When a mobile roadworthy makes sense
Rosters make a station visit awkward. If you're away on site for a stretch and home for a few days, an inspection in your driveway fits around that. Queensland's Find an AIS search can show only the stations that offer a mobile service, and the ones that issue electronic certificates.
Mobile works for a car you expect to pass. If the tyres or brakes are already borderline, ask whether the station can repair and recheck in the same visit, which saves a second appointment on your next break. The department warns its listings rely on third-party information, so confirm with the station.
What Mackay utes and cars bring in
The Peak Downs Highway
The road to Moranbah and Clermont is narrow and two-lane, and it carries oversize loads, road trains, fuel and machinery to the Bowen Basin's 34 coal mines. Years of that leave stone chips in the windscreen and wear on tyres, and both are on the inspection list.
Ute extras
Bull bars, light bars, roof racks and long-range tanks get bolted on for mine-site life. Walk round with a helper to check every light works, and make sure nothing you've fitted has worked loose.
Still driving it to site
The Peak Downs Highway runs 283 km from Mackay to Clermont. If you're commuting in the ute while it's listed, a few round trips will chew through the 2,000 km on a private seller's certificate.
Northern Beaches cars
A car parked a street back from the sand at Bucasia, Shoal Point or Eimeo can carry rust you won't see from the kerb. Body rust or damage is on Queensland's list, so look under the sills before the inspector does.
What sellers sometimes miss
You can advertise a registered car without a certificate, but you need a current one before you hand the car over, unless it's going to a dealer. Queensland's transport department says disposing of a vehicle without a current certificate, or not giving one to the new owner, can bring a fine of over $700.
For a buyer, the certificate is a check of basic safety items on the day, not a full mechanical inspection. On a ute with years of mine-site kilometres, a pre-purchase inspection is where a mechanic can look further, at the clutch, the diff and the service history.
If it were our ute
We'd ask for a mobile inspection on a day off roster, with the ute washed and every light on the bull bar checked first. Then we'd park it for the rest of the sale rather than keep driving it to site, and fix anything already worn before the inspector saw it.