The 2026 Used Car Market: A New Landscape for Sellers

If you are thinking of upgrading your vehicle this January, you might have noticed a shift in the market. The days of “scrapping” a 10-year-old car are fading. In 2026, with new car prices remaining high and inventory tight across Dublin and the rest of the country, “older” trade-ins have become surprisingly valuable property.

However, there is one massive condition attached to this newfound value: The NCT Certificate.

In the current Irish market, a valid NCT disc in the window is no longer just a legal requirement; it is a financial asset. We are seeing a distinct “two-tier” price structure emerging on DoneDeal and in dealership forecourts:

• Tier 1 (The “Ready to Go”): Cars with 6+ months of NCT remaining. These sell fast and command premium prices.
• Tier 2 (The “Risk”): Identical cars with an expired NCT or a test date booked months in the future. These sit unsold or go for significantly less.

The “NCT Premium”: Why Buyers Are Paying More

Why does a €55 test add €500 or even €1,000 to the asking price? It comes down to one word: Certainty.

With the well-publicized backlog still affecting centres like Northpoint and Cork, buyers are terrified of the “unknown.” Buying a car without a valid NCT in 2026 means:

1. The Wait: Inheriting a 6-month wait for a test date.
2. The Risk: Not knowing if the car will fail on expensive items like emissions or suspension.
3. The Off-Road Threat: As we discussed in our previous article on insurance, driving without a cert is becoming riskier by the day.

Smart sellers know this. By securing a test before listing the car, you are removing all the risk for the buyer. You are effectively selling a “guarantee,” and in 2026, that guarantee is worth its weight in gold.

Don’t Let the Backlog Devalue Your Trade-In

The tragedy we see every day is sellers accepting lower offers simply because they “can’t get a date” in time to sell. A driver in Galway might knock €800 off the price of their 2019 Ford Focus just to get a quick sale, thinking they have no choice because the next NCT slot is in July.

This is a mistake.

You do not have to wait 6 months to sell your car. The slots are there—they just vanish too quickly for a human to catch. Every day, people cancel tests in centres from Dundalk to Killarney because of illness, work, or mechanical issues. These “gold dust” slots appear on the system for mere seconds.

Conclusion: The Smart Seller Strategy

In the 2026 car market, your NCT certificate is more than just a piece of paper—it’s a negotiating tool. Whether you are trading in at a main dealer or selling privately on the web, a fresh test result separates your car from the thousands of “waiting list” vehicles.

Don’t leave money on the table. Secure your slot, get the cert, and sell with confidence.