Saturday, February 18, 2012

Buying a Car in New Zealand

Buying a car in New Zealand is really simple. It is just like buying a piece of cake in bakery shop. No cheat! You just need to fill up a form and pay the previous owner and the car is yours!!

How to search for a car?
1) Check notices on notice board in supermarket (Count Down, New World, Pak n Save), or backpackers hostel or notice board in factories.
2) Check in Trade me.
3) Check in Backpackers.com.
4) Check in Facebook.
5) Through friends.

What to do before buying a car?
1) Check the car condition (tyres, brakes, campbell, lights and etc)
2) Check the expiry date for WOF. (Warrant of Fitness). Preferably 3-4 months before expiry date. Or else, request owner to renew it.

3) Check the expiry date for license. (some sort like our Road tax).

How to buy a car?
1) Go to post shop and fill up 'Notice by person acquiring motor vehicle' form (MR13B) .
2) Show your passport and pay the notice of acquisition fee of $9.41 (including GST).
3) Pay the owner with cash.


What to do after buying a car!
1) Straight away send to workshop and service! Never save money on this because you never know how the previous owner treat the car. Safety is the most important!! You never wish accident ruin your working holiday!
2) Buy a third party insurance! You can buy it in AA, BBH, or three sister gift shop.
 - Buying a used car in New Zealand is not really expensive. So even there is any accident happen to our car, the car doesn't really worth a lot. But, if you hit somebody's EXPENSIVE car, that's the trouble comes! So, third party insurance will cover the damage of the car that party. 


After all this done and you may enjoy your trip with your car~


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey there, i saw on trademe all the cars are on auction...so how do we buy? When you said buy car at post shop, do you mean you and the car owner will meet at the post shop?

How much was the car service? also, is petrol expensive?

How do you sell the car after you left nz?

sorry that i have so many questions. love your blog!

Hui Yi said...

So far I never buy anything from trademe, so can't help u on that. It's not necessary to meet up car owner at post shop, it's up to u. The reason that I mentioned that we need to go to post shop is because we must fill up a form MR13B and same with car owner, they must fill up another form and submit in post shop. That's the reason I think post shop is the best place to meet up with ur car owner.

car service is about..$80-120? Depends how big is your car and the condition of the car.

Petrol price will fluctuate everyday. (YES, Everyday). And yes, the petrol is expensive if you compared to Msia. It is about $1.90-2.20/l (price in 2011).

There are many many ways to sell your car. Put it online, post in facebook, put up a notice at hypermarket, put in forum and etc.

Unknown said...

Hi Huiyi

First, thank you for having this blog write up - It's awesome and very informative!

I will be embarking on my working holiday in NZL this march. Hence, would like to check with you some stuffs before I fly over.

Did you go for this working holiday alone?
I'm be going there alone, hence, would like to check if you will recommend to buy car if we are traveling and working there alone.

If not, are the long distance bus network in NZL extensive?
I'm thinking of traveling southwards ie. I'll land in Auckland, then will cover north island then to south island?

wilsonwmj said...

Hi huiyi,

Got checking with summons/fines of local authorities? such as Police, NZTA and so on?

mat said...

Hey Huiyi.. how much was your car? haha..

Hui Yi said...

No, i went there with friend. I will recommend don't buy a car first. When u need it only buy. Uzll need a car when u work but who knows u might can share wif someone u know in nz?

Last time I landed in Auckland first as well n cover from north to south. It will b good with this travel route.

Hui Yi said...

My car? NZD2000

Hui Yi said...

Checking? Yaof course they r police and so on.

Hui Yi said...

No, i went there with friend. I will recommend don't buy a car first. When u need it only buy. Uzll need a car when u work but who knows u might can share wif someone u know in nz?

Last time I landed in Auckland first as well n cover from north to south. It will b good with this travel route.

Wheel Balancers said...

Some new cars, mainly those from luxury marques, include free scheduled maintenance for a certain amount of time or mileage. This built-in cost saving should be considered in the final price analysis if applicable.