# Shipping Cars from UK to NZ



## hopers7

Hi,

Was wondering if anyone had any experience/advice on shipping cars from UK to NZ. We are weighing up if it's worth selling both our cars and buying when we move or taking them with us...

Over here private sale one is worth £2,000 and the other £3,000...if we were not moving we wouldn't be considering changing cars...

I was also wondering if anyone had an idea about cost of shipping, one is a ford fiesta, the other vauxhall astra...

Look forward to hearing from you...


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## toadsurfer

Hi

Haven't done it yet but am in the process of arranging shipping for my vehicle. 

Quotes are ranging from £1400-£2000, but this is for a VW Transporter van that I have converted into a camper so much bigger than a fiesta. One advantage tho is I can get quite a lot of household goods shipped inside the van. 

A camper would be a v cool in NZ and the vw transporters are worth more there than in the uk so for me it's worth the cost of shipping. I have read nz has a good 2nd market for cheap Japanese cars so if you have cheapish cars here it prob isn't worth taking them. Also there are various costs to pay one you get the car to nz as well to add to the import costs.

Unless you are emotionally attached to your cars I'd prob sell here and buy second hand ones in NZ. 

Good luck!
Ed


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## Amt70

hopers7 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Was wondering if anyone had any experience/advice on shipping cars from UK to NZ. We are weighing up if it's worth selling both our cars and buying when we move or taking them with us...
> 
> Over here private sale one is worth £2,000 and the other £3,000...if we were not moving we wouldn't be considering changing cars...
> 
> I was also wondering if anyone had an idea about cost of shipping, one is a ford fiesta, the other vauxhall astra...
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you...


Hello 
We have just moved to NZ and our cars are on transit newish mini convertible and 4 x 4. Cars seem more expensive here tho. Saying that we have bought our daughter a 2005 hidden barina 1.4 (uk equivslent of a corsa) for $6000 about £3 k. Cost to bring over in a 40 ft container with our household goods was around £6k.

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## Chloe99

hi ive been here in NZ for 3 weeks now and our cars are currently in transit from UK and it turned out to ne cheaper to bring them both over. As the cars over here seem to be more expensive an also,you have to have a very clear idea of what your looking for. Mostcars over here are older cars than UK and are mostly automatics. Also not a verywide range of choice of colour or types of cars. At the end of working this all out it is cheaper brimging then over in transit and you also have your car with you as a memory from the UK.


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## topcat83

Chloe99 said:


> hi ive been here in NZ for 3 weeks now and our cars are currently in transit from UK and it turned out to ne cheaper to bring them both over. As the cars over here seem to be more expensive an also,you have to have a very clear idea of what your looking for. Mostcars over here are older cars than UK and are mostly automatics. Also not a verywide range of choice of colour or types of cars. At the end of working this all out it is cheaper brimging then over in transit and you also have your car with you as a memory from the UK.


Lol know what you mean about the colours - there aren't a huge number of bright ones! 

I must say that we have not found cars expensive - in fact quite the opposite. And we have bought a right selection from a brand new one (Hyundai Accent CDi - list price $35,995 - but bargain!) to a real cheapy for a friend's daughter who's just emigrated ($2,000 for a Toyota Cavalier from a dodgy second hand car dealer - it got them to Gisborne so it can't have been that bad).


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## escapedtonz

Hi Hopers7,
No don't do it. 
My advice is sell them both in the UK.
Shipping them is a complete waste of money. 
First of all you need to make sure the cars conform to NZ safety & emissions standards.
Be careful as some shipping companies will overlook this so when you get it here NZ Transport won't let you use it on the road unless you have spent thousands making it conform to the more stringent rules.
Putting these costs aside it will cost you approx £1500 per car then there are further fees of approx £400 to get them through customs and Maf then there's all the red tape to have them safety tested, WOF (equivalent of UK MOT) which is every 6 months for an older car at the moment, then registration plates etc.
Plus it will take 10 - 12 weeks to get here.
Plus your car is UK spec so speedo and odometer is in miles & mph. NZ is metres & Kmph here so you very much run the risk of getting done for speeding as the Kmph dial is tiny on a UK spec car.
Last but not least you will never sell it here. Nobody wants a manual car and especially one thats UK spec.
Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but this is the reality.

We bought a new top of the range 2011 Pug 4007 HDi GT 7 seater 4x4 suv in June 2011 to bring it with us, but after investigating the shipping and all the red tape a few months before we started the travelling we gave up due to the costs.
Was much easier to sell it.
We only had it 7 months, did 8000 miles in it and lost £3000 in that time but it would have cost more to ship it etc etc so we cut our losses and this was a new car.
It made the decision about taking my 2005 Seat Toledo all the more easier. We sold that as well.
All in all we received £23500 for both cars in the UK before we left and for the same cost in equivalent NZ$ we bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander which is virtually identical to the Pug 4007 we had although it's a year older and I've got a fantastic Subaru Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B SI Tiptronic beast - a car I've always wanted but couldnt afford the fuel in the UK or the insurance.

The 2nd hand car market here is great. 
There are loads of vehicles of every manufacturer and the Asian import stuff is obviously cheaper as its nearer.
If you don't mind a car with a bit of Japanese on the buttons there are loads of Japanese imports. My Subaru is one of these. There are some buttons that are Japanese and the sat nav doesn't work as you cant change it to read an NZ map disc but I have an English handbook so I can understand and change all the settings.

The Japanese are sticklers for keeping their cars tidy and well looked after. When they get time for their first MOT a lot of them are sold as their first MOT's cost around £1500 so I'm led to believe. This is why there's such a massive market for Japanese imports.

If these aren't your cup of tea there's the NZ Autotrader and every big town has a street full of main dealers with new & used motor's for sale and the saying that cars here are expensive is a myth.

Also, fuel is cheaper - petrol currently $2.20 per litre so approx £1.10
Diesel is a lot cheaper than that but all diesel cars have to pay an additional diesel levy here so this makes the overall cost the same as for a petrol car.
Servicing is cheaper.
Road Tax is cheaper.
Car insurance is about half the price of the UK.
Hope I've convinced you


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## anski

escapedtonz said:


