NCT Backlog

Stheno

slinky2000 wrote: »

So EML on a petrol will be grand?

I've an ibiza with an EML on here but it's an unspecified error, but emissions and everything are well under the limits.

Yeah twill be fine

slinky2000

Nice one thanks, might just take out the bulb before the test just to be safe :P

mgbgt1978

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

You don't fail on it though.
Technically, you fail because they won't allow the smoke test to be carried out if the EML is on.

Clant blame them really though to be fair.

You can. They will list it as "an obvious Engine Defect" if you're not prepared to to just take the car away and sort out the light.


Don't ask....;).

George Dalton

Lots of dates currently available for Portlaoise test centre from February 14th-22nd. I just booked 6 tests.

Bongalongherb

My own NCT is due on the 4th feb and the only booking I can get is the 14th of april, it's insane. Why should I have to apply to do the test 4/5 months before it's out. Going to ring them in the morning and ask them to fit me in some way, shower of idiots.

delly

Bongalongherb wrote: »

My own NCT is due on the 4th feb and the only booking I can get is the 14th of april, it's insane. Why should I have to apply to do the test 4/5 months before it's out. Going to ring them in the morning and ask them to fit me in some way, shower of idiots.

Just try again in 53 minutes and you should have a date in 2 weeks.

Bongalongherb

delly wrote: »

Just try again in 53 minutes and you should have a date in 2 weeks.

Are you serious ?. well in that case I'll keep watching it just incase you're right.

Stheno

Bongalongherb wrote: »

Are you serious ?. well in that case I'll keep watching it just incase you're right.

Yep cancellations are released onto the system at 11:30 each evening, I went online last Tuesday I think it was about 11:45 and had a booking for last Saturday in minutes.

Bongalongherb

Stheno wrote: »

Yep cancellations are released onto the system at 11:30 each evening, I went online last Tuesday I think it was about 11:45 and had a booking for last Saturday in minutes.

Ah great stuff. Will do that so. Thanks.

Bongalongherb

Well happy days... I checked as you folk said at 23:30 and I found the 29th of January so booked it fast.

Thanks very much for the heads-up folks, I really appreciate it.

cormie

cormie wrote: »

I thought you could only book 3 months in advance? How do you have it booked already for May? Does that mean I can book mine for the earliest test date possible as soon as I pass this years one?

EDIT: I just rang them up (+35314135992) as I locked myself out of the online booking system for entering the wrong details too many times I said I wanted a sooner date than 26th March and he said he didn't have anything until April, then I said about getting it for free because it's not within 28 days and he said he could put me on a priority list and I'd be guaranteed a test within 28 days and I should receive a text with confirmation within 10 days.

Would have preferred to have a look at 23:30 and choose one myself instead of waiting and getting a random date chosen for me but we'll see how it pans out.

My post above was on the 6th of January and still no confirmation at all. Such a pain. I'd like to try that 23:30 trick, I think it's well over 28 days since I first rang them either way.

Stheno

cormie wrote: »

My post above was on the 6th of January and still no confirmation at all. Such a pain. I'd like to try that 23:30 trick, I think it's well over 28 days since I first rang them either way.

Give it a try now sure

cormie

It says that if I try to reschedule that I'll have to pay and I can't reschedule because my current test will be free, but that's not until the end of March I was waiting on a confirmation for a date I was GUARANTEED would be within 28 days of the 6th after I rang back, but even that was still probably 15-20 days after I first rang them!

advertsfox

I may need my tracking done, it's not bad at all (no steering wheel shake at 120KPH) but it does veer slightly left (the usual).

Worth spending the €30-40 to get it sorted before the NCT? It's in Northpoint next Friday the 23rd so I can get it done in Finglas on route.

slinky2000

advertsfox wrote: »

I may need my tracking done, it's not bad at all (no steering wheel shake at 120KPH) but it does veer slightly left (the usual).

Worth spending the €30-40 to get it sorted before the NCT? It's in Northpoint next Friday the 23rd so I can get it done in Finglas on route.

In my experience it's only if tracking is really bad it'll fail. I've had plenty of cars pull to the left/right and steering wheel shake pass over the years.

