Nct prep

The test is the same as for a modern, apart from emission limits. Just prep the same, check lights, tyre pressure etc.

I was last there in Jan, you no longer wait in your car IIRC, so leaving it running is out. Just tape a note to the steering wheel about the immobiliser.

Good luck!

The test is the same, except emissions as already mentioned. What I have noticed though (especially at Northpoint) is that some testers enjoy testing these old cars so much, it takes twice as long as usual :D (the other version is: they to their best to find something to fail the car)

Have done two tyests in the past week and was asked to wait with the car both times. Theres nothing stopping the OP from just sitting in the car anyway so he can explain the starting sequence I'd imagine. I had this with one of the cars during the week - had the immoboliser in valet mode for them so if they went over a certain speed they wouldn't have been able to get the car started again.

Same here! (Northpoint 2)

I'm bringing a slightly modified TT soon for nct and not looking forward.

Will I need engineers report for rear seat delete?

I think its a fail now if the number of seats don't match whats on the logbook - saw a few posts about this elsewhere. Think you need an engineers reports which is then needed for you need to update the logbook.

Can you get a car that is over 40 tested voluntarily? I don’t see anything on their site.

I know wedding cars need to be tested annually if they are over 40 but that is because they are being used commercially.

Interesting article. There’s no mention of the voluntary test in the new regulations from 2017 but I put a couple of pre-1983 regs from DoneDeal into the booking system and it let me pick a date and didn’t give me a warning that my car was exempt.

Have any of the posters here (all 8 of us that are left in Classics) managed to put an exempt car through the Test?

My AE86 is 40 this year so I definitely won't be testing it again

I don't get the point of testing it at the NCT centre after 40 years if you don't need the cert. They're not going to do a really detailed inspection, and your money would be better spent getting your local mechanic to give it a look over.

My local lads will do a lot more on an inspection free of charge - and will list anything it needs done. While I’m actually generally a fan of the NCT approach - and the fact they’re not incentivised to find anything to fix for you - I would never have described it as a thorough inspection.

As the test is voluntary, you’re under no obligation to bring it back to the centre for a retest and pass. You’ll just be obliged under the existing road traffic legislation to keep your car in good repair and not drive a dangerously defective vehicle.

Instead of "knowingly driving around in a car that has failed a standardised roadworthiness test" would you not want to fix the issue?

"in the situation where you are knowingly driving around in a car that has failed a standardised roadworthiness test (mandatory or not), whish isn't fantastic from an insurance POV."

I believe that this would be the situation but may not be an issue until there is an incident. Similarly, using the same logic, people who change their number plates after their cars NCT could fall into the same situation should they have an incident.