WOF should change to WTFF (what the fuck for?)

[avgas]

Ok I don't rant often, but I am pissed off.
I recently jumped through many hoops to get the ol' FZR through a wof at the testing station. I changes a brake light, I tightens up nuts, cleaned out crannies. Got told I should check this and that. She is a bucket of bolts, queen rat....but I loves her.
Yet today I go out to put my breast cancer valve caps on (get yours here (http://www.pinkcapdrive.co.nz/index.asp?)) and fuck me - the bastards completely missed the 1mm crack all the way around the bead on me rear tyre.
But no my bike is perfectly safe. FFS
WTF was that test for? Bloody hell - how can a guy staring at my tyre not even see this?

Anyone else had the wof guys miss something obvious?
221068

[NighthawkNZ]

Other half took old vtr to testing station and they missed the steering head bearing were fucked...

[Scuba_Steve]

yep WOF's are just another tax for owning a vehicle, and are more dangerous than helpful in my view as they provide people with a false sense of security.

My experiences are
I have to remove the seat-belts from my landrover every-time I go for a WOF.
apparently you need the "lock" to stop the handlebars hitting the tank on the bike, I spent 8 years & multiple inspectors before this was picked up.
I had a van pass a re-registration check only to completely fail its following WOF check 1 year later.
Had van fail on optional lights... My options remove them or make them work, if I am able to remove them why do they have to work for a WOF???

I would NOT get WOF's if they did make you have them to get "Reg"

[p.dath]

I think your expecting too much from your WOF test. They aren't saying the motorbike is in perfect condition - or event that it is safe - they are saying that it met a minimum standard as laid down by the Government.

You can always exceed that minimum standard ... whenever someone knowledgeable has to look at my bike for something I always ask them if they can see anything that needs doing.

[Taz]

The airs not coming out is it? No problem then. I'd ride with that.

[AllanB]

yep WOF's are just another tax for owning a vehicle,

I disagree with this - there would be some seriously unsafe vehicles on the road without them.

To the original poster. Yes, he probably should have picked this up, however YOU should have way before the WOF on a regular inspection and air pressure check.

[porky]

The airs not coming out is it? No problem then. I'd ride with that.

And if it does , a can of Selleys expanding foam should have it sorted!

Seriously i would not ride on a perished or damaged tyre and yes id be a little pissed, especially as they take money off you for the privilage of inspection.
I no longer do bikes thru VTNZ, a wiggle here and there, beep the horn and a blast down the road seems to be all you get.

[SMOKEU]

One of my old cars passed a WOF with a crack about 200mm long on the inside of one of the guards. The car was so unstable it was hard to keep on my side of the road at 50kmh.

[Cloggy]

We always take our car to a VTNZ testing station in the believe that the car gets tested to a certain standard. For example by putting it on a machine to test for worn suspension parts rather than relying on a "seat of pants" feeling from some random mechanic on a random piece of road.
About 2 years ago, they failed the car on supposedly worn rear shock absorbers. No problem, went out and bought new shocks, put them in and the car got it's WOF. The problem with the new shock was that they were noisy in operation. Went back to the place I bought them from, got a replacement set, fitted these, only to find they were also noisy. So returned them and got money back and fitted the supposedly worn rear shocks back into the car. I think the car has since passed 4 WOF checks at the same VTNZ testing station without failing on the shocks. So why did it fail 2 years ago :blink::facepalm::confused:
So much for testing to a standard.

[Conquiztador]

To me a WOF check is only a set 6 monthly cost. Nothing else. It is up to me to keep the bike/car roadworthy. A police can 5 min after you left a WOF station with a new sticker fail you and have you to re-do it if he/she sees the need for it.

[Max Preload]

I disagree with this - there would be some seriously unsafe vehicles on the road without them.
Are you saying that mechanically irresponsible people get WoFs now just because they're told to?


To me a WOF check is only a set 6 monthly cost. Nothing else.It's not even that to me.:shifty:

[Owl]

I haven't taken a bike to a testing station for years, as I no longer trust them.

