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Thread: Car - import or not to import that is the question?!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    UK to Auckland
    Posts
    32

    Default Car - import or not to import that is the question?!

    Hi All

    Just wondering what people's experiences are having imported a car from the UK. I am in two minds to be honest. The car is fairly new and that is in itself a good reason to take it, as at least it will mean I will have a reliable means of getting myself about. But then there is the additional expense - having the car steam cleaned, the inspections at the other end and the export costs. I will need to consider the costs more closely, but any initial thoughts would be very helpful.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Cambridge NZ
    Posts
    342

    Default

    Second hand cars cost a FORTUNE out in NZ so chances are it would be worthwhile.

    As a quick rule of thumb, take the re-sale value of your car in £k, add £3k to the price for shipping, cleaning, inspection, etc, and double it to convert to NZ $. Do a search on the NZ 2nd hand car websites and if you can't find anything for less than the NZ $ value you have calculated then it will definitely be worth taking it with you.

    My guess is that you will make that choice if the car is fairly new. I'd even have money on it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Manchester > Now Tauranga
    Posts
    4,393

    Default

    There's a few threads on this, most with some people saying bring it and others (such as myself) saying don't.

    I lost a fortune on my car that I sold in the uk, but am so pleased I sold it and bought over here for many reasons. Have a quick look back at the other threads as there's already the views from 10-15 people there.

    Ta

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Nelson
    Posts
    163

    Default

    I brought my car, partly because we just didn't have time to sell it and there was room in the 40ft container, so it cost very little to ship it over. Also like yours, our car wasn't very old and I knew that I would lose money on it, which went against the grain! I didn't pay to have it steam cleaned or anything, I let MAF do it, because everyone says that however clean it is they will do it again anyway. It wasn't a big expense. I was astonished to find out how much my little punto was worth over here! I don't regret bringing it at all. Small economical cars are expensive to buy here and it's difficult to get one that isn't twenty years old for a reasonable price. So there you go - I would say bring it! It is worth noting though that you can't sell your car until you have been here for two years, unless you are prepared to pay duty on it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    4

    Default

    PLEASE read my post 'Importing a Car from UK to NZ' that I have just submitted!

    My advice would be DON'T!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    new zealand
    Posts
    34

    Default

    Do it, we bought ours over & is worth about 3 times here what we would have got back in the UK. Check out trade me to give you an idea of what it would be worth here & how expensive kiwi cars are. We also did all the shipping ourselves, ie not using a moving company so actually was quite resonable in the end. Suppose you just have to check that the car would be legal here, i think there is a new rule about emmsions that has just come out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Wellington, NZ
    Posts
    19

    Default

    We imported Australia to NZ and I have to say it was not worth it. Sure the car is very nice, and we might have had to get a slightly older one here, but we had delays, then the car not only needed to be cleaned but fumigated as well. The very toxic methyl bromide they used to fumigate the car reacted with the custom rubber mats in teh back of the car (4WD) and they are continually outgassing and have to be disposed of ($800AUD) worth. Apparently reactions with leather seats are also common - I'm not sure what you are supposed to do in those circumstances.
    The unexpected expesnses, stress and delays weren't worth it, when we could have arried and bought a car in the first week.

    I also feel a bit conspicuous with a new 4WD in a place where people generally have older, smaller cars.

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