Tracking is always a good thing to have done on your car at any time but personally I wouldn't worry about it.

bazz26

Unbalanced tyres causes a vibration through the steering wheel.

Misalignment or tracking off causes the car to veer to the left or right.

brophs

I just booked my NCT for 18th Feb (1st available date for me) but didn't pay as I don't have my wallet with me. Then I happened to notice this thread and saw that if I get a date over 28 days away, it's free. Is that right? It's not a big deal, but do I turn up expecting to pay nothing, or do they refund me later?

Cheers.

corktina

if you've accepted a date you wont get a free test.

CiniO

bazz26 wrote: »

Misalignment or tracking off causes the car to veer to the left or right.

In my experience this is very seldom true.
In vast majority of cases of car veering to the left/right the culprit might be brakes, tyres, bearings, etc...

In majority of cars only toe is adjustable, while camber and caster if out, mean that some parts are not straight but it's usually impossible to adjust.
Obviously there are exceptions.

Generally though, I my cars were veering to left or right many many times, and misalignment was never the case.

brophs

corktina wrote: »

if you've accepted a date you wont get a free test.

I just booked it on the system. No big deal, as I said, I hadn't even heard of the concept of a free test until a few mins ago.

Out of curiosity, is it when you call up and they can't offer you anything within 28 days that it's free?

homingbird

Hi a friend of mine bought a car that was out of test since last april . He rang the nct looking for a test date they said the earliest they could give him is april & they would put him on a priority waiting list. So what i want to know is he due a free test if they cant give him a test within 28 days yes or no .

corktina

yes imo

donnem33

Is there such a thing as cosmetic damage to a car that would fail a NCT? basically I have a big dent on my front passenger door...the window operates and the door opens and closes and locks as normal. I was wondering if I would have to get a second hand door before the NCT or would it be ok with the dents in it?

homingbird

corktina wrote: »

yes imo

Thanks for that i will tell him the best thing to do is sit tight not ring them let them get back to him & tell them then he is due a free test if they cant give him one in the next 28 days.

slinky2000

As long as the car isn't bent or the roof/pillars are straight, it should only fail if it would be a hazard to a pedestrian. Like if there was a big sharp piece of metal hanging out.

tom petty

tom petty wrote: »

My wife's car is due an NCT on 15-1 . No letter has arrived prompting me to book and it was only when washing the car I noticed it....
Went on line and was confronted with a window warning me the connection was unsafe , went advanced feeling rather vulnerable and input correct info and pressed search ... nothing, waited still nothing so went through the same process again after second attempt I'm told the reg. number has been locked due to too many attempts to log in !
Called the number given after 5 attempts due to clearly all lines being engaged I got through told the girl what was needed and she gave me a date of 30 March. I politely said that that was just not acceptable as it left us exposed to prosecution
She has put me on the priority list but said that it could take up to 10 days to get notification of a date I'll call the customer helpline tomorrow as they had all swanned off at 4pm .
No matter what , there is something fundamentally wrong with a national system that clearly cannot cope with the demand and is simply playing catch up to get by.
You see it , I see it , the politicians see it but as there are no votes in it it's allowed to continue .
I'll be pretty pissed if she gets stopped and charged with having no NCT .

Well just to follow up the debacle .
No message or contact came from NCT.ie so I contacted them again on 15th , which was the day that the NCT ran out . The rather aggressive girl who answered acknowledged that I had contacted them on the 7/1 and said that they were doing their best to get an appointment for me ( any time /date was my instructions ) and would be in touch . I complained that this was totally unacceptable in that as the sole provider of a legally required service they must be failing in their terms of contract , no response !
She confirmed that my call was again logged and that proof positive would be supplied to Gardai if the worst occurred. She signed off by saying that they would be in touch .
Well they were . My wife got a curt text on the 16/1 to say that they were trying to get an appointment to suit and would be in touch , basically reiterating what was said the day before .
I'm Scottish and although have been here for 10 years find it utterly unbelievable that a Government can allow their preferred contractor to operate such a shambolic service as this in that the customer wishes to be compliant with the ( recently toughened ) law but is prevented by a 3rd party put in place by said Government !
Back in Scotland no appointment necessary , drive in /test / drive out and a test network that has 100% coverage and is every bit as tough and monitored for abuse , and it's competative so prices do vary.
Why do they have to run a half arsed broken system when a perfectly good template is staring them in the face ?
Oh wait a minute I know , " not invented here " .

