The Motor Trades Association of Queensland is pushing for annual vehicle inspections

[csv8]

The Motor Trades Association of Queensland is pushing for annual vehicle inspections

by Allira Preece, North-West News
From: Quest Newspapers
March 04, 2013 1:00AM


A leading motoring body has approached the state government to impose tougher laws for drivers who continue to flout scheduled vehicle inspections.

The cost of living has impacted motorists who are struggling to meet routine six-month vehicle services.

The Motor Trades Association of Queensland has demanded Transport Main Roads crack down on drivers who leave their check-ups longer than a year to keep unsafe vehicles off the road.

Chairman of the automotive engineers division Charlie Serchen said annual vehicle inspections should be a mandatory requirement for drivers.

He said some drivers were waiting up to three years before servicing their vehicles.

But a TMR spokeswoman said it would come at a significant cost to motorists.

She said the Department already inspected about 70,000 vehicles and private stations inspected about 54,000 vehicles per year.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/questn...588666057?pg=1

[cs123]

Trying to drum up more business by the looks of it....

[turbodewd]

Accidents caused by vehicle faults are very rare. It should only apply to vehicles older than, say, 6 years.

The ACT no longer has annual inspections unless the vehicle changes hands. There's also a vehicle age exemption, not sure what it is.

[Smoke Pursuit]

This is great news! I hope it comes through.

The current setup is a joke. There are some places that will give you a roadworthy certificate on any car, some without even looking at it apart from the VIN.

I reckon it should be mandatory on all cars over 5 years old. Even if they made it every 24 months it would be a hell of a lot better then the current setup. The governemnt needs to do the inspections themselves too. Heavy vehicles need to be inspected every 12 months so why shouldn't cars.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by turbodewd

Accidents caused by vehicle faults are very rare. It should only apply to vehicles older than, say, 6 years.

The ACT no longer has annual inspections unless the vehicle changes hands. There's also a vehicle age exemption, not sure what it is.

Accidents maybe... But deaths? That's another story. If your in an accident (your fault or not) and your in an unroadworthy car with poor brakes, poor tyres etc your chance of survival is much lower.

I have been advocating for yearly inspections for years... Yes of cars of age, at least 5 years old.

[The Yeti]

I cant remember a time in NSW when it wasnt the case, new cars dont get one for 3 years then its every year after that, I dont have a problem with it and if you car fails it really should be off the road, it really is a simple safety check down here

[FGII-XR6]

In NSW we have inspections every year for rego if the car is over 5 years old. It's not an over the top thing but keeps the standard of vehicles on the road to a reasonably safe level. I have seen Qld registered cars here that have more rust than metal but they are still registered, they would not be on they road with annual inspections

[2011G6E]

Huh...been waiting for the start of it.

Been quite a few years since the last push to ban or severely restrict "unsafe old cars" off the road was spoken of...usually it's one of the big manufacturers who comes up with the idea to bring in a Japan-style increasingly expensive inspection regime or an outright ban on cars older than, say, five years...purely for road safety you understand...not to increase sales of new cars...heavens no...

This could be the start of such a push, this time by the MTAQ in the name of "safety"...this subject pops up every five to ten years or so...

[xisled]

I find the whole RWC every year funny. I live in Vic but my Ex was from NSW.

When she took the car to the mechanic every year. He would jump in the car, check the lights, check the seatbelts and gave the cert.

Not really a RWC.

I just think why bother if the mechanic takes 2 minutes to check the car and pass it as roadworthy.

[FTE217]

Well that comes down to the stadards of a mechanic and his business xisled.
It was rorted years ago for road worthy tickets were given out by paying the mechanic a $50 without inspection, he'd just tick the box's pass you the paperwork off you go and get re registered. These workshops made some good cash flow once upon a time.
Years ago the RTA clamped down on this - they would visit the dodgy workshop, tear off 10 pages and inspect those cars - obviously some were rust buckets, or brakes faulty etctec.....the mechanical workshop got fined heavily and their inspection ticket taken off them.
So nowadays it is farfar more regulated IF your an honest good businessmen/mechanic you have nothing to fear - but importantly SAFER cars on our roads.

