Nelson or Richmond?
Nelson sits on the eastern shore of Tasman Bay, right on the edge of a mountain range, and State Highway 6 runs through the city and on to Richmond, 13 km to the south. Plans for a motorway from North Nelson to Brightwater haven't gone ahead, so State Highway 6 is still the main way through.
Richmond is a town of its own and the seat of the Tasman District Council, though it's part of the wider Nelson area. Use the postcode where the car actually sits, and the mechanic who rings will be at that end of the highway.
What Nelson's climate does to a car
Over 2,400 hours of sun
Nelson has one of the sunniest climates of the major centres, with over 2,400 hours of sunshine a year. Sun dries out wiper rubber and clouds plastic headlight covers, and both are on the inspector's list.
Fewer frosts, more salt
With the sea all around, Nelson gets fewer frosts than you might expect at the top of the South Island. Cold is less of a worry for an older car here than the salty air off Tasman Bay, which speeds up rust underneath.
No railway, one highway
Nelson is one of only five major urban areas in New Zealand without a rail connection, so trucks and cars share the road. Following a truck throws up stones, so check for windscreen chips in front of the driver.
A quick look before the WoF
- Headlight covers clear rather than yellow or hazy.
- Wiper blades soft and whole, with no cracks along the edge.
- Every bulb working, the third brake light included.
- Tyres with tread right across, and no cracking in the sidewalls.
- Belts that click in and retract.
- No chips or cracks in the driver's view.
If it doesn't pass
The inspector gives you a list of what failed. Put that list in the note on the card, along with the make and model, so the mechanic knows what to price before they ring.
Ask for a written quote, and a call before any extra work. If the sheet mentions rust, talk through with the mechanic whether the fix is sensible for a car of that age, and ask the inspector how the recheck works.
Our take
We'd wipe the headlights, change any cracked wiper blades and check the screen for chips, then get the WoF near home, in Nelson or Richmond. If it fails, we'd send the sheet with the job and want the price in writing.