corktina

i suppose it must be the time of year, lots of cars registered in January and looking for tests. I guess that's why they let you test up to 3 months early ,but most people leave it until the last minute. My test wasn't due until february and yet I booked it (and the re-test) online with little trouble at all and had both completed within 10 days of booking.

mgbgt1978

corktina wrote: »

i suppose it must be the time of year, lots of cars registered in January and looking for tests.

Well, that's hardly a little known fact Corktina. Surely they could have systems put in place to deal with the yearly January rush....as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Stheno

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Well, that's hardly a little known fact Corktina. Surely they could have systems put in place to deal with the yearly January rush....as mentioned earlier in this thread.

Have you tried logging into the site at 1130pm to get a booking? Cancellations are released then, I and several others on here have gotten tests very quickly this way I got one for three days later

corktina

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Well, that's hardly a little known fact Corktina. Surely they could have systems put in place to deal with the yearly January rush....as mentioned earlier in this thread.

i don't know about that..maybe on here it might be well known.....i bet there are loads of people who didn't think there might be a rush and didn't book three months early.

Stheno

corktina wrote: »

i don't know about that..maybe on here it might be well known.....i bet there are loads of people who didn't think there might be a rush and didn't book three months early.

There's been loads of ads on the radio about this for months

MadDog76

These backlog problems seemed to arise because of people utilising the 3 months early scheme ......... you have people with NCT renewals due in January, February, March and April ALL trying to book their Tests for January!!

Applus need to come up with a much more sustainable system than this free-for-all chaotic system currently in place .......... there's little point in allowing motorists to do their Test 3 months early if they can't then handle the stampede!!

CiniO

MadDog76 wrote: »

These backlog problems seemed to arise because of people utilising the 3 months early scheme ......... you have people with NCT renewals due in January, February, March and April ALL trying to book their Tests for January!!

Applus need to come up with a much more sustainable system than this free-for-all chaotic system currently in place .......... there's little point in allowing motorists to do their Test 3 months early if they can't then handle the stampede!!

free-for-all ????????
Ireland has probably the most limited and restricted car testing booking system available in Europe.

Everywhere else you can just drive in and do your test on the spot anytime you wish.
Only in Ireland you need to wait months for it, and you can only do it at certain time limit (3 months before due date).

What should be done here is to allow anyone to do test anytime they wish, and make tests valid for 1 year (or 2 years) from date of test - not anniversary of first registration.

cormie

CiniO wrote: »

What should be done here is to allow anyone to do test anytime they wish, and make tests valid for 1 year (or 2 years) from date of test - not anniversary of first registration.

That's how it works with the DOE, which means you never really get a full year, unless you get it and pass it first time on the same day each year!

mgbgt1978

corktina wrote: »

i don't know about that..maybe on here it might be well known.....i bet there are loads of people who didn't think there might be a rush and didn't book three months early.

Why should they book 3 months early? Applus+ have a contract whereby they will (apparently) do their utmost to test a car within 28 days of a request, or face the penalty of having to provide a free test.
Anyway the point was that Applus+ should be aware of the higher new car registration figures every January...and just might be willing to actually do something about the higher demand at this time of year.

mgbgt1978

Stheno wrote: »

Have you tried logging into the site at 1130pm to get a booking? Cancellations are released then, I and several others on here have gotten tests very quickly this way I got one for three days later

Not disagreeing with you Stheno but this is hardly the correct way to do any sort of business.
If your tyres were nearly bald and the only way to book your car in for a new set was to check some website at a certain time of night would you just accept this ? I doubt it.
The next bit is not directed at yourself Stheno .

Surely if there is a demand for a service (in this case a legal requirement) it can't be too hard to find ways to satisfy this demand. They do get paid for each test so it can't be impossible to increase capacity seasonally to suit demand.

