Road Worthy Certificate -Significant Structural Issues Found When Reselling and during RWC

[Deactivated] on 22/03/2019 - 09:37
Last edited 22/03/2019 - 09:59 by 1 other user

Hey all,

So, I just sold my car and while doing RWC to sell it, My mechanic found a structural integrity issue from an accident . I haven't had accident with this car and there were damaged to the front bumper (crack) when I bought the car which I thought was of because of the age of the car.

Front Reinforcement bar was bent and crushed - very badly which cost me $800. Clearly it was sold to me with these issues and the RWC and RWC didn't mention any of these issues 18 months ago when I bought the car.

I have been trying to contact VICROADS to see what they suggest, their lines are so busy and I always end up having to go back to work before getting connected to a person.

My question is, is there any chance that I can get compensation for my extra money spend replacing this and getting RWC and may be also for the risk taken for my life as I was driving a car which was less safe in a collision?

Also, anybody have email of VicRoads roadworthy dept? I had it, now I lost it :(

Thanks a lot for taking time to read this.

Have a great weekend.

Automotive

Comments

  • altomic on 22/03/2019 - 09:40
    +1

    you should contact legal aid victoria and obtain legal advice

  • AnDyStYLe on 22/03/2019 - 09:43
    +10

    Gonna be hard to prove the damage didn’t occur during your 18 months ownership.

    Username checks out!

    • [Deactivated] on 22/03/2019 - 09:48

      Thats what i thought. I was wondering now that they have to upload pics to vicroads, if Vicroad might have the pic of the damage. Thats why i have been trying to contact vicroads

      • apsilon on 22/03/2019 - 14:26
        +1

        If the previous RWC inspector was dodgy and didn't list the damage why would they have uploaded pictures of the damage to vicroads?

      • Hithere on 22/03/2019 - 15:29
        +1

        There's no way you can prove that the vehicle had the minor damage when you purchased it.

        Can you prove to VicRoads's satisfaction that you didn't hit a kerb, run into something, or even prove that someone didn't reverse into you when you weren't around and that's caused the damage sometime in the last 18 months?

        You say it cost you $800 so you've paid to have it fixed already? Obviously it was only very minor damage for $800 so put it down to experience and move on.

        No reason for compensation for you unfortunately.

  • pantsparty on 22/03/2019 - 09:50
    +13

    If it only cost $800 to repair I wouldn't call the damage significant. Significant car repairs cost thousands of dollars. You cannot prove that you didn't cause the damage so your chances of recouping this money from anybody is nil.

  • 87percent on 22/03/2019 - 09:52

    IMO.. no chance you'll get compensation. If you still have the original RWC, see if the mechanic can provide you with the details of what they actually inspected

  • pegaxs on 22/03/2019 - 10:05
    +7

    Caveat emptor. If you bought the car and it was appeared that had (accident) damage, it is up to you to do your due diligence when inspecting the vehicle.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 22/03/2019 - 10:25
    +2

    Without approaching the argument of whether you'll be able to recoup any losses or not, you need to consider how much you value your time compared to the $800.

    I realise it's not an insignificant amount for a lot of people but you'll have a fair battle trying to recover it.

  • Seraphin7 on 22/03/2019 - 10:55
    +1

    You bought a car with a road worthiness certificate 18 months ago.

    You have now submitted the car for a road worthiness certificate and it has failed.

    It has failed because of a structural defect that was not included in the original road worthiness certificate.

    What will be the basis of your claim? Something that wasn't noted by anyone 18 months ago has now been noted, but it definitely occurred sometime before the last 18 months? C'mon man!

  • dcep on 22/03/2019 - 11:44
    +1

    Get another RWC done. Preferably a mobile RWC.

    Expecting -negs on this one.

    • pegaxs on 22/03/2019 - 14:27

      If it has failed RWC, I think there is a condition that the vehicle has to be returned to that same inspector to have the RWC cleared if it is within a certain time frame, ie: 14 days. Only after that time has expired can it be taken somewhere else for another RWC.

