- Tonight ` he got a pre-purchase car inspection, but it missed an expensive issue. So what are his rights? - It was quite a shock when I got that bill. - Plus ` what's stopping people with disabilities using transport in their daily lives? - I don't like this. I've been caught in lifts before, when I can't find the buttons. There's no 'door open' button. There's something down here. - And you've gone doggone mad about diminishing pet food. - We were feeding this poor, shrinking fellow Frankie here a quarter of a pottle. When it shrinks, you give your dog a quarter of a pottle less, and we didn't notice. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023 - Tena koutou katoa. Hello there. Welcome to the show. Now, buying a car, it's one of life's big purchases, and you wanna get it just right, which is why we turn to experts to spot any problems. - But what can you expect from a pre-purchase inspection, and what can you do if it misses a major issue? Alistar has the story. (SPILLER'S 'GROOVEJET' FEAT SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR) (ENGINE TURNS OVER) - We're in Wellington, where you can get to most places on foot, but Jack Matthews needed to go further afield. - I play football. That was honestly the main reason I needed a car. - Plus his last ride... - So, my last car was written off. - That makes me feel really safe about being in this car (!) - (CHUCKLES) - Nah. I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. - It wasn't my fault. No. No. - So a couple of months ago, he turned to Trade Me motors and found this 2004 Subaru Legacy from a private seller for $4200. - I just wanted a car that was issue-free and would, sort of, serve me well while I had it. - Before buying, Jack requested a pre-purchase inspection. The owner took it to the AA ` the Automobile Association's ` Kapiti branch. The purpose of these inspections at AA are to communicate the overall condition of a used vehicle. This is based on external checks. They don't take the car apart in any way. So if they can't determine the cause of a fault, the customer will be told further investigation is needed. - I had full trust in the AA that they'd, you know, sort of, do right by me. - And the result... - So the only issue on the report was a small battery fault and the surface rust as well. I thought, OK, you know, AA seems to think this is fine, so I'll go ahead with the purchase, and yeah, we should be OK. - But when he got home... - I clicked the key, and I could hear some of the locks working, but it didn't quite sound like all of them were actually functioning. - That's because the central locking system wasn't working, and that's just hours after the inspection. The key fob only locked the driver's door and the boot. So how do you have to lock your car now? - Well, I'll take you through it. So I start with the back doors. Just have to do the locks there. (GENTLE COUNTRY MUSIC) And then I come around to the other side. This door has a special trick. So... open that up, do the lock, and then you just have to time the handle like that. - It's quite old school. - Yes. Yeah. Very old school. Doing it the old school way. Totally. - OK. Jack can lock the car manually, so not a major issue. But how could the system break in a day? A week later, Jack took his car into a second AA branch in Wellington Central for a full service. Further faults were picked up. It's important to note this is more thorough than a pre-purchase inspection. It found... - Three actuators had actually failed. The rear wiper fluid not spraying. So there's, obviously, some surface rust under the car. The oil leak. The CV boot needed to be replaced. And also, just a brake flush needed to be done as well. - The surface rust and sump oil leak didn't need to be fixed right away. The CV boot and brake flush service were relatively cheap to fix, but the locking system and rear wiper washer, not so much. - Yeah, so the central locking system would be $1513 to replace. And then the rear wiper fluid repair would be around about 600. - And those actuators? Well, they're the devices that sit inside of the door that basically operate the locks. Three of those were found to be faulty in Jack's car ` the two rear passenger doors and the front passenger door. - It was quite a shock when I got that bill, yeah. - A shock because he bought the car based on an inspection that gave him assurance his car was good to go. - Maybe, yeah, the AA must have missed something here. If I'd known about these issues, then I absolutely would have steered clear of the car. - Jack had questions. Did AA Kapiti miss the central locking in their inspection? Could three actuators really stop working in a matter of hours? - For them to all fail in a short period of time is highly unlikely. - Fair Go got a second opinion from Craig Draper at Fredco Motors. - Highly unlikely that all three actuators have failed within a matter of hours. Progressively, actuators on those model of car are troublesome, so it is not uncommon for the actuators to fail. I think it would be fair to say that the central locking system is probably quite easy to miss. The locking ` opening and closing ` of all the doors would definitely be checked. A thorough inspector may go that extra bit and check the central locking. - To be fair, on the inspector