> Hi Hopers7,
> No don't do it.
> My advice is sell them both in the UK.
> Shipping them is a complete waste of money.
> First of all you need to make sure the cars conform to NZ safety & emissions standards.
> Be careful as some shipping companies will overlook this so when you get it here NZ Transport won't let you use it on the road unless you have spent thousands making it conform to the more stringent rules.
> Putting these costs aside it will cost you approx £1500 per car then there are further fees of approx £400 to get them through customs and Maf then there's all the red tape to have them safety tested, WOF (equivalent of UK MOT) which is every 6 months for an older car at the moment, then registration plates etc.
> Plus it will take 10 - 12 weeks to get here.
> Plus your car is UK spec so speedo and odometer is in miles & mph. NZ is metres & Kmph here so you very much run the risk of getting done for speeding as the Kmph dial is tiny on a UK spec car.
> Last but not least you will never sell it here. Nobody wants a manual car and especially one thats UK spec.
> Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but this is the reality.
> 
> We bought a new top of the range 2011 Pug 4007 HDi GT 7 seater 4x4 suv in June 2011 to bring it with us, but after investigating the shipping and all the red tape a few months before we started the travelling we gave up due to the costs.
> Was much easier to sell it.
> We only had it 7 months, did 8000 miles in it and lost £3000 in that time but it would have cost more to ship it etc etc so we cut our losses and this was a new car.
> It made the decision about taking my 2005 Seat Toledo all the more easier. We sold that as well.
> All in all we received £23500 for both cars in the UK before we left and for the same cost in equivalent NZ$ we bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander which is virtually identical to the Pug 4007 we had although it's a year older and I've got a fantastic Subaru Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B SI Tiptronic beast - a car I've always wanted but couldnt afford the fuel in the UK or the insurance.
> 
> The 2nd hand car market here is great.
> There are loads of vehicles of every manufacturer and the Asian import stuff is obviously cheaper as its nearer.
> If you don't mind a car with a bit of Japanese on the buttons there are loads of Japanese imports. My Subaru is one of these. There are some buttons that are Japanese and the sat nav doesn't work as you cant change it to read an NZ map disc but I have an English handbook so I can understand and change all the settings.
> 
> The Japanese are sticklers for keeping their cars tidy and well looked after. When they get time for their first MOT a lot of them are sold as their first MOT's cost around £1500 so I'm led to believe. This is why there's such a massive market for Japanese imports.
> 
> If these aren't your cup of tea there's the NZ Autotrader and every big town has a street full of main dealers with new & used motor's for sale and the saying that cars here are expensive is a myth.
> 
> Also, fuel is cheaper - petrol currently $2.20 per litre so approx £1.10
> Diesel is a lot cheaper than that but all diesel cars have to pay an additional diesel levy here so this makes the overall cost the same as for a petrol car.
> Servicing is cheaper.
> Road Tax is cheaper.
> Car insurance is about half the price of the UK.
> Hope I've convinced you



Well said I could not agree more. We brought a new car over in 2001, but would never do it again.


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## wendy bird

My partner has said when we come over he is not leaving his classic mini cluban estate. Its about a 1969 and we believe it to be one of the first ever made, everything we can see so far is original. At the minuite it is a work in progress, but i have read on other forums that for historic vehicles that are restoration projects as long as they are free from rust its quite simple to bring them through. It will not be on the road i shouldnt think by the time we come over. It has no engine in it at present, and both subframes have been removed so the car can be stripped and sanded ready for a respray.
Can this be shipped with our household belongings in the container or does it need to be shipped separately? And would we be able to bring all the spare parts we have for it???


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## escapedtonz

wendy bird said:


> My partner has said when we come over he is not leaving his classic mini cluban estate. Its about a 1969 and we believe it to be one of the first ever made, everything we can see so far is original. At the minuite it is a work in progress, but i have read on other forums that for historic vehicles that are restoration projects as long as they are free from rust its quite simple to bring them through. It will not be on the road i shouldnt think by the time we come over. It has no engine in it at present, and both subframes have been removed so the car can be stripped and sanded ready for a respray.
> Can this be shipped with our household belongings in the container or does it need to be shipped separately? And would we be able to bring all the spare parts we have for it???


I'd say it shouldn't be a problem so long (as you say it is free from rust and clean as a whistle) and yes everything goes in the one container. Spare parts shouldn't be a problem also. You can even pack stuff in a vehicle. 
The problems will come when and if you ever decide to put it in the road here as it won't conform at all although you may be able to investigate the possibility of an exemption being a classic car? There are lots of old American cars here so other people have done it in the past and satisfied whatever rules NZ Transport Agency have. Must admit there's a classic mini just at the bottom of the road here in Woburn, Lower Hutt 😁

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## topcat83

wendy bird said:


> My partner has said when we come over he is not leaving his classic mini cluban estate. Its about a 1969 and we believe it to be one of the first ever made, everything we can see so far is original. At the minuite it is a work in progress, but i have read on other forums that for historic vehicles that are restoration projects as long as they are free from rust its quite simple to bring them through. It will not be on the road i shouldnt think by the time we come over. It has no engine in it at present, and both subframes have been removed so the car can be stripped and sanded ready for a respray.
> Can this be shipped with our household belongings in the container or does it need to be shipped separately? And would we be able to bring all the spare parts we have for it???


Contact Mini Car Club of Auckland - if it's a classic (and it sounds like it is) then they'll welcome you with open arms and will probably be able to give you good advice about how to import it.

If it is a classic above a certain age it may not have to completely comply with current requirements either - but I'm not sure what the cut-off age is...


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## anski

We have an English friend in Australia who is a Mini nut case (his wife's words, not mine) but Steve owns 13 Mini's & he has just shipped his latest purchase bought off Trademe back to Queensland, he said it was a rare Mini ute so he had to have it.

New Zealand is a wonderful source of these old British cars and no doubt he will find more in the future!


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## wendy bird

Thanks guys for your responses, its nice to know that there are other mini fanatics out there!! As this one is such a proper classic he wont be leaving it. Its one of the first clubman estates made, we found it as a barn find, been stuck in there for over 20 years!!! 
And thanks for the link, ill have a look.


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## hopers7

escapedtonz said:


> Hi Hopers7,
> No don't do it.
> My advice is sell them both in the UK.
> Shipping them is a complete waste of money.
> First of all you need to make sure the cars conform to NZ safety & emissions standards.
> Be careful as some shipping companies will overlook this so when you get it here NZ Transport won't let you use it on the road unless you have spent thousands making it conform to the more stringent rules.
> Putting these costs aside it will cost you approx £1500 per car then there are further fees of approx £400 to get them through customs and Maf then there's all the red tape to have them safety tested, WOF (equivalent of UK MOT) which is every 6 months for an older car at the moment, then registration plates etc.
> Plus it will take 10 - 12 weeks to get here.
> Plus your car is UK spec so speedo and odometer is in miles & mph. NZ is metres & Kmph here so you very much run the risk of getting done for speeding as the Kmph dial is tiny on a UK spec car.
> Last but not least you will never sell it here. Nobody wants a manual car and especially one thats UK spec.
> Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but this is the reality.
> 
> We bought a new top of the range 2011 Pug 4007 HDi GT 7 seater 4x4 suv in June 2011 to bring it with us, but after investigating the shipping and all the red tape a few months before we started the travelling we gave up due to the costs.
> Was much easier to sell it.
> We only had it 7 months, did 8000 miles in it and lost £3000 in that time but it would have cost more to ship it etc etc so we cut our losses and this was a new car.
> It made the decision about taking my 2005 Seat Toledo all the more easier. We sold that as well.
> All in all we received £23500 for both cars in the UK before we left and for the same cost in equivalent NZ$ we bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander which is virtually identical to the Pug 4007 we had although it's a year older and I've got a fantastic Subaru Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B SI Tiptronic beast - a car I've always wanted but couldnt afford the fuel in the UK or the insurance.
> 
> The 2nd hand car market here is great.
> There are loads of vehicles of every manufacturer and the Asian import stuff is obviously cheaper as its nearer.
> If you don't mind a car with a bit of Japanese on the buttons there are loads of Japanese imports. My Subaru is one of these. There are some buttons that are Japanese and the sat nav doesn't work as you cant change it to read an NZ map disc but I have an English handbook so I can understand and change all the settings.
> 
> The Japanese are sticklers for keeping their cars tidy and well looked after. When they get time for their first MOT a lot of them are sold as their first MOT's cost around £1500 so I'm led to believe. This is why there's such a massive market for Japanese imports.
> 
> If these aren't your cup of tea there's the NZ Autotrader and every big town has a street full of main dealers with new & used motor's for sale and the saying that cars here are expensive is a myth.
> 
> Also, fuel is cheaper - petrol currently $2.20 per litre so approx £1.10
> Diesel is a lot cheaper than that but all diesel cars have to pay an additional diesel levy here so this makes the overall cost the same as for a petrol car.
> Servicing is cheaper.
> Road Tax is cheaper.
> Car insurance is about half the price of the UK.
> Hope I've convinced you



Yes you have convinced us. Thank you for all the information there were bits of information we had not considered such as the speedo and difficulties selling it on...this is why this site is so great as its so overwhelming moving as you get stuck thinking about the now and the short term and not the longer term!