WoF at a bike shop for me, in fact it's booked in at Anza again this morning. I actually want to know if something is wrong with my bike!

[steelestring]

Feel your pain dude.. Back in the day I had an 89 mitsi mirage cyborg that was a bit boy racer.. Testing station hit me up for slight headlight adjustment, handbrake adjustment... quickly had it fixed and came straight back ten minutes later...

Then told me about my illeagal exhaust system (that was fully legal as I had highlighted a photocopied section of the warrent book "exiting after the last passanger door of the vehicle") He was pissed off with me....

He then told me that this car did not come out with a turbo motor and I needed a certification....!!!???!!! I told him about the models and he told me to go and get a certification..!!!

After a signed letter from the only people who did this certing in the area, saying my car did not need a certification I went back again and the guy refused to see me and walked away.:blink:

Next day they were open was the Monday... rocked up early presented the letter and he continued to tell me my car was illeagal as I had fitted a turbo and had a aftermarket wastegate... I asked him to point at the wastegate that he was talking about and he pointed at an HKS Supersequential blow off valve........ :gob:

I did get my warrent in the end.... they had no idea what the hell they were talking about....

The Front drivers seat was not attached to the floor when I went to wash it when I got home:sick:

Rant over

[davereid]

NZTA seem to slavishly follow everything the Ozzies do, and a WOF is not required there.

I too, have had some vehicles with defects slip through a WOF.

On the other hand, I consider myself pretty mechanically able, and yet I have found some scary defects at WOF time !

VTNZ seem better at finding worn wiper blades, incorrect petrol caps and blown numberplate lights. But they have failed brakes on perfectly adequate vehicles due to their dodgy brake machines.

My experience has been that VTNZ get the details right, but because they don't drive the vehicle, nor do they jack it right up, they miss the more serious faults.

[Mom]

We had a caravan failed at a testing station for brakes. We were required to replace brake lines and hoses and recondition the slave and master cylinders. So off to Pit Stop we went and they redo the entire braking system on the caravan. After a few hundred $$ spent, we took the caravan back through the testing station and the guy that did the recheck was going to fail it becasue he was not happy with how the brake lines were attached to the chassis. I even gave him the workshop job sheet from Pit Stop detailing everything that they had done. While he was still quibbling I pointed out to him that Pit Stop are also WOF issuers so surely they would not repair something to less than WOF standard.

I also gave him the look :D

I reckon that was why he issued the WOF in the end :laugh:

[Scuba_Steve]

I hear VTNZ machines have a habit of failing new brakes on cars their machines just cant handle them it seems to be a common problem, my parents had that problem, when they went to get them fixed the guy said "we get this all the time, just go into the parking lot & hard brake a few times that'll fix the problem" sure enough it did

[avgas]

Cheers for the comments guys.
Reason why I was going to VTNZ was I thought they would be unbiased and pick up on stuff they are required to look at according to the test sheet / manual.
As for riding on it, the cracks go all the way around the bead, which is handy that she is a gutless POS - otherwise I would end up doing a burnout with the wheel spinning in the tyre :sick:
I noticed on the last ride that the bike was acting strange, but only looked at it (properly) when I fitted the new caps (buy some, support breast cancer, look like a honda rider).

I am just ticked off that they had the balls to tell me, to tighten the rear bolt up (bike had sat for 6 months), while holding right where these cracks are.......how can 2 people make the same mistake?

I would have quite happily bought a new tyre if they showed me this....but now I figure if I can ride on this crap tyre, I may as well replace it with a Shinko.....

[Pixie]

Had van fail on optional lights... My options remove them or make them work, if I am able to remove them why do they have to work for a WOF???



Then,after you get your WOF,if one of your headlights should blow you can happily drive around for the next six months or year on one working light, without one lazy arsed cop ever doing anything about it.

