Well it is government run only so no axe to grind as it were. You make appointments on the Internet and each County has about three or four testing stations. You choose which one and when. 35 euros for the annual test and no retest fee if represented within 14 days.
Lovely clean heated/air conned waiting room with clean toilets, drinks and food vending machines.
Your reg is tannoyed and lane number and you drive round to one of two lanes in a spotless large facility.
The checks are very similar to the UK. Fisrst they do lights, dip, main spots, fogs,indicators,hazards,wipers, horn. Didn't check headlight wash. Visual inspection of car interior, dash, seats, belts and under bonnet security of battery, throttle return spring. I guess if your car is unmodded then that check is fairly straightforward.
Headlight beam aim on same kit as the UK.
Then emissions. The tester sits in car and revs up to 2500 constant for a few mins.
Then it is on to brake test. I sit in car and press pedal lightly and then floor it. for front wheels and then rear. Same with handbrake. The tester doesn't see how many clicks on handbrake lever.
Then on to undercar check. You are given a walkie talkie and the tester goes down some nice clean stairs and into the well lit pit. Then he tells you to tyurn the steering wheel, apply brakes while he has a good look. I watched another car while my paperwork was processed and my windscreen sticker prepared with its expiry date. There is a clever "platform" that you drive the cars wheels onto and in turn it forces the individual wheel sideways and forwards/backwards to presumably show up knackered bushes. It is wierd inside the car while it does that a side at a time.
Oh and they check anything none factory fitted e.g. towbar.
Think that is it.
varche