Driver's car fails NCT after being 'repaired' with gaffer tape and a stick
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A vehicle recently failed its NCT after mechanics discovered it had been partially repaired with gaffer tape and a stick.
Getting ready for an NCT can indeed be a bit of a hassle, as any minor defect could result in a car failing. This is then followed by a visit to the mechanic, which can leave drivers a few hundred euros lighter and hoping they won't be sent back for another retest.
Consequently, many individuals have attempted to trick NCT testers, and there have been some rather ingenious attempts over the years. This, however, isn't one of them.
As soon as the car was hoisted to inspect the undercarriage, the shoddy repair job became immediately apparent. A section of the car's anti-roll bar had been replaced with a finger-thin stick secured at each end by loose bundles of tape.
The NCT has declined to disclose which centre handled this creative repair, but it was at a centre in the south of Ireland, reports Cork Beo.
The anti-roll bar is a crucial safety feature in modern cars, which, as the name implies, prevents the car from rolling over in the event of a collision. This mechanism utilises springs to absorb some of the force generated, which can make all the difference in a serious crash.
It's clear that under any stress, the tape would likely come loose or the stick could break, increasing the chances of the car flipping onto its back in a crash. The shoddy repair job wasn't even concealed, leaving one to wonder how the driver believed it stood a chance of passing the NCT initially.
The motorist was given an automatic fail and instructed to properly fix the car before presenting it for retesting. A snap of the botched repair was shared online by NCT Ireland, who had a bit of a laugh at the driver's expense.
This is actually not the first time recently that a car has been brought in with a questionable home repair job. Examiners at another NCT centre encountered a car that had been partially mended with painted cardboard.
The cardboard 'repairs' were made to one of the sills on the car. The sills are the metal frames at the base of the doors, along the sides of the vehicle, that you step over to get into the front seats.
They play a vital role in the car's structure and help safeguard the vehicle's body and passengers. If your sills are compromised, your car could crumple like a tin can in any sort of collision.
The sills are meticulously inspected during each NCT service as they need to be able to withstand significant force in the event of a collision. This is why examiners were taken aback to discover a repair to a crucial part of the vehicle that had all the structural strength and integrity of a marshmallow.
NCT Ireland shared footage on social media that shows the inspector's fingers poking through a paper-thin repair job, which had been concealed with a coat of black paint to match the surrounding undercarriage.
While it might be amusing to spotlight these dodgy attempts, the NCT is a crucial aspect of responsible driving and should not be taken lightly. NCT Ireland urges drivers to always have their car fixed by a trustworthy mechanic and to promptly address any issues identified during their test, for their own safety and the safety of other road users.
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