I think it does which is why I prefer the current 6 months WOF for older cars. It helps to detect potential safety problems earlier. For example during one of my WOF the tester found a crack/cut on my brake hose and alerted me. It didn't fail but I was advised to let my mechanic take a look.
clanky,
May 25, 3:48pm
New cars 3 years from sale date and yearly thereafter (in UK). Could work here, but imports would probably need yearly from first rego as they are not new cars. UK doesn't tend to import 2nd hand cars.
kazbanz,
May 25, 6:01pm
NO wof testing doesn't make for a safer car IF the owner has regular servicing/maintainence carried out. Unfortunately in NZ that is fairly rare.
clark20,
May 25, 6:22pm
"Owners should be encouraged to maintain their vehicles between inspections through targeted advertising, advice and on-road enforcement focused on visible high-risk faults such as tyre condition, lights, glazing and modifications - with a greater focus on encouraging spending on maintenance rather than fines"
Like that would make a difference. There are already some that care, and lots that don't and it won't change easily. My cars always pass, however I still agree with 6 month warants over 6 years. You only have to see the condition of some cars to see why.
vtecintegra,
May 25, 6:25pm
It amazes me how often I see cars with tyres right down to the belts being used as it stands.
That, and people zipping along at motorway speeds with a space saver fitted
tigra,
May 25, 7:27pm
Of course a WoF doesnt make a car safer to drive. Disc Brakes do as do some other engineering innovations.The concept of car inspections covering basic matters was great but when the desk-bound bureaucrats got into it the rules became a farce.
eagles9999,
May 25, 7:30pm
Not just in NZ - regular servicing and maintenance is a rare event in most motorised countries.
smac,
May 25, 7:39pm
10, 15, 20 years ago people said the same about drink driving, smoking inside and at work, fast food.
Attitudes can be changed.
tonyrockyhorror,
May 25, 7:52pm
It doesn't make my vehicles any safer to drive. But without the WoF system we do have, you can be damned sure there would be plenty more vehicles on the road that were totally unsafe.
enigma,
May 25, 7:55pm
The last WOF on my Diamante screwed up the wheels completely and made my car into a lethal weapon, a danger to me and everyone around me. Never take your car for a WOF to a place that sells tyres, no matter the specials they may tempt you with.
firemansgirl,
May 25, 8:01pm
Do you care to elaborate on this! How does getting a WOF do that!
enigma,
May 25, 8:06pm
Good question, we asked the same. The tyre place advertises WOF at a very cheap price, the car goes in in a perfect condition, drives out and loses control every time it hits an irregularity on the road, no matter how small. So it goes back the next day and the company denies liability, even doubts the claims, until taken for a ride in the car. Then they claim it can't be on the road and. surprise surprise. that it needs new tyres! Happened twice to my knowledge, the same company, different people.
elect70,
May 25, 8:08pm
Couldgo the way of aussie,noWOFbut ifget stoppedatcheckpoints & car not up to scratchfinesor worst caseconfiscation .Even non standard bonnet scoopsresult in penalties .
tigra,
May 25, 8:08pm
But it hasnt reduce obesity.
enigma,
May 25, 8:13pm
or drink driving, or smoking inside etc etc.
40wav,
May 25, 10:02pm
I wouldn't think that tyres alone could do that. What do you think they did to your tyres to have that effect!
johnf_456,
May 26, 12:54am
It should be a year, 6 months is just OTT. Start clamping down on the culprits and don't punish everyone.
mugenb20b,
May 26, 1:05am
Are you saying they took good tyres off and put shit ones on during a wof check!
smac,
May 26, 1:05am
You're kidding, right!
pebbles61,
May 26, 2:05am
Bring on the yearly WOF!
supernova2,
May 26, 2:36am
Sounds to me like a tyre swop job to get sales.Never leave your car at a wof place.Its a while you wait service, if they cant do that go elsewhere.
n1smo_gtir,
May 26, 6:33pm
took my ride to VTNZ, got failed just on the tires. turned out it was so out of alignment that it was riding on the metal wires, looking from front and side it had atleast 2.5 mm. anyway $600 later (18's low profiles), new front tires and new wheel alignmnt n new WOF. lucky it got pointed out. hate to have a blowout and take some innocent life because of it.
tonyrockyhorror,
May 26, 6:36pm
It's exactly that sort of lack of maintenance that is the reason most NZers need the 6 month WoF.
bellky,
May 26, 7:07pm
Maybe yearly checks could be ok for private cars - what I worry about are commercial heavy vehicles; the brakes failing on one of those (and they're getting driven all the time so rack up ks and wear quickly) could be serious.
neville48,
May 26, 9:08pm
A WOF only says the car is safe at that point in time, it is up to you to keep it safe till the next WOF. I am blown away that your tester found an obviously bad brake line fault and never failed you, what if you had an accident across the road with an identified fault and a new WOF, somebodys butt would have been severly booted and a wee bit of money taken away by a judge, dont go there for a WOF again.
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