What Wangaratta cars bring to the tester
Salt and grime from the snow
The Great Alpine Road runs 304 km from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale, over Mount Hotham at 1,840 metres, and it's snow-covered and cleared daily through winter. RACV says a trip to the snow exposes the underbody to road salt, that drainage holes can clog and that any exposed metal can rust. Its advice is an underbody wash once a season, more if you go off-road.
Chains in the boot
Diamond-pattern snow chains have to be carried between Harrietville and Omeo during the declared snow season. If you've fitted them, look over the tyres and wheel arches afterwards for anything they've rubbed or cut.
Hot days and sharp changes
Wangaratta passes 40 degrees 2 to 4 times a year on average, and a heatwave is often followed by a cold front and a sudden drop. RACV says hot or cold weather weakens battery performance, so a slow start on a cold morning is a reason to test the battery before the car's listed.
Freeway kilometres
The Hume Freeway bypasses the city to the south and east, with Melbourne 236 km away and Albury 73 km. A car that does that run often is easy on brakes but hard on tyres, and stone chips in the windscreen are worth sorting before any safety check.
Timing the RWC around one last trip
An RWC is valid for 30 days from the day it's issued, and when you sell, the buyer needs it to be less than 30 days old. If there's a 4WD you'd like to take up the mountain once more before it goes, do the trip first, wash it properly underneath, and then get the RWC. Doing it the other way round wastes the certificate's days and hands the tester a dirtier car.
Consumer Affairs Victoria also lists re-registering a car and clearing some defect notices as times you need an RWC. The rest of the rule is on roadworthy certificates in Victoria.
Where we'd start
We'd give the underside a proper wash after the last snow trip of the season, replace tired wiper blades and any blown globes, and get the RWC once the car was listed. If we knew of a fault, we'd mention it in the note and ask the tester whether to repair it first.