[imdying]

Ok I don't rant often, but I am pissed off.
I recently jumped through many hoops to get the ol' FZR through a wof at the testing station. I changes a brake light, I tightens up nuts, cleaned out crannies. Got told I should check this and that. She is a bucket of bolts, queen rat....but I loves her.
Yet today I go out to put my breast cancer valve caps on (get yours here (http://www.pinkcapdrive.co.nz/index.asp?)) and fuck me - the bastards completely missed the 1mm crack all the way around the bead on me rear tyre.Take a look at yourself first man... how did you miss something like that? The buck always stops with the rider.

It's a short test that is cheap enough for all NZers to afford, there is no way they'll ever pick everything up.

[Murray]

I used to go to a VTNZ in Rotorua and it was a little out of the way. Never mind all good, but went back a year latter and it was then surrounded by Tyre shops, auto electricians, exhaust specialists, panel beaters, mechanics etc etc. I was sure they were taking backhanders and never went back. Went to one in hamilton and failed on a tyre and went to a chepo tyre place and went back and was told I should not buy tyres from them because they are no good and tyre won't last and i should have bought from the Beaurepairs next door.

Conspiracy theories??

Always take bike to bike shop now and found a trusted mechanic for wof and auto repairs. Its not the repairs that matter its the honesty and intelligence that goes with them!!

[jahrasti]

Dont forget that you are not required to be a qualified spanner spinner to be a qualified tester.

There is a polytech course that after completing enables you to conduct WOF checks.

I like every other person has had a bad experience with testing stations. One guy spent 1 1/2 hours on my ute underbody alone looking for the smallest little things.

I had a stand up argument with him over it.

I am sitting on the fence when it comes to WOF's and it is hurting my arse.

I think that WOF's are good so far as it is a MINIMUM requirement for a vehicle to be on the road. The number of vehicle crashes in which a vehicle defect is the cause is small. I believe that the WOF system plays a part. Well engineered vehicles also help:woohoo:.

If you look at the vehicles that are on that programme with that cock gobbling rapper and they are a bag of shit. Imagine sharing the road with something like that.

Careful what you wish for when it comes to following aussie. The Vic popos will issue a canary (our version of a green sticker) for the smallest things. Imagine getting written off the road for a blown number plate light.

However on the other side of the coin, I disagree with paying yearly or twice yearly depending on your vehicle, for an inspection and for the time taken is very expensive.

[Max Preload]

Reason why I was going to VTNZ was I thought they would be unbiased and pick up on stuff they are required to look at according to the test sheet / manual.They are unbiased. Unfortunately they're often also incompetent.

[Owl]

WoF at a bike shop for me, in fact it's booked in at Anza again this morning. I actually want to know if something is wrong with my bike!

Pass and no issues:D

[avgas]

Take a look at yourself first man... how did you miss something like that? The buck always stops with the rider.

It's a short test that is cheap enough for all NZers to afford, there is no way they'll ever pick everything up.
You will find that I later commented that the bike was left alone for approx 6 months.
I figured the first thing I would do is get it a wof. I mean lets test its safe for the road first before I do anything stupid........

I am not asking they pick everything up.
Just that they check the basics.

- Does vehicle have steering?
- Does vehicle have brakes?
- Does vehicle have lights?
- Does vehicle have tyres?
How come they have the sense to tell me that my tyres have 2.1mm tread.....but failed to tell me they are fucked? Its not brain surgery.

[imdying]

That's your choice to make. Personally, if I had a heap that had sat around, I'd be checking it myself, before I rode it to the WOF station. Your life is literally in your own hands.

Further to that, I would never take a bike for a WOF unless I knew that a pass was a given. All of the testing criteria are provided online in PDFs.

[st00ji]

yep its a bad miss, people saying you shouldnt expect them to pick up such things are being ridiculous.

im a mechanic, and i'd never take my car (if i owned one) to a VTNZ. seen too many things like the OPs story to trust em... is hard to explain to customers that although they do need the things listed on their sheet, they also need new brakes / shocks / whatever. most of their good / experienced staff end up doing other things - bit like alot of industries im sure! just means we get to deal with the monkeys.

[avgas]

Further to that, I would never take a bike for a WOF unless I knew that a pass was a given. All of the testing criteria are provided online in PDFs.
Nah I like people to work for the money I pay em :D
Otherwise I revert back to my first statement....WTFF

[Grubber]

And if it does , a can of Selleys expanding foam should have it sorted!

