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Hi,
My car has failed the wof and the failure states a panel beater inspection report is required. Looks like some work was done before I bought car and they want to check this was carried out by a professional. The inspector thinks the car is safe but with the tightening of rules around the WOF he wants to ensure this work.
I have called and visited panel beaters but am finding it difficult to get the report. I guess they are wary of putting their name to other peoples work.
My question is. Is there a way to get this report but not get any work done? Are there specific panel beaters who provide this service? The VTNZ guys think this should be simple enough as this request is being requested more and more.
Thanks
Karl
Hi Karl,
It is a tricky situation as often a visual-only (free) inspection may not be enough for a panelbeater to put their name to it. You may need to contact a NZTA accredited repair certifier who can certify the repairs but this will be at a cost. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/specialist-repair-certifiers/
Hi,
I am also experiencing this issue. The car I have owned for 2 1/2 years that was purchased with some small panel damage. It has passed multiple WOFs over this time but now requires "Panelbeaters Report" which no-one will provide.
This situation forces the car owner to repair the panel damage even though previous WOF inspectors have assessed the damage as superficial only. I think puts the car owner in a lose-lose situation.
The NZTA needs to address this as WOF inspectors who are requesting these reports are just trying to avoid liability rather than assessing the car's safety.
Isn't this an issue the AA should be tackling?
Cheers
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
The NZTA are in charge of the WoF rules that all inspectors must follow, and they will be the ones you need to contact if you have queries about inspectors. A helpful inspector will show you the rules and reason why they are failing the vehicle as there must be a legitimate rule for them to fail you. https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/in-service-wof-and-cof/general/vehicle-structure/structure-incl2.-frontal-impact
Hi Cade,
I agree that NZTA are the issue here.
They have created a rule that any damage larger than 40mm or deeper than 5mm should be referred to a repairer for additional information. Unfortunately I have found that none of panelbeaters nor vehicle certifiers I contacted or visited were willing or able to provide this report.
It now appears that any cosmetic damage needs to be repaired whether it affects the vehicle's structural integrity or not in order to receive a WOF. I can only imagine it will lead to more people driving without a WOFs due to this catch 22.