checklist, there's no box to check for the locking system. So should there be an expectation for it to be picked up? - It is very hard to pick up on everything on every single car, and every inspector may miss things. It's just human nature that not everything can be seen, and there are mistakes made. Well, your first recourse is back to the inspecting organisation and say, look, I've bought this car, it's now being discovered that we've got some defects, and how can we resolve the issue? - Jack did go back to AA Kapiti, but... - They said, 'OK, we might have missed the rear wiper fluid. That might be on us.' But they seemed to keep claiming that the locks were working on the day of the inspection, which I just, yeah, I find that quite hard to believe. (CHUCKLES) - Fair Go asked AA's head office whether it was satisfied its Kapiti branch inspectors checked all the locks of the car and how they were checked. It also says that the AA Kapiti inspectors test the central locking system by activating the locks and then going in manually and checking that each door can lock and then unlock. But at first it said those manual checks did not happen. And where this hasn't happened... ...and understand... - AA Head Office has since changed its response, saying it received further information that AA Kapiti's inspector reiterated they did in fact carry out the proper manual checks. One thing does remain consistent from them, though. They're committed to helping Jack. - I mean, this is the dream outcome, right, for me? Yeah, so, they're offering to totally replace the central locking system. That's a $1500 repair, which I was gonna have to front up for previously. So that's stunning, really. (CHUCKLES) - Ah. Good result. - Nice work. - Yeah. - So, the external-only inspection Jack had was around $200. You'll pay more for a more in-depth inspection or our mechanic suggested just take the inspection notes to your own trusted mechanic to see if they spot any red flags. - The old second opinion. In general, though, like all of us, the older the car, the more used we are, the more likely we are to have issues, so it's really important you get some form of pre-purchase inspection done. - Yes. E haere ake nei, coming up ` taxis, buses, trains, they should be for everyone. So why is a group of people missing out? - It's our right to be able to move around. It is our right to be able to go to the doctor and the supermarket and to have a life. - And are your pooches feeling the pinch? - And we were feeding this poor, shrinking fellow Frankie here a quarter of a pottle. - Kia ora. Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back. Now, jumping in a cab or catching a bus or train ` they are options most of us take for granted. - Mm. But what if they're your only options, and on top of that, there are major obstacles when you use them? - In the next instalment of our Limitless Campaign, Kaitlin looks at what it's really like for people with disabilities just trying to get around. (CURIOUS PIANO MUSIC) - Opening night is just weeks away. Susan's about to take the stage in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. - She would be crown'd. How that might change her nature. There's the question. It's... daunting and really fun. - Except if there's a sudden plot twist where Susan doesn't make it to the local theatre on time or at all... - There's no crystal ball that says I'm gonna be able to make it to this (SIGHS) audition, job interview, um, play that I'm in. - A recent report released by Waka Kotahi puts it this way. The persistent challenges faced by disabled people using transport has not changed in any measurable way since the Human Rights Commission inquiry nearly two decades ago. - It's contingency plan after contingency plan, and this is just (SIGHS) day-to-day life, and it's exhausting. (CHUCKLES) Um... But also... I'm not gonna give up on doing what I love doing. (LINE RINGS) Can I please get a taxi at half past 12? - Susan's functionally blind and using a wheelchair temporarily. - Have you got that I've got a folding wheelchair with me? - They get around using taxis through the Total Mobility Scheme, which supports people who can't use public transport to travel some or all of the time. The scheme gives users a 75% discount on fares when travelling with a participating taxi company. But the maximum discount changes depending on where you are in the country. When a taxi service is smooth, it makes all the difference. - It's all in a day's work. It's been a pleasure looking after Susan. - It means that I can go and do the play that I'm in, that I can pop to the supermarket, that I can just live life like any other ordinary, nerdy 30-year-old. - But when it fails them, it can dismantle the day. - I had pre-ordered my taxi. I'd made sure that it was a large one to deal with the wheelchair I'm using at the moment. And the taxi turned up and saw my wheelchair... and was just like, 'Nope. Sorry. Won't fit. Leaving.' - By the time Wellington Combined Taxis had seen another, Susan was nearly an hour late to a teaching workshop. - My longest wait time is, I think, 2� hours. - Renee, who is blind, has also been in such queues. - I've booked the night before, and the taxi arrived over half an hour late, which meant that I had to cancel my gym session. - That's happened