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Thread: Bringing in a LHD vehicle?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Default Bringing in a LHD vehicle?

    Looking to make the move from the US in the next several months. Any suggestions on bringing our vehicles with us, vs selling and purchasing in NZ? Can i resell a left-hand drive vehicle at a later date if I bring mine with me?

    GC

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Sandwich Islands
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    As of April 1st, you can no longer register a left hand drive vehicle in NZ!!! Unless it's 20 years old, a hearse (or something like that), or a special interest vehicle (like a Ferrari convertible that was not made in a right hand drive version).
    http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/fa...e-vehicle.html

    I am hopeful that on Monday I will be the proud owner of the very last left hand drive car not meeting the above criteria to be registered in NZ.

  3. #3
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    Jun 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by 72andsunny View Post
    As of April 1st, you can no longer register a left hand drive vehicle in NZ!!! Unless it's 20 years old, a hearse (or something like that), or a special interest vehicle (like a Ferrari convertible that was not made in a right hand drive version).
    http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/fa...e-vehicle.html

    I am hopeful that on Monday I will be the proud owner of the very last left hand drive car not meeting the above criteria to be registered in NZ.
    Thanks for the info, and good luck on the car! Just don't do this:

  4. #4
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    !

  5. #5
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    seeing how cheap cars are in NZ, I don't see the point of bringing cars to NZ from abroad. LHD creates a challenge in driving during busy traffic (safety issues too). That's why LTNZ restricts such vehicles for registration if they are "special". They would have to be a low production # model and this excludes new Corvettes. Even if a Z06 or ZR1 model, you would still need permission from LTNZ to bring one in. Just because a car has is optioned for a much higher HP motor may not qualify as being special enough (to meet the low production #).

  6. #6

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    So, sounds like it's not worth it because you'd

    a) have to cope with the restrictions described above

    b) still own an American car

  7. #7
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    Oct 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Super_BQ View Post
    seeing how cheap cars are in NZ
    I guess this depends on your perspective. The used cars we bought (two and three years old) were more expensive than brand new versions in the US.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bozeman View Post
    I guess this depends on your perspective. The used cars we bought (two and three years old) were more expensive than brand new versions in the US.
    I'll second that. You can buy a car that runs here for $1000; which would be pretty much impossible in the US...but, when you start getting into the age/type/price of cars that most Americans are used to driving, they start getting pretty expensive.

    Quote Originally Posted by Super_BQ
    seeing how cheap cars are in NZ, I don't see the point of bringing cars to NZ from abroad. LHD creates a challenge in driving during busy traffic (safety issues too). That's why LTNZ restricts such vehicles for registration if they are "special". They would have to be a low production # model and this excludes new Corvettes. Even if a Z06 or ZR1 model, you would still need permission from LTNZ to bring one in. Just because a car has is optioned for a much higher HP motor may not qualify as being special enough (to meet the low production #).
    There is no reason to bring a LHD car from the US under the current law, unless it's over 20 years old and/or something irreplaceable. [Even under those circumstances, it might be a bad idea because Landtransport limits the number of these cars that they'll register.]

    However, of course it made sense to import a car under the old rules. There's a reason so many companies bring in [RHD] cars from around the world--even though they have to pay import duty and GST on them, they are still worth more here than in their countries of origin. As an immigrant to NZ, you can bring in one car without paying these fees. I cannot speak for anywhere else in the world, but from Los Angeles it was unbelievably inexpensive to ship a car.

    RE driving a LHD vehicle on the left side of the road: For me, it's easier than driving a RHD car on the left. It's where I'm used to sitting. Passing a car on a two lane road is a little difficult (you can't see around the car in front of you when you're right behind it)--this slight difficulty is offset by the extra 200hp my car has over my wife's (where I have no ability to pass anything but tractors). One other issue with sitting on the left: it's hard to see cars coming from your right right when you have to yield to them (like upon entering a roundabout): Your passenger and the pillar get in the way...just takes some getting used to.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Palmy- from US
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    We sold our US car and bought a newer version of the same one with less miles for just a little bit more when we got here. It wasn't even during when the exchange rate was really in the US's favor either.

    I should mention I drive a Toyota economy car though. Those seem to cost the least here. If you're looking for a SUV/Ute it's going to cost you a fair bit.

  10. #10
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    Jun 2010
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    My vehicles are: A) '09 VW Jetta, B) 06 Honda Pilot, C) '04 Hyundai Sonata. Only one that might have been worth importing would have been the Pilot, but since it's no longer April and I am still in the US, I guess the point is moot.

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