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Growing list of banned garages

The NZTA has suspended three vehicle inspectors and their respective inspecting organisations from issuing warrants of fitness - affecting 3,539 vehicles.
Posted on 06 May, 2019
Growing list of banned garages

The NZTA has suspended two garages in Auckland and one Whangarei-based inspecting organisation from issuing warrants of fitness - affecting 3,539 vehicles.

Vehicle inspector David Gundry and his Whangarei-based inspecting organisation - A-1 Auto Spares and Repairs - has been banned by the agency from issuing warrants of fitness (WOFs) after it was found 932 vehicles were improperly inspected.

"The NZTA is concerned that Mr Gundry has been issuing Warrants of Fitness to vehicles with non-compliant modifications and serious rust issues," the agency said in a statement. 

"Due to the concerns around Mr Gundry’s inspections, there is a strong possibility that some vehicles may have been incorrectly passed."

Following two more site visits, the agency also suspended vehicle inspectors, Nassir Habib, Litesh Gounder and their respective inspecting organisations - Carbine Automotives and Manurewa Auto and Tyre Centre.

"During a recent site review, Nassir Habib, the sole vehicle inspector for Carbine Automotives was found to be incorrectly issuing a warrant to a vehicle with structural damage," the agency said. "Mr Habib also failed to properly inspect critical vehicle safety systems such as brakes."

"Manurewa Auto and Tyre Centre and its vehicle inspector Litesh Gounder were found to be non-compliant in a number of areas. Most seriously, Mr Gounder admitted to falsifying brake test records and not check braking systems properly."

The NZTA will contact all 3,539 affected vehicle owners individually as soon as possible to advise them on recheck options, with vouchers provided.

Timeline of events

- Late August: Dargaville Diesel Specialists suspended – 1,956 vehicle owners urged to get WOFs rechecked. 

- Late September: NZTA hires law firm Meredith Connell to review its open-compliance files and regulatory function. 

- October: Orient Motors – 3,494 affected owners. 

- October: Te Aroha Automotive – 613 affected vehicle owners.

- November 23: Westland Mechanical and Tyre – 3,721 affected vehicle owners.

- November 30: Auckland’s Jet Tyres and Wheel Alignment – 993 affected vehicle owners.

- November 30: Onehunga’s Church Street Motors and Tyres – 4,053 affected vehicle owners.

- December 4: El’s Auto Services in East Tamaki – 3,783 affected vehicle owners. 

- December 5: Super Cheap Tyres and Auto Services in St Johns – 2,443 affected vehicle owners.

- December 10: NZTA chief executive Fergus Gammie announces his resignation

- December 14: Stephen Upson and Sunnybrae Auto Services - 747 affected vehicle owners. 

- December 20: Sayad Hussein and Frankton WoF and Tyre Station - 2,836 affected vehicle owners. 

- December 21: Patrick Chu of Transport & Structure Ltd – numbers of potentially impacted vehicles yet to be confirmed. 

- December 21: NZTA appoints former Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe as interim chief executive until a permanent replacement is found.

- December 21: Consulting firm Martin Jenkins hired to provide support for the Ministry of Transport’s review into the NZTA’s regulatory function. 

- January 25, 2019: NZTA extends expiry date of all unused vouchers

- February 4, 2019: Manufacturers call on the NZTA to pay for customers’ towbar re-certifications

- February 7, 2019: NZTA announces it will cover costs for towbar recertifications.

- February 12, 2019: NZTA welcomes findings of an independent report on regulatory compliance.

- February 13, 2019: Donald Steward McLean and The WOF Man Ltd. - 3,515 affected vehicle owners. 

- March 22, 2019: Rajesh Singh and Gravity Services Ltd - 5,740 affected vehicle owners.

- April 8, 2019: Patrick Chu of Transport and Structure Ltd - 300 affected drawbars and draw beams on heavy vehicles and trailers.

- April 12, 2019: Mohammed Hussein and Autozone Services Ltd - 1,607 affected vehicle owners.

- April 12, 2019: Graeme Jordan, Peter Flannery and Michael Urquhart and Peninsula Motors - 1,170 affected vehicle owners. 

- April 16, 2019: Sun-Jin Kim and World Motors - 1,556 affected vehicle owners. 

- May 3, 2019: David Gundry and A-1 Auto Spares and Repairs - 932 affected vehicle owners. 

- May 3, 2019: Nassir Habib, Litesh Gounder and their respective inspecting organisations - Carbine Automotives and Manurewa Auto and Tyre Centre - 2,607 affected vehicle owners.