Thanks again for the info!!


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## pookienuffnuff

*Beg to differ*



escapedtonz said:


> Hi Hopers7,
> No don't do it.
> My advice is sell them both in the UK.
> Shipping them is a complete waste of money.
> First of all you need to make sure the cars conform to NZ safety & emissions standards.
> Be careful as some shipping companies will overlook this so when you get it here NZ Transport won't let you use it on the road unless you have spent thousands making it conform to the more stringent rules.
> Putting these costs aside it will cost you approx £1500 per car then there are further fees of approx £400 to get them through customs and Maf then there's all the red tape to have them safety tested, WOF (equivalent of UK MOT) which is every 6 months for an older car at the moment, then registration plates etc.
> Plus it will take 10 - 12 weeks to get here.
> Plus your car is UK spec so speedo and odometer is in miles & mph. NZ is metres & Kmph here so you very much run the risk of getting done for speeding as the Kmph dial is tiny on a UK spec car.
> Last but not least you will never sell it here. Nobody wants a manual car and especially one thats UK spec.
> Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but this is the reality.
> 
> We bought a new top of the range 2011 Pug 4007 HDi GT 7 seater 4x4 suv in June 2011 to bring it with us, but after investigating the shipping and all the red tape a few months before we started the travelling we gave up due to the costs.
> Was much easier to sell it.
> We only had it 7 months, did 8000 miles in it and lost £3000 in that time but it would have cost more to ship it etc etc so we cut our losses and this was a new car.
> It made the decision about taking my 2005 Seat Toledo all the more easier. We sold that as well.
> All in all we received £23500 for both cars in the UK before we left and for the same cost in equivalent NZ$ we bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander which is virtually identical to the Pug 4007 we had although it's a year older and I've got a fantastic Subaru Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B SI Tiptronic beast - a car I've always wanted but couldnt afford the fuel in the UK or the insurance.
> 
> The 2nd hand car market here is great.
> There are loads of vehicles of every manufacturer and the Asian import stuff is obviously cheaper as its nearer.
> If you don't mind a car with a bit of Japanese on the buttons there are loads of Japanese imports. My Subaru is one of these. There are some buttons that are Japanese and the sat nav doesn't work as you cant change it to read an NZ map disc but I have an English handbook so I can understand and change all the settings.
> 
> The Japanese are sticklers for keeping their cars tidy and well looked after. When they get time for their first MOT a lot of them are sold as their first MOT's cost around £1500 so I'm led to believe. This is why there's such a massive market for Japanese imports.
> 
> If these aren't your cup of tea there's the NZ Autotrader and every big town has a street full of main dealers with new & used motor's for sale and the saying that cars here are expensive is a myth.
> 
> Also, fuel is cheaper - petrol currently $2.20 per litre so approx £1.10
> Diesel is a lot cheaper than that but all diesel cars have to pay an additional diesel levy here so this makes the overall cost the same as for a petrol car.
> Servicing is cheaper.
> Road Tax is cheaper.
> Car insurance is about half the price of the UK.
> Hope I've convinced you


I beg to differ. I am not in North Island (or near Chrsitchurch) where cars are cheaper. They are expensive here and v old. In UK I own a 1994 Toyota Surf (3L turbo diesel). It is worth nothing back there (maybe 500quid). Read all this before emigrating and so left it behind. 
I am now trying to buy same/equivalent and guess how much they are? $10000. Thats about 5000quid. So I am now investigating importation, at least I will also know how well its been serviced etc. 
As it is a vehicle commonly imported and sold here I am assuming it will pass the roadworthiness etc checks? 
Does any one know therefore how I now go about importing it...any suggestions on good companies to use/paperwork that will need to be completed?
Many thanks


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## escapedtonz

ricasalamat said:


> I beg to differ. I am not in North Island (or near Chrsitchurch) where cars are cheaper. They are expensive here and v old. In UK I own a 1994 Toyota Surf (3L turbo diesel). It is worth nothing back there (maybe 500quid). Read all this before emigrating and so left it behind.
> I am now trying to buy same/equivalent and guess how much they are? $10000. Thats about 5000quid. So I am now investigating importation, at least I will also know how well its been serviced etc.
> As it is a vehicle commonly imported and sold here I am assuming it will pass the roadworthiness etc checks?
> Does any one know therefore how I now go about importing it...any suggestions on good companies to use/paperwork that will need to be completed?
> Many thanks


Ok so where are you ?
There's no reason why you have to purchase a vehicle locally. 
You can source it from anywhere in NZ and have it delivered or go pick it up and drive it back yourself.
Don't settle for locally inflated prices. There are always other options.
There's a number of Hilux Surf's of that age on Trademe etc for a lot less than $10k and yes I agree for some 1994 models sellers are asking for $10k for them but they won't get that "Buy It Now" price.
More likely they'll get half or a bit more which is a heck of a lot more than the vehicle would be worth in the Uk I agree but you cannot compare.
My previous comment was a generalization of family cars and the prices here for used ones in comparison to the uk and where they buyer wasn't fussy over make or model - only where they wanted an estate, saloon or hatchback.
You are trying to compare a specific model and year and it's impossible to do that as the markets here and in the uk are completely different.
Yes your car is worthless in the uk as no-one wants to buy older 4x4 type cars anymore and they don't want to risk them breaking down. This is all due to costs of uk motoring and the majority of people in the uk wanting a car that is reliable and newish to keep up with the Jones's next door. Uk folk would rather spend £30k on a newer X5 or other Chelsea tractor than spend a lot less on an older inefficient gas guzzler with thousands of miles on it.
If there's no market for a particular vehicle in the uk like yours then unfortunately you have to give them away.
On the other side of the world here it's all different.
The majority of kiwi's or kiwi residents buy older cars. They last longer here. They are more reliable here. Motoring costs are cheaper here.
There will be more of a market for that specific vehicle which pushes the used prices up.
Can you not look at a similar alternative ?
We did. Had a 2011 Pug 4007 in uk. Same car here was mega bucks but we got the Mitsi Outlander - equivalent car just different clothes for half the price.
It'll cost you minimum $4000 to get your car shipped over and take 12 weeks. That doesn't include any work you have to do to get it to conform and meet all the NZ safety and emissions criteria. Then there's the cleaning in the Uk charges, customs and maf charges in NZ when it arrives.
Do it if you want but I'm standing by my previous advice and saying don't waste your money.
Ok so to get the same car it's gonna cost you more than it would be worth in the uk but personally I'd rather pay then get into the importing issues


