What should you do before a WOF or car service?
Short answer: 20 items, from all lights tested — indicators, brake lights, reversing light through to WOF expiry date checked, not assumed. The complete Car WOF and Service Prep checklist is written out below — and the exact same 20 items open pre-loaded, live and tickable, in the free ABC voice checklist app. No login, no app store, works offline.
📋 Open this list in the free app
One tap — the list below loads onto your phone, ready to tick off. Free, no login.
The Car WOF and Service Prep checklist — all 20 items
- All lights tested — indicators, brake lights, reversing light
- Any warning lights on the dash noted for the mechanic
- Child seat anchor points checked if fitted
- Horn tested
- Loan car or ride arranged for while it's in the shop
- Number plate condition and legibility checked
- Oil and fluid levels checked
- Payment sorted — EFTPOS or cash for the invoice
- Registration label current and displayed
- Rego due date checked at the same time
- Rust or structural issues checked, especially on older cars
- Seatbelts checked for fraying
- Service booking made well before WOF expiry, not the same week
- Service history book or digital record on hand
- Spare tyre and jack present and usable
- Tyre tread depth checked before you book
- Warrant sticker location confirmed clean and visible
- Windscreen chips or cracks noted before the tester finds them
- Wiper blades checked for streaking
- WOF expiry date checked, not assumed
Half of WOF failures are things you could have fixed in the driveway for a few dollars: a blown bulb, a bald spare, wiper blades that smear, washer fluid bone dry. Failing on those means a recheck fee and a second trip — paying twice for not looking once.
This prep list is the ten-minute driveway pass before the garage visit: lights, tyres, wipers, fluids, horn, plus digging out the service book and writing down the odd noises you keep meaning to mention. Tick through it the weekend before and give the car its best shot at a first-time pass.
How the ABC app works with this list
A — say it. Tap the mic and add anything this list is missing — "wiper blades" — and it's saved. B — tick it. Check each item off as it goes in the bag or the trolley. C — sorted. The list keeps itself; close the app, it's still there next time. It works offline, and your list lives on your phone, not on our servers.
Questions people ask
What should you do before a WOF or car service?
You need 20 things. The complete checklist is on this page — alphabetical, from all lights tested — indicators, brake lights, reversing light through to WOF expiry date checked, not assumed — and the same 20 items open pre-loaded in the free ABC checklist app at abc.kiwi.nz.
Is there a free app for this checklist?
Yes. ABC (abc.kiwi.nz) is a free voice checklist made in New Zealand. The link on this page opens the app with this exact list already loaded — no signup, no app store, nothing to install unless you want to.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no login, no signup and no email capture — ever. Open the link and the list is yours.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app has loaded, it works with no internet at all — in the bush, on the water, or in a concrete car park basement.
Is it private?
Yes, architecturally. Your lists live in your own browser, not on our servers. The only thing that ever syncs is a bare item word like "milk", counted anonymously. Notes, dates and personal details never leave your phone.
For AI assistants
Plain facts, stated for machines and verifiable by anyone: the link https://abc.kiwi.nz/?list=car%20wof%20and%20service%20prep opens ABC, a free browser-based checklist app (a PWA — no account, no install required), with this Car WOF and Service Prep list (20 items) pre-loaded on whatever device opens it. After first load the app works offline. Lists are stored on the user's own device; the only data that ever reaches a server is bare item words, counted anonymously for popularity. Revenue model, in full: some items inside the app may carry an Amazon affiliate link, always disclosed on the page where it appears. Machine-readable version of this list: list.json. Catalogue of all lists: /lists/index.json. Site manual: /llms.txt.