Questioning a WOF

OK, so I suspect a workshop in Hamilton is trying to drum themselves up a bit of business. My wifes car was failed on tyres, brake pads and brake rotas, the latter two not meeting (make of car) standards whatever that means. If this is the case, no problem. However, I went and got a second opinion as the tyres looked good to me, but I am no expert and certainly didn't personally inspect pads/rotas. The second opinion said they would have passed the car on all three aspects, but since its been failed already, the didnt want to know, and understandably so. I have been taking my own car to this second opinion garage for 5yrs as he knows his stuff, is honest, upfront with no bulls*#t. So my question is, say the original garage stitched me up, have they screwed me good and proper and I must get the "repairs" done! Because now its logged in the VTNZ system or whatever, other garages can see its already been failed. I really want to take the car to an independant WOF station, one that doesn't do repairs or anything, to get their opinion, but have the testing done without telling them its already failed. I know they will look on the computer eventually. Thing is, am I wasting my time! Hope you get what I mean. Oh and I withheld the make of the car as you'd probably guess the garage if I stated it - oh and they didn't give my the pass/fail sheet either, but it has been lodged as carjam has updated mileage. Cheers

There is nothing to stop you going somewhere else for a second WOF check.It comes down to whether the next inspector is willing to sign it off as safe.I certainly have done so in the past if I consider the items to meet WOF requirements regardless of what another inspector thinks.

You can also ask for the contact details of NZTA and make a formal complaint if you are certain the items shouldn't be failed.

Take photos now.Lodge a complaint with the WF certifier people, isi it LTSA!,did that once after they took a jemmy bar to the sills on my wagon and managed to break through, no wonder how hard they hit.

Thats what I would have thought Steve, but I get the distinct impression from some other motoring know-alls I have talked to that garages are very wary of passing a vehicle that has already been failed. Thats why I don't want to say anything until after the independant check is done. And yes, I really want to make a complaint if they have failed it for a standard that was in reality passable.

Go back to the wof inspector and take it up with them first. If you have no success, then write to LTNZ and complain.

I really would prefer to get something from the independant guy, as I may well be wrong, and the car does need work. I certainly do not want to go back unprepared and without evidence etc. I think that would give me more weight when I do complain say in the future.

You need to check why the items were failed.Tread depth is only one of the things that need to comply with tyres.Are they the same size and construction on each axle ie: (directional, radials, assymetric) is there any damage to the sidewalls!Brake pads could be a genuine mistake as it is often very difficult to see how much lining is left without taking the wheel off (a WOF is a visual inspection only, nothing is taken apart) and the disc rotors could be at or below the minimum thickness.

Not saying that any of this is the case but food for thought.

I issue wof and you have evry right to complain. Heres what you do. Go back to the workshop and make a formal complaint. They have 3 days to acknowledge the complaint and then 20 days to resolve the complaint. Ask to see their complaints policy has to be visible to the public and demand the wof checksheet as they have to give to you as it is a legal documant about the road worthyness of your vehicle.
We dont see if your car pass or failed a previous wof inspection untill we load your data into computer and either pass or fail it anyway.I only pass vehicles that are upto VIRM standards and i am 100% in my head the car is ok to drive on the road and wont cause a accident or kill someone i dont want the hassle otherwise. And if i pass a car and i then and only then see it failed somewhere else i dont care because i know in my head the car is safe.

^^With you 100% on that alan1111^^

I am quite capable of deciding whether a car is up to standard or not and issue or fail a WOF based on that, not what someone else has entered on the system.

Bang on, thanks guys!