NCT -Test-Fail-Test-Fail

S

Sambo

Registered User
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47
Howdie,

Have just had my 2nd NCT and have failed again. First test I was failed on one of the shocks, which is fair enough. The mechanic in the NCT centre advised that I replace both shocks as the other one was on the way out. 1 week later I have spent €400 on tyres and €300 on new gas shocks. I go back in for my 2nd NCT and guess what? I fail again!!!

This time I failed because the springs (over the front shocks) are rotating and should'nt be. It cost me €28, after an initial €49 and about 4 minutes for them to decide it wasn't going to pass. I went absoulutly ape-sh*t!!! Did it make one iota of difference? Of course it didn't. They tried to blame the mechanic who replaced the shocks and not their mechanic who did not advise that the whole shock and spring set be replaced in order to pass the NCT!!!!!

Anyway now I have until Thursday to find and replace the existing springs or else pay €49 instead of €28 and do the whole test again which would mean that it could fail on something else - this was actually said to me by one of the mechanics, I couldn't believe what I was hearing it was like a comedy sketch of how to push a man beyond breaking point!!!

Has anybody any experience of dealing with the same and having the NCT not only waive a fee but behave in a reasonable manner RE: passing a car?

It seems that if you get an extremely efficent mechanic you might not pass whereas if you get one who could'nt be arsed you might pass!! The car is entirely roadworthy the argument the centre is making is that if the Shock is extended to its fullest the spring might not relocate on the absorber.

The problem with that is, if the shock was at its fullest extend the car would be on its bonnet!!

Sorry for ranting a bit but it just seems that I am gettin the "proverbial" taken out of me!!
 
To be honest i don't see that they've done anything particularly wrong here. There's no discretion about what can or can't pass. You do the test and they give you a printout detailing exactly what needs to be done to pass.

You fixed them, went back and there was a new problem. Hardly their fault for not predicting that?
 
I'd blame the mechanic here. Problem with the springs may not have been evident with the dodgy shocks, or the problem may have been caused during the replacement of the shocks. Mechanic should have checked all this out.
 
I've a retest this Sat - failed on Shocks and a brake hose was damaged oh and a dip light wasn't focused properly - its been into the Fiat garage so fingers crossed it passes!

I do think it depends on the mood of the mechanic - my boss brought his car in for NCT over a month ago and it passed to his amazement - a week or so later he was driving and had to pull into a garage because the car was acting up - cost him €900 to get it repaired.
 
Sorry for your troubles Sambo but Eurofan is right. It is a complete pain in the rear but there is no point blaming anyone. It is just another fact of Irish life which we have to contend with. No matter how much ranting and raving you do, nothing will change! Gof god sake they fail you if you attempt to remove the hubcaps while on the stand - even though they didn't give you time outside to remove them.
 
I read a while back about a guy who failed the NCT, did nothing with the car, brought it in for a retest and passed. Surveys have shown that more people are needing a second test to pass. The dutch company that run the NCT centres made €20 mil off them last year. May be worth buying shares if you can! That way you can hedge your losses ;)
 
Whats all the guff about,it states in the booking letter to remove wheel trims & advises to check focus of lights & seatbelts.Roy Keane springs to mind here"fail to prepare then prepare to fail" I've had 4 cars tested of various ages each passed first time.I spent the previous evening prepping the car.The nct is just showing how little regard we have for our cars
 
Your best bet is to stick the car thru without doing anything and let them tell you whats wrong instead of wasting money in a garage having unnessasary work done and it failing anyways.
 
Gents,

Thanks for the feedback, my problem is that I would have assumed that the car be put back on the "Wobble-Board" to test the shock not put up on the hoist to see of they had been replaced. It passed the percentage test for shock-absorbtion, which is what it failed on the first time. What also pi**es me right off is the fact that the 2nd mechanic acknowledged that it would have been sound advice for the first NCT mechanic to advise changing the whole shock "set-up".

It just seems to me that they could potentially find fault each and every individual time you repair or replace a problem resutling in a never ending cycle of tests and needed/needless repairs!!!

Anyway, rant over, I am back in tomorrow evening and I will let you know how I get on!!!

Sambo
 
There seems to be a bit of confusion here.The whole set up as you call it,is just a complete strut as opposed to a shock absorber insert,which works just as well as the whole set up,you still use the original spring.I think that the original spring has been shortened sometime in it's career,a bit of"lowering" maybe?? Can't wait to hear how it pans out.
 
i always get my car tested first ,if it fails the MOT, never would go to a garage as they will rip you off with this and that needs done, MOT centre give you a list of whats needed done and plenty of guys do as good a job as any garage will and for a fraction of the cost
 
Caff,

Well spotted, myslef and my mate put the old shock springs back in (on the reccomendation of the NCT mech) and sure enough it managed to pass the test. Of course now I have to take them back out again as it's like driving a 4X4!!! I spent an hour in the NCTS centre last night and I would guess that somewhere between 15-20 people went through it. Most were back in for second tests at €27.50, a lot were first time tests at €49 and were failing. Of all of the people that went through I watched about 5 certs get handed out. It is a licence to print money that place!
 
2nd time lucky for me - car passed with flying colours - they were very efficient I have to say - got there 10 mins before the test and they took the car straight away and was back to me in 5 mins.
 
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