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## pookienuffnuff

escapedtonz said:


> Ok so where are you ?
> There's no reason why you have to purchase a vehicle locally.
> You can source it from anywhere in NZ and have it delivered or go pick it up and drive it back yourself.
> Don't settle for locally inflated prices. There are always other options.
> There's a number of Hilux Surf's of that age on Trademe etc for a lot less than $10k and yes I agree for some 1994 models sellers are asking for $10k for them but they won't get that "Buy It Now" price.
> More likely they'll get half or a bit more which is a heck of a lot more than the vehicle would be worth in the Uk I agree but you cannot compare.
> My previous comment was a generalization of family cars and the prices here for used ones in comparison to the uk and where they buyer wasn't fussy over make or model - only where they wanted an estate, saloon or hatchback.
> You are trying to compare a specific model and year and it's impossible to do that as the markets here and in the uk are completely different.
> Yes your car is worthless in the uk as no-one wants to buy older 4x4 type cars anymore and they don't want to risk them breaking down. This is all due to costs of uk motoring and the majority of people in the uk wanting a car that is reliable and newish to keep up with the Jones's next door. Uk folk would rather spend £30k on a newer X5 or other Chelsea tractor than spend a lot less on an older inefficient gas guzzler with thousands of miles on it.
> If there's no market for a particular vehicle in the uk like yours then unfortunately you have to give them away.
> On the other side of the world here it's all different.
> The majority of kiwi's or kiwi residents buy older cars. They last longer here. They are more reliable here. Motoring costs are cheaper here.
> There will be more of a market for that specific vehicle which pushes the used prices up.
> Can you not look at a similar alternative ?
> We did. Had a 2011 Pug 4007 in uk. Same car here was mega bucks but we got the Mitsi Outlander - equivalent car just different clothes for half the price.
> It'll cost you minimum $4000 to get your car shipped over and take 12 weeks. That doesn't include any work you have to do to get it to conform and meet all the NZ safety and emissions criteria. Then there's the cleaning in the Uk charges, customs and maf charges in NZ when it arrives.
> Do it if you want but I'm standing by my previous advice and saying don't waste your money.
> Ok so to get the same car it's gonna cost you more than it would be worth in the uk but personally I'd rather pay then get into the importing issues


Thanks, thats very useful info. I am finding it tricky to just get an approx figure for the importing. As I know my old car (and whats been replaced etc) I felt that if it cost me $5000 to import it then thats the same price as buying something (else) here so I might as well. bUt I have no idea really. Always been unlucky with cars in UK till this one and so am tempted to keep hold of it for its reliability.(Sods law says big end will go once imported!). I have no idea how to bring it up to 'standards'...I assumed if there are Surfs here already then they must be up to standards already? As I say...all new to me. Do you know whats invloved or where I find out? Am trying to quiz the NZTA at moment on this thorny issue. I only know I am exempt from import duty and gst as I have owned it over 5 years. The rest is a mystery.


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## escapedtonz

ricasalamat said:


> Thanks, thats very useful info. I am finding it tricky to just get an approx figure for the importing. As I know my old car (and whats been replaced etc) I felt that if it cost me $5000 to import it then thats the same price as buying something (else) here so I might as well. bUt I have no idea really. Always been unlucky with cars in UK till this one and so am tempted to keep hold of it for its reliability.(Sods law says big end will go once imported!). I have no idea how to bring it up to 'standards'...I assumed if there are Surfs here already then they must be up to standards already? As I say...all new to me. Do you know whats invloved or where I find out? Am trying to quiz the NZTA at moment on this thorny issue. I only know I am exempt from import duty and gst as I have owned it over 5 years. The rest is a mystery.


Hi,
If you want to enquire into exporting a vehicle from the UK to make an informed decision try PSS International in the UK. They were our shipping company for all our worldly goods and they were going to export our Pug 4007 as part of the shipment until they advised us against it.
Have a look on their website, there is a link for shipping a vehicle to NZ and some guidelines about what you have to do.

If you decide not to do it then research your chosen car price all over NZ on trade me and autotrader etc. You will easily find an equivalent vehicle for a decent price - more expensive than its worth in the uk but that's the market here but you can rest easy in the fact it's not costing you as much to run when considering fuel, road tax, insurance, servicing, repairs - they are all cheaper here.

Good luck


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## anski

ricasalamat said:


> Thanks, thats very useful info. I am finding it tricky to just get an approx figure for the importing. As I know my old car (and whats been replaced etc) I felt that if it cost me $5000 to import it then thats the same price as buying something (else) here so I might as well. bUt I have no idea really. Always been unlucky with cars in UK till this one and so am tempted to keep hold of it for its reliability.(Sods law says big end will go once imported!). I have no idea how to bring it up to 'standards'...I assumed if there are Surfs here already then they must be up to standards already? As I say...all new to me. Do you know whats invloved or where I find out? Am trying to quiz the NZTA at moment on this thorny issue. I only know I am exempt from import duty and gst as I have owned it over 5 years. The rest is a mystery.



read through this previous post http://www.expatforum.com/expats/ne...zealand/64966-importing-older-cars-uk-nz.html

& remember a vehicle that has been driven on UK roads is perhaps not going to pass inspection on arrival.


----------



## pookienuffnuff

*Importing Toyota Surf quote*

I have had a quote from Joe Steele at McCullough Ltd. Shipping Vehicles, Cars, Boats & Cargo Containers Into and From New Zealand - McCullough[/url]
P.O. Box 37-104 | 8 Farnham Steet, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
p: +64 9 303 0075 | f: +64 9 303 0072 | m: +64 21 968 694 |

They say because they are shipping so many UK vehicles due to the exchange being so good they are able to offer a package which includes: 

Export UK Clearances, Packing LCL in Container, Ocean Freight, Customs Clearance in NZ, MAF fees, Port Service, Container Cartage, Unpacking, and delivery to compliance in Auckland or Christchurch or Nelson –
Total 3400.00 NZD. Containerised (not roll on/off).
Not included: 
Cleaning of the vehicle if required (allow 200.00NZD estimate) 
Compliance and on road costs (compliance for a Euro vehicle is around 500.00 NZD if it goes straight through) 
Pickup in UK (they can arrange pickup from anywhere and deliver to their depot in Barking and Felixstowe) 
Marine Insurance – they can provide this (normally around 350.00 NZD / 500 excess – covering from pickup to delivery). 

Total around $5000NZD all in.
It would cost me 1.5 times that to buy my car here. I assume it will pass compliance standards as Toyota Surfs are constantly being imported? I was also told I wouldnt need to pass the emmissions test as it is my car, and I am a resident etc.

This sounds like very good value and very easy, they leave weekly and it takes 37 days port to port.
Can anyone else comment on whether this sounds like a good deal or if it sounds like they are dodgy?


----------



## anski

ricasalamat

Did you read through the link I provided in my last post? If not I suggest you do.

