The Accessor Spring 2025 Web - Flipbook - Page 13
Thinking that the dashboard lights
昀氀ashing may be a sign that the car’s
computerised diagnostic system was
faulty, she hired a motor engineer to
inspect the Polo.
The business that sold the car is the
now-defunct Premier Motors Auto
Repairs, which Prime Time stressed is
not to be confused with other entities
of a similar name. It operated at JFK
Road in Dublin – its former premises is
now occupied by an unconnected car
business.
The owner told Prime Time that details
of any previous damage to a vehicle
would have been written on the
customer’s receipt.
After Esther lodged an of昀椀cial
complaint to NCT operator, Applus,
that a dangerous car had passed the
NCT, an NCT auditor, alongside an
expert from the AA, took her car for
examination.
They found numerous problems –
including the faulty chassis legs – and
said it should not have passed the
NCT.
In fact, Prime Time reports the car had
undergone three NCT tests last year for
Premier Motors Auto Repairs, a test on
21 August, which the car failed, a test
on 19 September, which it failed due
to an issue with wheel alignment, and a
test it passed on 24 September.
“According to correspondence from
Applus to Ms Woodley, the NCT
auditor found serious 昀氀aws in all three
tests, including the 21 August test,
which the auditor said should have
failed on at least three grounds –
damage to the driver side chassis leg
and the front lower subframe as well as
the issue it failed on – damage to the
passenger-side chassis leg.”
Complaints from the public relating
to the motor trade are a signi昀椀cant
focus for the State’s Competition and
Consumer Protection Commission
(CCPC).
Patrick Kenny, member of the CCPC,
told Prime Time it receives around
40,000 contacts through its consumer
helpline. “Every year, about 5,500 of
them relate to cars,” said Patrick. “So,
it’s the biggest single issue that people
contact our helpline on.”
He said the CCPC brings around
three to 昀椀ve car-related cases a year,
“a mixture of clocked cars, selling an
unsafe car,” he said adding that the
CCPC “also carry out inspections of
dealers”.
Applus has revoked the NCT certi昀椀cate
on the 2017 Polo, meaning Esther
cannot drive the car on the public road.
And, as she can’t pursue a garage
that no longer exists for a refund,
she believes Applus should provide
compensation.
Applus declined a request from Prime
Time to take part in the interview.
In a statement, it said that last year
it inspected more than 1.7 million
vehicles, that almost half failed the
initial test and over 128,000 were
deemed unsafe to be driven from the
test centre.
It also said that “we would urge anyone
looking to purchase a second-hand
vehicle to use a quali昀椀ed mechanic to
support them in the decision-making
process.”
The National Car Testing (NCT) was
founded in Ireland in 1999 and on its
website states it “performs over two
million inspections a year”.
“NCT is the only provider of vehicle
inspection services in Ireland on a
national scale and is an independent
company, not associated with any type
of repair service in the automotive
industry,” it states. “It supplies
technical support staff to the National
Transport Authority (NTA) of Ireland,
provides vehicle registration services
and carries out periodic checks of
taximeters.”
The NCT is audited by the AA, but
Noel told The Assessors Journal he
believes several measures should be
considered to further strengthen the
process. such as the introduction of
a third party. And, by extension, he
suggests the IAEA act could act as
auditors for the MOT.
Talking to The Assessors Journal editor,
Kelly Dalwood, Noel said the role of a
motor engineer has expanded beyond
the remit of purely assessing accident
damaged vehicles and IAEA Members
must adapt to the broad range of
skills and competencies required
to responsibly lead on technical,
engineering, insurance claims and
consumer-related issues. To be the
“reliable expert” in a wider range of
scenarios. This also means engineers
should be prepared to maintain their
skillset, via continuous professional
development (CPD), and be assessed
www.iaea-online.org/news/the-assessor | SPRING 2025 | THE ASSESSORS JOURNAL
and suitably accredited. This is where
the IAEA plays a critical role, said Noel.
“It also puts a greater emphasis on the
engineer to self-analyse their own skills
and quali昀椀cations to better re昀氀ect what
insurer clients and the wider motoring
public require,” said Noel.
In Ireland, a Suitably Quali昀椀ed
Individual (SQI) Report is required
when the purpose of use or some other
detail of a vehicle has changed that
means it no longer matches what’s
displayed on the log book. And SQI
must have the appropriate facilities and
equipment to conduct the examination
and complete the certi昀椀cations and
have an engineering or technical
quali昀椀cation or an appropriate
accreditation with Engineers Ireland or
the IAEA, as well as a minimum of 昀椀ve
years’ experience working in a suitable
technical environment.
“SQI status means you can engage
with a range of organisations and
bodies including the police,” said
Noel, and it’s a vital component of the
work mix for Automotive Technical
Consulting.
“The role of an IAEA engineer is to
inspect, consult and report so it’s
important to be pro昀椀cient in consumer
issues. This includes pre-purchase and
post-repair inspections, said Noel.
“Ask yourself: do you have the
facilities, experience, equipment and
necessary skills to examine, report
and pass comment as a reliable
expert in your 昀椀eld, and providing the
appropriate link to other bodies, such
in issues of litigation and even crime?”
This expands the key competencies of
an automotive engineer: encompassing
knowledge of bodywork construction,
mechanical systems, electronics and
electrics. The prevalence of ADAS,
computer data and diagnostics have
changed the skillset required, said
Noel, beyond the “understanding of
the dynamics in an accident”.
Noel believes the promotion of strong
standards in the industry, continuous
CPD and programmes of training and
accreditation upheld by the IAEA,
will further raise the competencies of
today’s automotive engineers – which is
critical to maintain the professionalism
of the sector and keep drivers safe.
Head to the RTE Player, 昀椀nd Prime
Time from Tuesday 4 February 2025,
to watch the programme featuring
Noel (at 17minutes 55 seconds into
the show).
The full RTE article can be found via
https://shorturl.at/JR6df.
JOURNAL
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