrote: »

After checking P.26 from the Link I think I may be in trouble as the arc of area B goes higher on the screen, within 20mm of the top.
80% of crack is within the area B but is hidden when sun visor is down. If it extends it will go across the screen and not down into the line of vision.

My 00 Passat failed the NCT for a crack too. It ran 2inches up from the middle bottom of the screen and then over toward the passengers side for maybe 3/4 inches (b&c in the picture above). I chanced my arm but the NCT guy said no way it would pass with the size of the crack. Only TPFT insurance with no window cover (Car ain't worth the cost of fully comp).

I paid €125.00 fitted with Autoglass for a brand new windscreen which was not that bad to be honest.

Froststop

Fozzie Bear wrote: »

My 00 Passat failed the NCT for a crack too. It ran 2inches up from the middle bottom of the screen and then over toward the passengers side for maybe 3/4 inches (b&c in the picture above). I chanced my arm but the NCT guy said no way it would pass with the size of the crack. Only TPFT insurance with no window cover (Car ain't worth the cost of fully comp).

I paid €125.00 fitted with Autoglass for a brand new windscreen which was not that bad to be honest.

Thanks Fozzie Bear good to know. I have sent some requests for prices. Will post prices here when all received.

I could just go and get insurance to cover it but I'd still like to know the cost after letting a company repair a chip a few years back & they charged my insurance company €385.

I some times wonder if the NCT is a bit of a racket considering some of the reasons cars fail. I had a car fail once over the county not being in Irish on the reg plate. Can't figure out what it has to do with safety.

slimjimmc

Froststop wrote: »

Thanks Fozzie Bear good to know. I have sent some requests for prices. Will post prices here when all received.

I could just go and get insurance to cover it but I'd still like to know the cost after letting a company repair a chip a few years back & they charged my insurance company €385.

I some times wonder if the NCT is a bit of a racket considering some of the reasons cars fail. I had a car fail once over the county not being in Irish on the reg plate. Can't figure out what it has to do with safety.

Nothing, because the NCT is not only about safety, it's also about legal compliance. If it failed because of a number plate it would have been retested for free (visual retests are free if booked in time) so where's the racket?

Wheelnut

Just looking at those diagrams from the NCT manual and I wonder would the car pass if you fitted a smaller wiper? That would bring the top of the arc lower down the screen.

Froststop

Wheelnut wrote: »

Just looking at those diagrams from the NCT manual and I wonder would the car pass if you fitted a smaller wiper? That would bring the top of the arc lower down the screen.

I was thinking about that, but after looking at the printed section under the diagram, I would assume the crack won't comply because of the length.

Froststop

slimjimmc wrote: »

Nothing, because the NCT is not only about safety, it's also about legal compliance. If it failed because of a number plate it would have been retested for free (visual retests are free if booked in time) so where's the racket?

How was it free? I had to take time off work and drive 25 miles for him to look at it!
It's not fool proof, cars are passing which should not be on the road.

bazz26

Froststop wrote: »

How was it free? I had to take time off work and drive 25 miles for him to look at it!
It's not fool proof, cars are passing which should not be on the road.

Well they cannot open a test centre on everyone's door step, also with a visual retest you don't need to make an appointment so you could have called in at a more suitable time.

Froststop

bazz26 wrote: »

Well they cannot open a test centre on everyone's door step, also with a visual retest you don't need to make an appointment so you could have called in at a more suitable time.

I agree! But why go to go to the trouble for the county in Irish on the reg plate when cars with un-roadworthy shocks/suspensions are passing? It doesn't make sense to me. #roadsafety!

slimjimmc

You'll always have discrepancies in any system that involves humans, for many reasons.
However if you have any evidence of vehicles passing that shouldn't have passed then perhaps you should bring this to the attention of the NCT management and the RSA. I'm sure they'd be very interested.

Wheelnut

Froststop wrote: »

... why go to go to the trouble for the county in Irish on the reg plate when cars with un-roadworthy shocks/suspensions are passing?...

A fella told me down in the pub that the minister's third cousin has a business making number plates and he has the only dictionary of county names in Irish, so the NCT have secret instructions to fail the number plates and give more business to the minister's cousin. It has to be true because no other explanation would give the same gratification.

:rolleyes:

Froststop

slimjimmc wrote: »

You'll always have discrepancies in any system that involves humans, for many reasons.
However if you have any evidence of vehicles passing that shouldn't have passed then perhaps you should bring this to the attention of the NCT management and the RSA. I'm sure they've be very interested.

I agree, but the discrepancies are to do with there testing system/equipment. I assume people won't want me going down that road. The car in question was belonging to a friend and I would have failed it.

It didn't have a shock under the front of it. If you bounced it 2 yrs ago it would be still bouncing today!
Try getting that to hold a corner, you be up the ditch on the wrong side of the road in a blink of an eye!

This is my point! If something passes with a major fault and another car fails for something like a reg plate issue. Then is road safety the main reason for NCT? OK it provides a visual inspection on a regular basis, but is it actually fool proof? Can you go back in the event of an accident and ask why they didn't know the two front shocks were hanging out from under the car?

Froststop

Wheelnut wrote: »

A fella told me down in the pub that the minister's third cousin has a business making number plates and he has the only dictionary of county names in Irish, so the NCT have secret instructions to fail the number plates and give more business to the minister's cousin. It has to be true because no other explanation would give the same gratification.

:rolleyes:

Jesus Christ!! lol I'd believe it with the sh.t there up to!!

Froststop

Wheelnut wrote: »

A fella told me down in the pub that the minister's third cousin has a business making number plates and he has the only dictionary of county names in Irish, so the NCT have secret instructions to fail the number plates and give more business to the minister's cousin. It has to be true because no other explanation would give the same gratification.

:rolleyes:

Have to give credit where it's due! Great post.
PM me and I'll take you for a spin at the next rally I'm doing if your up for it?