As I read it your vehicle in 1994 model- that's 18 years of driving on UK roads, salt etc.

I personally would not risk shipping it- It may not pass inspection here, don't fool yourself they are very thorough. Our 9 month old Puegeot went through a very stringent inspection.

At the end of the day depends if you want to gamble on spending $5,000 to ship an 18 year old vehicle that may not meet approval. I would invest the $5,000 into something here instead.


----------



## pookienuffnuff

anski said:


> ricasalamat
> 
> Did you read through the link I provided in my last post? If not I suggest you do.
> 
> As I read it your vehicle in 1994 model- that's 18 years of driving on UK roads, salt etc.
> 
> I personally would not risk shipping it- It may not pass inspection here, don't fool yourself they are very thorough. Our 9 month old Puegeot went through a very stringent inspection.
> 
> At the end of the day depends if you want to gamble on spending $5,000 to ship an 18 year old vehicle that may not meet approval. I would invest the $5,000 into something here instead.


Very good point. Noted. Thanks


----------



## escapedtonz

ricasalamat said:


> I have had a quote from Joe Steele at McCullough Ltd. Shipping Vehicles, Cars, Boats & Cargo Containers Into and From New Zealand - McCullough[/url]
> P.O. Box 37-104 | 8 Farnham Steet, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
> p: +64 9 303 0075 | f: +64 9 303 0072 | m: +64 21 968 694 |
> 
> They say because they are shipping so many UK vehicles due to the exchange being so good they are able to offer a package which includes:
> 
> Export UK Clearances, Packing LCL in Container, Ocean Freight, Customs Clearance in NZ, MAF fees, Port Service, Container Cartage, Unpacking, and delivery to compliance in Auckland or Christchurch or Nelson 
> Total 3400.00 NZD. Containerised (not roll on/off).
> Not included:
> Cleaning of the vehicle if required (allow 200.00NZD estimate)
> Compliance and on road costs (compliance for a Euro vehicle is around 500.00 NZD if it goes straight through)
> Pickup in UK (they can arrange pickup from anywhere and deliver to their depot in Barking and Felixstowe)
> Marine Insurance  they can provide this (normally around 350.00 NZD / 500 excess  covering from pickup to delivery).
> 
> Total around $5000NZD all in.
> It would cost me 1.5 times that to buy my car here. I assume it will pass compliance standards as Toyota Surfs are constantly being imported? I was also told I wouldnt need to pass the emmissions test as it is my car, and I am a resident etc.
> 
> This sounds like very good value and very easy, they leave weekly and it takes 37 days port to port.
> Can anyone else comment on whether this sounds like a good deal or if it sounds like they are dodgy?


Hi ricasalamat,

Please read through the advice given before you look into the deal you've been offered.

First off you need to investigate whether your vehicle fits the minimum criteria for export to NZ - ie is it in good condition, no leaks, no rust, no bits falling off etc. etc. Is it roadworthy. Does it pass a UK MOT with flying colors.
Then if your satisfied all is well and roadworthy you must provide the proof that you have owned the car over 12 months (to avoid the GST - doesn't matter how old it is) and prove that it complies with the NZTA regulations for emissions, frontal impact etc. etc. with a letter off a professional body stating that it does as your say so just doesn't cut it.

Don't just assume it complies as examples of this vehicle have been exported here previously.
You are right in the fact there are many of them here, but how many of them are from the UK ? 
I'd say the majority if not all will be Japanese imports. 
Different car with a different build for a different market - just has the same name.
Japanese built vehicles comply with NZ rules as Japanese cars themselves are built extremely well to the same standards as here. Totally different than UK or Euro spec vehicles.
After 3 years when a Japanese car is due it's first MOT they go through such a stringent and expensive MOT process it is more economical for the Japanese owners to just dob it in as a part exchange for a new vehicle. 
Costs them approx £1500 to get it through assuming it is healthy.
When they have part ex'd in Japan there is then no one mad enough to pay the additional MOT fee on top of the car price to put the 3 year old car back on the road, so they are sold at auction to NZ importers who bring them here.
They are put through the NZTA tests, pass as they all comply with NZ rules then end up on the forecourt for kiwi's to buy.

Looking at the deal you've been quoted :-

Cleaning fees - is that the cost of having the vehicle cleaned in the UK ?
I would add additional costs on top of this for steam cleaning by Maf when it arrives. 
If they find a spec of mud or grass it will have to be cleaned to their standards and I would bet my last dollar that it will be needed.
We were charged $69 just to have a tent sheet washed which had one grass seed!!! We had never even used the tent. It was new in the bag. Only been spread out on the back garden to check the size before we came.
I'd budget another $300 for cleaning here.

On road costs are fixed. These are the NZTA test fee, registration & road tax.

The compliance costs not included is a minefield. Could cost you $500 but I suspect your car wouldn't comply and would need lots of work.
You wouldn't know this unless you researched first. 
If you don't, you take the risk of the NZTA stating it doesn't comply and the reasons why when it goes through the test on arrival.
If your talking chassis work to comply with frontal impact it's time to max out the visa card. Cost you thousands. 
You can always refuse to get the car but NZTA will just give you a letter stating the vehicle cannot be put on NZ roads meaning it cant be registered & you still have to pay for exporting it but it would be useless to you and would have to be kept off the road.

Pickup in UK and delivery to port is expensive. I wouldn't pay for this I would pay a friend to do it for you as it will cost you at least a few hundred quid.

Marine insurance for free - please look at the policy. Free insurance doesn't sound good. I doubt it covers anything that you need. Think about all the things that could go wrong when your car is being taken to uk port, containerized and put onto and unloaded from a ship. Are they all covered ?
What about total loss like what happened with the Rena ?

The statement about the car not having to pass emissions just because its your car & you are a resident - in my opinion that's rubbish. You have to be resident here to import the car. If Customs, Maf or NZTA don't have anyone here that is taking responsibility for it when it arrives then it wouldn't be allowed to be offloaded.
It still has to comply with emissions standards regardless of its age, where it's from, who owns it and their immigration status here.

$5000 for shipping sounds a good price to me but in reality I think your way off the mark when you consider all the other aspects unless you've done all the research and your happy that there wont be any hidden costs.