    • whooah1979 on 22/03/2019 - 21:14

      Is there such a thing a as RWC shopping?

  • JimmyF on 22/03/2019 - 12:21
    +1

    My question is, is there any chance that I can get compensation

    No…

  • Strahany on 22/03/2019 - 12:36
    +1

    I bought a car that had a dodgy RWC done; plenty of issues which should have popped up but weren’t noted.
    I didn’t get a chance for a pre-inspection, but when my mechanic fixed a (known) fault shortly after purchase, they found these issues and I was able to put the screws on the mechanic who did the RWC.
    Ended up getting everything fixed for free (the mechanic had done a dodgy for a friend, allegedly because his friend told him it was for a name transfer in the family).

    In my situation, I had leverage because I could clearly show it was a false RWC, and the mechanic would face losing his ability to provide them (which is a big source of income, apparently). Unfortunately, for you, that leverage is non-existent.

    Your only hope might be if there is some way to prove that this damage is longstanding; I’m no mechanic, but I doubt that would be proveable, so don’t think you’ll have much luck. Couldn’t hurt to ask.

  • Gronk on 22/03/2019 - 12:58
    +2

    This is generally the sort of thing a mechanic would pick up in a pre-purchase inspection, just sayin…

    • pegaxs on 22/03/2019 - 14:30
      +1

      Yes, this. A RWC is not a pre-purchase inspection. It is a check to see that no oil is leaking and that the brakes pull you up and all the lights and indicators work. Outside that, it is not covered in a RWC.

      For OP's state (Vic) you can read what is checked on a RWC by reading: Here: Vicroads VSI 26

      • Gronk on 22/03/2019 - 15:51

        It's also worth pointing out that VicRoads don't verify the integrity of the RWC - unless there's something that's quite obviously been mis-represented or missed they'll pass it without any fuss.

        I should know, the last car I registered for myself should never have been allowed back on the road but I was in a pinch, it's now a cube :D

  • brad1-8tsi on 22/03/2019 - 13:09
    +1

    I had something very similar with a car. I discovered the RH lower control arm was bent (still drove fine) about 3 months after I bought the car. I took it back to the dealer and had a friendly chat about it.

    He pointed out that: "The car passed an NRMA inspection prior to sale and we have no idea how you have driven in 3 months. The best I can do as a gesture of goodwill is to sell you the part at our cost price." I thought it a fair and logical offer so i took it.

    I was more annoyed with the half-baked NRMA inspection than the dealer as I know I hadn't hit anything in that time.

    Sometimes you have to wear it.

  • azonki on 23/03/2019 - 09:46
    +2

    There seem to be more and more posts on OzB where people have failed their due diligence and are looking to (sometimes quite angrily) pass the blame onto someone else.
    Am I the only one noticing this?
    Accepting responsibility for one's gaffs always used to be a sign of maturity.
    Or is it that we really are in the Age of Entitlement?

    • Micko179 on 23/03/2019 - 14:00
      +1

      There seems to be more & more posts here that have NOTHING to do with OZB whatsoever!!!

  • HeWhoKnows on 23/03/2019 - 11:39

    18 months ago is ANCIENT HISTORY!

    In fact even 1 month would be ANCIENT HISTORY

    Sorry to say that OP cannot prove anything here as the discovered damage could have occured the day after OP purchased the car.
    And certainly the previous owner would deny any knowledge of this.

    My message OP is Sorry but this one is all yours.

  • Micko179 on 23/03/2019 - 13:58
    -1

    Did I read this correctly?! You wish to be Compensated for your own STUPIDITY?! 🤣

  • Prince K on 23/03/2019 - 20:23
    -1

    Get your rwc from the same mechanic the last owner went to

  • tooblue on 24/03/2019 - 23:27
    -1

    Go back to the same dodge mechanic for another RWC inspection, bring a witness. Let him know he did the RWC 18 months ago, tell him the car didn't have any issue during your possession.
    If he passes this RWC, show him the failed inspection; If he fail you this time, confront him with the RWC 18 months ago.

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