Car purchase
Nov 14th 2011, 8:15 pm
#1
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Car purchase
Hi again! When we arrive in nz @ the end of dec, we wil be buying a car pretty much straight away. Would you buy private thru local area e.g. Trade me or buy through a dealer? Also is the cost of car insurance comparable to the uk? Would I need proof of no claims too? Thanks again
Nov 14th 2011, 8:36 pm
#2
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,298
Re: Car purchase
Hi again! When we arrive in nz @ the end of dec, we wil be buying a car pretty much straight away. Would you buy private thru local area e.g. Trade me or buy through a dealer? Also is the cost of car insurance comparable to the uk? Would I need proof of no claims too? Thanks again
Nov 14th 2011, 9:03 pm
#3
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 0
Re: Car purchase
We bought our cars from a Toyota dealership, mine was brand new & OH's second-hand. Got a good deal but it probably helped that OH used to work for Toyota Motor Manufacturing (Europe) Ltd. So they couldn't bullsh*t him on price.
We have our car insurance with Westpac (Lumley). I had to make a claim recently & it was sorted out effortlessly
Although we had brought 'no-claims' statements from our UK insurance company, the companies here weren't interested.
We looked at AA for insurance but it was more expensive than Westpac. UK licence vs. NZ licence made no difference to the cost for us.
We have our car insurance with Westpac (Lumley). I had to make a claim recently & it was sorted out effortlessly
Although we had brought 'no-claims' statements from our UK insurance company, the companies here weren't interested.We looked at AA for insurance but it was more expensive than Westpac. UK licence vs. NZ licence made no difference to the cost for us.
Nov 14th 2011, 10:53 pm
#4
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 526
Re: Car purchase
Hi again! When we arrive in nz @ the end of dec, we wil be buying a car pretty much straight away. Would you buy private thru local area e.g. Trade me or buy through a dealer? Also is the cost of car insurance comparable to the uk? Would I need proof of no claims too? Thanks again
They will probably know your fresh off the boat and will try and take advantage.
Nov 15th 2011, 12:30 am
#5
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Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Posts: 2,744
Re: Car purchase
You can get your Kiwi driving license by visiting an AA shop anywhere in NZ and showing your GB license. Just turn up, fill out a form, pay the fee, take the sight test, get your photo taken and you will be given a temporary license (a slip of paper with your NZ driving license number on it) straightaway. Your kiwi photo license comes in the post later. They do not retain your GB license. I forgot to take my kiwi license when we purchased our car and it was registered to my GB license. I will rectify that when the registration is renewed in January. I don't fully understand why the equivalent of a UK 'log book' has to be re-written every 6 or 12 months but it's part of the learning curve of NZ.
We got our car insurance from AA. Car insurance is not compulsory here
The clerk who dealt with me at the AA just wanted my claim history as told by me. As has been mentioned they did not want proof of NCB. She'll be right mate !
We got our car insurance from AA. Car insurance is not compulsory here
The clerk who dealt with me at the AA just wanted my claim history as told by me. As has been mentioned they did not want proof of NCB. She'll be right mate !
Nov 15th 2011, 1:02 am
#6
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Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Posts: 2,744
Re: Car purchase
Car insurance cost is significantly cheaper in NZ than the UK. I think it's done to encourage more people to take it up. Hit by an uninsured driver ? I mean, what are the chances ? Answer: you're in New Zealand !
By the way, there's no tax disc for the windscreen. There is a rectangular piece of paper with the date of expiry on it which goes where the tax disc would go on a UK car - that's the registration aka rego (pronounced reggie oh). These are issed by vtnz. If buying from a motor dealer, they should provide that and the W.O.F. (Warrant of Fitness) same as M.O.T. as part of the deal. Some of the cars for sale either have no number plate on them or you will be given those red number plates for your test drive. The car might be imported and not yet be registerd to a buyer. We purchased our 2001 Mazda Famila 1.4 with under 10,000 miles on the clock from a generic car yard, not a main dealer in July 2011. Current W.O.F. and rego were included in the deal. We paid $9,400, that's under £5,000. By the way, you may end up with an automatic. Manual gear box cars are few and far between. Kiwi's struggle with the clutch on gear change, much like Americans !
The Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a sticker on the top right of the windscreen that just says Warrant of Fitness and an expiry date on it. There is paperwork to back up the windscreen stickers.
As well as the Mazda we test drove a small Opel hatchback. It wasn't a comfortable drive. I tried to get the Mazda for the price of the Opel. No deal. The car salesman described it as an 'orphan car'. Not often seen in NZ and the car mechanics in town would be more used to Mazdas, Toyotas, Nissans etc. They import cars from Japan to be sold in NZ once they are roadworthy and legal. Don't let the car salesman give you the impression they've done this as a favour for you.
The car salesman we purchased our car from was about as good as any. It was circumstantial that the dealership had rental cars for rent too, we rented one for a month. We got our rental fee back as part of the discount when we purchased one of their cars. Their cars are not high mileage ex-rentals. However, old cars with huge engines i.e. 1600cc and more are cheap in NZ just like in the UK. Go on, buy a ute (utility vehicle/pickup truck) and put a dog in the back of it !
Don't know about Trade Me. Useful as a price guide. Maybe get it from a dealer ? A dealer will be more comfortable dealing with you and answering your questions. Paying for it might be easier too i.e. card transaction or bank transfer. How would you pay a private sale in NZ ? Bank draft ? Do you know how they work in NZ ? (I don't, so it might not be a big deal). Also you won't be driving all over the place trying to locate the addresses of the vehicle sellers if you go to a few car dealers.
By the way, there's no tax disc for the windscreen. There is a rectangular piece of paper with the date of expiry on it which goes where the tax disc would go on a UK car - that's the registration aka rego (pronounced reggie oh). These are issed by vtnz. If buying from a motor dealer, they should provide that and the W.O.F. (Warrant of Fitness) same as M.O.T. as part of the deal. Some of the cars for sale either have no number plate on them or you will be given those red number plates for your test drive. The car might be imported and not yet be registerd to a buyer. We purchased our 2001 Mazda Famila 1.4 with under 10,000 miles on the clock from a generic car yard, not a main dealer in July 2011. Current W.O.F. and rego were included in the deal. We paid $9,400, that's under £5,000. By the way, you may end up with an automatic. Manual gear box cars are few and far between. Kiwi's struggle with the clutch on gear change, much like Americans !
The Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a sticker on the top right of the windscreen that just says Warrant of Fitness and an expiry date on it. There is paperwork to back up the windscreen stickers.
As well as the Mazda we test drove a small Opel hatchback. It wasn't a comfortable drive. I tried to get the Mazda for the price of the Opel. No deal. The car salesman described it as an 'orphan car'. Not often seen in NZ and the car mechanics in town would be more used to Mazdas, Toyotas, Nissans etc. They import cars from Japan to be sold in NZ once they are roadworthy and legal. Don't let the car salesman give you the impression they've done this as a favour for you.
The car salesman we purchased our car from was about as good as any. It was circumstantial that the dealership had rental cars for rent too, we rented one for a month. We got our rental fee back as part of the discount when we purchased one of their cars. Their cars are not high mileage ex-rentals. However, old cars with huge engines i.e. 1600cc and more are cheap in NZ just like in the UK. Go on, buy a ute (utility vehicle/pickup truck) and put a dog in the back of it !
Don't know about Trade Me. Useful as a price guide. Maybe get it from a dealer ? A dealer will be more comfortable dealing with you and answering your questions. Paying for it might be easier too i.e. card transaction or bank transfer. How would you pay a private sale in NZ ? Bank draft ? Do you know how they work in NZ ? (I don't, so it might not be a big deal). Also you won't be driving all over the place trying to locate the addresses of the vehicle sellers if you go to a few car dealers.
