Roadworthy - Honest and Fair - Melbourne

L[Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 08:33
Last edited 30/03/2019 - 09:10 by 1 other user

Anyone know a more fair mechanic to do a roady in Melbourne.

I have taken my car to two different mechanics who have both listed approx 3-4 things which need fixing however not one item on either lists matches. I have questioned both of them who are adamant the other is incorrect and they are right, one listed a missing spare as a defect (a spare is not required).

I'm not in a position to be fixing unnecessary items on my vehicle and am simply looking to transfer ownership to myself, however if there is a genuine item that requires work, I'm not asking for a "dodgy", just want an honest and fair report.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Automotive

Comments

  • 87percent on 30/03/2019 - 08:59
    +2

    Sounds to me like you just want a dodgy RWC.. Can't wait until 3 months later Op posts a thread "help, my car is a lemon. Can I sue my mechanic"

    • pegaxs on 30/03/2019 - 09:27

      Or…. "My car just got defected off the road by police, pls hlp."

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 13:36

      Actually you are incorrect.
      I would prefer an honest roadworthy however I would also prefer not to get ripped on things i dont need.
      Maybe unless you have some genuine imput to post it might be better to find another way to fill your time.

    • Luke88 on 31/03/2019 - 09:23

      I agree, sounds like the car needs a few things done so whether OP take it to 1 or 2 or 5 mechanics. The result will be the same.

  • bobbified on 30/03/2019 - 09:03
    +1

    …two different mechanics who have both listed approx 3-4 things which need fixing however not one item on either lists matches.

    What items were they?

    Some mechanics are probably more pedantic and others could be trying to sell you their other services.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 13:40

      Exactly my point.
      To suggest my vehicle will fail due to a missing spare is wrong as a spare is not required for a roadworthy.
      But at the same time the other mechanic said a frayed/damaged seatbelt is not an issue when I know that it is.

      Hence why I was looking for an alternative.

      • Zachary on 30/03/2019 - 13:59
        +1

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        nice…

        What items were they?

        So what were they? List them all…..

        • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 14:30

          Drive belt cracking
          2 shocks leaking
          Replace windscreen

          1 seat belt
          Spare wheel missing
          Worn engine mount
          Worn front brakes
          Indicator wont cancel

          Plus both state the usual wiper blades, a brake globe,

          The spare tyre is not required for the RWC and the winscreen does have one minor (professionally repaired) chip about 100mm from the top on the passenger side which I believe is allowed as it is A: repaired and B: Less than 10mm which is acceptable within the requirements according to vicroads.
          Which leads me to believe they are both attempting to take advantage.

          • azonki on 31/03/2019 - 11:37
            +1

            @[Deactivated]: It is also not necessary for self cancelling indicators. Citroen used a rocker switch which could be operated without taking your hand off the wheel.
            I was once told by a used car dealer that fraying seat belts can be "fixed" by carefully using a ciggy lighter. If it doesn't work then the damage becomes very obvious and the belt definitely needs replacing.
            If your front brakes work and the pads and discs are not distorted, damaged and are within the manufacturer's wear limits, then they are OK. I would assume that they are not, hence the defect.
            An engine mount failure can be due to wear. It can allow too much movement.
            I have had the spare tyre argument before. I'm not sure of current trends, but in the past, most Govt. cars, Water and Electricity Authority vehicles, etc. never had spare tyres fitted. In the event of a flat, they had to call the workshop. (Public Service/Union rules.)
            Leaking shock absorbers is a defect unless there is just some dampness around the seals of the piston rod.
            All drive belts must be in good condition.

  • Baysew on 30/03/2019 - 09:17

    Isn't the sellers responsibility to provide a RWC?

    • bloom on 30/03/2019 - 09:42

      He's the seller and the buyer haha

      • Daabido on 30/03/2019 - 10:38
        +1

        Both the seller and the buyer thought the other unreasonable when negotiating.

      • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 13:43

        DAABIDO

        Unless you have something useful to add maybe try finding another way to entertain yourself.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 13:42

      Technically yes but you can still buy privately without one.
      A dealer must provide one but it doesnt work that way with private buyers.

      • jimbobaus on 20/12/2019 - 20:24

        I know this is a super old post but for anyone who might pop in here and read this comment

        The law in victoria clearly states if you are selling a registered car then the seller must provide a RWC
        If you wish to sell you car without a RWC then you need to cancel the rego and return the plates.

        People make arrangements for the buyer to get the RWC all the time, but this is technically not within the law.

