What would you change about the NCT if you had the power? Or is it adequate as is?

CoBo55

khaldrogo wrote: »

It should be like the MOT or CVRT, any garage should be able to apply to test cars.

The MOT has/is being changed to a system like our NCT, all testing stations must be connected to the central system, the MOT in both northern Ireland and the UK was shockingly corrupt. Allowing testing stations to "find" and "do" repairs is asking for trouble and they're well able to charge for the "essential repair" too!! Here in Wexford the difference between three CVRT centres is frightening.

Lewis_Benson

khaldrogo wrote: »

It should be like the MOT or CVRT, any garage should be able to apply to test cars.

I said that to a guy who owns a CVRT centre one time.
His response, "Could never be done in ireland, way too much corruption "

CoBo55

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

I said that to a guy who owns a CVRT centre one time.
His response, "Could never be done in ireland, way too much corruption "

And he should know. There was a big pow wow between the PSV inspector and a nearby testing centre here in Wexford, his words were sharpen up boys or ye're on the dole after he stopped yet another hape of "tested" ****e. Unfortunately he's retired and the ****e is back on our roads again..

khaldrogo

CoBo55 wrote: »

The MOT has/is being changed to a system like our NCT, all testing stations must be connected to the central system, the MOT in both northern Ireland and the UK was shockingly corrupt. Allowing testing stations to "find" and "do" repairs is asking for trouble and they're well able to charge for the "essential repair" too!! Here in Wexford the difference between three CVRT centres is frightening.

That's why they need regular surprise inspections

CoBo55

khaldrogo wrote: »

That's why they need regular surprise inspections

Never ever heard of a CVRT centre being inspected.

Del2005

khaldrogo wrote: »

It should be like the MOT or CVRT, any garage should be able to apply to test cars.

Yet Northern Ireland followed our system with their MOT, the reason as others said was because of corruption. Even worse our DOE was only replaced by the CVRT after the UK government embarrassed us with the amount of death trap large vehicles they stopped with Irish plates.

The NCT is far from perfect, any system that relies on people is, but its way better than the MOT or anywhere the test is done by the same place as fixes it. Just look at people suckered by some of the tyre/garage franchises.

Lewis_Benson

CoBo55 wrote: »

Never ever heard of a CVRT centre being inspected.

They are inspected regularly by the RSA.

CoBo55

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

They are inspected regularly by the RSA.

They could come to Wexford anytime they like as it's gone back to the aul ways again (or appoint a PSV inspector who actually works in the county)

Lewis_Benson

CoBo55 wrote: »

They could come to Wexford anytime they like as it's gone back to the aul ways again (or appoint a PSV inspector who actually works in the county)

PSV inspectors have nothing to do with CVRT.
it's a centrally managed system belonging to RSA.

CoBo55

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

PSV inspectors have nothing to do with CVRT.
it's a centrally managed system belonging to RSA.

Yes they have if centres are passing buses that are unroadworthy crocks which seems to be happening here again.

TheBoyConor

I recently brough her in for a service and to get the tyres replaced as they were a bit bald after much driving, the thread depth was between 1.7mm and 1.8mm.

Legal thread is 1.6mm. He is right, there is probably a good few hundred km legal driving left in those tyres. I'd run them right down tbh and always do.

Are people like him commonplace? I'd like to think not.

People of that mindset are probably the majority.

[*]Blown bulbs will not result in failures, a bulb can blow on the way to the centre or on the way out after passing. Leave enforcement of bulbs to Gardaí. At the very most, if a bulb is broken you should be able to simply pop back to the centre to demonstrate the bulb is working instead of a full rettest.

This is already the case. Blown bulb fails can be brought back to the centre at any time that suits the owner and the NCT man will look at it free of charge and give you the NCT cert. I did this last time as I had to put lense tape on a cracked light. No problem, it is a good system.

NCT will be yearly, from the first registration of the car, this will force people to actually give a fuck about their cars' maintenance.

That be no harm as at least people will have some incentive to keep and eye on on having their tyres, lights, wipers and stuff like that in some way decent order.

