VASK Forum (VW Audi SportKlub of NZ)

GENERAL => General Discussion => Topic started by: ted on July 03, 2010, 10:26:02 AM

Title: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: ted on July 03, 2010, 10:26:02 AM
Hi guys,

Have been on here for quite some time but someone destroyed my old account (don't leave your computer logged in at uni and walk away!).

Anyway, have been asked to get a pre-purchase inspection done on my car (mk1 golf gl) for a guy who wants to buy it.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Best place to go (Auckland area)? Difference between AA and VTNZ other than the price? What to watch out for?

I've had difficulties with the sunnybrae rd branch of the AA before, the guy was a fat pig, Didn't like VW's and told me cars more than 10 years old should be band from the roads.

There are no problems with my car, it's well maintained, in good overall condition, reliable, and my daily driver, but am worried about coming across attitudes like this.

Any input will be helpful :)
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: chis on July 03, 2010, 10:39:47 AM
unfortunately a pre purchase inspection is going to pick holes in any mk1...and i've always thought it a bit rich for someone to ask for a pre purchase inspection on an early 80's era car they're looking to buy...it demonstrates some ignorance regarding what they think they're getting themselves into.

If you are interested in buying what really is a super old car now then you should know something about them and come up with a useful judgment for yourself.  If you want something that's never going to have issues or miss a beat then go buy a late model corolla FFS! (not a reflection on you Ted just the buyers)

I have always found the AA more professional and friendly than VTNZ though
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: ted on July 03, 2010, 11:08:45 AM
My thoughts exactly!
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: deedub on July 03, 2010, 03:49:49 PM
Pre purchase inspection on a mk1 golf from the AA... what a laugh! If you're the sort who is buying a car and then paying someone else to do all the work on it, sure - but then at least get it inspected by someone who knows Golfs.

AA and VTNZ inspections are barely useful even for a modern car. They usually just put 'in average condition for age and mileage' on everything. My first car had an inspection and the car failed a WOF a couple of weeks later on a major item which they didn't even notice. I would say the compression test is all that is really useful and sometimes they don't even do that.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: 80 Vert on July 03, 2010, 04:17:04 PM
Car inspection services, trained mechanics not wannabe's like the AA.
Fair and reasonable, they don't pick on stuff like scratches on the hubcap (like the AA have on one of my cars  >:()
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: kiwihigh on July 03, 2010, 04:26:27 PM
AA report aint worth the paper its printed on in my experience.. and i would have less respect for a VTNZ one

Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: ted on July 03, 2010, 05:06:36 PM
Sooo, i took it down to VTNZ this afternoon to find out how much it would cost and what exactly they would be looking for on a car of this age if i was to have to get an inspection done by them, and, the highly qualified experienced and trained expert that was sent over to have a look, proceeded to walk around the car and then ask me if i realized that there were VW Golf badges on my KP Starlet!!! :o
I couldn't help but laugh at him, he had a slightly confused look on his face as i got in my car and drove off without saying a word to him.

I will not be going back
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: Gordo on July 03, 2010, 05:08:17 PM
Quote from: ted on July 03, 2010, 10:26:02 AM
Hi guys,

Have been on here for quite some time but someone destroyed my old account (don't leave your computer logged in at uni and walk away!).

Anyway, have been asked to get a pre-purchase inspection done on my car (mk1 golf gl) for a guy who wants to buy it.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Best place to go (Auckland area)? Difference between AA and VTNZ other than the price? What to watch out for?

I've had difficulties with the sunnybrae rd branch of the AA before, the guy was a fat pig, Didn't like VW's and told me cars more than 10 years old should be band from the roads.

There are no problems with my car, it's well maintained, in good overall condition, reliable, and my daily driver, but am worried about coming across attitudes like this.

Any input will be helpful :)

Should have told him fat pigs should be banned from driving because they can't control a vehicle properly in emergencies!

If you've a serious enquiry, tell him that HE can arganise a place and time and HE will have to pay for it - IMO, that's the conventional thing to do, just like a house or boat inspection!
Personally, I tend to just give a car a good lookover and ask for a new WoF - if it passes that it'll do me!
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: cpncrash on July 03, 2010, 10:42:29 PM
I bought an older car that had an AA report done, it had lots of great info like how the safety sticker on the spare wheel was wrong etc.... as it turns out they missed some major items too :-\
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: BB on July 04, 2010, 08:41:07 AM
Gordo is right. If they want an idiot AA test or whateverf then they pay for it and waste their time doing it not you.
And they are idiots at both the AA and VTNZ.
A person who wants a test done on a old golf is not a person who should own one really.
If its got a wof and looks good and drives well what else do you need to know or be told.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: bigbumper on July 04, 2010, 12:16:55 PM
Some people don't know much about cars but want a "classic".  That shouldn't be dismissed, in fact it should be encouraged.