Even the online booking system is a farce. Last week the Limerick centre only had 2 days in March with available slots....this Thursday TWO WEEKS in February suddenly became available online .

BHP

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Even the online booking system is a farce. Last week the Limerick centre only had 2 days in March with available slots....this Thursday TWO WEEKS in February suddenly became available online .

Someone cancelled or they opened more slots. Why is that a farce?

unkel

tom petty wrote: »

I'm Scottish and although have been here for 10 years find it utterly unbelievable that a Government can allow their preferred contractor to operate such a shambolic service

As a foreigner myself (here 20 years) I can think of plenty of shambolic Irish things to give out about, but not the NCT. It is a very well run and efficient, very good value for money operation.

As with many things in this country, you need to know a few tricks. First one is to book the NCT test early. Second is to grab yourself a cancellation. I've done both dozens of times. My 11 year old family car passed the NCT last week first go nearly 3 months early so it is valid until April 2016

And €55 is great value for money for a comprehensive safety check. I don't really care about emissions, but I was pleased that my car emitted zero hydrocarbons and zero carbon moxides. As good as a brand new car.

BohsCeltic

I couldn't get an appointment in January and my NCT expires end of February. I just kept checking their site and had a good choice of slots to choose from for feb.
It's always been like that when i've been trying to get a suitable date.

mgbgt1978

BHP wrote: »

Someone cancelled or they opened more slots. Why is that a farce?

Two Weeks worth of people all cancelled at pretty much the same time ???
Seriously ??? :rolleyes:

If they can open more slots, why weren't most of them simply available from Day 1 ?

bren2001

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Two Weeks worth of people all cancelled at pretty much the same time ???
Seriously ??? :rolleyes:

If they can open more slots, why weren't most of them simply available from Day 1 ?

Some slots are reserved for re-test, they could have opened. They may have decided to put more staff on that week or increase waiting times in the centres. There are a variety of valid reasons why a group of slots might open up.

It's really quite simple. If you book 3 months in advance you will get a slot well before your NCT expires. If people leave it late, that is their own fault. I managed to forget I had mine booked before Christmas, missed it and the earliest they had was March. There were no complaints from me. I managed to get an earlier slot thanks to this thread. If you NCT is going to expire, they put you on a priority list and get you an appointment in 28 days or it is free.

Leaving aside the argument of whether the NCT is necessary or overkill, it is quite well run imo. Well advertised, short waiting times when you get there and transparent for the most part.

mgbgt1978

bren2001 wrote: »

Some slots are reserved for re-test, they could have opened. They may have decided to put more staff on that week or increase waiting times in the centres. There are a variety of valid reasons why a group of slots might open up.

The complete middle two weeks of February were reserved for just re-tests ? And now they know 4 weeks in advance that they won't need those 14 days for re-tests....despite the fact that you must do a re-test within 28 days of a fail. I don't think so.
If they were putting more staff on surely this would be for the whole of November to February, not just suddenly for a fortnight.
They are not allowed to increase wait times in centres, read their charter. Also this would not free up two weeks.

The reason that two weeks can suddenly become completely open is that their booking system is not suited to the nature of their business. It's not my fault, it's not your's. It's their's, but they don't appear to feel the need to change it.
Any company in the private sector (without a monopoly) would quickly lose customers if they weren't prepared for an increase in demand at the same time each year.

corktina

I believe that the system is set up to encourage people to book three months ahead, which is OK if you can do it, but there are many reasons why people can't or don't do this.

The system is flawed and should be corrected so that all available appointments are on the online site all the time.

MadDog76

So the "option" of being able to Test your car early (for convenience etc.) has now become a necessity just to have your Test done before your Cert expires ........... there's something inherently wrong with the booking system in that case!

joujoujou

Not exactly.

The option to test your car early got an opportunity to book a test early, thus giving a chance to grab a slot near due date.

MadDog76

joujoujou wrote: »

Not exactly.

The option to test your car early got an opportunity to book a test early, thus giving a chance to grab a slot near due date.

Isn't that what I just said?

