WOF reforms.

[Pixie]

First time I've seen Warrant of Fitness spelt correctly on this site.

Changes to 12 months WoF was looked at about 20 years ago when the WoF and rego stickers were changed - it was going to be just one sticker, get your WoF and rego at the same time. (like Aust). At the same time continuous rego and no rego without WoF came in. Put in the too hard basket. There were still Hillman Hunters and HQ Holdens on the road then, and we were practically failing cars on rust every day....now I can go 6 months or more without a rust fail....depending on how many Falcons come in.

The new import rules mean our fleet is going to get older again - I think we should stick to 6 months for older vehicles.

I passed a (in the 'passing slower traffic' sense) Hillman Hunter yesterday.

Did those things ever catch many hill men?

[Zedder]

more common than you think, the amount of time I've pointed out problems to the avg driver (those who only use the road cause they have to not cause they want to) only to have the response "it's good till the next WoF" or "the WoF will pick that up" & these problems have ranged from hard pulling brakes, bald tires, wobbly steering etc but no amount of telling them somethings wrong will work they'll just "wait for the WoF to tell them" after all nothings wrong till the WoF says it is .

Yep, I've had mates who are the same, only with cars though. With their bikes, it's totally different (funny that).

So what to do with these types? Should there just be a massive safety education programme coupled with more WoF type cop check points and fining the hell out of offenders plus a WoF recheck?

[Voltaire]

Real motorcyclists service their own bikes, my Norton passes its WoF every time.
When I lived in Ireland 10 years ago motorcycles didn't even need to be tested .....my Kombi I brought with me being a campervan didn't either.....but I had to get an engineers cert for insurance.....200 euros....and 1000 euros for fully comp....

[Scuba_Steve]

Yep, I've had mates who are the same, only with cars though. With their bikes, it's totally different (funny that).

So what to do with these types? Should there just be a massive safety education programme coupled with more WoF type cop check points and fining the hell out of offenders plus a WoF recheck?

Nope remove WoF. The problem is their reliance is on the "WoF will pick it up" system, it would be the same if we were forced to goto Doc every 6mths people would stop getting things like that discharge coming from their giggity area checked out cause "the Doc will pick it up come checkup time".
Make people responsible for their own vehicles & they might start being responsible. Oz has no problems running things like that, we shouldn't either.

WoF related accidents are very minimal & most of them are tyres & brakes both things the stupidest individual are capable of noticing when the reliance on WoF's is removed.

[Zedder]

Nope remove WoF. The problem is their reliance is on the "WoF will pick it up" system, it would be the same if we were forced to goto Doc every 6mths people would stop getting things like that discharge coming from their giggity area checked out cause "the Doc will pick it up come checkup time".
Make people responsible for their own vehicles & they might start being responsible. Oz has no problems running things like that, we shouldn't either.

WoF related accidents are very minimal & most of them are tyres & brakes both things the stupidest individual are capable of noticing when the reliance on WoF's is removed.

The problem is human nature. How do you make them more responsible?

[avgas]

my Norton passes its WoF every time

No offense to the might Norton, but I have noticed that a few of the wof guys have a nostalgia tint which leaves them with rose tinted glasses.
On a trip to the testing station once I saw a guy with a classic CB750 in original condition - flew through the wof without a single test.
Owner plodded off home with his chain just about touching the ground, 30 year old cracked tyres, headlight pointing at the sun, brake pads clogged with enough rust to make a polishing brush.......
But everything non-important (tank, guards, headlight etc) looked so shiny they passed him without a single test.

[Voltaire]

No offense to the might Norton, but I have noticed that a few of the wof guys have a nostalgia tint which leaves them with rose tinted glasses.
On a trip to the testing station once I saw a guy with a classic CB750 in original condition - flew through the wof without a single test.
Owner plodded off home with his chain just about touching the ground, 30 year old cracked tyres, headlight pointing at the sun, brake pads clogged with enough rust to make a polishing brush.......
But everything non-important (tank, guards, headlight etc) looked so shiny they passed him without a single test.

