Over 9% of cars in Longford set to fail NCT and cost drivers thousands


New figures reveal that motorists in Longford could be paying more than they realise by holding on to ageing cars
Analysis from Close Brothers Motor Finance reveals that 18.12% of cars across Longford are registered 2009 or earlier.
With cars registered in 2009 and earlier having an NCT pass rate of less than 50%, according to NCT Ireland, this could leave Longford motorists facing costly repairs just to stay on the road.
With the average annual cost of running a car in Ireland having recently exceeded €10,0001, the added expense of keeping older cars on the road is putting pressure on already stretched family budgets across Ireland.
Irish families are already spending over €1,0002 a week on living costs, and an added NCT failure can leave them out of pocket and without transport, disrupting essential trips like school runs and work commutes.
Peter Pedlow, Director of Sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance Ireland, said:
“With the cost of living continuing to rise, the expense and disruption of failing an NCT can hit households hard. Unexpected repair bills and time off the road are pushing more drivers to consider newer, better-quality used cars.”
“By upgrading to newer second-hand cars, it would offer Longford drivers greater reliability and efficiency, as well as improvements in safety and lower emissions. With affordable finance helping to spread the cost, these vehicles are becoming more accessible to families who want to avoid the uncertainty of large repair bills and own a car they can trust.”