Failed NCT on very minor brake pipe rust

If the rust is gone then they should pass it. I think brake lines is the most common NCT fail item

Are you certain you have the correct area of the brake pipe? They normally mark the area with white paint. The descriptions can be a bit vague and people often think it's surface rust when the real problem is actually further down the pipe

Quick blast with sandpaper and get the cheapest aerosol spray can of paint you can find and give it a coat or two.Should pass no bother.

The NCT is a complete joke, mine somehow passed with no working break lights, they stopped working the morning of the NCT, out it through in case there was anything else...passed...I couldn't believe it, I had it in the garage getting the brake lights sorted and speaking to the mechanic, he told me that from his experience it's a coin flip in some centres

That was quite likely me in a Carina E back in the day. Was quite near Christmas and approaching the re-test date with no garage willing to take it on, would have had to drop the fuel tank, quite specialised job seemingly I was told with flaring tool that only a handful have and at that often leaks after and shutting up shop for Christmas etc.

One of them told me I could go at it with a sandpaper and there may be a small chance it will pass but unlikely. Access was difficult but I went at it with emery cloth, a dremel and brasso and dabbed some paint on after as recall. It genuinely was only light surface tarnish, pipe was absolutely solid underneath. It passed on the retest. I noticed that the brake imbalance differed massively between the original test and the retest which was odd as I never went at the brakes themselves or even changed air pressure in the tyres....says something to me about the poor calibration of their equipment.

The whole NCT is a joke at this stage.

Its nearly at the stage of why bother.

any i've been to i park outside and leave the keys at reception. all in dublin mind

was this during covid?

My car was had a full test last August - six month wait. Booked in for 10:00 am. Left it parked for them at 9:50. Walked up to the waiting room and saw the car move on from the suspension test and onto the lift. My name was called out to collect the keys at 10:05.

Now the car is perfect but that was a joke!

Deansgrange in Dublin you check in inside and go wait in your car. Tester comes out and takes your car, you go inside to wait. So there anyway they do see you. On another note, failed recently for a “spongy brake pedal”. Took it to a mechanic because it didn’t feel anything different than it normally is. He said there was nothing wrong with it and had 3 other mechanics drive it and nothing! He said that he had 4 other customers with same failure that week alone! Nothing wrong with them, no work done, all retested and passed! Guess what? My car passed too!