Hello, my name is Walter. Over the past few months, I have been working on my car. I never used to think much about my car. I would just jump into it and hit the road. Things were fine at first, but soon I realised that things were starting to go wrong. Strange white smoke started to appear from the exhaust. Sometimes when I changed gear, I could hear a strange noise. Foolishly, I ignored all of this until my car broke down. When I got to the auto repair shop the mechanic repaired my car and then gave it a full service. As he did so, I began my auto servicing education.
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Over the course of a typical year, hundreds of thousands of cars are submitted to an inspector for a roadworthiness test across the country. Many of these cars will pass the test first time, but a significant number won't. It's amazing how motorists approach this mandatory test, as if they fully expect the vehicle to pass without any effort on their part. This type of approach can lead to wasted time, money and effort, with a return visit necessary following modifications. Some of the things people overlook are relatively simple. What should you be thinking about before heading down to the inspection bay?
See and Be Seen
The first thing you need to consider is your overall illumination. Each and every one of the lamps fitted to your vehicle must be operational, so you will need an assistant in order to help you check this first. Obviously, you won't be able to see whether the brake lamps are working without the assistant, but don't forget parking lamps, reverse lamps, headlamps, indicators and any after-market accessories that may have been fitted to your vehicle. Accessories have to be securely mounted, as well.
Can You See out?
Have a look at your windscreen wipers, to make sure that they are not old or substandard. You may be able to deal with annoying streaks when they are in play, but the inspector won't like this. Windscreen washer jets must be pointed in the right direction so that the liquid actually gets onto the windscreen. Did you know that you may be able to rejuvenate some out of date wiper blades by cleaning them with some soapy water and an old cloth? This may work for the short term, before you get them replaced.
Remember the Spare
Did you know that your vehicle could fail if your spare wheel is not securely clamped down? The test does not mandate that it needs to be in a fully roadworthy condition itself, but if it is "loose" in your boot, it's not good. Make sure that it is bolted down with secure clamps or tie downs.
Tidying up
You may think that an inspector can be pedantic at times, but they are only looking out for your safety and security. It's best if you remove any ornaments that may be hanging around the dashboard of your vehicle, as these may be considered to be obstructions, or too large. Remove anything that is hanging from the mirror as well, no matter how little a problem you may think this is.
Making Sure
With a little effort from yourself, you can avoid an unwelcome and annoying rejection at the car inspection bay.
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