Long long overdue about time QLD - the amount of rubbish cars I see up there its a joke.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Well that comes down to the stadards of a mechanic and his business xisled.
It was rorted years ago for road worthy tickets were given out by paying the mechanic a $50 without inspection, he'd just tick the box's pass you the paperwork off you go and get re registered. These workshops made some good cash flow once upon a time.
Years ago the RTA clamped down on this - they would visit the dodgy workshop, tear off 10 pages and inspect those cars - obviously some were rust buckets, or brakes faulty etctec.....the mechanical workshop got fined heavily and their inspection ticket taken off them.
So nowadays it is farfar more regulated IF your an honest good businessmen/mechanic you have nothing to fear - but importantly SAFER cars on our roads.

Long long overdue about time QLD - the amount of rubbish cars I see up there its a joke.

From what I've seen the same still happens in Queensland.

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by xisled

I find the whole RWC every year funny. I live in Vic but my Ex was from NSW.

When she took the car to the mechanic every year. He would jump in the car, check the lights, check the seatbelts and gave the cert.

Not really a RWC.

I just think why bother if the mechanic takes 2 minutes to check the car and pass it as roadworthy.

no its not a Road worthy as set out in VIC, its a safety check

lights, tyres, oil leakes, brake performace etc

its not a hard thing its just to check for a minimum level of safety

any thing the inspector finds is writeen down and its up to YOU the owner to have rectifed you dont have to use that shop to have this work done

from experiance you dont get ritch off rego inspections, they are simply a service the shop provides that means you can offer your customers more

the amout of work you get from a drive in off the street pink slip is stuff all and not somthing you budget for in your months takings, and your regular customers are never a problem becasue they get their cars check often and generaly only require very minor things corrected to pass, that are normaly stuff that is to be done at that service any way

[Silver Ghia]

I would support annual testing only if its done by free drive-thru independent testing stations not associated with repair workshops in any way. Such as the state traffic authorities Vicroads or RACQ, RACV etc.

There is too much temptation by the workshops for needless repairs being required for unsuspecting owners. From experience with the many RWC's I have got done over the years, I don't have full confidence in them.

[Rico 110s]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

The current setup is a joke. There are some places that will give you a roadworthy certificate on any car, some without even looking at it apart from the VIN.

How is this going to change? This is still happening in other states and Territories regardless of mandatory checks.

People cant afford to pay another cost on and above what people are paying now, this is pretty much the same as putting your rego up every year by an extra $50.00 or so.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Rico 110s

How is this going to change? This is still happening in other states and Territories regardless of mandatory checks.

People cant afford to pay another cost on and above what people are paying now, this is pretty much the same as putting your rego up every year by an extra $50.00 or so.

It needs to be done by the government... The current system is a sham...

[Rico 110s]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

It needs to be done by the government... The current system is a sham...

But what State of Territory does not have the inspections done by either Govco or Private industry?
Come rego day and your at the dept of Transport, you will be lined up for months waiting for your inspection to be done as there are not enough places to cater for everyone.. Sorry, I am in Darwin at this time and they had to open the MRT up to Saturday mornings to cater for this and there is nowhere near the numbers of people that live in Darwin compared to Brisbane or the rest of QLD for this?

And you can go to a mechanic here and just get the same thing done that the MRT will do.

[2011G6E]

A guy I work with used to be an engineer involved with ADR testing of new vehicles...to digress, he has some awesome photos of cars that at the time were still in the development process like Ford and Holden cars that weren't even on the market.

Anyhoo, he often says that if you took a brand new car that had been used "as normal" on the streets for a year, it wouldn't even meet a lot of ADR's anymore. This is what worries people about yearly testing...how strict are they going to be? Is it truly safety items they test, or are they going to be bastards about it and target getting old cars off the road by using any little excuse?

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by csv8

The Motor Trades Association of Queensland is pushing for annual vehicle inspections

of course they are, their job is to lobby for more business for their members, it is a crock of ****.

Victoria have said they will not go down this path, there is virtually no evidence to support unroadworthy vehicles contribute to the road toll

[Rico 110s]

I think some of the point in going from point of sale to a yearly process would be about content within the Certificate.

Previous Safety Certificates in QLD that I had done seem to be more comprehensive than say the ones that I had done in NT.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

of course they are, their job is to lobby for more business for their members, it is a crock of ****.

Victoria have said they will not go down this path, there is virtually no evidence to support unroadworthy vehicles contribute to the road toll

If that's the case in Victoria then why is it mandatory to have vehicle stability control on all new cars...