True....I had to re vin my 1978 Ducati at a VTNZ place and it passed with 20 year old tyres, brake pads, 30 year old brake lines, headlight dipping to right. I took it in to prove to myself that the system is bollocks......oh and it passed.
Year later took a modern SS in for a Wof and they said " next time you have it in being serviced get them to adjust the steering bearings" ......I was impressed he could tell that by tilting it up on the side stand and wiggling the steering.
My local place is pretty through....they check the footpegs, and pull lots of bits, check the headlight, and write down loads of numbers......
Testing Stations are where failed mechanics go for an easy life.....its just a cash cow.

[Asher]

I will admit I rely on WoF's to tell me if anything is wrong with my car, im not a mechanic and shouldnt be expected to know the condition of every part in my car.
Relying of a WoF maybe ignorant but they would do alot better at determining if the cars safe or not than I.

[FJRider]

So this is an excuse to put the fines up?

He did say he was "looking" at it.

But a total overhaul of the Registration/Safety check regulations is not out of the question.

[Scuba_Steve]

The problem is human nature. How do you make them more responsible?

By giving them responsibility. Not many choose responsibility we pass off as much as we can, but forced upon them most will become responsible.

I will admit I rely on WoF's to tell me if anything is wrong with my car, im not a mechanic and shouldnt be expected to know the condition of every part in my car.
Relying of a WoF maybe ignorant but they would do alot better at determining if the cars safe or not than I.

But that's the problem they're not. It's no more than an extortion of cash, & I'm sure even you could tell if your tires bald, your cars pulling to the left, or your headlights out.
WoF's don't check for serious faults they are simply a visual inspection (you know stuff you could do yourself), They are a cash cow for MTA nothing more.

[GingerMidget]

VTNZ couldn't measure them, they don't have the equipment.

Which one is this? I'll see if that can be sorted.

[Katman]

But that's the problem they're not. It's no more than an extortion of cash, & I'm sure even you could tell if your tires bald, your cars pulling to the left, or your headlights out.
WoF's don't check for serious faults they are simply a visual inspection (you know stuff you could do yourself), They are a cash cow for MTA nothing more.

What's MTA got to do with it?

Very few WOF issuing authorities take the responsibility as lightly as you suggest.

[Zedder]

By giving them responsibility. Not many choose responsibility we pass off as much as we can, but forced upon them most will become responsible.



But that's the problem they're not. It's no more than an extortion of cash, & I'm sure even you could tell if your tires bald, your cars pulling to the left, or your headlights out.
WoF's don't check for serious faults they are simply a visual inspection (you know stuff you could do yourself), They are a cash cow for MTA nothing more.

I think you're over simplifying things Scube. Why do testing stations use rollers for brake testing then? Joe Bloggs can't do that. Steering and suspension integrity is not a basic thing either.

Incidently, Australia has a younger vehicle fleet than NZ but some states still have random checks plus roving units that specialise in vehicle safety checks etc.

[oneofsix]

I think you're over simplifying things Scube. Why do testing stations use rollers for brake testing then? Joe Bloggs can't do that. Steering and suspension integrity is not a basic thing either.

Incidently, Australia has a younger vehicle fleet than NZ but some states still have random checks plus roving units that specialise in vehicle safety checks etc.

yeah about those rollers ... Don't take your car there if you have just changed the brake pads. Might only be a drum brake issue but after I had problems I found out about 3 others, one a qualified WOF tester himself, that had the same issue. The roller test said the car was pulling to one side when it was subsequently proved not to be.
BTW they missed the non-working indicator with their convex mirror check must have been about 3 times including the previous owner having it re-vinned. No it wasn't a blown bulb, it was a lack of electrical connections at all.
WOF a false sense of security.

[Zedder]

yeah about those rollers ... Don't take your car there if you have just changed the brake pads. Might only be a drum brake issue but after I had problems I found out about 3 others, one a qualified WOF tester himself, that had the same issue. The roller test said the car was pulling to one side when it was subsequently proved not to be.
BTW they missed the non-working indicator with their convex mirror check must have been about 3 times including the previous owner having it re-vinned. No it wasn't a blown bulb, it was a lack of electrical connections at all.
WOF a false sense of security.

You changed the drum brake pads, well there's your problem 6!