As Chis says, ideally the buyer should do some homework themselves - but then some people aren't mechanically minded and even if they knew a particular model of car's common failings, they still might not be able to spot them.  It's not wrong of them to want someone more competent to give them a professional opinion, and it's just reflective of their lack of knowledge that they go to the AA for pre-purchase advice. 

What they really need to do is to take it somewhere like Qualitat(?) or to someone like Jem - people who know that model of car and can list all the things that need doing.  But sometimes they don't know where to look to find such people (admittedly there's less excuse for this, in this internet age) so they just go to the AA...

Ted, maybe you need to assist the buyer by suggesting this?
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: BB on July 04, 2010, 04:56:43 PM
Its called having a mate who knows a bit about cars, you dont pay money to a corporation that has to cover its ass if the slightest thing is found after they have done their test. even tho Im sure they have plenty of small print for that ass covering as well.

Its normal to have to cover your ass with a population of blamers that exists now but it means that you never get any closer to actually making your mind up on anything ???
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: Angle on July 04, 2010, 09:19:16 PM
Quote from: BB on July 04, 2010, 04:56:43 PM
Its called having a mate who knows a bit about cars, you dont pay money to a corporation that has to cover its ass if the slightest thing is found after they have done their test. even tho Im sure they have plenty of small print for that ass covering as well.

Its normal to have to cover your ass with a population of blamers that exists now but it means that you never get any closer to actually making your mind up on anything ???

I'm not sure what the best way to respond to you is.  ;D
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: Gordo on July 04, 2010, 09:20:52 PM
Thinking on it, perhaps the best option is to take it to an authorised VW dealer/workshop, as they should be aware of the problems specific to the vehicle.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: bigbumper on July 04, 2010, 09:24:40 PM
Quote from: Gordo on July 04, 2010, 09:20:52 PM
Thinking on it, perhaps the best option is to take it to an authorised VW dealer/workshop, as they should be aware of the problems specific to the vehicle.

An authorised VW workshop probably hasn't seen a Mk1 Golf in the past 20 years...
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: Angle on July 04, 2010, 09:52:26 PM
Qualitat or Platinum would likely be best and as stated before - responsibility of the purchaser not seller.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: ted on July 05, 2010, 02:00:12 AM
Cheers for the input everyone, it's nice to see vask is back to having threads in which everyone gets along and there's plenty of good help ;D

The car really speaks for itself, so going to wait until the potential buyer has a good look over it and takes it for a drive before they decide weather or not they still want to waste their money on an inspection that wont be fair to the car.

Am a little reluctant to sell it to someone so ignorant to these cars, but then it's always good to convert yet another person to the world of the VAG, and i guess it is just an old mk1, but then again there are not too many good condition original mk1's left... Hmm maybe i shouldn't be selling it :-\
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: le mans on July 05, 2010, 07:28:14 AM
If you're out west, Euroworks in Henderson could be helpful.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: BB on July 05, 2010, 08:35:00 AM
Don't sell it. I was nearly going to sell mine and turned down 2800 because I said I wanted $3000 which in all honesty is far more than its really worth.
But Im so glad I still have it. They will increase in value I think.........
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: ted on July 09, 2010, 01:25:47 PM
Quote from: BB on July 05, 2010, 08:35:00 AM
Don't sell it. I was nearly going to sell mine and turned down 2800 because I said I wanted $3000 which in all honesty is far more than its really worth.
But Im so glad I still have it. They will increase in value I think.........
Yeah if i didn't need the money for things a little more important i'd keep it.


So after insistence from the potential buyer to have an inspection done, Car Inspection Services (thank you Vert) came today.
The guy was 'of the old school' in his terms, and he made sure he told me how crap the AA was :D He had some really trusty ways of checking things like putting his ear to the end of a screw driver for the engine diagnostic test, and he noted that the clutch slips under load - but of course it's going to when you try to start off in 4th gear!! :-\
My only real gripe is that he left greasy oily hand prints on EVERYTHING and was smoking whilst sitting in my car (i hate smoking!) >:(

The car got a rating of 'Above average condition for age' but you can tell that just buy looking at it. Nothing was revealed that i didn't already know, and hadn't already told the buyer.
In my opinion the check is not worth the money, but i guess if you really have no idea about cars then it would give you peace of mind... However if something was to go wrong, and they had checked it off, they're not liable anyway. Go figure.
Title: Re: AA and VTNZ inspections
Post by: BB on July 09, 2010, 04:46:07 PM
I'm pretty sure that that guy lives two doors down from me, either that or its his other guy.
White and yellow van eh?
And his test in forth gear is a legitimate test even tho it seems tough on a car. But remember if you had 4 people in that car and on a steep hill you would have to rev it up and drop the clutch and would expect it to pull off and away. If the clutch is good it will just stall the engine.

The greasy fingerprints and smoking is the old school. Unacceptable really at the modern price you no doubt paid him.