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Hi Jack,
In the Middle East & India where I've lived previously, fr motor vehicles they have a warrant of fitness check along with the car registration and they check for exhaust gas emissions. I see so many cars on the street often spewing out white smoke (usually an oil seal failure) which is in my opinion an engine component failure and pollution of the environment. Why is there no exhaust emission check when conducting warrant of fitness in New Zealand?

Thanks!

A visible smoke check is part of the WoF, but this does not extend to a full emissions test as analysis by the Ministry of Transport showed the cost of administering a test would exceed the benefit to the country in health and pollution costs. This is because the vast majority of vehicles (mostly petrol) comply. It is better to target those offenders on a case-by-case basis rather than target everyone. The AA would especiaily like commercial diesel vehicles to be targeted as part of their more comprehensive Certificate of Fitness safety check.