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controle technique again
How easy is it to follow and understand what's going on? Have never taken my car for its CT before and am a complete numpty when it comes to cars - don't even like driving in Brussels- but the CT date is approaching. Somebody else usually does it but am now on my own.
Also, I might have to sell it soon, but from what I understand I still need to get the CT done, then another special CT done when/if I find a buyer. Is this correct?
TIA
You have to have a valid CT from the fourth anniversary of the initial registration of the vehicle. There is no option.
If you are going to sell the car you have to have a special CT done and this has a limited validity. Typically sellers do this after a sale has been agreed but there is no obligation to do so. You can have the 'selling' CT done before looking for a buyer but you risk having to have it done again if you don't make a sale before the special CT runs out.
You do actually follow the car through and get to observe everything they do.
In most cases, it's fairly obvious as to what they're looking for (chassis number, tires, headlamp alignment, brakes, etc.), but if it's not, they're not very chatty about it. But if they do find anything, they will usually tell you what's wrong and show you.
When you have found a buyer, for a normal private sale, you take the car to CT (again), and TELL THEM IT'S A SALE CT, and they will sort out all the required papers for transfer of ownership. These are only valid for a month, so you will need to find a buyer yourself first. Commercial buyers or exporters won't require this.
If you're a complete numpty on cars, you ought to take the car to a garage and ask for it to be checked and prepared for the Controle Technique. You can also ask the garage to take it through the CT on your behalf. The garage will, of course, charge you both for the CT service and for taking the car there.
Getting a garage to do a pre-test is an invitation to be ripped off - you are paying someone to check, for example, whether all the lights work!
There is no guarantee that they will find everything that the CT will fail you on though they may certainly find - and repair and charge you for - things that the CT will not fail on.
Going through the CT is no big deal and there are far more numpties who go than there are mechanical wizz kids. They indicate what they are testing and, if it fails, they show you. If you fail, the certificate details why and states what needs repairing. When you return, only the failed items are retested.
If you fail the CT you then know exactly what needs repairing, you get it done at a garage and you pay €12.00 for the re-test.
