Hi. I’m looking for advice as not sure what to do.
We bought a 1987 Daihatsu motor home in 2018. It had a replacement motor fitted in 2016. Between 2016 when the new motor was fitted it went through 4 COF’s at VTNZ . We only used the camper about 6 times before a new baby came along & the camper became too small. It has been in the shed for 2 years & rego is on hold.
We decided to sell it so took it for a COF at VTNZ. We have been told that the motor fitted before we bought it needs certifying and also a cert of loading.
We didn’t put this motor in & feel we should not have to bare the cost of certification. VTNZ have basically said “bad luck”.
My argument is that their testers passed this vehicle 4 times without this certificate & now it needs one & we are having to do it even though we did not put in the replacement motor.
Original motor was a Toyota 13b & replaced with a Toyota 14b. There is a 200cc difference between these 2 motors. We have all receipts from mechanic who put in motor & all inspection forms.
Who should be responsible for this mess we find ourselves in ? I don’t accept “bad luck” as an excuse for others not doing their job properly.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
mrcat1,
Jun 6, 10:49pm
So does it need revinning? How did they find out that the motor had been changed?
traykuku,
Jun 6, 10:57pm
No it doesn’t need revinning. I don’t know how they picked up motor change. We know it had a motor change because we have receipts. Maybe they saw those in glovebox. It had a current COF when we bought it.
kazbanz,
Jun 6, 11:08pm
Sorry but end of the day it always comes back to YOU. my first line of investigation would be if the engine change comes in under or over the legal limit the 13m is 3432cc and the 14b is 3661cc -so 229cc and 9 hp difference. Now this applies to WOF not COF but https://www.aa.co.nz/cars/owning-a-car/licensing-safety-fees/warrant-of-fitness-wof/vehicle-modification-rules-and-regulations/ 1 would appear to apply even though its under (well under) a 20% increase in size and hp. Id suggest that establishing that a 14b WAS a factory fitted engine for this exact make/model would be first option. But yea end of the day it was always YOUR responsibility to ensure any changes are and always were legal. That the inspector missed it was a 14b fitted is moot. Hey Im not critiquing just giving my opinion.
traykuku,
Jun 6, 11:11pm
So we have to know more than the inspectors? They passed it 4 times but we should have picked it up? Yeah. nah.
I’ll look into the things suggest, thanks.
franc123,
Jun 6, 11:13pm
Im assuming this engine transplant was done by a business? If so, do you know if this business conducts CoF repair work or is approved to do CoF's themselves?
franc123,
Jun 6, 11:19pm
Sorry to burst your bubble but the fact that a larger capacity version of the same engine is available in a given model series does not exempt you from needing to declare it and cert it, its the fact that your individual vehicle was not fitted with the bigger engine to start with is the critical bit.
franc123,
Jun 6, 11:25pm
It is your vehicle, it is still your responsibility to present a compliant vehicle for inspection, it either complies or it doesn't, and currently in your case it doesn't. My above question is important because they will be the only place you will have any claim against through the MVDT. Even that could be problematic in that you are a third party.
bitsy_boffin,
Jun 6, 11:31pm
Whatever way you look at it, the contract which failed is BEFORE you purchased the vehicle, either/both the mechanic who contracted with the previous owner to do an engine swap failed, or VTNZ who contracted with the previous owner to do a CoF BEFORE you purchased failed.
In either case for those two instances YOU had no contract with the establishment in question, so I think you might be pushing **it uphill to get any sort of compensation out of them.
YOUR contract was with who you purchased the vehicle from. If you purchased it from a dealer, then for sure, head back in there and politely and calmly explain the situation. If you purchased it from a private individual, good luck with that.
There is of course the possibility that you had a pre-purchase inspection done, or YOU took it through a CoF BEFORE you purchased it, in which case one of those two could, at a significant stretch, be chased for some contribution.
tweake,
Jun 6, 11:47pm
there is a lot of these types of conversions out there. they where simply ignored but these days they are getting strict on the rules. its a simple matter of checking the engine number. sorry to say but it requires a cert and your paying.
traykuku,
Jun 7, 12:25am
Yeah have accepted that . We could have sold this camper 20 times if not for this issue. It’s a great wee camper. so are going to get it done & add the cert to the bottom price. It still doesn’t make it right. How can they have rules that are only sometimes enforced ? Why did the inspectors not pick this up previously ? Very frustrating , such is life.
traykuku,
Jun 7, 12:27am
Yes done by a business but not one that can approve COF’s. It was an engine swap .
traykuku,
Jun 7, 12:31am
If it’s so simple, why don’t the inspectors do it ?
redhead18,
Jun 7, 12:52am
Well buying a Daihatsu with a Toyota engine in it? In Reality suggest going to the testing station and speaking with the Manager with the last C O F sheets showing they passed it oh and well. Looke here today's news.
i think in the past they can't be bothered. thats because the engine looks like its the same and even if they notice its the bigger engine, its still a gutless pos, so it gets over looked. no one really cared and it never caused a problem.
but whats been happening is ltsa run the mechanics through the grinder when issues happen. owners do stupid crap with their car, then blame the mechanic that gave it a wof to avoid being prosecuted and ltsa go after the mechanic. some many are now checking every little thing and failing it on anything that might be wrong.
tweake,
Jun 7, 1:07am
thats actually factory. its common practise for manufactures to rebadge other brands and sell them in different markets.
traykuku,
Jun 7, 1:33am
Yes that’s how these campers came out, with Toyota engines.
john1623,
Jun 7, 1:37am
Daihatsu and Toyota are the same company.
franc123,
Jun 7, 1:59am
Ok was there any wording on the invoice stating the engine was of a larger capacity and would require the owner to obtain an LVV cert?
kazbanz,
Jun 7, 3:04am
YOU knew the motor had been changed. THEY didn't YOU were the potential buyer with all the receipts available to you to clarify if it was an issue. It is a part of doing due diligence. The engine is so close looking to original that a look wouldn't identify it. How precisely do you think a COF inspector would be able to identify the difference between a 13 b and 14b engine by a visual inspection? Why are you refusing to accept personal responsibility for your educated decision?
joanie32,
Jun 7, 3:10am
I have argued the same issue you are having and succeeded
The engine type is the same, and the capacity is only slightly different
Ask a lot of questions then tell them to have sex and leave
You will win.
traykuku,
Jun 7, 4:22am
So they have rules that are too hard for the inspectors to enforce ? Yet the lay person buying is meant to know how to identify them ?
traykuku,
Jun 7, 4:29am
Am i? I know nothing about motors. The vehicle had a current COF which is meant to pick up things like this, they didn’t . Even the VTNZ help desk doesn’t know the rules. They said it had to be over 20% increase in power.
tygertung,
Jun 7, 4:59am
I had a problem with a 5K in a 75 corolla which originally had a 3K. had to source a 3K and pop it in to get through one of the WOFs after it got pink stickered.
stevo2,
Jun 7, 5:21am
Not really sure how you want this to be resolved? Do you think that VTNZ should just keep giving it a CoF for the rest of it's/your life because they missed picking up the fact that it's had an illegal transplant? Do you think that the seller should refund you for selling a vehicle that cannot legally obtain a COF?
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.