----------



## pookienuffnuff

escapedtonz said:


> Hi ricasalamat,
> 
> Please read through the advice given before you look into the deal you've been offered.
> 
> First off you need to investigate whether your vehicle fits the minimum criteria for export to NZ - ie is it in good condition, no leaks, no rust, no bits falling off etc. etc. Is it roadworthy. Does it pass a UK MOT with flying colors.
> Then if your satisfied all is well and roadworthy you must provide the proof that you have owned the car over 12 months (to avoid the GST - doesn't matter how old it is) and prove that it complies with the NZTA regulations for emissions, frontal impact etc. etc. with a letter off a professional body stating that it does as your say so just doesn't cut it.
> 
> Don't just assume it complies as examples of this vehicle have been exported here previously.
> You are right in the fact there are many of them here, but how many of them are from the UK ?
> I'd say the majority if not all will be Japanese imports.
> Different car with a different build for a different market - just has the same name.
> Japanese built vehicles comply with NZ rules as Japanese cars themselves are built extremely well to the same standards as here. Totally different than UK or Euro spec vehicles.
> After 3 years when a Japanese car is due it's first MOT they go through such a stringent and expensive MOT process it is more economical for the Japanese owners to just dob it in as a part exchange for a new vehicle.
> Costs them approx £1500 to get it through assuming it is healthy.
> When they have part ex'd in Japan there is then no one mad enough to pay the additional MOT fee on top of the car price to put the 3 year old car back on the road, so they are sold at auction to NZ importers who bring them here.
> They are put through the NZTA tests, pass as they all comply with NZ rules then end up on the forecourt for kiwi's to buy.
> 
> Looking at the deal you've been quoted :-
> 
> Cleaning fees - is that the cost of having the vehicle cleaned in the UK ?
> I would add additional costs on top of this for steam cleaning by Maf when it arrives.
> If they find a spec of mud or grass it will have to be cleaned to their standards and I would bet my last dollar that it will be needed.
> We were charged $69 just to have a tent sheet washed which had one grass seed!!! We had never even used the tent. It was new in the bag. Only been spread out on the back garden to check the size before we came.
> I'd budget another $300 for cleaning here.
> 
> On road costs are fixed. These are the NZTA test fee, registration & road tax.
> 
> The compliance costs not included is a minefield. Could cost you $500 but I suspect your car wouldn't comply and would need lots of work.
> You wouldn't know this unless you researched first.
> If you don't, you take the risk of the NZTA stating it doesn't comply and the reasons why when it goes through the test on arrival.
> If your talking chassis work to comply with frontal impact it's time to max out the visa card. Cost you thousands.
> You can always refuse to get the car but NZTA will just give you a letter stating the vehicle cannot be put on NZ roads meaning it cant be registered & you still have to pay for exporting it but it would be useless to you and would have to be kept off the road.
> 
> Pickup in UK and delivery to port is expensive. I wouldn't pay for this I would pay a friend to do it for you as it will cost you at least a few hundred quid.
> 
> Marine insurance for free - please look at the policy. Free insurance doesn't sound good. I doubt it covers anything that you need. Think about all the things that could go wrong when your car is being taken to uk port, containerized and put onto and unloaded from a ship. Are they all covered ?
> What about total loss like what happened with the Rena ?
> 
> The statement about the car not having to pass emissions just because its your car & you are a resident - in my opinion that's rubbish. You have to be resident here to import the car. If Customs, Maf or NZTA don't have anyone here that is taking responsibility for it when it arrives then it wouldn't be allowed to be offloaded.
> It still has to comply with emissions standards regardless of its age, where it's from, who owns it and their immigration status here.
> 
> $5000 for shipping sounds a good price to me but in reality I think your way off the mark when you consider all the other aspects unless you've done all the research and your happy that there wont be any hidden costs.


Thanks, some good points there. The main issue seems to be the compliance.
If you have NZ residency (as opposed to just being in the country) and you have owned it for over 12 months and its your only car import then you are exempted from duty, gst, emmissions standard and front impact standard. So no problemo there. It is actually a Japanese vehicle (was imported to UK and now being imported to NZ) so its Japanese standards but from 1994. Cleaning cost was for at this end (no point cleaning pre ship). My belongings were inspected when shipped including camping and gardening gear but as clean and smelling of Jeyes fluid they passed (top tip that one). Insurance is not free (its 350). The UK pick up and transporter to port is included (cant be driven as no insurance or road tax).

BUT the tricky bit appears to be the rust issue and complaince. They say structural rust fails but apparently they are quite subjective!
I would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to get an older car past them..it doesnt sound like it so far!
I have alot of memories tied up in the vehicle but its not old enough to be 'vintage' and be exempt. As others have said the importers are happy to advise that its not a problem but they dont mention the potential rust problem (salty damp UK roads = rust that is OK for us in UK but apprently not here).

Am currently communicating with three of the vehicle certifiers here re the issue and will report back what they say (though its not looking hopeful!).
:confused2:


----------



## padavio72

hopers7 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Was wondering if anyone had any experience/advice on shipping cars from UK to NZ. We are weighing up if it's worth selling both our cars and buying when we move or taking them with us...
> 
> Over here private sale one is worth £2,000 and the other £3,000...if we were not moving we wouldn't be considering changing cars...
> 
> I was also wondering if anyone had an idea about cost of shipping, one is a ford fiesta, the other vauxhall astra...
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you...


Hi,
I personally think cars that are only a few years old are MUCH more expensive here. My advice would be to go on TRADEME.CO.NZ and have a look at the prices of cars you have and then make a decision. The good thing about over here though is that car insurance is MUCH cheaper.
Good luck


----------



## fenchruch

escapedtonz said:


> Hi Hopers7,
> No don't do it.
> My advice is sell them both in the UK.
> Shipping them is a complete waste of money.
> First of all you need to make sure the cars conform to NZ safety & emissions standards.
> Be careful as some shipping companies will overlook this so when you get it here NZ Transport won't let you use it on the road unless you have spent thousands making it conform to the more stringent rules.
> Putting these costs aside it will cost you approx £1500 per car then there are further fees of approx £400 to get them through customs and Maf then there's all the red tape to have them safety tested, WOF (equivalent of UK MOT) which is every 6 months for an older car at the moment, then registration plates etc.
> Plus it will take 10 - 12 weeks to get here.
> Plus your car is UK spec so speedo and odometer is in miles & mph. NZ is metres & Kmph here so you very much run the risk of getting done for speeding as the Kmph dial is tiny on a UK spec car.
> Last but not least you will never sell it here. Nobody wants a manual car and especially one thats UK spec.
> Sorry to sound all doom and gloom but this is the reality.
> 
> We bought a new top of the range 2011 Pug 4007 HDi GT 7 seater 4x4 suv in June 2011 to bring it with us, but after investigating the shipping and all the red tape a few months before we started the travelling we gave up due to the costs.
> Was much easier to sell it.
> We only had it 7 months, did 8000 miles in it and lost £3000 in that time but it would have cost more to ship it etc etc so we cut our losses and this was a new car.
> It made the decision about taking my 2005 Seat Toledo all the more easier. We sold that as well.
> All in all we received £23500 for both cars in the UK before we left and for the same cost in equivalent NZ$ we bought a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander which is virtually identical to the Pug 4007 we had although it's a year older and I've got a fantastic Subaru Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B SI Tiptronic beast - a car I've always wanted but couldnt afford the fuel in the UK or the insurance.
> 
> The 2nd hand car market here is great.
> There are loads of vehicles of every manufacturer and the Asian import stuff is obviously cheaper as its nearer.
> If you don't mind a car with a bit of Japanese on the buttons there are loads of Japanese imports. My Subaru is one of these. There are some buttons that are Japanese and the sat nav doesn't work as you cant change it to read an NZ map disc but I have an English handbook so I can understand and change all the settings.
> 
> The Japanese are sticklers for keeping their cars tidy and well looked after. When they get time for their first MOT a lot of them are sold as their first MOT's cost around £1500 so I'm led to believe. This is why there's such a massive market for Japanese imports.
> 
> If these aren't your cup of tea there's the NZ Autotrader and every big town has a street full of main dealers with new & used motor's for sale and the saying that cars here are expensive is a myth.
> 
> Also, fuel is cheaper - petrol currently $2.20 per litre so approx £1.10
> Diesel is a lot cheaper than that but all diesel cars have to pay an additional diesel levy here so this makes the overall cost the same as for a petrol car.
> Servicing is cheaper.
> Road Tax is cheaper.
> Car insurance is about half the price of the UK.
> Hope I've convinced you


Good point, couldn't agree more


----------



## kiwigser

*Car prices*

You will find European cars more expensive here, but Jap and Korean about the same as the UK, well they were on $2 to the pound, but the pound has fallen again, so comparisons are difficult. Buying second hand is no problem, cars do not rot away here, no road salt. I know newer UK cars are protected but the brakes and bodywork eventually succumb, even BMW's. 

We are currently driving a new Hyundai, a 15 year old Pajero (Shogun) and a 15 year old MGF. The older vehicles are still going strong and cost very little. You can get engine insurance for up to 10 year old vehicles quite reasonably. 

Unless your cars are special, it is a utter waste of money bringing them over.


----------



## rudolf

hi guys! 
i am currently living in NZ but thinking about buying car in uk and bringing it over here! one of the reasons is that i can get very cheap cars from uk auctions. i was checking late models of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, VW and some Volvo and the difference between the prices is just crazy! if u can buy 2005-2010 car for 8k-15k NZD in uk and here in nz the same car is for 20k-40k, those 5k-7k shipping, custom fees and all hidden expenses completely satisfying me! i could drive some nice car and in the same time try to sell it and make some extra money! only thing that i am afraid of is navigation sys, speedo, odometer! So maybe some of u know about original navi systems? r those navis are working here in nz? if not is it possible to re-program them?
what about speedometer and odometer is it very difficult or expensive to change it from MPh to KMh? 
i will appreciate if someone could help me with those things!
thanks


----------



## escapedtonz

rudolf said:


> hi guys!
> i am currently living in NZ but thinking about buying car in uk and bringing it over here! one of the reasons is that i can get very cheap cars from uk auctions. i was checking late models of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, VW and some Volvo and the difference between the prices is just crazy! if u can buy 2005-2010 car for 8k-15k NZD in uk and here in nz the same car is for 20k-40k, those 5k-7k shipping, custom fees and all hidden expenses completely satisfying me! i could drive some nice car and in the same time try to sell it and make some extra money! only thing that i am afraid of is navigation sys, speedo, odometer! So maybe some of u know about original navi systems? r those navis are working here in nz? if not is it possible to re-program them?
> what about speedometer and odometer is it very difficult or expensive to change it from MPh to KMh?
> i will appreciate if someone could help me with those things!
> thanks


In my opinion - crazy idea !

Yes used cars can be cheap in uk auctions, I understand why you would think you could buy a bargain there and drive it here - after shipping of course.

You will find some equally good bargains at NZ auctions and you have the benefit of seeing them in the flesh, testing them or having a mechanical inspection.
Have to be careful a car in the uk not previously damaged, crashed, stolen, owed finance. 
How will you ensure this from NZ or would you just trust the auction house ?
Don't forget the exchange rate and additional auction fees.
Are you allowed to purchase from a UK car auction when overseas ?

Navigation systems of UK spec cars will not work in NZ, nor can they be made to work.
They use a DVD to drive them which holds the map data but there is no alternative NZ DVD as there is no market for them as UK spec cars generally live in the UK and not in NZ.
I enquired about a 2007 Audi and a 2011 Peugeot - both of which had matching models from SEAT, Citroen, Mitsubishi and I couldn't get an alternative NZ DVD sat nav disc for either.
The cars may have been very similar both sides of the globe but the Nav systems where from different suppliers in different countries and not compatible with one another.

Changing the speedo/odometer from Mph to Kph - where are you gonna find an alternative set of clocks ? 
If you did find them they'd cost you a fortune to buy and same to fit plus you then devalue the car further as it has been tampered with. You would have to specify the car having replacement clocks and you would have trouble proving the vehicle total mileage ?

I'd expect if you import a vehicle into the UK you would be charged customs import tax on the value, just like I would if I imported anything and the value of the item over the import value threshold.
This is nothing to do with GST - that's something else.

How are you going to prove the vehicle complies with NZTA rules and regulations ? It must have a letter of conformity from the manufacturer - from the country of specification ?
You may have problems providing this info and getting it through NZTA ?

Last but not least, what about GST ?
Wouldn't you have to pay GST on its value to customs - and the value is its worth in NZ, not your purchase price in UK.
If your an immigrant then you may be free from paying GST but would have to keep the car 2 years.

If it was so straightforward and a lot cheaper to import a much cheaper car from oversees, everyone would be doing it wouldn't they ?


----------



## rudolf

escapedtonz said:


> In my opinion - crazy idea !
> 
> Yes used cars can be cheap in uk auctions, I understand why you would think you could buy a bargain there and drive it here - after shipping of course.
> 
> You will find some equally good bargains at NZ auctions and you have the benefit of seeing them in the flesh, testing them or having a mechanical inspection.
> Have to be careful a car in the uk not previously damaged, crashed, stolen, owed finance.
> How will you ensure this from NZ or would you just trust the auction house ?
> Don't forget the exchange rate and additional auction fees.
> Are you allowed to purchase from a UK car auction when overseas ?
> 
> Navigation systems of UK spec cars will not work in NZ, nor can they be made to work.
> They use a DVD to drive them which holds the map data but there is no alternative NZ DVD as there is no market for them as UK spec cars generally live in the UK and not in NZ.
> I enquired about a 2007 Audi and a 2011 Peugeot - both of which had matching models from SEAT, Citroen, Mitsubishi and I couldn't get an alternative NZ DVD sat nav disc for either.
> The cars may have been very similar both sides of the globe but the Nav systems where from different suppliers in different countries and not compatible with one another.
> 
> Changing the speedo/odometer from Mph to Kph - where are you gonna find an alternative set of clocks ?
> If you did find them they'd cost you a fortune to buy and same to fit plus you then devalue the car further as it has been tampered with. You would have to specify the car having replacement clocks and you would have trouble proving the vehicle total mileage ?
> 
> I'd expect if you import a vehicle into the UK you would be charged customs import tax on the value, just like I would if I imported anything and the value of the item over the import value threshold.
> This is nothing to do with GST - that's something else.
> 
> How are you going to prove the vehicle complies with NZTA rules and regulations ? It must have a letter of conformity from the manufacturer - from the country of specification ?
> You may have problems providing this info and getting it through NZTA ?
> 
> Last but not least, what about GST ?
> Wouldn't you have to pay GST on its value to customs - and the value is its worth in NZ, not your purchase price in UK.
> If your an immigrant then you may be free from paying GST but would have to keep the car 2 years.
> 
> If it was so straightforward and a lot cheaper to import a much cheaper car from oversees, everyone would be doing it wouldn't they ?



thanks for Your advice!
i never heard that they are doing GST from nz value. 
why i was asking about those speedo and odo, is because i thought to bring diesel car over but u r paying RUC in kilometers not miles, wouldnt it be a problem? of course u can use math and calculate approx milage but anyway it seems odd to me!
will do a big research an calculation will let u know guys how it goes! 
thanks!


----------



## escapedtonz

rudolf said:


> thanks for Your advice!
> i never heard that they are doing GST from nz value.
> why i was asking about those speedo and odo, is because i thought to bring diesel car over but u r paying RUC in kilometers not miles, wouldnt it be a problem? of course u can use math and calculate approx milage but anyway it seems odd to me!
> will do a big research an calculation will let u know guys how it goes!
> thanks!


Oh yes it's one of many ways customs have a license to print money.
When we considered bringing our Peugeot 4007 2.2HDi GT 7 seater from the UK that we had recently purchased we were told we would have to pay 15% GST on it as we hasn't owned it for 12 months.
We purchased it as a demonstrator after it was 3 months old and a couple of thousand miles done by the dealership director. 
Paid £23k or equivalent $46k so we were looking at an extra $6900 in GST, but nooooo. When we enquired through the shipping company it was its NZ value for a nearly new European car worth $60k +......Ouch!!!
That information put the final nail in the idea of bringing the car with us.
We sold it in the UK for £3k less than we paid just a few months earlier, but better to lose that money than pay NZ customs an extra $9k + in GST.
Wouldn't be a problem you having a car with Mph and Miles on the speedo/odo.
You would still buy the diesel levy in Km's - eg 10000 km's which I think is the max you can buy. You would just have to convert the vehicle miles to km's so you knew how many miles you were allowed to do before you had to renew the diesel levy charge.
1km = 0.62137 miles, so if you purchased 10000 Km's for around $500, you could travel 6213.7 miles.


----------



## Karljsw

A couple of things I have found in the New Zealand car market is:

1) If you are willing to shop around and be patient you can get very good deals. Even if the car is not 100% you can fix it for a fraction of the cost that importing a car from the UK would cost.

2) in response to bringing a diesel vehicle over from the UK, you could always swap the speddo cluster out for a Kms one in New Zealand, before you register it with the NZTA.


----------



## anski

When we moved to NZ from Spain in 2001, we brought our 9 month old Peugeot 307 Left hand drive. It had cost us €13,000 9 months previously.

All up it cost the equivalent of NZ $6,000 which was for shipping from Valencia & the costs in NZ of getting it compliant (AA obtaining a Crash test report from Peugeot France) changing the headlights, & Shipping & Customs clearance agent in NZ & all associated charges which included GST of $2,000 as we had owned it less than 12 months.from Valencia.

At the time it was worth it as we had only been offered a pittance for it when we attempted to sell it in Spain.

We had many years of happy motoring & lots of fun when pulled over for breath testing!!
One night a lady police officer asked the person she thought was driving (seated on the right hand side) to blow into the device only to be told "Officer, I was too drunk to drive, so I gave the wheel to my passenger!!"

She did not quite grasp the situation but her fellow male colleagues did & no doubt it raised a laugh back at the Police station. poor girl.


----------



## Davidoo

hopers7 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Was wondering if anyone had any experience/advice on shipping cars from UK to NZ. We are weighing up if it's worth selling both our cars and buying when we move or taking them with us...
> 
> Over here private sale one is worth £2,000 and the other £3,000...if we were not moving we wouldn't be considering changing cars...
> 
> I was also wondering if anyone had an idea about cost of shipping, one is a ford fiesta, the other vauxhall astra...
> 
> Look forward to hearing from you...


Hi !

I work for a dealership which send cars from UK to New Zealand. I send for 3 years cars and other kind of vehicle with a company called ShipFromUk, they have a new product called Car-Rak. Thanks to this one their price of shipping is very low.


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## Davidoo

If that can help someone you can find information here: 
Shipfromuk : ShipFromUK.com » Car & Caravan Shipping from the UK to NZ, AU | ShipfromUK.com
Car-Rak : The Car-rak: Leading the World in Car Shipping


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## kiwi121

*Unsworth in London*

try UNSWORTH Global Logistics in the UK.
They are quick, cheap and I have not had any issues in shipping with them, despite having monthy shipments to Auckland.


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## Mark D

Just to throw my 2c in. If you have a cherished car ship it in a container ONLY do not use RoRo (role on roll off). My car has tones of rust that just wasnt present before due to the sea salt. I worked out to ship my car and all my posetions in the same container i would have saved money. Not just on the cost of shipping but to the damage caused by theft of parts and damage by neglect in transit.


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## beatricej

*Famous cars Shipping*

Hi! I know someone who got their cars shipped from the US to New Zealand by these guys - 

famouscarshipping.co.nz

Wish you the best!


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## Mercmaster

escapedtonz said:


> In my opinion - crazy idea !
> 
> Yes used cars can be cheap in uk auctions, I understand why you would think you could buy a bargain there and drive it here - after shipping of course.
> 
> You will find some equally good bargains at NZ auctions and you have the benefit of seeing them in the flesh, testing them or having a mechanical inspection.
> Have to be careful a car in the uk not previously damaged, crashed, stolen, owed finance.
> How will you ensure this from NZ or would you just trust the auction house ?
> Don't forget the exchange rate and additional auction fees.
> Are you allowed to purchase from a UK car auction when overseas ?
> 
> Navigation systems of UK spec cars will not work in NZ, nor can they be made to work.
> They use a DVD to drive them which holds the map data but there is no alternative NZ DVD as there is no market for them as UK spec cars generally live in the UK and not in NZ.
> I enquired about a 2007 Audi and a 2011 Peugeot - both of which had matching models from SEAT, Citroen, Mitsubishi and I couldn't get an alternative NZ DVD sat nav disc for either.
> The cars may have been very similar both sides of the globe but the Nav systems where from different suppliers in different countries and not compatible with one another.
> 
> Changing the speedo/odometer from Mph to Kph - where are you gonna find an alternative set of clocks ?
> If you did find them they'd cost you a fortune to buy and same to fit plus you then devalue the car further as it has been tampered with. You would have to specify the car having replacement clocks and you would have trouble proving the vehicle total mileage ?
> 
> I'd expect if you import a vehicle into the UK you would be charged customs import tax on the value, just like I would if I imported anything and the value of the item over the import value threshold.
> This is nothing to do with GST - that's something else.
> 
> How are you going to prove the vehicle complies with NZTA rules and regulations ? It must have a letter of conformity from the manufacturer - from the country of specification ?
> You may have problems providing this info and getting it through NZTA ?
> 
> Last but not least, what about GST ?
> Wouldn't you have to pay GST on its value to customs - and the value is its worth in NZ, not your purchase price in UK.
> If your an immigrant then you may be free from paying GST but would have to keep the car 2 years.
> 
> If it was so straightforward and a lot cheaper to import a much cheaper car from oversees, everyone would be doing it wouldn't they ?


Hi guys, just a quick reference for you regarding UK spec sat nav. My BMW 335d arrives today, 23/04/18 and the nav system will work in New Zealand. A firm in Auckland specialises in conversion of European spec vehicles, BMW being one of them. It is relatively inexpensive and is updated with th3 2018 maps via a disc.. assuming yours is DVD driven, this is not a problem at all. Japanese imports on the other hand, are virtually impossible to convert. Hope this helps.


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