Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Should we look to buy a car in our first 24 hours or rent and then look to buy once we're not jet lagged and bleary eyed?

Only we arrive on 9th April which is a holiday anyway, just leaving the 10th to try to purchase a car before having to pick the dogs up from the airport on the 11th (at 5:30am - DEF**KINGLUDED?!) to drive down to the BoP?

If we were to try and buy, presumably at an auction on the 10th where would we go? read about "Turners" auctions but can't get anything off their website?

I was thinking more along the lines of shouting "Parker bring the car round ..."??:thumbup:

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

The 9th is a Monday I expect all the car show room places will be open, but the Banks won't so how would you get the money to pay??? You can only take so much out of the ATM.
How about hiring one for say a week and returning it to somewhere in the BOP, try 'Thrifty'...
Sorry can't do the whole insert a link thing!!!!!

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Loolah, this is what we did as we needed a car pretty fast!
I had a look on autopoint before we left the uk - it helped that I knew exactly what I wanted.
Once I found a garage that had a few of them I contacted them by email to see if I liked the sound of them ( Bearing in mind what you hear about second hand car dealers on forums!) anyway I thought they sounded really nice and even offered to open up for us specially early so we could just get it done and dusted. So when we arrived we hired a car for a day with the option of putting it back later if need be. We went to our accommodation, dumped everything and headed straight to the garage - within about 2 hours of landing we had bought one of the cars I'd looked at online ( which is still going strong) and made friends with the guy who owned the garage - he was lovely!

It was so easy - I also had sold my car in the Uk the day before we left and had converted the cash into dollars and taken it over in my pocket!! haha so that was the budget for the new car here - I just took it out of my pocket and gave it to the guy! There was an ASB bank across the road from the garage so we got insurance and off we drove.
It was hassle free and just made everything seem easier.

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

That all sounds Fairytastic ... what's "autopoint?":unsure: :o

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

If you're thinking of a Mitsubishi at all, I know a man :D

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

I was thinking of a pink cadillac, however, back in the real world ....

we need a 7 seater?!:ohmy:

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Autopoint is like autotrader online hold on...

http://www.autotrader.co.nz/

oh it is autotrader now!!!

they have gazillions and it gives you an idea of price and whats available.

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Hi ya,

I rented a car for three weeks, from ARF rentals (at airport and downtown AKL) made life very easy to start with, took the pressure right off.

I needed to buy a car capable of towing a couple of tons so this gave me time to shop around. Anyway I found somthing after about a week of looking, returned the rental car early and got a nice refund.

Also I can recommend AMI insurance, were the cheapest for us and gave me more no claims discount that I had in the UK :thumbup:

Anyway, good luck with everything

Adie (with Jac looking over my shoulder)

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

You might find there's a better range and value of used cars in Auckland than in BOP. I'd agree with the previous advice re Autotrader, also have a good search on trademe and line up a few candidates to view on Monday/Tuesday. There is very little bureaucratic hassle re buying and driving off in a car over here, provided you can deliver the funds - if you have a NZ bank account, you should be able to get a bank cheque made up on the spot if you call in to a branch. The most popular 7-seaters here are the Odyssey (make sure you get the post '96 VTEC engine), Toyota Previa/Estima and Mitsubishi Chariot, unless you want 4x4 in which case Land Cruiser Prado is what you need. We bought a '97 Odyssey and it seems OK so far (15 months later), not very economical or fun to drive but very comfortable and will hold loads of people/luggage/dog etc.

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

It's a good idea to pop into a Whitcoulls or Paper Plus and pick up a copy of the Dog and Lemon Guide - http://www.dogandlemon.com/

It'll give you honest opinions on what's good and not so good, and what to look out for - could be $30 well spent.

Also, just my opinion, but give any high km 4wd with a turbo diesel engine a very wide berth.....especially Mitsubishi. I blew two engines in a Pajero in 2 years - nearly $8k a time to get them fixed. It's a common problem with them, but any TD if it hasn't been serviced regularly could develop serious problems, and they aren't cheap to fix.

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Thank you all, liking the Mitsubishi Chariot thing, do they come in manual and any colour other than white?!

Pink perchance?:o

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

OMG we were separated at birth!!

(Shhhhh I have pink flowers on my jeep)

PS I think Soulflour has a chariot ??

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Tuesday is "Cars $5000 & over" at Turners Auckland, although they have others on Mon/Weds/Thurs - just do a Catalogue search at www.turners.co.nz. They also have an auction house in Tauranga.

IMO you can't go far wrong there, prices are good, warranties are available, and you get 14 days free insurance cover from State.

Matt

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Sorry to hear of the shit who nicked the buggy!! NZ is great AL..even here in Palmerston North. We needed a biggun..we got a Toyota Reguis 3 litre turbo deisel. It is great. Like a Japanese Renault Espace!! Very versatile, goes for ever and very spacious!!! You should get a 1997 for about $14k...should have no more than 80k klms. Look on www.trademe.co.nz

Good luck!!!!

warm regards, Dom.

PS NZ is all we ever dreamed of and much, much more!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nigh on perfect!!!!

Re: Buying a car when we arrive?
 

Hi fairy lady,
we bought a car the day after we arrived - Boopy recommended a good dealership and we got a good deal with warranty etc. They even gave us a courtesy car as the car we bought need valeting and a couple of minor things doing to it so we had something over the weekend - when do you arrive?