[*]The NCT fee will be €150, €100 of this will be a refundable deposit for a tow truck rental in case the car fails for a dangerous defect. If the car fails for a dangerous defect, the driver should not be allowed to have the car until the car is transported on a flatbed and the defect fixed.

No, no, no.
1. people will complain that it is too dear.
2. the keys belong to the owner, the NCT have no right to withhold the keys from the owner. They can an do inform the driver that the car is dangerous and should not be driven for safety reasons so they have their arse covered as they informed the driver of the risk. It is then up to the driver whether to heed or ignore the advice.
3. Lots of cars fail. Can you imagine the amount of cars laid up/impounded in the test centre as a result of what you propose? They have small enough car parks. It would be chaos and they don't want the place clogged up with defective cars.
4. Also, prohibiting or physically preventing the driver from going off in their defective car it will result in older, low value cars simply being abandoned at test centres when they fail as they might cost too much to move and fix. Aside from the test centre being rapidly clogged up with abandoned bangers, it'll cost the NCT to have them disposed of.
A thing people might do as a work around is just bring down a spare key if they have it and feck off in the car in spite of the prohibition.
5. It'll also be viewed as another attack on rural elderly of limited means as you are now marooning them in an NCT centre with no way out. As well as costing them the €100 deposit you are also costing them more money on a taxi or having to call on family. That is an old person's week's pension nearly gone there in one morning because of an NCT.

TheBoyConor

Because replacing the boot requires dismantling the suspension and steering gear on that side, which obviously upsets all the steering angle adjustments which have to be reset and checked.

Some cars, like some models of the older fiat puntos i think, have drive shaft hubs that can be unbolted from the gearbox instead of having to dismantle the suspension and pull the hub out of the gearbox. You could argue that in these cases, it would be visual check only as the steering need not be interfered with to fix the boot. Cars with this setup are rare to see though.

Lewis_Benson

CoBo55 wrote: »

Yes they have if centres are passing buses that are unroadworthy crocks which seems to be happening here again.

Incorrect.
The RSA enforcement officers look after that as part of the CVRT program.

PSV officers work for the NTA, and have no jurisdiction around CVRT centres.

Anyway, we are digressing here, there isn't much I'd change about the NCT system, possibly open more centres, but that's a given I think for most counties.

CoBo55

Lewis_Benson wrote: »

Incorrect.
The RSA enforcement officers look after that as part of the CVRT program.

PSV officers work for the NTA, and have no jurisdiction around CVRT centres.

Anyway, we are digressing here, there isn't much I'd change about the NCT system, possibly open more centres, but that's a given I think for most counties.

I'm not saying they have jurisdiction as you put it, hate that Americanism, but they're certainly interested when centres are passing crocks and they turn up for the PSV inspection with a new test. The previous PSV officer here in Wexford had no qualms about questioning their practices.

Lewis_Benson

CoBo55 wrote: »

I'm not saying they have jurisdiction as you put it, hate that Americanism, but they're certainly interested when centres are passing crocks and they turn up for the PSV inspection with a new test. The previous PSV officer here in Wexford had no qualms about questioning their practices.

I understand you.
And he has every right to question them.
I'm sure there is plenty of corruption going on around the country.
Probabaly not as much as their used to he, as centres are inspected monthly.

ArrBee

Greater care around testing of headlights.
Aside from the obvious misaligned or blown bulbs, I've noticed that there are many cars on the road that either through design or modding, have blinding beams at certain angles.

What I mean is that straight on, the beam might be Ok but their is sometimes an arc of light at the side which is high so that on a bend you get blinded by what should be low beams.

This isn't tested and I wish it was.

TheBoyConor

But what is the consequence of that? How can you "fix" a light that is supplied as is by the manufacturer? Replacing the light won't be of any use because you're putting the same type of light back in.

ArrBee

TheBoyConor wrote: »

But what is the consequence of that? How can you "fix" a light that is supplied as is by the manufacturer? Replacing the light won't be of any use because you're putting the same type of light back in.

Yeah, I hear ya.
there are a few scenarios that I touched on and each would have a different answer I guess.
If its the result of a mod, then its a fail.
if its a design flaw then this needs to be getting back to manufacturers to fix perhaps as a recall.