twice with no heads-up from the company. Renee says that at least could be solved with a phone app like Uber has. - PHONE: Ride requested. Finalising driver details. - It usually will say something, like, your driver is three minutes away or two minutes away, and I can also send them messages and say, I'll be late or I'm looking for you. I can't see. Can you look out for me? - Uber isn't a part of the total mobility scheme, so costs roughly double the fare. But when we spoke to Wellington Combined Taxis, it told us it's launching an updated app next month which will include the ability to track a taxi's movements and call the driver directly. It also apologised for delays, saying after Covid it's still operating at a reduced capacity. Outside of delays, Ollie in Hamilton says there are times in the day when it's almost impossible to get an accessible taxi. - So, a lot of taxis do school runs. You're kind of out of luck, and you have to schedule your life around those times. - Or finding a way home after a night out at a gig. - I managed to get a ride, but it was 45 minutes away. So I had to, sort of, wait in the cold, in downtown Hamilton, on a Friday night, feeling pretty, pretty vulnerable, and sort of ended my night on a bit of a sour note because I'd had such a good time at the concert. Kind of left me feeling, well, you know, I don't want to bother. - Waikato Regional Council launched a new Friday/Saturday bus service, with half the fleet able to take wheelchair users. In response to Ollie's night out, it's insured a wheelchair accessible vehicle will be available at all times. So where are the taxis to meet the demand? The short answer is they're not here. Right now there are 380 taxis with wheelchair hoists on our roads in the whole of New Zealand. - It's obviously not enough because we are running into problems. - Warren heads up an organisation representing taxis, rideshares and shuttle Services. He says major changes to regulations back in 2017 have made it harder for drivers to keep their engines running. - A lot more people have come into the industry. It's a lot more competitive, and it's had a big impact, particularly on total mobility. - The SPSA estimates a new plug-in hybrid costs around $50,000 and fuel about $5000 for a year. Compare that to a wheelchair vehicle, which is $65,000 up front and another $40,000 to fit it out with a hoist and certification. Drivers can try and claim 60% of that fit-out cost back, lowering costs to around 80K, but that's before factoring in $12,000 in diesel and road charges. - Those are quite substantial barriers. - And get this, hundreds and thousands of those dollars set aside for wheelchair van fit-outs isn't being spent. In the past year, just 22% of funding was claimed, leaving more than $300,000 unspent. Drivers do get paid an incentive to take passengers with wheelchairs. - It's been $10 since its inception back in the early 2000s. And that is really well and truly out of date. If we look at our cousins across the Tasman, South Australia will pay $25 to the drivers for the same service. In Victoria, it's closer to $30. - Te Mana Tuwaka, the Ministry of Transport, is about to carry out a review of the Total Mobility Scheme to ensure it's working as well as it can. Renee would like to get around more on public transport too. In the coming year, all public buses around Wellington should have on board audio announcements that look and sound like this. - Stop here for Newtown Public Library. - But that doesn't help, Renee figure out what bus to catch in the first place. - There's actually no way of doing it at the bus stop. You have to ask someone. And because the bus timetables are not announced in audio form, nor are they displayed in Braille, I absolutely do not agree with it. I don't believe that assistance is a good replacement for independence. - 70% of bus stops now have displays with audible options. There aren't any in our capital city. Greater Wellington Regional Council told us Metlink will be rolling out audible information at bus stops around Wellington, but the changes are still two years away. The council says there's also the option to plan trips online using Metlink's new upgraded app and website, which has been reviewed by a specialist accessibility company. But all the planning in the world counts for nothing if you can't find the transport, like the day I went with Susan to Wellington Station. For starters, we couldn't enter the front doors, which only had stairs. An underpass got us through to the main foyer with a new problem to solve. - This is the place I have nightmares about. So basically, my only option at this point is to walk out on to the station and look lost and wait for a guide to help me, which is not OK. - Or risk catching the wrong train. There are tactile indicators at each of the card readers where people tag on and off, but there aren't any markers to lead the way to and from the platforms. - Like, I could walk forward and find a platform, but which platform? I would have no way of knowing. - Kiwirail thanked Susan for bringing the issue to its attention, explaining that the lack of markers is possibly due to the age of the station. It's planning to review accessibility in station areas and is currently building a ramp outside the front of the station. But as for