Sounds like a crock of **** but last time I checked decent tyres and brakes were a safety feature of a car... were they not?

Sounds to me like some Governments don't want to lose votes, I can see mandatory inspections as being a future election loser.

Unroadworthy cars do contribute to the road toll... Not always directly but extra fatigue etc can all be considerations caused by a vehicle that's not roadworthy.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

of course they are, their job is to lobby for more business for their members, it is a crock of ****.

Victoria have said they will not go down this path, there is virtually no evidence to support unroadworthy vehicles contribute to the road toll

Might not contribute to the road toll ill guarantee they contribute to the amount of road accidents (None fatal). Anyway couldnt care if unroadworthy cars dont contribute to the road toll. My problem is i maintain my car, keep it roadworthy and ensure everything is right (Admittedly its only 2.5yrs old) but i have done with all my cars in the past. Whilst others run around in crap cars with bald tyres, numerous features not working dropping oil all over the road getting a free ride.
Im all for it.

[EFFalcon]

all part of the plan to get older & modified cars off the road

[Outbackjack]

It's a good idea. As long as the Govco dont try and use it as a revenue raiser. Anual inspections in the NT cost $37. The first 3 years of a cars life is exempt.

[eyes87]

We have nothing like this at all in tassie. As long as your car has rego your fine. If it happens to run out then you just go to service Tasmania. Pay the rego again and away you go. If the car has been out of rego for longer than 3 months then you need to get a rwc to renew it but that is the only time you need one down here.
Personally I have no problem with it. The problem I do have is that it won't stop people that are already driving around in unregistered **** boxes.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Might not contribute to the road toll ill guarantee they contribute to the amount of road accidents (None fatal). Anyway couldnt care if unroadworthy cars dont contribute to the road toll. My problem is i maintain my car, keep it roadworthy and ensure everything is right (Admittedly its only 2.5yrs old) but i have done with all my cars in the past. Whilst others run around in crap cars with bald tyres, numerous features not working dropping oil all over the road getting a free ride.
Im all for it.

How is your modified Focus going to pass? If it's tuned, it is not ADR compliant?

Or is it only some vehicle checks you approve of?

[Mitch_]

yay! more money to the govco!

[Shonky.]

would be great news for all those guys doing phoneworthys if implemented..............

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by cs123

How is your modified Focus going to pass? If it's tuned, it is not ADR compliant?

Or is it only some vehicle checks you approve of?

The former engineer I know said that once a car has been used for a while and tuned up or even a replacement part fitted such as exhaust, it won't, technically, meet the specs it was built with.

I doubt something that has had even something as simple as chipping and an exhaust fitted would be allowed through if they decided to be strict about things.

Motorcyclists some years ago, back around 2000 I believe, faced the horror of what would have destroyed the aftermarket industry. Basically, the proposal was that any replacement part fitted had to be exactly the same as fitted by the factory...if not just plain factory parts only, nothing after market or modified at all. Exhausts were the main thing...can you imagine the cost of only being able to buy your entire exhaust system from the manufacturer...? Not to mention the crippling price they charge for even simple parts that at the moment you go to Autobarn or Supercheap to buy.

This of course meant that once a part was no longer available for your bike, you weren't allowed to use alternative parts to fix it...too bad...go buy a new bike like a good little consumer.
This was of course suggested for bikes, as we are a minority. It wasn't talked about for cars...not loudly anyway...but the idea would have been there if it had been allowed for bikes.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by cs123

How is your modified Focus going to pass? If it's tuned, it is not ADR compliant?

Or is it only some vehicle checks you approve of?

Yep valid point i can accept that, and its often something i have thought of but not when i posted last

I agree it probably wont pass an emissions test so therefore that will make it unroadworthy not pass an RWC.
That being said ive never seen an emissions test conducted on any of my cars when an annual RWC was required (Is it apart of an annual inspection). I dont mean it as such that some mods are right and others are wrong.

I know rules are rules, ill admit that, but honestly is a tuned car going to harm anyone?

Anyway if i know its due for annual RWC ill flash it to stock

[Smoke Pursuit]

RWC does not take emissions into consideration, from what I can see. DOT can test though.

I think most cars over 5 - 6 years with lots of km's will not pass emissions due to carbon build up. I think if this system was introduced it would focus on things like brakes, tyres, lighting, rust, handbrakes and suspension components.