Kotare

I have always been surprised at how readily NZ Toyota dealers will give you 3 years/100km full warranty on 3 year old Toyotas - I don't remember that from Europe. Must reflect well on either Toyota or NZ driving conditions.

Kiwis consider Japanese makes much more reliable and value for money than European makes, add the dislike of diesel/manuals in NZ and no surprise car yards here are full of Japanese cars. I suspect the only real market for European makes is to the status conscious.

simonsi

When I did time in Saudi Arabia in the mid 90's I was surprised that the reputation of certain manufacturers could be so different compared to Europe.

Mercedes was of course the benchmark but at the time BMW's reputation was trash, the view was they were unreliable and couldn't take the heat - a far cry from their European premium brand image and reputation...

A4Ron

You can disagree all you want, but you are incorrect. New and used car prices are higher in NZ than UK because of lower supply and choice, also NZ's geographical location - compare TradeMe and Autotrader til your heart's content - it's all there for you. Not to mention the slightly lower wages and higher cost-of-living, so your last paragraph is not on point either Why are the vast majority of independent car yards importing from UK and making killer profits?

Granted, car insurance and equivalent of road tax is considerably cheaper here and fuel slightly lower, which is why many car enthusiasts like their V8s here and good on them. But car parts are more expensive too because they've got further to come (research). It is what it is, no point painting a rosy picture. It's basic economics - a much lower population brings higher prices for goods. This is why cars are cheaper in US than the UK.

A 14-year-old car with 14 years worth of average annual mileage on it will still have a limited lifespan, regardless of whether it is a Jap import, NZ new or from the UK.

A4Ron

Oh come on I drive on the West Coast road every morning at 7am and I've lost count over the last three months how many times I've encountered black ice conditions. That is not true

Stormer999

Rust in Vehicles from the UK | AA New Zealand

I am not talking about micro climate patches but complete frozen highways hence the County Councils publishing salting routes for drivers to follow on their commute, please don't try to tell me that in Chch area salt is needed on city roads I live here.....

simonsi

Oh dear, felt the need to get insulting? I live here, I know where we are and the distances involved.

High parts prices would depress second hand prices, not inflate them. There appears no constraint on the second-hand market so if what you say is the overriding factor 2nd hand values would drop like a stone after new, but they don't.

Yes some dealers import late models from Europe and make big margins, but most imports are sourced from the APAC region, not Europe. So hardly a typical case, and the import price and margin on a late model Merc isn't really relevant to a 15yr old Toyota now is it?

Prices/values are high. Cars are easy to obtain with plenty of choice. Constraint isn't the major issue. That is pretty self-evident. BUt hey, you pay high prices for the reasons you think and I'll do the same. We will both continue to pay high prices (and have higher residuals), regardless.

And that is what potential immigrants need to know. High prices. High residuals.

A4Ron

How have I got insulting? I just stated that I've researched this in the past - I've got a Master's degree in Automotive Journalism. I phoned up for a coil pack on a 2004 Nissan Micra, quoted here from Nissan NZ: $270. Quoted from Nissan UK: $90. And that's just one of many examples. So high parts prices in no way depress second-hand values. Where are you getting this from? It's down to supply, low-selling volume and geographical location.

Again, the facts are out there for all to see (taken from 2012 when new emissions regulations came in):

‘Cars for Kiwis’ UK export boom | Business Weekly | Technology News | Business news | Cambridge and the East of England

A car is easy enough to obtain in the sense you can buy a car here if you're not after a specific model, yes... But I can list many, many generic models that are two-a-penny in the UK and there are only one or two examples on the whole of TradeMe or none at all - would you like me to?

You cannot ignore supply due to much higher population, a much bigger economy and geographical location - these are the reasons. This article says the same thing, even though it's from 2012: Are motorists being taken for a ride? | Stuff.co.nz

And I will continue to import my cars and save thousands of $$$$ in the process, while getting the exact model and specification I want. I'd implore anyone to do the same why spend over-the-odds when you don't have to

A4Ron

I live here too, but when you said: "Chch roads are usually dry and only have to put up with minor frosts which hardly cause driving/riding problems very early morning. Ground temperatures are very much lower in the UK compared with Chch NZ hence ice conditions on UK roads being a very much bigger problem." - this isn't accurate at all. Look how many cars leave the road here due to icey conditions... We all know what the temperature drops to late at night/early hours during winter here and it's pretty much 0 or in the minus. Factor in that broken up chip-seal offers less grip than more expensive European asphalt too.

Obviously, if you live 2-5kms from the city centre it's not going to be as much of an issue compared with coming from Templeton or Rolleston, but I've encountered more treacherous icey conditions commuting into Christchurch, than years of living on the outskirts of Bristol and Twickenham.

Kotare

Back to advice to migrants :-). If you bring in a standard diesel Skoda/VW/Peugeot etc with a manual gearchange your parts will be expensive and residuals probably low. 'Status' cars like Merc, Jag XXR etc different ball game

Woodlea

To get ice you need precipitation, we don't have much in Canty, not like the Coast. I've been commuting from Rangiora to Chch for 10 years and have never experienced ice. If it rains it is mild, if it is cold enough for a frost it is generally dry. Freezing dew doesn't make ice, the only time I have come close to losing traction due to the cold is on frosty dew, but it's easily recovered, not like ice!

Stormer999