Seriously i would not ride on a perished or damaged tyre and yes id be a little pissed, especially as they take money off you for the privilage of inspection.
I no longer do bikes thru VTNZ, a wiggle here and there, beep the horn and a blast down the road seems to be all you get.

It's the rim with the crack and it hardly visible really. Can't see too much of an issue with it. I take mine to VTNZ and have no problems with their checks to be honest.

[Max Preload]

It's the rim with the crack and it hardly visible really.What? WHAT?

[Grubber]

What? WHAT?

Chur....had a decent look again. Now i see them.:facepalm:

[Max Preload]

Chur....had a decent look again. Now i see them.:facepalm:No worries. Here you go. (http://tinyurl.com/25kfo6y) :rofl:

[gazmascelle]

got a wof for my gsx250 back in my learner days, not even a week later my rear brake started making a lot of noise. Had a look, the rear brake pads were bare... metal on metal. Awesome.

If you want something done right, i guess you gotta do it yourself

[pritch]

Going to VTNZ and having a bad experience is so common that it's almost a certainty. The job seems to attract the wrong sort of people. Not always, but too often.

I asked my local bike shop who I should use and I follow their recommendation. No problems. Of course you should check the bike over yourself before you go. If the tester tells you that a light doesn't work or your tyres are worn, that's your fault. No good whinging then.

[avgas]

If the tester tells you that a light doesn't work or your tyres are worn, that's your fault. No good whinging then.
Rather have that then what I have got. But I made the fatal mistake that it was their job to do that.
My bad, and I admit that.

FYI if you haven't got the hint
BUY SOME VALVE CAPS (http://www.pinkcapdrive.co.nz/)

Support those guys not wof......who knows it might save you from a crash.....

[bsasuper]

I go to the same vtnz, different employees there have a special fault to pickup on, eg, one guy always picks up worn bushes, another ball joints etc etc, even if they pass, they give you the "there are some bushes that might need replacing next time etc etc,:facepalm:

[Scuba_Steve]

If you want something done right, i guess you gotta do it yourself

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.

[avgas]

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.
I smell a target investigation.....

[p.dath]

There is no such thing as 100% safe.

Everything has an inherent risk. Riding a motorcycle. Driving a car. Trying to go to sleep in bed at night.

There will never be any level of test or inspection that is going to 100% guarantee that your vehicle is "safe" for use on the road. And the "safer" you want the New Zealand fleet the more expensive those tests will be.

So we have to strike a balance between having "reasonably" safe vehicles on the road, versus the cost of that safety.

And yes, some vehicles will get a WOF and then have a spectacular failure the next day. The WOF doesn't say your vehicle will be safe the next day. You also have to accept humans make mistakes. Things do get missed. It's a fact of life.

So lets not beat up the current WOF testing scheme. It simply puts a line in the sand. If your personal level of safety dictates that you want a vehicle tested to a higher standard - then exercise your personal choice - and take it somewhere that will test it to a higher standard.

IT IS YOUR CHOICE.

[imdying]

Some alternatives to the current scheme:
- More vehicles on the road that have had no testing whatsoever. When the price rises to say $300, which is what it'll likely cost you to have an intensive inspection done, most people will just not WOF/Reg their vehicles... more untested shitters, more runners.

- No regular WOFs, but prison time, fines, or asset confiscation, for anyone who causes injury to others when driving a vehicle that isn't up to an intensive inspection. Sounds awesome.

- Police given discretionary powers to order a $300 test to anyone at anytime, at the owners expense. Yeah, that'll never get abused.

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.

[davereid]

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.

But it works pretty well.

The number of accidents caused by vehicle related defects in New Zealand is tiny.

There is no doubt that WOF inspectors ping stuff that is not really faulty, and miss stuff they should not miss.

But just getting brakes, steering and tyres checked every 6 months is useful.

Many people could manage to keep their vehicles safe without a W.O.F. system.

