Thread: A trip to the test centre

I agree with you when you state "I think that expecting a 39 year old vehicle to be as efficient in a test as the newer stuff is asking a bit much." as I see it here too when a young tester jumps into the old '84 110 truck and tries to figure out how to start it, let alone test it. Our local testing centre I use has a couple of old army mechanics who have 110 experience so I like it when these guys get to give my old 110 a once-over.

The periods in your testing regime is interesting. Here in NZ it works the other way around. Here it is a warrent of fitness (WoF) certificate.

If your vehicle is:

• less than 2 years old, the WoF will be issued up to the third anniversary of when it was first registered
• between 2 and 3 years old, the WoF will be issued for 12 months.

You have to get a warrant of fitness check every:

• 12 months if your vehicle was first registered anywhere in the world on or after 1 January 2000
• 6 months if your vehicle was first registered anywhere in the world before 1 January 2000.

Over her passenger/private registered vehicles no test until year four. Every two years until they reach ten years of age then yearly.
Commercially registered vehicles yearly from day one.
Vintage (30 years onwards) every two years unless used for commercial purposes then still yearly.
I had a tester who had to bring me into the testing lane as he did not know how to turn off the series 111.

Originally Posted by windsock

You have to get a warrant of fitness check every:

• 12 months if your vehicle was first registered anywhere in the world on or after 1 January 2000
• 6 months if your vehicle was first registered anywhere in the world before 1 January 2000.

Here I was, thinking over here was hobbled by nonsensical bureaucracy, but I see we have a way to go yet.

Originally Posted by discorevy

Here I was, thinking over here was hobbled by nonsensical bureaucracy, but I see we have a way to go yet.

Yes, presents a six-monthly dose of WoF anxiety and sometimes repair bills. Key payback is the assumed/implied high quality road-worthiness of the old vehicle fleet on our roads, which I understand is quite high in percentage compared to other countries. I say assumed/implied as many differences can be noted in the quality and efficacy of inspections between testing stations. Some are quite lax while others are straight up and test to the legal list. I usually go to an independent tester not affiliated or involved in repairs and they usually appreciate my well maintained old 110.

If I had to get my truck inspected every 6 months it would sextuple the frequency it would have been driven over the last few years. Good thing we don't have anything like that here, I would be going to the testing station nearly every month.

Aaron

Spud, requirements for inspection, in this country, vary between jurisdictions. Some have annual safety checks, whilst others only mandate certification at change of ownership.
Statistics indicate that mechanical failure rarely have a significant contribution to cause of collision. Further, states requiring annual checks fare no better than the other states in comparison, with mechanical issues contributing to incidents.
Conclusion, inspections serve no useful purpose.

Some years ago I had two inspections done on the one vehicle in the one day. This was an administration mess up computer wise. First one in the morning and the second a few hours later in the afternoon. The read out for braking efficiency, suspension imbalance etc DIFFERED in the two tests, Same vehicle, same testing equipment, Go figure,,,

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Some have annual safety checks, whilst others only mandate certification at change of ownership.

And at least one other has no testing unless you're caught doing a burnout in front of a plod and cop a canary. My 33 year old Volvo hasn't seen the pits _ever_. Just paid the rego yearly and don't get caught doing dumb stuff.

Some of the ****boxes we have tootling around WA are total and utter deathtraps.