About half Northland’s vehicles fail initial inspection tests

More than 40% of Northland vehicles aren’t fit for the roads when first presented for vehicle testing.

Figures released on request from the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) for the period January 1 to October 31 last year show 43.5% of vehicles in the region fail a warrant of fitness check on the first go.

That might seem alarming but it’s not much worse than the national average failure rate of 42%, which steadily increased over the past decade from 36% in 2015.

Northland testing stations identified 137 vehicles with as many as 12 faults, last year.

The region with the least compliant vehicles is Bay of Plenty where nearly 48% failed the first inspection.

Regions with the most roadworthy vehicles were the most populous - Auckland and Canterbury. Canterbury’s first-time failure rate for WoF inspections currently stands at about 38%; Auckland’s at about 40%.

Harry Clyde, the owner-operator of Te Kamo and Railway Road vehicle testing stations - two of about six such facilities in Whangarei, said of the 160 vehicles his staff see daily across the two centres, 50% inevitably failed their first WoF inspection.

Of those failed vehicles, only about half again will get repaired, retested, and declared roadworthy within the 28 days permitted before a fresh testing fee has to be paid.

The remaining vehicles ended up in the wrecker’s yard or were driven illegally by owners willing to risk getting stopped by police.

The official data showed that of the nearly 3.7 million vehicles tested nationwide during the period, most were failed for only one fault.

It was usually something minor like a blown lightbulb or under-inflated tyres - simple fixes for owners had they only bothered to check their vehicles before taking them for testing, Clyde said.

Those faults might seem minuscule to frustrated vehicle owners, but no reputable vehicle testing station would risk its licence by passing vehicles with a fault, no matter how small, Clyde said.

The national figures showed 1295 vehicles had as many as 12 faults. Of those, 137 were in Northland.

Harry Clyde has owned and operated the Whangārei and Kamo testing stationd for more than 30 years. Photo / NZME

Clyde said multiple faults included worn-out suspensions, buckled wheel rims, and rusted-out undercarriages - a reflection of the region’s pot-holes and driving on beaches without rinsing the saltwater off.

Staff regularly had to tell people they couldn’t drive home and needed a tow truck.

“It’s serious stuff like the suspension has just about come apart and has rotted, ready to break away.”

However, he applauded owners for at least bringing the vehicle in.

“At least they pay the money and they get it inspected and then they know what the faults are and can decide whether to have the car repaired or wrecked.”

Too many people didn’t bother getting a WoF if there were multiple things wrong.

“It’s real bad and police probably haven’t got enough resources really to get stuck in and deal to it all - and they (non-compliant vehicle drivers) do things like travel around in the middle of the night.”

The problem had worsened with the cost of living crisis, Clyde said. He questioned why the Government wasn’t fully subsidising the $6 NZTA charged for warrant labels.

Clyde reckons the worst vehicle he’s seen in his 50 years or so is a Mini with the bottom cut out and replaced with a fibreglass floor, with the subframes bolted back on.

“I drove it across the brake (testing) machine and the bloody floor was just waving away like a bloody boat - like the sea.

“I took it to the owner and said, ‘No, what you’ve done here is totally dangerous’.”

He’d also seen some dangerous takes on tow bars over the years, including one made from 3/4 inch water pipe.

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, covering a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference, especially those involving environmental issues.