MVM

We've seen a few diesel vehicles come through lately with the same warning light on: fuel contamination.
Here's what it means. Diesel engines have a sensor in the fuel filter that picks up when water has gotten into the fuel. That light coming on isn't a small thing! Water mixing with diesel can badly damage the engine and injectors if it keeps running, and that's not a cheap fix.
The good news: if you get it checked as soon as the light comes on, there's a real chance we can sort it before it turns into serious damage. Wait too long, and it can turn into a wrecked motor, which sometimes ends up as an insurance claim instead of a simple repair.
If it comes to that, we can work directly with your insurance company to sort the repair too, you don't have to manage that side on your own.

Bottom line: that light is your car asking for help early. Don't wait it out.
Seen that light pop up on your diesel? Message us straight away, the sooner we look, the more we can usually save. 👇

The rules around WOFs are
changing, and it's worth knowing what that means for
your car.
A WOF checks if your car is safe to be on the road
today. It's not the same as a full service, which looks
at what's likely to go wrong over the next year.
With WOFs happening less often for a lot of cars, that
gap matters more than it used to. Less regular
checking means small issues have more time to turn
into big ones before anyone catches them.
We're not saying panic, it's just worth knowing the
difference so you're not caught out.

New WoF Inspection Frequencies👇

New light vehicles: Second WoF changes from 3 to 4
years starting 1 November 2026.

Vehicles 4 to 14 years old: Moves to 2-yearly
inspections, implemented in phases based on
registration date.

Vehicles 14 to 26 years old: Remains on an annual
schedule.

Light vehicles over 26 years old (registered before 1
January 2000): Moves to an annual WoF starting 1
November 2026.

Light rental vehicles & motorcycles (post-2000):
Rentals shift to annual CoF A, while newer motorcycles
remain annual.

Added extra 👇
If your car has Automatic Emergency Braking or Lane Keep Assist, WoF inspections will now check for warning lights (or malfunction indicators) for these systems.

This exhaust didn't come off a shelf, we made it.
This 1994 Mazda Familia came in for a full overhaul, and we're not doing it by halves. New cambelt, water pump, thermostat, drive belts plus more! Then we hand-built this 2 1/2 inch exhaust system to suit. Nothing off the shelf, made to fit this exact car.
We fit an AdrenalinR muffler and resonator, which are both NZ made 🥝
More updates coming as this build comes together. What do you want to see next - the suspension or the paint?"

**Casual or Contract Mechanic – Join My Vehicle Maintenance Ltd**

**Masterton | Casual or Contract | 4-Day Work Week**

Are you a qualified mechanic who takes pride in getting the diagnosis right the first time?

At My Vehicle Maintenance Ltd, we’re looking for someone who cares about their workmanship, keeps things tidy, communicates well and can get stuck into a job without needing to be micromanaged.

You’ll be joining a team that takes pride in doing things properly, with the tools, equipment and flexibility to do great work.

**Why You’ll Love Working With Us**

* 4-day work week
* Flexible hours
* Competitive pay rate
* Huge range of tooling and equipment
* Diverse range of mechanical work
* Great team culture
* The freedom to work independently
* A team that takes pride in high standards

**Who We’re Looking For**

* Qualified mechanic with solid hands-on experience
* High level of workmanship
* Strong diagnostic and fault-finding skills
* Gets the diagnosis right the first time
* Comfortable working independently
* Excellent communicator
* Team player who contributes to a good workshop culture
* Takes pride in keeping their work area tidy
* WOF ticket isn’t required

**What You’ll Do**

* Carry out servicing, repairs and maintenance across a diverse range of vehicles
* Diagnose faults and complete accurate repairs
* Carry out fault finding and diagnostic work
* Communicate clearly with the team about jobs, findings and repairs
* Keep job documentation accurate and up to date
* Work independently while supporting the wider team
* Keep your work area clean, tidy and organised
* Deliver a high standard of workmanship on every job

**How to Apply**

Send us your CV and a short note telling us about a difficult diagnostic job you solved and how you approached it.

We want to see how you think, not just where you’ve worked.

**Subject line: “I’m Your Next Mechanic”**

A local business recently added a brand-new Kia Tasman to their fleet and called us to book it in for a service.
We could've just taken the job. Instead, our Service Advisor Cody did some digging first, checked the fine print around new vehicle warranties and who's allowed to do the work. Turns out if this one wasn't serviced by the dealer, they'd risk losing their extended warranty.
That's a service we didn't do, and a job we didn't get paid for. But it's the right call for the customer, so that's the one we made.
To be clear, this doesn't mean a new vehicle can't come to us at all! We service plenty of newer cars (Ford included) and keep them right within warranty by using genuine parts and following the manufacturer's schedule exactly. It just depends on the fine print of each warranty, and that's exactly why we check first instead of guessing.
If you've got a newer vehicle and you're not sure where it can be serviced without risking the warranty, ask us, we'll give you the honest answer either way, even if it's not us. 👇

"My check engine light's on, does that mean it's due for a service?"
Cody hears this one a lot, and the honest answer is: not necessarily. They're actually two completely different things.
A service is on a schedule, it's due after a certain time or distance, no matter how the car's driving. The check engine light comes on when the car's computer picks up a fault somewhere in one of the modules- and that can range from something minor to something you shouldn't ignore.

Here's the part that catches people out: you can't tell which one it is just by how the car feels. It might drive perfectly normally and still have something worth looking at. The only way to actually know is to plug it in and scan it! That's how we read the fault code the car's computer has already picked up.

So if that light comes on, it's not a "wait for your next service" thing, it's worth getting scanned so you know what you're actually dealing with, one way or the other.
Check engine light on right now and not sure if it can wait? Ask below and we'll tell you straight. 👇

Winter's done a number on more cars than you'd think.
Between the wet roads and the cold snaps, we're seeing a lot of tyres worn closer to the limit than people realise, and wiper blades that have gone hard or split without anyone noticing, until the next downpour, that is.

Both are easy to check, and both matter more than people think when the roads are wet. A worn tyre or a smeary windscreen doesn't feel like a big deal, until it's raining hard on the way to school pickup or out on the open road.
If it's been a while since anyone's had a look at yours, now's a good time before the spring rain sets in properly.
Want us to give your tyres and wipers a quick once-over? Flick us a message and we'll sort a time. 👇

A customer brought his 1994 Toyota Hilux Surf in for a WOF and service - his first 4x4, and he's keen to get the most out of it. One thing was bugging him: it just didn't feel as gutsy as he expected.
Good news!! A few of our team are genuinely into these older Hilux/Surf models, so Jono got stuck into it. Turns out there was a blocked filter sitting in front of the MAP sensor (that's the part that measures the pressure in the inlet manifold). Block that and the sensor is getting an incorrect pressure reading.
The Surf's booked back in to get that sorted, along with the rest of its WOF work and Service recommendations, so it'll be running the way he expected a 4x4 to run.

It's great to see a customer taking such care of a gem of a truck!

Got an older 4x4 that's just not feeling like it used to? Tell us the make and model below , there's a decent chance one of us has seen it before. 👇