Cost of Roadworthy Inspection in Melbourne

[greasykitchen]

Having recently moved from Adelaide to Melbourne I eventually decided to get around to transferring my rego over which necessitates a roadworthy inspection.

What's the going rate for one?

From what I understand there's about 2 hours' labour involved. I was quoted (I think, I may have misheard) well over $200 ($260 I think) from a 'prestige' workshop in Surrey Hills. In contrast a friend of mine had her's done at Ultra Tune in Hawthorn for $150 a few months back.

Being new to Melbourne I'm not sure of mechanics' typical hourly charge, but $130 and hour seems a little high (but I may well be out of touch).

Thanks

[jimmjumbo]

Having recently moved from Adelaide to Melbourne I eventually decided to get around to transferring my rego over which necessitates a roadworthy inspection.

What's the going rate for one?

From what I understand there's about 2 hours' labour involved. I was quoted (I think, I may have misheard) well over $200 ($260 I think) from a 'prestige' workshop in Surrey Hills. In contrast a friend of mine had her's done at Ultra Tune in Hawthorn for $150 a few months back.

Being new to Melbourne I'm not sure of mechanics' typical hourly charge, but $130 and hour seems a little high (but I may well be out of touch).

Thanks

I would look elsewhere if they quoted you $260. $150 sounds about right, most RWC are between $120-$180 mark.
Around $100p/h is the going rate.

Shop around, go who with who you feel comfortable leaving your car with and someone who won't charge you an arm and a leg for their 'prestige' services.

[jamesdavid]

I agree with jimmjumbo, a roadworthy is a roadworthy, long as it passes your all set, no point paying alot extra to get the same thing. $260 from memory would be about right though i work for a 'prestige' workshop and we internally cost sales $200 for a roadworthy i m pretty sure, so $260 would be about right for retail.

150 from ultra tune sounds pretty appealing at the moment though if you ask me.

[greasykitchen]

Thanks guys for the replies. I suspected as much. They seem to charge a premium for being a 'prestige' place (selling and servicing BMWs, Mercs, VWs etc). They're close to home and seemed to deal with VWs so that's why I thought I'd go with with them.

Plenty of other mechanics in the area that do roadworthy that I'll check out.

[Tim]

one does not go to a prestige mechanic for a rwc. You go to kmart tyre and auto.
And no im not joking.

[greasykitchen]

one does not go to a prestige mechanic for a rwc. You go to kmart tyre and auto.
And no im not joking.

Noted. Thanks. Getting a RWC is all new to me as I'm from Adelaide where there's no such thing.


EDIT: and it begs the question, when does one go to a 'prestige' mechanic when there's good one around who don't charge a premium.

[jamesdavid]

I had no idea road worthies were not applicable in Adelaide, thats awesome.

Haha yeh trust me mate there are a few 'prestige' mechanics i work with and they are not worth half of what they are paid/charged out at

[Jarred]

Tim is 100% right. Find the clostest Kmart T&A, and get it done there. IIRC they now charge around 120-130 for a RWC. (fixed price for the inspection, extra if they 'fix' anything for ya.

being a new car, it shouldn't have too much trouble, it doesn't hurt to mention that you moved and are just transferring it to VIC rego. (they may be a bit more leniant, as you're not selling the car, so less potential issues.)

and please don't go to a "prestige" mechanic, plenty of volkswagen specialist mechanics around

[greasykitchen]

I had no idea road worthies were not applicable in Adelaide, thats awesome.

Haha yeh trust me mate there are a few 'prestige' mechanics i work with and they are not worth half of what they are paid/charged out at

It's a mixed blessing as there's a lot more **** boxes on the road in SA, but on the other hand I wouldn't have been able to get away with driving my old VWs (MK 1 Golf and Beetle) if there were RWCs.

[greasykitchen]

Tim is 100% right. Find the clostest Kmart T&A, and get it done there. IIRC they now charge around 120-130 for a RWC. (fixed price for the inspection, extra if they 'fix' anything for ya.

being a new car, it shouldn't have too much trouble, it doesn't hurt to mention that you moved and are just transferring it to VIC rego. (they may be a bit more leniant, as you're not selling the car, so less potential issues.)

and please don't go to a "prestige" mechanic, plenty of volkswagen specialist mechanics around

Thanks Jarred. It may have to be an Ultra Tune just for the convenience of being much closer than a Kmart (a little more $ but not much). But there is a Kmart near work that might suit as well.

I'm not expecting there to be any issues with my car, but you never know.

I had eyed off a VW specialist in/near Burwood (forgotten the name) for servicing etc (but haven't needed to go there yet, and I may get a service in Adelaide when I'm there over Christmas).

I didn't know this other place in Surrey Hills (**cough Riversdale Service Centre cough**) was a prestige place when I called 'em. I've been out of the car/mechanics loop for a while due to lots of work busy-ness.