awillcock22

Hi we are over in NZ next year for 6 months to take a look around. We were thinking of hiring a car but thought that if we bought one we could sell it before we returned. Just a little run around of course. Does anyone know anything about this in relation to tax and insurance for visitors on cars?

nelsonpom

Don't need insurance to drive in NZ and will have to have road tax (rego) but don't think people can sell a car without registration. Also need to have a wof (like an mot) but usually car seller will ensure wof and registration done. You will just need to register it in your name at the post office and decide if you want to be insured. My wife and I brought little run around when we first came here on a recce 7 years ago, brought it in Nelson travelled round whole south island and sold it for what we paid for it in Picton. Much better then bus, train, plane and cheaper then hiring.

Genesis

Hi, strongly recommend you DO get ins. The AA are very, very good. You will have your excess loaded from about $400 to $900 ish as you will only have a uk LICENCE.....I think you can still drive on a UK licence for a year. You MUST have your licence at all times when driving.

You will also need some kind of address to give the ins. co.

The WoF needs to be done every 6 months and rego (car tax) is about $220 a year.

You do not need to be a resident to buy a car..I bought one and was just a tourist when I came in 1990. Buy a Japanese one..Toyota Corollas are marvellous, thrifty and utterly bullet proof. The latter not to be taken literally.

NakiMan

I did exactly this when I first arrived. Just walked into a car yard and drove off 2 hours later in a car

The dealer will arrange a WOF (MOT) for you, usually for 6 months.

Registration may be a bit of a problem without a permenant address. I was lucky because I was able to use my partner's daughter's address till we rented our first house. The dealer will probably be able to help you, I suspect they get this senario quite often.

6 months Reg and WOF is usually included in the price of a used car

As has already be said, insurance is not compulsory in NZ, but strongly reccomended. I get mine through Westpac bank, who didn't charge any extra because I only had a UK Licence. I've heard that AA are very helpful too.

Costs? My Mitsubishi Dingo, 1.5 litre Auto, mini MPV, 2000, 60,000k freshly imported from Japan cost me $8000. You can get a good idea of car prices at www.autotrader.co.nz

Fully comp insurance, 2 named drivers costs me $26 a month

Unleaded petrol is currently $1.63 a litre as of 6/11/08

Hope this helps

lardyl

There some specialist adverts placed by backpackers selling their cars/vans/campers as they leave - I think there is a post somewhere on here about that.......shows it is often done. Good luck

chocolate cake

It's absolutely ridiculous that car insurance is not compulsary in a developed country. There's no doubt insurance is cheaper than UK, I'd guess the main reason is that any personal injury claims/costs comes out of the general taxpayer in the form of ACC.

brussels_sprout

That is what all the Kiwis and Ossies do when they come to England isn't it ? They have no visa, but they buy an old VW Camper Van and tour Europe, of course you can do that too ! The address ? Mmmm, best to ask the garage that sells you the car, what to do. But it is the best idea you do not want to rent a car for 3-6 months, i have a nice BMW 525 for sale in Nelson btw!

awillcock22

Hey guys many many thanks for this. Looks like we will be buying and not hiring. Cheers again from muggy Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

NakiMan

I think I'm right in saying that ACC doesn't cover road accidents? I might be wrong about that, does anyone know better?

I just think Insurance is cheaper compared with the UK, because traffic density is so much lower that accidents are less frequent, cars are generally less valuable, and car theft is less frequent.

lardyl

nope - it does cover RT accidents, otherwise why would they sponsor road safety campaigns.......?

its cheaper to insure here for RTAs as there is no litigation (very expensive for insurers) as a result of Personal Injury from road accidents as ACC covers it......so no massive claims for damages from pedestrians and other 3rd Parties so less cover is required and few ambulance chasing lawyers, etc to keep fed.....know about that as I was a person on that gravy train in the UK!

accidents per head are probably higher and car crime is rife - I used to work i an office where people investigated vehicle fraud - so I might be biased......