NCT during the 2020/21 Covid19 pandemic

laurah591

PrettyBoy wrote: »

The lifts haven't been fixed - there hasn't been a tap of work done on them since March. The NCT website clearly states that as long as the centres are closed there will be no work done on the faulty lifts, so when the NCT centres do open back up most of them will still be incapable of doing complete tests and, therefore, will be unable to pass most cars.

Make no mistake about it - when the NCT open its doors in September (or whenever they feel safe to do so) the backlog will be absolutely colossal. If you thought you experienced difficulty in booking before when they were functioning normally then just wait until you see what's ahead. Every test date in every centre will be booked out months in advance and every day the call centre be inundated with people checking if there's been any cancellations.

I'll be taxing my car on June 1st and driving with an expired NCT for the foreseeable future. Like Pacman above, I'll be ready to discuss the matter with any guard that takes issue with it and if needs be I'll go to court and spell it out for them there.

We're in a similar enough position, bought car in January (previous off the road since 2018), had a load of work done to car to pass NCT, day 1 to the NCT passed everything except the ramp piece, day 2 to NCT centre failed as it got on ramp and day retest was booked for the NCT centres were closed. Now we've a new "old" car, no NCT, and no option to NCT

What a cluster**** and I'm sorry if Garages are open why not open NCT centres

laurah591

PrettyBoy wrote: »

The lifts haven't been fixed - there hasn't been a tap of work done on them since March. The NCT website clearly states that as long as the centres are closed there will be no work done on the faulty lifts, so when the NCT centres do open back up most of them will still be incapable of doing complete tests and, therefore, will be unable to pass most cars.

Make no mistake about it - when the NCT open its doors in September (or whenever they feel safe to do so) the backlog will be absolutely colossal. If you thought you experienced difficulty in booking before when they were functioning normally then just wait until you see what's ahead. Every test date in every centre will be booked out months in advance and every day the call centre be inundated with people checking if there's been any cancellations.

I'll be taxing my car on June 1st and driving with an expired NCT for the foreseeable future. Like Pacman above, I'll be ready to discuss the matter with any guard that takes issue with it and if needs be I'll go to court and spell it out for them there.

We're in a similar enough position, bought car in January (previous off the road since 2018), had a load of work done to car to pass NCT, day 1 to the NCT passed everything except the ramp piece, day 2 to NCT centre failed as it got on ramp and day retest was booked for the NCT centres were closed. Now we've a new "old" car, no NCT, and no option to NCT

What a cluster**** and I'm sorry if Garages are open why not open NCT centres

PrettyBoy

DrSpongeBobz wrote: »

Update for the website on may 15th says
"During the suspension of service, we have been continuing to repair and replace the vehicle inspection lifts in our test centres."

From the very same website:

17. Will all lifts be working when NCTS resumes?
While the lifts in the larger centres have been repaired, due to the travel restrictions the repair programme has been suspended. However, NCTS will keep this under review and any updates will be published on the website.

https://www.ncts.ie/1115

Which one do you believe?

DrSpongeBobz

Have to go with the update on may 15th,plus does not seem like they will be opening until August/September now.The 4 month extension will be up at the end of August.

Odyssey 2005

They will have to push out the extension for another 4 months,and all the tests after the initial extension a further 8 months.

beauf

What's the odds they haven't thought of the back log they have created here. Or how to deal with it. They will probably insist on the full test again taking up yet more time for those that have passed most of the test already a couple of times before falling on the lift part or something supported spotted on the lift part.

challengemaster

beauf wrote: »

What's the odds they haven't thought of the back log they have created here. Or how to deal with it. They will probably insist on the full test again taking up yet more time for those that have passed most of the test already a couple of times before falling on the lift part or something supported spotted on the lift part.

See below

20. I have completed my initial inspection and was due to return for a retest that requires the use of equipment. If I go outside the 30 days retest deadline will I have to undergo a full NCT inspection again?
Yes, where it is more than 30 days since the initial test it will be necessary to undergo the full NCT again. This is considered necessary in the interests of road safety as additional fail items may have developed in the car in the intervening period.


