welshwales

can someone tell me what a WOF and what registration is
I presume they are like MOT's
How often do you have to get them and how much do they cost???

Also when i was in nz on a recce earlier this year the hire car was automatic, On the stick was a "hold" button, As i had never drove an auto before i had no idea what it was for so never touched it....Now looking on trade me i see most cars are auto so when we get over there the probability is we are going to have an auto car..so what is this button for

dlmckay

A WoF is a Warrant of Fitness and yes, that's similar to an MoT - a new car will need a yearly one until it's 5 and then it requires a new one every six months. The test is around $45 and a retest within 28 days is free.

You also require registration on your vehicle (similar to car tax I guess). This is about $95 for six months' worth.

Diesel cars don't pay tax on the fuel at the pump (which is why it appears cheaper), but they get you to pay tax on the kilometers you travel. You have to pay in advance and it was a right pain in the jacksie when I had a diesel, as I was always running out of paid kilometers.

I'm not 100% sure of the HOLD button for automatics, but I think it has something to do with holding the gear into higher revs before it automatically changes up a gear - for towing purposes? Someone more mechancially minded will let you know I'm sure

welshwales

Diesel cars don't pay tax on the fuel at the pump (which is why it appears cheaper), but they get you to pay tax on the kilometers you travel. You have to pay in advance and it was a right pain in the jacksie when I had a diesel, as I was always running out of paid kilometers........................................ .................................................. ..............................So how do they check how many km's you done And what if your speedo cable broke and your km's wernt recording

dlmckay

How do they check? The police are quite proactive with random roadside stop checks for valid WoFs, registrations and diesel kms... Two months ago, there was a checkpoint in a Massey road every night for a week!

If your speedo cable broke, then you'd be onto a winner, wouldn't you .... unless, of course, you got pulled up for speeding instead because you couldn't tell how fast you were going

Pete n Shell

Registration aka Car Tax is $183.22 at the moment unlike the UK it does fluctuate in price because of the ACC Levy and other levies. There are 4 componants to it Licence Fee, ACC Levy, Other levies and Administration. Not that you wanted to know really

The Hold button on Automatics is also refered to as the Overdrive button it basically locks you into gear or a lower gear, our Automatic does not have one which is a blessing IMHO.

Now as for what you just said about fiddling the Diesel Kms, DONT simply because if you get caught you will be done.
Each time your car goes in for its WOF the mileage is recorded and also in New Zealand the Police do random stop checks of all Vehicles on your windscreen will be the Road User miles displayed for Diesels, you use the excuse your speedo is broken you in trouble straight away for driving a defective motor vehicle.

Over than that you shall be fine or fined

Joshlin

If your speedo doesn't work you should not get a WOF, unless you have documental evidence from an approved repairer that it is being fixed- I do on average about 7 WOF's a day at the garage I work at

One thing we do see is diesels coming through with "kill switches" on the electronic speedos. Flick it on and the speedo works fine for WOF etc, flick it off and you are into "free motoring". We advise against it- the police as already stated will take a dimmer view if they catch you.

Lee

Pete n Shell

Another thing about disabling your speedo and that is if you should have an accident your insurance will be void. Recentluy heard about this when the party involved were not actually at fault but now they are in the sheite big time.