Beasty

Just booked one at Northpoint - earliest online date available 23rd April. Test is due by the 27th April. Fortunately I was aware of the backlog and just remembered to book in time meaning I at least get to choose the date and time, and don't have to fit around what they may be able to offer me over the phone. Currently though the online "backlog" there is more than 3 months

tom petty

unkel wrote: »

As a foreigner myself (here 20 years) I can think of plenty of shambolic Irish things to give out about, but not the NCT. It is a very well run and efficient, very good value for money operation.

As with many things in this country, you need to know a few tricks. First one is to book the NCT test early. Second is to grab yourself a cancellation. I've done both dozens of times. My 11 year old family car passed the NCT last week first go nearly 3 months early so it is valid until April 2016

And €55 is great value for money for a comprehensive safety check. I don't really care about emissions, but I was pleased that my car emitted zero hydrocarbons and zero carbon moxides. As good as a brand new car.

I don't know what country you came from but you're in La La land now . The system is a total mess just Google NCT problems , and not just inability to book a test ,and see what is happening in the real world.
I too have NCT'd our fleet of four vehicles over the years and can say the exact opposite , It's not well run , not efficient and gives questionable value for money being a monopoly plus most of the testers are a sullen unfriendly lot .
Why do I have to be tricky to get my car tested ? FFS I can understand booking it a week or a fortnight early but 3 months ... I don't have to book my van three months before it's due date ,when I take it for it's test I can eat a meal , sit in leather sofas , watch TV and speak with a receptionist who doesn't look like they've thrown away a winning lottery ticket.( Macroom Test station 'bye the way ) not on a plastic seat in a cold room facing a wall ( Killarney test station 'bye the way...)
And correct me if I've misunderstood but if you're NCT is due 4-16 won't you have to book early next year again and thus " only " getting 12months between NCT tests ? Also if you had to book early for your early test are you suggesting that we all book six months in advance to the actual date of NCT/registration ?
Monopolies stifle and suffocate competition and competition is goooood for the public ( all western democracies advocate it ) so although you believe it to be great value for money I know it could be better value for money .
The whole system is simply broken and needs to be replaced or completely overhauled but in Ireland that usually means that instead of adopting a tried and tested system used elsewhere millions will be spent on consultants , various government bodies will debate the situation ad infinitum ,wait untl two general elections have passed ,ask for feedback from the public and then tell us it's our own fault for having the temerity to own a car .

Falcon L

Why does the test renewal have to be the same date as first registration? What's the thinking behind this? All this does is create a surge of tests in January and February. With the new registration system it will create two surges, albeit smaller.

In other European countries you can do the test any date you want. The new due date will then be 1 or 2 years after this date. If you drive without NCT the laws are there to deal with you.

Allowing testing at a date of your choosing would allow the surges in demand to even out. Surely that would be problem solved. Then you could just roll up without an appointment and get a test with minimal wait.

In Spain they have an appointment system, but it goes largely unused. People just turn up and wait 5 minutes. They can do the test any date they choose. What's so wrong with this?

JohnBoy26

unkel wrote: »

As a foreigner myself (here 20 years) I can think of plenty of shambolic Irish things to give out about, but not the NCT. It is a very well run and efficient, very good value for money operation.

As with many things in this country, you need to know a few tricks. First one is to book the NCT test early. Second is to grab yourself a cancellation. I've done both dozens of times. My 11 year old family car passed the NCT last week first go nearly 3 months early so it is valid until April 2016

And €55 is great value for money for a comprehensive safety check. I don't really care about emissions, but I was pleased that my car emitted zero hydrocarbons and zero carbon moxides. As good as a brand new car.

Sorry but the setting up of this thread alone tells an entirely different story to the one you are trying to portray above. Well run and efficient this operation ain't.

If was efficient you would have a test appointment one week after booking, or two weeks at the latest. Having to wait months for a test is not an efficient system in my view. It's a ridiculous system and saying book 3 months early to get a test on time is even more ridiculous.

You shouldn't have to know a few "tricks", or have to book an "early" nct test months in advance. Not only does your mention of this point to an inefficient system but it's also a contradiction on your behalf.

Also how is having to meet minimum safety requirements a "comprehensive" safety check?