21. I have completed my initial inspection and was due to return for a visual retest. If I go outside the 30 days retest deadline will I have to undergo a full NCT inspection again?
Yes, where it is more than 30 days since the initial test it will be necessary to undergo the full NCT again. This is considered necessary in the interests of road safety as additional fail items may have developed in the car in the intervening period.


22. I was due an underbody inspection as I only had a partial inspection due to the lifts issue, and now have to undergo a full test again, will I have to pay a full test fee?
No. No fee will be payable for the full test, however, if a retest is required using other test equipment (outside of a lift inspection), a retest fee of €28 will be payable.

beauf

I know that.

My point is they will have severe backlog. They had one before the lifts broke down. Then it was worse with the lift failure and now worse again with lockdown.

You'd think someone would be thinking how they can clear this quicker. One way is not to do the full test for those waiting on a lift. They should dedicate one lane just for lift retests.

When I get a test I will have gone through the same first bit of the test three times with no problems found in that part of the test.

The alternative is people won't get a test till next year due to the backlog which is getting higher everyday.

pacman1989

https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/home/543069/update-on-resumption-of-nct-and-commercial-vehicle-testing.html

Surely the NCT will open soon too even though this is Ireland so you couldn't be sure what that idiot Shane Ross will do

mk7r

beauf wrote: »

You'd think someone would be thinking how they can clear this quicker. One way is not to do the full test for those waiting on a lift. They should dedicate one lane just for lift retests.

When I get a test I will have gone through the same first bit of the test three times with no problems found in that part of the test.

The thing is the lift portion is probably 80% of the test and skipping the first parts (emissions, headlight aim, brake and sus imbalance) won't speed things up because the car behind will be waiting for the lift, which is at the end of the lane so why not use that time to retest the other bits instead of just sitting there waiting?

wassie

Good call. And as they can schedule NCT appointments, they can easily control the amount of people attending centres. Their workplace lends itself very well to social distancing as has been mentioned numerous times before.

beauf

mk7r wrote: »

The thing is the lift portion is probably 80% of the test and skipping the first parts (emissions, headlight aim, brake and sus imbalance) won't speed things up because the car behind will be waiting for the lift, which is at the end of the lane so why not use that time to retest the other bits instead of just sitting there waiting?

Economy of scale. When they have a years backlog that small difference could be months off the back log.

They won't do it. Though I agree. They are consistently inefficient. That won't change.

Though some centers are vastly better managed than others. It's consistently been better at Deansgrange for me. Cleaner, faster, more accommodating then any of the other centers around Dublin.

Fuascailteoir

wassie wrote: »

Good call. And as they can schedule NCT appointments, they can easily control the amount of people attending centres. Their workplace lends itself very well to social distancing as has been mentioned numerous times before.

Surely the problem is someone else being in the car and touching the controls. One of the testers tests positive and chaos ensues in the test centre

beauf

I guess that's why the phases.

wassie

Fuascailteoir wrote: »

Surely the problem is someone else being in the car and touching the controls. One of the testers tests positive and chaos ensues in the test centre

So does that mean the end of NCT testing until a vaccine is developed?

This is going to be a risk to be managed irrespective if they opened tomorrow or in 6 months time.

SIMI has apparently distributed to dealers a 40-page guideline for forecourts, showrooms, workshops and offices, so not exactly an isolated problem

PrettyBoy

DrSpongeBobz wrote: »

Have to go with the update on may 15th

So you believe that the NCT have been hard at work during the quarantine resolving the lifts issue despite the website clearly stating that they will not be working on the lifts during the quarantine?

An update on Friday suggests that work might start in the next week or two. Even if they are closed until September you can be sure that when they open plenty of centres around the country will still be equipped with lifts that aren't fit for purpose.

beauf

Last time one person went to place said to a have a working lift only to find out they didn't.

