What should a vehicle owner do before making modifications to their vehicle?

Before making modifications to a vehicle, it is essential for the owner to check with an approved WoF (Warranty of Fitness) inspector to ensure that the modifications are legal. New Zealand has specific regulations regarding vehicle modifications, and making changes without understanding these laws can lead to safety issues as well as legal complications.

Consulting a WoF inspector allows the vehicle owner to receive authoritative guidance on what modifications are permissible under local laws. This includes ensuring that any changes made do not affect the vehicle's safety, performance, or compliance with environmental standards. Only an approved inspector is trained and qualified to provide this knowledge, ensuring that the vehicle can still be legally driven on public roads after modifications are made.

While seeking advice from friends or reading online forums might give some casual insights, these sources do not provide the necessary authoritative and legally accurate information required to ensure compliance with New Zealand's vehicle regulations. Ignoring the need for modifications entirely would also not address any necessary adaptations for improved safety or performance.