Last edited by Snap Shot; Nov 15th 2011 at 1:29 am. Reason: Thought of something else, yes really
Nov 15th 2011, 6:53 pm
#7
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Re: Car purchase
Car insurance cost is significantly cheaper in NZ than the UK. I think it's done to encourage more people to take it up. Hit by an uninsured driver ? I mean, what are the chances ? Answer: you're in New Zealand !
By the way, there's no tax disc for the windscreen. There is a rectangular piece of paper with the date of expiry on it which goes where the tax disc would go on a UK car - that's the registration aka rego (pronounced reggie oh). These are issed by vtnz. If buying from a motor dealer, they should provide that and the W.O.F. (Warrant of Fitness) same as M.O.T. as part of the deal. Some of the cars for sale either have no number plate on them or you will be given those red number plates for your test drive. The car might be imported and not yet be registerd to a buyer. We purchased our 2001 Mazda Famila 1.4 with under 10,000 miles on the clock from a generic car yard, not a main dealer in July 2011. Current W.O.F. and rego were included in the deal. We paid $9,400, that's under £5,000. By the way, you may end up with an automatic. Manual gear box cars are few and far between. Kiwi's struggle with the clutch on gear change, much like Americans !
The Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a sticker on the top right of the windscreen that just says Warrant of Fitness and an expiry date on it. There is paperwork to back up the windscreen stickers.
As well as the Mazda we test drove a small Opel hatchback. It wasn't a comfortable drive. I tried to get the Mazda for the price of the Opel. No deal. The car salesman described it as an 'orphan car'. Not often seen in NZ and the car mechanics in town would be more used to Mazdas, Toyotas, Nissans etc. They import cars from Japan to be sold in NZ once they are roadworthy and legal. Don't let the car salesman give you the impression they've done this as a favour for you.
The car salesman we purchased our car from was about as good as any. It was circumstantial that the dealership had rental cars for rent too, we rented one for a month. We got our rental fee back as part of the discount when we purchased one of their cars. Their cars are not high mileage ex-rentals. However, old cars with huge engines i.e. 1600cc and more are cheap in NZ just like in the UK. Go on, buy a ute (utility vehicle/pickup truck) and put a dog in the back of it !
Don't know about Trade Me. Useful as a price guide. Maybe get it from a dealer ? A dealer will be more comfortable dealing with you and answering your questions. Paying for it might be easier too i.e. card transaction or bank transfer. How would you pay a private sale in NZ ? Bank draft ? Do you know how they work in NZ ? (I don't, so it might not be a big deal). Also you won't be driving all over the place trying to locate the addresses of the vehicle sellers if you go to a few car dealers.
By the way, there's no tax disc for the windscreen. There is a rectangular piece of paper with the date of expiry on it which goes where the tax disc would go on a UK car - that's the registration aka rego (pronounced reggie oh). These are issed by vtnz. If buying from a motor dealer, they should provide that and the W.O.F. (Warrant of Fitness) same as M.O.T. as part of the deal. Some of the cars for sale either have no number plate on them or you will be given those red number plates for your test drive. The car might be imported and not yet be registerd to a buyer. We purchased our 2001 Mazda Famila 1.4 with under 10,000 miles on the clock from a generic car yard, not a main dealer in July 2011. Current W.O.F. and rego were included in the deal. We paid $9,400, that's under £5,000. By the way, you may end up with an automatic. Manual gear box cars are few and far between. Kiwi's struggle with the clutch on gear change, much like Americans !
The Warrant of Fitness (WOF) is a sticker on the top right of the windscreen that just says Warrant of Fitness and an expiry date on it. There is paperwork to back up the windscreen stickers.
As well as the Mazda we test drove a small Opel hatchback. It wasn't a comfortable drive. I tried to get the Mazda for the price of the Opel. No deal. The car salesman described it as an 'orphan car'. Not often seen in NZ and the car mechanics in town would be more used to Mazdas, Toyotas, Nissans etc. They import cars from Japan to be sold in NZ once they are roadworthy and legal. Don't let the car salesman give you the impression they've done this as a favour for you.