On the other hand, workshops are full of cars where the owner couldn't even manage to keep water and oil topped up. I don't want that kind of person coming towards me on a highway, pulling like hell on the steering wheel, as it does a self generated right hand turn if released !

[avgas]

It's a $30 test to catch as much crap as they can inside of that restriction, it's not a definitive safety test for all vehicles.
Last time I checked most had rubber tyres. Seeing as most of us have grown up with rubber tyres, I would have thought that some form of testing standard to see if rubber tyres are of a safe standard would be in place by now.
They seemed to have one for seatbelts, and those have only been around for about 40 years.

[porky]

It's the rim with the crack and it hardly visible really. Can't see too much of an issue with it. I take mine to VTNZ and have no problems with their checks to be honest.

Bro, You need to get your self a nice smooth Honda, ditch the trumpy. Your eyeballs are all shook up!!!:facepalm:

[porky]

The problem is your Forced to pay money to others.

Actually maybee we need to just start asking for our money back every-time we get a sub-par inspection after all we are paying for a service that they are not providing to an adequate standard.

Dont know how to send bling so you'll have to take a warm fuzzy instead.

My point exactly. They have a set of standards to work to, they take money off you.

If i did a pre purchase building inspection on a property you wished to buy and subsequently it was found i had missed a critical element, i am darn sure the shit would hit the fan and you would be seeking some form of redress.... why should vehicle inspection/ testing be any different. For those that consider thmselves mechanically minded this process is an AUDIT on our ability to maintain our gear. For the others it is a mechanism for ensuring the MINIMIUM standards are met.
End of rant, back to work.

[KAWA Z]

The so called Big Ones in Vehicle Testing have a bad rapport when in comes to refusing WOFs for ridiculous reasons but also for issuing WOFs to seriously faulty vehicles.
They advertise in the media to be "non-biast" and without a commercial interest, saying that makes them better and fairer than the average garage on the corner.
People are stupid enough to believe that, go there and yes, they usually have a good feeling when the new sticker is on their wheels, but they don't realize that there's two sides to a medal.
A well reputed workshop in the motortrade usually knows more about the weak points on particular types and brands, also, they will in their own interest allways try to be fair and corret to their customers ! From my own experience, I have seen cars with a fresh sticker on the screen on a hoist where the whole front end was nothing but a wobbly contraption to say the least, balljoints, bushes etc. worn to the max, but VTNZ put a sticker on it ! I've been a AVI for over 10 years myself, also for motorcycles, and believe me, I have seen it all !
There's nothing wrong with a healthy amount of discretion when dealing with a vehicle that may or may not meet the criteria, as long as nothing and nobody gets compromised.
Nitpickers are usually new kids on the block or notoriously bad tempered inspectors with an attitude problem. As one other writer mentioned, a vehicle must meet the minimum in required safety standarts to pass an inspection, not a maximum ! Here the rules are usually quiet clear, sometimes a little bit in the grey area, meaning not exactly black or white.
In these cases the word "discretion" should or can be applied.
This means also that the AVIs stick their head into a noose or are with one foot in jail, in case something really bad would happen, serious crash unit etc. involved that means.
The best place to take a vehicle for a WOF Inspection is allways the same place that is best in maintaining and fixing it, as a rule ! Not some "We do it all" outfit with amateurish inspectors who actually know the theory and rules in the regulations, but don't know shit from clay as far as vehicles themselves are concerned. That goes for all motorvehicles including bikes !
I don't think a young immigrant with a new job at the testing station knows more about motorbikes that the mechanic at your local bike shop ! Nothing else to be said any more !

[FJRider]

People miss seeing THESE too ... :gob:

http://www.cksinfo.com/clipart/traffic/roadsigns/regulations/stop-sign.png

if your bike/vehicle is unsafe ... sort it ... :yes:

If you don't know/not sure if ... :facepalm:

ask around for a reliable place to get it tested ... :sunny:

[Highlander]

I wont use VTNZ any more. Too many times I have been failed for things complete trivia. Example: Fog lights set too high, went home, looked and realised the adjustment screws were rusted tight, took it back and suddnely they were spot on (they still haven't been adjusted in the 14 years we have had that car).