        In mid 2020 all RWC's will be electronic no paperwork to carry. The RWC will be already loaded into the VicRoads system with pics etc so when you transfer the car they will see the record, when this change is implemented it will only be the registered owner who will be able to get a RWC as this will be linked to the car itself and due to privacy etc only the confirmed registered owner will be able to have this data added to the registration file.

        (exceptions will of course be car dealers who act on behalf of previous owners when selling used cars, they tend to leave car registered in old owners name until such time as car is sold)

  • whooah1979 on 30/03/2019 - 09:43
    +2

    The whole process of getting a RWC to sell a vehicle in Victoria is nothing but a cash cow. A safety check in NSW costs $41 and is only required once a year for rego renewal.

    • Reppunkamui on 30/03/2019 - 13:23

      There is no once a year check required in VIC so it is just a different way of doing things…I presume that if something fails the NSW check you need to pay to get it fixed?

    • dcep on 30/03/2019 - 14:06

      but you get away from the NSW annual pink slip / safety checks, once you own/registered the car in VIC/QLD or other states.

      you can drive the car with 1 wheel missing, running cat-less, no mufflers, modded with quad-turbos, engine oil spewing, blowing smokes

      as long as you're not defected by popo who's busy looking at speed-gun

  • eviledward on 30/03/2019 - 11:36
    +2

    These guys are who I would recommend for unbiased road worthy certificates as they don't do any type of mechanic works on site.

    https://www.vehicleinspectionsaustralia.com.au/

    I've dealt with them before and it went pretty smooth.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 13:41

      Thank you,
      I will give them a call.

  • Euphemistic on 30/03/2019 - 12:07
    +1

    It is entirely plausible that different mechanics might see different things as important. What was listed as wrong? Perhaps just pick the one with the cheapest repair items. Maybe borrow a spare tyre from someone else for the trip. Doesn’t have to fit, just fit in the space in the boot.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 12:16
      +1

      I completely understand that different mechanics will interpret the standards differently however my question was more towards finding an honest tester.
      A spare tyre is not required for a RWC.
      To list that as a failing item automatically sets off alarm bells as to what else is listed incorrectly.
      One of the items was a seat belt that has minor fraying, this I concede is an issue and needs repair, the mechanic who picked the the tyre noted this however the other did not, which makes me question the knowledge of both.
      I could continue to try different mechanics but that is not financially practical.

      • cille745 on 30/03/2019 - 13:57
        +1

        A spare tire is definitely not a RWC item, some cars don't even come with them

        • BenK-Oz on 30/03/2019 - 16:54

          I find this hard to believe? do they have run flats? or a space saver?

          • cille745 on 30/03/2019 - 16:59

            @BenK-Oz: my car has a puncture repair kit and that's it

          • brendanm on 30/03/2019 - 21:41

            @BenK-Oz: Runflats, can of sealant and an air compressor.

        • jimbobaus on 20/12/2019 - 20:26

          If the car has a spare present: It must be roadworthy
          if no spare is present then the car would not fail the RWC
          We often tell people they have failed cause their spare is not roadworthy, tell them to go home, take spare out and come back for the recheck. As spare is now gone we can pass the car for a RWC

  • Ace Ventura on 30/03/2019 - 14:19
    +1

    Given it is such a small list, why are you dodging the question every time someone asks what else is listed?

    If you give some indication of what is listed, myself, and likely others here, would be able to explain how to check the individual items yourself, and then you can make an informed decision of which list is more accurate.

    but:
    There is no requirement for a spare
    wheel to be carried on a vehicle and the
    standards for registration exclude wheels
    not normally used in service from any
    requirements. However, where a spare
    wheel is carried it must be securely
    retained in or on the vehicle.

    Seat belts must be appropriately and
    securely fitted, and be accessible, and all
    components, including retractors where
    fitted, must function correctly. Seat belt
    webbing must be firmly secured to its
    end fittings and must not be damaged,
    cut, knotted or frayed. Repairs or
    modifications to webbing, buckles,
    retractors or other seat belt components
    are not permitted.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 14:35

      To be honest i didnt understand how the items were relevant as the mechanic wont sign off unless his defects are rectified anyway.
      I can be 100% certain he is incorrect but if he says im wrong, Im wrong.

      But either way. I listed the faults above.

  • pegaxs on 30/03/2019 - 15:14
    +2

    The problem is that you could take the car to 10 different RWC testers and get 8 different results. It could be that the one that reported the spare tyre is from an older training set or trained by someone who gave them bad/outdated information.