Fuascailteoir

wassie wrote: »

So does that mean the end of NCT testing until a vaccine is developed?

This is going to be a risk to be managed irrespective if they opened tomorrow or in 6 months time.

SIMI has apparently distributed to dealers a 40-page guideline for forecourts, showrooms, workshops and offices, so not exactly an isolated problem

I don't know. But testers will have to sit into multiple cars every day. Will need some serious level of sterilisation each time. I imagine will dramatically cut number of tests if they do open again.

not2be

Fuascailteoir wrote: »

Surely the problem is someone else being in the car and touching the controls. One of the testers tests positive and chaos ensues in the test centre

Aren't the Cvrt (DOE) centres open tomorrow?

challengemaster

not2be wrote: »

Aren't the Cvrt (DOE) centres open tomorrow?

Some, not all. Lot of good info in the CVRT FAQ

https://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Press%20Office/CVR%20resumption%20%20Test%20due%20date%20extension%20FAQs%2015605-2020%20-%20FINAL.pdf

galwaytt

I'm about to advertise our DD, and wondering how to deal with NCT - it was due 28th March.....and so was one of those they cancelled ( I had a booking).

So now what ?

I think buying & selling without NCT is going to be the new norm, as even the (used) car we're thinking of would need one and may not - even from a garage and they can't access tests either naturally..............

The Nutty M

galwaytt wrote: »

I'm about to advertise our DD, and wondering how to deal with NCT - it was due 28th March.....and so was one of those they cancelled ( I had a booking).

So now what ?

I think buying & selling without NCT is going to be the new norm, as even the (used) car we're thinking of would need one and may not - even from a garage and they can't access tests either naturally..............

Technically it's not out of NCT, look it up on NCTS website and it will show you the exact date it has an NCT to. Mine was the 30th of April and the new NCT is due by the 1st of September.

Top Dog

The Nutty M wrote: »

Technically it's not out of NCT, look it up on NCTS website and it will show you the exact date it has an NCT to. Mine was the 30th of April and the new NCT is due by the 1st of September.

Just looked mine up out of curiosity - still says due date 20/03/2020 :rolleyes:

Wife's car was due in May and now says 03/09/2020

Guess which one has barely left the driveway in the last 8 weeks :pac:

wonski

Top Dog wrote: »

Just looked mine up out of curiosity - still says due date 20/03/2020 :rolleyes:

Wife's car was due in May and now says 03/09/2020

Guess which one has barely left the driveway in the last 8 weeks :pac:

They only extend from 25 or 28March forward.

20/03 will not be changed unfortunately.

Top Dog

wonski wrote: »

They only extend from 25 or 28March forward.

20/03 will not be changed unfortunately.

Well I'm driving regardless. They did half a test, passed that part, and then I was left in limbo. :rolleyes:

wonski

Top Dog wrote: »

Well I'm driving regardless. They did half a test, passed that part, and then I was left in limbo. :rolleyes:

Not saying you shouldn't. I do the same. Mine expired on 23/03 or so... Driving well

Of it wasn't for the lifts I would probably have it done before the expiry.

No bother from Garda anyway. Not worried at all.

peckerhead

I'm in the same boat, kind of. Brought it for testing on 4 March and they were unable to do the underbody checks, so, since there were no retest slots available, I was left in limbo when they subsequently shut down. I just carry a copy of the report and the subsequent emails asking about a retest. In fairness, if you fell slightly outside the cut-off date it would be harsh to prosecute where there was evidence showing that the owner had made every reasonable effort to get the car tested.

galwaytt

The Nutty M wrote: »

Technically it's not out of NCT, look it up on NCTS website and it will show you the exact date it has an NCT to. Mine was the 30th of April and the new NCT is due by the 1st of September.

I did look it up, and it's not showing as extended.

wassie

Whats date are you showing?

macplaxton

galwaytt wrote: »

I did look it up, and it's not showing as extended.

When you say it was due "28th" did you mean it expired on the 27th or 28th?

Phone them up if you think they've applied the cut wrong.