Susan and I, we headed for a lift to get out. That's owned by Wellington City Council. - I don't like this. I've been caught in lifts before when I can't find the buttons Um... - And you've tried` Where else have you tried? - I've tried this GL. I've tried this. It's a hole. There's no 'door open' button. There's something down here. Why the hell are these not by the door, where they're meant to be? - The council says it'll talk to Susan about the lift and whether any changes can be made to make it more accessible. The less drama off-stage for Susan... (SONIC SCREWDRIVER WHIRRS) ...the better. - It is our right to be able to move around. It is our right to be able to go to the doctor and the supermarket and also to have a life, to access our community. - I tell you what, these Limitless stories, they are real eye-openers. - E haere ake nei, coming up ` when did a bag of chips become a few chips in a bag? One, two... 10. Hm. - Kia ora. Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back. Now, steady yourselves. We're about to look into the quirkier side of your letters and emails. - It's that time of the show, isn't it? - It is. (CHUCKLES) - It's that time. - Very much Haydo's department. - Yes. - So I'm not sure if that's an endorsement or a warning. Warning, I think. - Look, it's time for Haydo's Mailbag ` an amazing segment. They let me do this on one condition ` that I answer as many of your questions as possible. So here goes. Good luck, everyone. Welcome to Haydo's Mailbag. Hm. There's never any mail. - Hey, Fair Go. - Wellington's Eric Waghorn noticed something funny about his dog's dinner. - What's up with the Jimbo's shrinkage? - Eric's pooch is feeling the pinch from a product shrinkage. - And we were feeding this poor, shrinking fellow Frankie here a quarter of a pottle. When it shrinks, you give your dog a quarter of a pottle less, and we didn't notice. - Jimbo's dog dogfood has gone from 900g to 800g. - Come on, Jimbo's. The price hasn't changed. - Other viewers tell us the cat food has shrunk too. Jimbo's concede it's all about rising costs. 'We tried many options to maintain our pricing, 'but in the end, we opted for a small change in size 'so we could keep the same quality 'without a change to our recommended price.' - Watchful eye in the Beehive. - And if Frankie looks familiar, you're right. He used to work at Parliament. - He's been a very special part of this place. - He has. - Susie, in Wairarapa, sent us a silent movie. She's big on the small packets of Grain Waves. But how small is too small? Seven chips in total. One... 'We were curious too.' ...two... 'So in the interest of research...' ...three... 'we had a wee look too.' ...four... 10. Hm. Bluebird, who make Grain Waves, tell us they're sold by weight rather than chip count. And sometimes the natural grain blend can produce a slightly heavier chip, which can result in fewer chips in the pack. Some crumbs. Susie says she may go back to bagging up her own. - Hey, Haydo. - Abigail Hamilton from Hawke's Bay wrote to us about the vexed issue of slicing cheese. - What's up with cheese slicers these days? Well, I'm just trying to make my sandwich, and they keep breaking. This one broke and now this one. - Abigail's mum sent us a gallery of broken cheese slicers. - I'm not allowed to use a sharp knife cos it's a bit dangerous at my age. - She says the Pams slicer is the most troublesome ` a bargain at $3, but doesn't last. - Hey, Abigail. My name is Mel. I'm from the Pams team. - Pam's tell us they're looking into it. - We've got one of our quality specialists on it at the moment, testing the product quality. And in the meantime, we're gonna send you a little something to make sure that you have the ultimate sandwich experience. - Pam sent Abigail a gift card, and in the meantime, their family continues its search for a decent cheese slicer because... - The cheese is so expensive these days. - Fiona wrote to us furious about her Whole Earth monk fruit sweetener ` a popular and healthy alternative to sugar. 'To my great disappointment, after having used it a couple of times, 'I read the ingredients to find out that the product is actually 99% erythritol and 1% monk fruit.' Erythritol is a sugar alcohol used as a low calorie sweetener, and overuse can give you gas. Meanwhile, Whole Earth tell us... 'Monk fruit extract is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar, so it's impractical to use by itself. 'That's why we combine it with erythritol to make it easier to consume.' That's Haydo's Mailbag. Better living, everyone. I often wonder, when I'm pondering through my monk fruit orchard... - (CHUCKLES) - ...what's gonna become of me and my life? - Oh, you'll be fine. Look, that's it from us, but if you only caught part of the show, you can catch all of it, plus past episodes and handy consumer information on the Fair Go page on TVNZ+. - That's right. (CHUCKLES) Our programme's all about you guys ` your consumer aches and pains. Please get in touch. - (CHUCKLES GENTLY) How do you grow monk fruit? - I don't know. - We're on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. You can go to our webpage. Email us. Or write to us. - Thank you for watching. Until next week` Come on over. We're having monk fruit and Grain Waves. - (LAUGHS) - Until next week... - BOTH: ...po marie.