I had the most aggravating roadworthy experience I have ever had today,
apparantly a mini engine running on after the key switches off constitutes an ignition switch problem, a twitching speedo at very slow speed is a fail, a small amount of oil left over from a cam timing adjustment constitutes an oil leak, and a 1970 Mini is meant to have a wing mirror.

Oh, and my windscreen washers failed because they weren't working. I had to show him that it was a pump and not an electric button, it takes a few pushes to get it working.

Arrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!

I coulda smashed his nose. They get paid 56 dollars for a roadworthy over here, and if they make you come back because they failed you on something it's a nother 42 dollars. No free second passes. They just want the money I think.

Pfffffffffft

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Pricey inspections Mick. Is that an annual charge?

I took JAM for a roadworth today too.

The inspector didn't know how to:

1. Open the door from the inside
2. Find reverse
3. Find the horn button
4. Open the bonnet

Passed inspection without a problem though

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Website: www.justanothermini.com

All fun & games, isn't it Mick?

Which garage did you go to?
I've only used Merino's, but have heard that mechinic on Safety Bay Rd is even stricter.

Fortunately it is only required if:
- vehicle is unregistered
- tranfering rego from interstate
- vehicle has a red or yellow defect sticker

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Too many cars, and too little time.

I took Barney for his annual on Monday.
The tester:
Sat in the car and wrote down the speedo reading.
Started it up and let it idle.
Checked the lights.
Looked at the tyres.
Went inside and wrote out the pink slip.

There was a brake test printout attached to the form when I got it.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Our local guy is a bit like Doc's as well particularly if he knows the car. However, he hired another mechanic who was a bit too keen and it began to cost him customers so he has told the mechanic to make the failures refferred to him before the white slip is written out.

I had some words when I went to pick up the commodore after a rego check last year and it was failed because of a blown tail light bulb. I asked why was it necessary to fail and issue the white lip when all they had to do was put in a bulb or two. I think i even told them one of the bulbs was blown.

I am frankly not interested in stitch in time faults, just fix them. I am more interested in power steering leaks and ball joints and things that matter.

It all started badly I think, that old fellow at the place was agro as hell when i went in, I was warned that he generally failed the "young fellows" and passed the older blokes. I got worried as soon as he said he was going to do the road worthy for the "young fellow with the mini"
Shoula walked out then...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Went to get my clubman registered after 7 years in the garage... after preventative brake hose/cylinder replacement ... took in and failed on dodgy headlight switch.... after hunt through "the spares" and replaced passed OK... only to get stumped at the rego office picking up new plates, was found to be "barred" with "Special Inspection" over the ACT pits... and of course diff seals had now started leaking after sitting so long... so knew wouldn't pass pits.... fixed seals now but haven't had a chance to take in yet... but should soon have a mini back on the road.

Used to be fun with previous shell back in the early 90's - half cage and fibreglass front - they always complained about something! Funniest year was when I was too busy to go down - so got my grey haired old mum to take it through to get first reject list... they couldn't even open the flip front - but passed it anyway!!

Worst I ever had was changing a Rally Datto 1600 over from NSW to ACT rego.... always got a different inspector on each visit who found issue with something the previous inspectors had OK'd.... all mostly pretty trivial things too - they thought they had the jackpot when they found the chassis number was lost due to re-inforcement / repair welding. Had to get the Federal Police to come out to check it. A couple of chain smoking old sargents turned up... took one look and said "If it's stolen - no one would want it back now... here's your new body number" (and probably preceded to the pub) So after after 11 inspections finally got through !!!

yes

Mike nailed it, it was Merino's off Dixon Rd. Funny thing is it was reputed to be a decent enough place to go, this guy doing the roadworthy (not the owner) didn't have a clue. I had to show him how to operate a mini windscreen pump and I argued with him for 10 minutes about the side rear vision mirror.....

Willing to take suggestions on another place to go, I would rather pay $56 again than give that guy an additional $41 to simplypass my mini

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Same in SA.
Except we only have one defect... and thats Yellow.
We can have a defect that is cleared at a Police Station (bald tyres, blown lights, those minor things) or MAJOR defects which include things like suspension, incorrect motor type, etc... which MUST go for a full "Regency" inspection.

All easy stuff.

ok

Unreg'd as it came from interstate and the reg ran out while I was away at the beginning of the year.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

ok

Yeah I can get a 72 hour pass from DPI, or tow it.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

We want to keep that out of SA. What willy didn't mention was that the roadworthy you get here is only if you get pulled over and/or they notice something. There is no such thing as an annual roadworthy here. My Moke was off the raod (cos I just stopped driving it, no other reason) for nearly 20 years. Sold it to a chap here on Ausmini last year so he took a really old rego paper in, renewed the rego in my name then I just transferred it to him. Even got to keep the same numberplates.

I've only been involved with "legit" cars coming in from interstate (fleet vehicles for a place I worked for) and all we had to do was take them to Regency Park (our state inspection place) so they could check that the numbers were all OK. No mechanical check. Ahhh, Adelaide, the Athens of the South. Went for a walk on the beach this arvo in sunnies, shorts, T shirt, nice lunch at the sidewalk tables looking out over the sea.....Hey, what's the weather like in Sydney ?

smithy