Gill and Ian

QUOTE=chocolate cake;6551820]AA actually load it to $800 as I've recently found out, wish I'd have got round to taking the test now after deciding not to bother & wait 'til Sept.[/QUOTE]

Hello,
if AA are setting their excess at $800 can you maybe insure with anyone else? Is the $800 AA excess pretty much the norm in NZ for someone driving on a UK license?

NakiMan

"Is the $800 AA excess pretty much the norm in NZ for someone driving on a UK license? "

It depends on all the usual insurance factors, of course, but I would have said its a bit on the high side.

I insure my Mazda MPV (3 litre V6) through Westpac Bank... $300 excess, costs $24 a month or so ....... and they were perfectly happy to accept my UK licence

Gill and Ian

I still can't get over the price of your Insurance over there. It's so cheap, it's great!
We'd get stuck for about twice that much, back here and they'd still argue about paying out, quoting the small print, etc.
So you have cheap insurance, cheap fuel (@60% of UK prices) and good, empty roads except where they were being dug up in Northland in Autumn: we tried to drive up to Cape Reianga in that monsoon in February, in a camper van? We got within 2km and the road had been dug up!:curse:

What's the downside? Are motors expensive? I've looked on Autotrader New Zealand, The prices look a bit steep, but maybe because I was looking at models I recognize.
What are the most popular Holdens, for example? We don't have them over here and I don't know what to look at to relate to what we do have.
What model's your Mazda, by the way, NakiMan?

Catkin09

Hi Gill and Ian

I think and I could be wrong, although I'm always right, but I think Holden is the same as Vauxhall, just a different name.

Where abouts in Huddersfield are you from and where are you planning on heading when you come over? Sorry for being a nosey cow , but we moved here from Huddersfield landing 1st January.

Cheers

Catkin

chocolate cake

Yep, Holden's are Vauxhall, Opels etc. in another name.

Generally new cars are about cheaper than the UK, though diesel's tend to thin on the ground and more expensive. Also second hand motors seem to hold their value better, at least initially.

Insurance is very cheap compared to the UK, not sure why cause the drivings generally worse and there's a substantial number of legal non insured about. It's ridiculous in developed country that insurance isn't compulsory.

Catkin, also from near Huddersfield myself, Ingbirchworth just inside South Yorks, infact still trying to sell the damn house there.

Catkin09

Still trying to sell our bloody house too!! If nothing by the end of July we're going to put tenants back in for another 6 months or so.

I know Inbirchworth, really pretty place, we were in Skelmanthorpe, so not far away at all.

Catkin

NakiMan

"What model's your Mazda, by the way, NakiMan?

Its called a Mazda MPV.. dont think you get them in the UK but its broadly similar to the Toyota Previa or a Honda Odyssey, or a Ford Galaxy. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_MPV has a good description if you're interested.

Its a 7 seater, 3 Litre V6 auto, huge carrying space, very versatile piece of equipment.

Picked it up a year ago, 2003 model, 60,000 kms for $12500 (£5000)

Servicing is generally cheaper too, outside of the dealer network, that is. A half yearly service and oil change costs me $99 at my local Independent garage, including oil and filter.

A Warrant of fitness (same as an MOT test) costs $45 and annual registration is, I think $185

Gill and Ian

Hi, Catkin, we're from the south of Huddersfield near Beaumont Park.
Not far from Skelmanthorpe at all, really.

We reccied the north of the North Island in February and quite fancy the Rotorua area but I'm not sure how much industry they have there.
Wellington, near you probably has good employment prospects, eh?
plus it looks like you've got some stunning scenery, too.
The best of both worlds?

mkumar

i got 7/10 on the AA quiz. Is there a pass mark?

Also, I had heard that NZ were allowing UK drivers to convert their licence to a NZ licence without a theory/driving test.

This was mentioned on a NZ website only a few weeks ago.

Can anyone in NZ clarify?

NakiMan

Yes, thats true, wef 1/09/2008 people with a valid UK license can apply for a NZ one without taking the theory or practical tests.

Gill and Ian

Good evening/morning all.
So, if we don't have to take a theory or practical, what do we have to take? A medical?
Sounds Ok: we only have to remember the slight differences in the rules of the road, like allowing oncoming cars turning to our left to go first?
Any other different rules, anyone?
Cheers.

AKT

Can you tell us where you got this information? I can't find it on the land transport website, just the current, sit the theory test info.

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/factsheets/56.html

Thanks

A

AKT

It's the things like tire tread depth (1.5mm) and how far away to park from a corner that will trip you up. Also the land transport website with the tests on it has some very confusing pictures (as I assume does the real thing) so that on a hazard question you may think that person 'A' standing in the middle of the road is the biggest hazard, but in fact it's person 'B' on the pavement, because they're a child...not that you could tell from the picture!

A

AKT

Can you tell us where you found this info please, couldn't see it on the LT website.

A

NakiMan

Take a look at

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/rules/q-and-...ment-2008.html

particularly section 8

They sure don't make it easy to find, and I went into my local AA office the other day and they'd never heard of it, but it is true.