The car salesman we purchased our car from was about as good as any. It was circumstantial that the dealership had rental cars for rent too, we rented one for a month. We got our rental fee back as part of the discount when we purchased one of their cars. Their cars are not high mileage ex-rentals. However, old cars with huge engines i.e. 1600cc and more are cheap in NZ just like in the UK. Go on, buy a ute (utility vehicle/pickup truck) and put a dog in the back of it !
Don't know about Trade Me. Useful as a price guide. Maybe get it from a dealer ? A dealer will be more comfortable dealing with you and answering your questions. Paying for it might be easier too i.e. card transaction or bank transfer. How would you pay a private sale in NZ ? Bank draft ? Do you know how they work in NZ ? (I don't, so it might not be a big deal). Also you won't be driving all over the place trying to locate the addresses of the vehicle sellers if you go to a few car dealers.
Nov 15th 2011, 7:19 pm
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,298
Re: Car purchase
Your body is repaired by ACC (accident claims and compensation), your car body is repaired by either you (if you have no fully comp ins), or by your ins. co, who then try to get the money back of the knob that stuffed you. There is a huge point to having ins in Nz as it covers what ever you damage and more importantly will cover you if you are hit by some uninsured twat.
Nov 15th 2011, 7:59 pm
#9
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Re: Car purchase
Your body is repaired by ACC (accident claims and compensation), your car body is repaired by either you (if you have no fully comp ins), or by your ins. co, who then try to get the money back of the knob that stuffed you. There is a huge point to having ins in Nz as it covers what ever you damage and more importantly will cover you if you are hit by some uninsured twat.
Nov 16th 2011, 1:37 am
#10
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Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Hawkes Bay
Posts: 1,303
Re: Car purchase
Trade Me is very poor as a price guide, full of cars at extremely over inflated prices. You'll find you can get much better deals with a dealer & save 1000's.
This gives a good price guide:-
http://www.turners.co.nz/PriceCheck/...alCarType.aspx
This gives a good price guide:-
http://www.turners.co.nz/PriceCheck/...alCarType.aspx
Nov 16th 2011, 3:13 am
#11
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: South Auckland
Posts: 2,228
Re: Car purchase
I signed up with AA but strangely I thought it was expensive compared to my UK insurance.
Maybe I bought the expensive option by mistake!! The cost is the same whether you have a NZ or UK licence but the excess if you make a claim is more with a foreign licence, so probably worth getting one if you can. I did have to make a claim recently and they were easy to deal with. Because I got the other person's details I did not lose my no claims bonus or have to pay an excess. Went through smoothly.
Maybe I bought the expensive option by mistake!! The cost is the same whether you have a NZ or UK licence but the excess if you make a claim is more with a foreign licence, so probably worth getting one if you can. I did have to make a claim recently and they were easy to deal with. Because I got the other person's details I did not lose my no claims bonus or have to pay an excess. Went through smoothly.
Nov 16th 2011, 5:43 am
#12
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 59
Re: Car purchase
Depends where you are of course but..Del at Dev cars Devonport, my cousins mate, great guy, great small used car dealer, bought a smashing Swift of him day 3 after arrival, Good bloke do you a good car!
Nov 16th 2011, 6:04 pm
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: BoP
Posts: 170
Re: Car purchase
John.
Nov 16th 2011, 11:24 pm
#14
grumpy bugger
Joined: Sep 2011
Location: out there...... somewhere
Posts: 368
Re: Car purchase
From a couple of quotes that we got for a 3litre engined people carrier (Japanese import, 7 years old) and our 1.2 litre engined Fiat 500 convertible that we've brought with us (less than 2 years old) it would seem that the actual value of the car influences the insurance cost more than it does in the UK, or maybe it was that the Fiat is not as common as the MPV. The same company quoted us twice as much for the Fiat.
John.
John.