    What is a “frayed seatbelt” at one tester is totally within spec at another tester. That’s the nature of being humans and being subjective. If you are that worried about the belt, you do not need permission from a RWC to replace it.

    From my experience, RWC testing is terrible work. You get paid next to nothing to do them and have to do them quickly and try and pick up major issues. Due to the time and cost restrictions, some things may get missed between testers.

    What you are looking for is almost impossible due in part that the fact that not every human is the same, has had the same training or has the same experience. Take what you can get on a RWC and if you feel there is more work required that isn’t on the RWC, just do it.

    And getting upset/abrupt with people replying to your question when they don’t give you the answer that you want isn’t helping your case.

  • Ace Ventura on 30/03/2019 - 15:25
    +5

    Drive belt cracking
    2 shocks leaking
    Replace windscreen

    1 seat belt
    Spare wheel missing
    Worn engine mount
    Worn front brakes
    Indicator wont cancel

    • Drive belt, fan belt, serpentine belt, easy to check, look for cracks, tearing or brittleness. Your engine will fail if it breaks, so replace if it looks aged.

    • Shocks, give them a clean, do a bit of drive, even better if there's a few bumps to get them working hard. Inspect for leaks. If leaking replace, if a shock fails, the car will not rebound correctly through bumps, it may cause steering issues or potential lose of control. This is an accident waiting to happen.

    • Cracks in the windshield are iffy, if it's a laminated windshield, any crack that goes through both layers is an instant fail, no repair accepted, must be replaced. (there may be exceptions if the crack is outside the wipers zone)

    • Seatbelt, you already accept this one, so I'll move on.

    • Spare wheel, not needed, but if you have one, it must be roadworthy like the other wheels. personally I'd go get one just to be covered.

    • Engine mounts are a bit harder to check, under the car, looking up at engine, torch helps. It's the rubber (mostly) blocks between the engine and chassis, look for cracking, brittleness, check if you can move them by hand. Need to be tooled up to replace them, but not overly expensive at least.If worn, you will have excess vibration, noise and engine movement. Wouldn't be fun if they failed while driving.

    • Brakes, wheels off, most disc brakes have wear indicators, if the meat is worn down to the indicator, it's a fail, if they have no indicator, 1mm is the minimum, but I'd be replacing them if less then 3mm since you're there anyway. Couple hundred bucks for this one, do both sides together, check the discs for scoring while there.

    Regardless of what any mechanic says, if you have questions about brakes, shocks, drive belts, I wouldn't be driving the car until you have them sorted, or determined they are actually in good working order.

    Edit: the indicator and blown bulbs are simple enough, I'm sure you don't need us telling you how to check them.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/03/2019 - 16:00
      +3

      Thank you very much mate.
      Much appreciated

  • computer barn find on 30/03/2019 - 19:54

    Look for a place that mainly does rwc and not mechanical repairs, most places like to have a cheap price and make up for it with dodgy repairs. An honest place will charge a bit extra but should be more honest. You just have to know people who have used these places, ask workmates or anyone else you meet with day to day.

    • eviledward on 31/03/2019 - 00:06

      I suggested to OP to go for these guys. Exactly the type of people you mentioned in your comment.

      https://www.vehicleinspectionsaustralia.com.au/

    • jimbobaus on 20/12/2019 - 20:30

      This is so not correct

      Everything that is checked on a RWC is photographed and audited by VicRoads
      if you say the engine mount is cracked, you MUST take a pic of the cracked engine mount
      if you say the shocks are leaking, then you MUST take a pic of the leaking shocks
      This pics are uploaded weekly to a vicroads run site which audits randomly, if you are found to be failing things that are not legit in order to get repair work you will simply have your RWC license taken away, no warnings, not suspension.. canceled

      The system is set up to protect the consumer more than ever before.

      Given the amount of money RWC checks bring into workshops (just from the checks alone) they would never risk loosing their license for a few quick repairs that are not needed.

  • Zachary on 31/03/2019 - 00:09
    +1

    …awww he disabled hes account…..I think we were a bit too rough on him………….

    • Deridas on 31/03/2019 - 11:42

      Or perhaps disabled by mods for sockpuppetting.
      He was a lot rougher on us than it was for him.

      • pegaxs on 31/03/2019 - 18:23

        Hahaha… mouths off at the people not telling them what OP wanted to hear and nek minnit… disabled user.

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