Has anyone heard of this car dealer (Auckland)...

[emotony]

I have seen a car that I want to by at Macdonald Halligan Motors Limited, and the car is probably $10K less than a comparable car elsewhere. I asked whether it was an import etc and this was the reply:
"Yes we imported this model from japan, but it is full NZ specification (((as the radios have a conversion to N Z spec, )))) We were lucky enough to buy this car at the high exchange rate and we now operate from a much lower overhead yard than we did previously when we were franchise dealers in greenlane .

We also price our cars more competitively than most but are not as negotiable on price. At this price we register the car and attach a 2 year warranty to the car which can be upgraded to a 3 year warranty at minimal cost.

Hope this helps answer your queries

Yes it is a one owner car , and was purchased with a grade " 5 A " grading which rates it in as new condition which it certainly is."

The dealer sounds honest to me, but I can't help thinking that he is trying to make a sale. Is this a reputable company?

Thanks

Tony

[james the mechanic]

Hi Tony,

From a quick Google they seem to have been around for ages, however I don’t think you're concern is about the company it more a question of; Why is the car so cheap?
Are you sure you’re not, comparing NZ new cars with Japanese imports? For very late vehicles this could certainly account for such a difference.
Sounds HONEST, he’s in the motor trade; there’s not such thing; only less dishonest.
Personally I don’t much like his reply to your question, so he’s passing their good fortune onto you is he? Why are they not a franchised dealer any more? Did they have the franchise taken away? I’m just way to suspicious aren’t I?
Are you defiantly comparing like for like, carefully check the spec. One option missing like power steering or air conditioning can make a very desirable vehicle much less of a commodity.
I’m always wary of cheap retail vehicles, there’s always a reason, I would check for evidence of repaired accident damage, mileage tampering (don’t just believe this AA certificate crap, it’s a huge problem) Check service history, is it about to become due/ is due/ over due for a major service? If so be aware that many Japanese vehicles have balance-shaft belts as well as timing/cam belts so changing them can be a costly exercise.
The price is always negotiable, in my experience the people who say that it isn’t; turn out to be the worst negotiators, which normally works in your favour.

Best wishes
James

[emotony]

Hi James

Thanks for your reply.

It's very frustrating as I do not know anything about cars!

The car in question is a BMW 120i and they say it was a Japanese import - are you saying that if it is an import the price is lower. Do they assemble BMW's in NZ or do they come from Oz? Is there anything wrong buying an import? I certainly will take on board what you about checking out the car

[james the mechanic]

Hi there,

I really expected it to be a car from a Japanese manufacturer. As far as I know there are no vehicles assembled in NZ any more. A vehicle that is described as ‘NZ new’ will have been assembled/ manufactured abroad for the NZ market; it will therefore be fully supported by franchised dealers and manufacturers warranty, and in most instances will have more certainty regarding its history.

I believe that in terms of duty it is more expensive to import a vehicle from Europe than Asia into NZ which could make importing a BMW from Japan an attractive proposition. However in NZ a late model BMW is regarded by some as a prestige vehicle, and I feel that main agent service history will be very important (yes I know it’s only a couple of stamps & that it may have them in Japanese) at the point of resale.

As far as I know the BMW will not have been built in Japan and will be built to the same spec as models destined for NZ. You haven’t mentioned what year the vehicle is but having looked at the Macdonald Halligan web site I guess it’s the 2005?
I’m not convinced that the car is that cheap, however I don’t know the exact spec. Beware BMW are the kings of charging for extras, the base model is always very, well basic. Everything is an option on the 1 series, paint, seats, upholstery, cup holder, windows, temperature gauge & spare wheel as well it seems and a whole host of other ‘options’ that have been standard on other cars for years.

BMW’s come with a two year warranty so this one will just have expired even if it was NZ new, servicing of it should be supported by NZ BMW main agents, but defiantly check, even if you don’t wish to have it maintained by them. As if you had a problem with its keyless security system for example, I fear it would end up there anyway.

If you intend to keep this car for a few years and it is other wise ok, it may well represent value for money. Check what the offered warranty includes and the individual maximum claim limit, talk to the BMW dealer re support, could you offer to purchase it subject to inspection at a main dealer? I realize that this will cost a couple of hours of extortionately priced labour but may purchase piece of mind. Failing that the AA in NZ can offer inspection services, however if there like their UK counterparts I would defiantly opt for the main dealer.

I hope that helps a bit, I’ve rushed my reply a little so if you need any further help ask

James