A five-door Ford Fiesta, put through its paces at the new NCT centre failed on two counts. The 1991 Offaly-registered car was tested in the presence of representatives of the media, guests and gardai, who were given a demonstration of the 57-point test. The car failed because its headlights were incorrectly aligned and one of its sidelights was not working.
The Fiesta had 116,000 miles on its clock, but flew through the emission test. The National Car Testing Service has emphasised that the emission standards which are applied will depend on the year of registration of the vehicle. The hi-tech test procedure includes on-screen displays of emission levels, braking performance and shock absorbers. The full test covers: brakes; exhaust emission; wheels and tyres; lights; steering and suspension; chassis and underbody; electrical systems; glass and mirrors; transmission; interior; fuel system; and other items.