AA: get your WoF sooner rather than later

Thursday, 6 August 2020

The AA is warning motorists there could be big delays if they wait for the October 10 deadline to renew their car's Warrant of Fitness.

Jonathan Sergel, AA Motoring Services General Manager said the renewal deadline for any WoFs that expired on or after January 1 – put in place ahead of lockdown in April – affects hundreds of thousands of cars nationwide.

“We’re not talking small numbers here – there are motorists from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South currently driving around with expired WoFs,” he said.

Get this sticker updated as soon as you can, the AA is asking motorists.

“We appreciate many motorists were relieved when the temporary extension was announced, but now all our sites are fully operational, we urge them to come in now rather than wait for the October deadline.

**READ MORE:

People tend to use the warrant of fitness test as a litmus test for their vehicle’s safety, which could mean unsafe and unwarranted cars have been driving for more than seven months.

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“If everyone waits until October, we anticipate there’ll be queues everywhere and long wait times. And that won’t just be a one time thing – the rush will happen again in six or 12 months when renewals come up again.”

There is also a valid concern that some motorists are driving unsafe cars. Many drivers use the WoF test as a safety check, which could mean there have been unsafe cars on the roads for at least seven months.

If you have been neglecting your car care duties (naughty), here’s a quick list of things to immediately check before taking it to get a new WoF.

The major points are: tyres, windscreen, indicators, rust and lights. Or TWIRL, for short. You should also be aware of anything that feels off in your car, particularly to do with the steering, suspension and brakes.