I was talking to a guy the other day who said he left after diciplinary action for not complying with their policy of failing one in three vehicles they inspect.

I read in the paper the other day VTNZ are going to introduce a road side rescue scheme to rival the AA, shudder to think what that might be like.

Never taken a bike to them, always used a workshop I trust.

[Rhys]

Had a bike fail a wof because the little knob on the end of the clutch lever was had broken off (got blown of the side stand with the pervious owner) I could buy after market levers half the length and they pass! What is that about ?

[Latte]

Had a bike fail a wof because the little knob on the end of the clutch lever was had broken off (got blown of the side stand with the pervious owner) I could buy after market levers half the length and they pass! What is that about ?

Sharp end maybe?

[Hopeful Bastard]

Had the car go through VTNZ. A nice little 1988/9 1.5L Toyota Cielo.

Power? What power.. This thing is gutless!! Yet as soon as they saw the Sub in the back they pretty much Automatically failed me.

Got down to the other end (after i get my father to take it through) And not a single thing wrong with it says the guy.

Yet, From what i know is wrong - Steering, Pulls hard to the left.
Engine mount broken
Right hand headlight. I tell them not to touch it because the Adjustment screw isnt working and i have it in a relative good place (Yes, China's working children stuffed me around again. 2nd headlight unit i have gone through)
But, the baboons pull out the trusty screwdriver to lift it and then wonder why it drops to spot the roadkill? o.O
Rear left tyre doesnt match any of the others
Spare tyre hasnt even been checked at all (Lets hope i dont get a flat anytime soon)
My spotlights (After market additions to the front kit) dont work, yet i am trying to get them repaired. As said before, They either have to work or they have to go (taken off)



Took it to Mitsubishi Motors ( i think thats who they were) and they passed me quite happily =D

[RidingHard]

I disagree with this - there would be some seriously unsafe vehicles on the road without them.



Not sure about this - I've lived in places with no vehicle fitness checks (Colorado USA, for example) and the standard of vehicles hasn't dropped to Mad-Max level, if at all. Mind you diy Kiwi's keep em running longer....and there was that one car with no outer panels on its doors or guards :blink:

[NighthawkNZ]

Not sure about this - I've lived in places with no vehicle fitness checks (Colorado USA, for example) and the standard of vehicles hasn't dropped to Mad-Max level, if at all.

Similar in Australia... however if you get caught with a car that is under a certian level then the book is thrown at you... Its up to the individual to make sure there vehicle is road worthy...

[Spazman727]

I've always thought VTNZ have been good for my car, but the test they do for bikes is so quick they probably wouldn't pick up on anything. They are almost done before I've finished paying, and I test the brakes myself (I know they're fine 'cos I sue them) I've only taken the bike there twice and both times it has seemed such a superficial test. I think I will go to a bike shop next time. Maybe it'l be more expensive, but they may pick up on something dangerous and I might just learn something from them.

[KiwiGs]

I have had the odd issue with VTNZ.
My theory is that they see so many cars go through, when they start finding common faults on certain models. They start expecting to find them every time that model is 'inspected'.
Couple of times I have had the guy say "oh this is worn; it is common on this model."
I always ask them to show me the fault, with another mechanic there as well if possible. Sometimes it works and I get my WoF, other times they think I am a smart arse and dig their toes in........
Then there was the time my mate took his X75 to the testing station, bought it back to work with a nice shiny new WoF. I noticed that the bottom yoke had a fucking great easy to see crack in it. How did that pass? Maybe if the guy knew that it was a common Hurricane fault he would have picked it up........

[Max Preload]

Similar in Australia... however if you get caught with a car that is under a certian level then the book is thrown at you... Its up to the individual to make sure there vehicle is road worthy...Individual responsibility? Meh, that'll never catch on! :gob:

[avgas]

Individual responsibility? Meh, that'll never catch on! :gob:

I would be all for it.
Problem is I already pay for other morons to be responsible for me.
If I had the choice to remove this expense I would claim complete individual responsibility :2guns: