# NZ Cars



## MerryMiller

Hi all,

I am in the process of migrating to NZ and will be needing to chose a company vehicle.

We currently are in the UK and have a Ford S Max which caters for our three children and two dogs easily. 

I notice Ford NZ don't have the S Max hence I need some help.

Can anyone recommend any suitable vehicles?

Miller


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## G-Mo

Looked very similar to a Toyota Estima to me... Or maybe an Ipsum (not made anymore).


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## bdl123

Mazda MPV is similar to S-Max loads of space inside

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## Guest

We like the look of the Mazda MPV, when in the UK we imported a Mazda Bongo which is similar
to the MPV but a wee bit cheaper. Plenty of Bongos around the Hamilton area and on Trademe.

Shane


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## MerryMiller

Thank you everyone.

Seems there will be some choice.


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## topcat83

How about a Hyundai Santa Fe? SANTA FE - Hyundai Santa Fe | New 4x4 | Hyundai Motors New Zealand


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## MerryMiller

The Santa Fe is a good shout. 

Has anyone any experience of the Ford Territory?


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## walshdon

Second week in NZ and we have purchased a Toyota Estima 4wd. Great car only £250 for fully comp insurance on a 2.4 petrol!!!


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## Guest

Great find, was it from Trademe ?

So you're the other person with Car Insurance, for the life of me I cannot
come to terms with Motor Insurance not being compulsory.


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## walshdon

Yes saw it on trade me and bought from a dealer. A lot of the dealers sell on behalf of someone and take a fixed fee for doing so.
Also New Zealand is known for not maintaining their cars so have it checked over. 

AA were the best on insurance quote.


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## suslik

Subaru Legacy Outback


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## topcat83

suslik said:


> Subaru Legacy Outback


Probably one of the most expensive vehicles to insure in New Zealand.


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## walshdon

Yes we had a quote on one $1500


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## Jimaba

I made the mistake of buying a Subaru Forester Turbo. Absolutely love the car, but accident and theft insurance has been ridiculous. 

I would highly recommend having a browse through the cars listing on Trade Me: 
Trade Me Motors - Used cars, new cars, motorbikes, boats and more for sale on trademe.co.nz

That way you can get a better feel for what you're looking for as well as price ranges.


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## suslik

topcat83 said:


> Probably one of the most expensive vehicles to insure in New Zealand.


If you live in Auckland - or insure it with a company for whom rest of New Zealand is the same as Auckland - then sure. But if you live, say, on a South Island somewhere... why would it be?


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## topcat83

suslik said:


> If you live in Auckland - or insure it with a company for whom rest of New Zealand is the same as Auckland - then sure. But if you live, say, on a South Island somewhere... why would it be?


Because it is European, and a popular car with Boy Racers. Unfair for the non-boy-racers - but that's the way it is...


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## G-Mo

topcat83 said:


> Because it is European, and a popular car with Boy Racers. Unfair for the non-boy-racers - but that's the way it is...


It's Japanese.


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## topcat83

G-Mo said:


> It's Japanese.


Lol! You're dead right. Must get my geography right 
It's one of the most often stolen cars though.


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## Song_Si

^ here's the Top 10 stolen list from AA Insurance figures 2007-2011 



> *Top 10 Stolen Cars* (Source: AA Insurance claims data 2007-2011)
> 
> 1. Honda Torneo
> 2. Nissan Elgrand
> 3. Subaru Impreza
> 4. Subaru Forester
> 5. Subaru Legacy
> 6. Nissan Skyline
> 7. Nissan Presea
> 8. Mitsubishi Libero
> 9. Nissan Cefiro
> 10. Nissan Sunny
> 
> Based on the theft rates of all car claims made over the past five years, the Auckland region was found to have the highest rate of stolen cars, followed by Canterbury, Wellington, Waikato. Otago appears to have the lowest vehicle theft rate.
> 
> Auckland's theft incidence rate of stolen cars was more than double that of Waikato and a vehicle is 28 times more likely to be stolen in Auckland than in Otago.


Never heard of a Torneo - seems to be an Accord under a different name. 
Doesn't give any indication 'why' though - the Subarus are popular fast cars, and this is reflected in their higher insurance costs, but are Nissans particularly easy to steal, making up 5 of that list?


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## Guest

Japan has strict emission tests and it costs loads of money to get an older
car through these tests.

Cars near to the 10 year old mark are scrapped due to these costs OR exported,
guess where to ?

60% of all cars on NZ roads are Imported, most are 12 year old models therefore
they may have older type security fitted hence easier to steal.

Only 2 of the top 10 are for the boy racers - Skyline and the Elgrand MPV which can
look good with body kit. The others are saloon cars probably pinched for spares.

We bought a Mazda Bongo similar to a VW Camper and not the Bongo Van on trademe, it was 10 years old and came from a Japanese Car Auction.

A decent Skyline in the UK -- 1998 R34 GTT 2.6 costs around 9k pounds.

Amazing what you find out using the Internet.


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## suslik

topcat83 said:


> Lol! You're dead right. Must get my geography right
> It's one of the most often stolen cars though.


I'm intrigued. Three of my workmates drive Legacys or Legacy Outbacks; I myself drive a Legacy, several friends drive Legacys or Legacy Outbacks. No-one has complained of high insurance rates. 

Are you guys sure that it is one of the most expensive cars to insure? Like I said before, in Auckland, maybe, or with a company who has the same rate for whole of New Zealand rather than taking into account regional differences, maybe, but... everywhere else?

Hmm.


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## topcat83

suslik said:


> I'm intrigued. Three of my workmates drive Legacys or Legacy Outbacks; I myself drive a Legacy, several friends drive Legacys or Legacy Outbacks. No-one has complained of high insurance rates.
> 
> Are you guys sure that it is one of the most expensive cars to insure? Like I said before, in Auckland, maybe, or with a company who has the same rate for whole of New Zealand rather than taking into account regional differences, maybe, but... everywhere else?
> 
> Hmm.


You may be right. But when we moved over here I worked for IAG Insurance. I asked if there were any cars I should avoid buying and was told that any Subaru would be relatively expensive to insure. And although where you live will have some bearing on insurance costs, the basic calculation used for the premium will be basically the same with maybe a percentage difference for the area. 
So the Subaru will be comparatively more expensive to insure than (say) a Toyota Corolla, regardless of where you live.

Mind you - I'd prefer a Subaru to a Toyota any day


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## escapedtonz

I always wanted a Subaru when I was in the UK but steered clear due to the high insurance and running costs in that part of the world. Within a fortnight of arriving here I'd test driven two potentials and finally settled on a 2006 Legacy 3.0ltr R Spec B with SI & 5 speed Tiptronic. Costs $500 to insure which is cheap as chips 

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## Song_Si

NZ's car fleet - somewhat of a living museum!

***

*The NZ town with our oldest cars*
06/12/2012

*Waimate is officially home to New Zealand's oldest cars, and Timaru and the Mackenzie are not far behind.*

New figures from the Motor Trade Association (MTA) show Waimate has the oldest fleet in the country with an average age of 17 years.

Tasman and Waimakariri are second and third on the list. Other areas of South Canterbury region, Timaru and Mackenzie, are at 16 while the average age of the New Zealand vehicle fleet is 13.









Lynn Bysterveld, pictured in Waimate, drives a 1974 Chevrolet Camaro


*The country's newest cars are likely to be found in Auckland with an average age of around seven years while North Shore City and Wellington round out that top three.*

Ministry of Transport (MOT) figures obtained by the MTA show a startling variation across the country with a significantly older fleet outside the three main population centres.

The figures have raised concerns with authorities who say there are serious safety implications.

"The increasing number of old, often poorly-maintained vehicles has serious safety implications for anyone who travels on the roads of New Zealand," MTA spokesman Ian Stronach says.

"The world was very different in 1996 but the majority of our vehicle fleet was built then, or before. Features like airbags and ABS braking, once only installed on high-end luxury models, have become standard on newer vehicles; vehicle construction technology has got much better and these factors drastically increase the chances of survival for vehicle occupants in serious crashes."

more


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