New Zealand Grey Imports a thing of the past?

[Rezz]

I was told yesterday by an ex-pat NZer (he exports the odd car or two to NZ) that grey imports could no longer be imported into NZ unless they were "new". I told him about the 15 year thing in Oz and he just replied "They've stopped that in NZ now, thats why so many NZ Jap car importers went bust recently".

I'm like huh? He had to leave pretty quickly so I couldn't get anymore details... does anyone have any info on this?

[sewid]

I've heard from them that R32's are no longer importable but R33's are. No details though.

It doesn't make ANY sense for them though since they dont have any local car industry.

[Cecam]

Well, before last year you could import anything of any age into NZ without a problem. Now you can only import cars in the 1996 to 1998 bracket and newer. Largely depends on the make and model and when they introduced airbags etc as std equipment (thats the offical line, doesn't quite work out like that however!). This applies to anyone whether its private or a dealer.

Its stupid, for example some series 2 GTS25ts can be complied, but others can't. Depends on the chassis number, the fact its the same car doesn't matter.

I assume thats what he ment?

[sewid]

Doh! Poor new zealanders.

They should spend money on making decent roads over there instead of paying dumb ass politicians lots of money to make bad decisions like this.

[predator]

Thats rather dumb. So how do they get cars over there atall? I mean they don't *make* any.

Means you can only get new cars, meaning more and more older shitboxes on the streets for people that can't afford new ones. Sure that is actual fact?

So hmm, guess the market for 15 year old vehicles is going to look pretty good fairly soon.. anybody wanna buy a 33?

[redline2003]

any car before 1996 CANNOT be imported in NZ as they did not pass the NZ frontal impact laws, before i heard of this i thought NZ was the perfect place to import and do up a car, but it seems like they are following our route and limiting comsumer choice, they also introduced a new DB law for exhausts(81db i think it was) and are cracking down on ride ride etc...seems like the only dream place for owing and doing up a import to ur liking is japan.....

[VIPERGTSR01]

im just waiting for Aus to do this....i hope not

[Cecam]

Thats rather dumb. So how do they get cars over there atall? I mean they don't *make* any.  

Nissan, Toyota, Ford and Holden used to have plants in Wiri (Auckland) but I don't think thats the case anymore. Except for Ford wheels....

Means you can only get new cars, meaning more and more older shitboxes on the streets for people that can't afford new ones. Sure that is actual fact?  

Sure is. Only the NZ govenment could come up with that one I'm sure. Front Impact law is quite flawed ...

So hmm, guess the market for 15 year old vehicles is going to look pretty good fairly soon.. anybody wanna buy a 33?

R33's ain't selling...not for much anyways. Last year my S1 GTS25t Coupe was circa $12K. Now I can't shift it until I get down to about $7K. Or $6K as a trade in. SII Coupes are in the dealers between $12K and $16K, but why bother when a R34 is $16K for GT and $20K for GTT...

[T0nyGTSt]

I'm absolutely sure that a '96 dual airbagged, ABS S2 Skyline is much nicer place to be in a big crash than say... a '03 Hyundai Accent?

What do you reckon???

And 81dB noise level is ridiculous. Many non performance vehicles stock from the factory would not pass.

T.

[predator]

I gather you're from NZ cecam?

R33's ain't selling...not for much anyways. Last year my S1 GTS25t Coupe was circa $12K. Now I can't shift it until I get down to about $7K. Or $6K as a trade in. SII Coupes are in the dealers between $12K and $16K, but why bother when a R34 is $16K for GT and $20K for GTT...

Must surprise you a bit to see R33 s1 over here selling for $20k still then ($AUD as well, so about $22k in $NZ)! If anything, prices here have gone up due to same demand, and decreased supply due to the law changes. It will probably even out later, but for now.

[predator]

I gather you're from NZ cecam?

R33's ain't selling...not for much anyways. Last year my S1 GTS25t Coupe was circa $12K. Now I can't shift it until I get down to about $7K. Or $6K as a trade in. SII Coupes are in the dealers between $12K and $16K, but why bother when a R34 is $16K for GT and $20K for GTT...

Must surprise you a bit to see R33 s1 over here selling for $20k still then ($AUD as well, so about $22k in $NZ)! If anything, prices here have gone up due to same demand, and decreased supply due to the law changes. It will probably even out later, but for now.

No doubt our government will come up with an excuse if they really wanted to stop imports dead in their tracks. What they've done in kinda intelligent though, they've stopped it to a trickle - but still making lots of money from the exorbidant taxes they charge, and the taxes on the taxes when a car comes in from japan.

[Cecam]

Hmm... Heres a typical nz dealer website;

http://www.croydons.co.nz/l_nissan2.htm

98 2.5T Coupe, $18K

98 GTT 4 dr, $20K

If anything those prices are on the more expensive side... Esp the 25T coupe there...

At my local 'park and sell' type place there was four R33's last time I looked. All under $8K. Three weeks later they were still sitting there with a GTS25t four door asking $7K. Still hasn't sold... neither has the manual coupe for $7.5K...

[hippy]

how come its so cheap?

[puckish]

Quote

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Doh! Poor new zealanders.

They should spend money on making decent roads over there instead of paying dumb ass politicians lots of money to make bad decisions like this.

__________________________________________________________________

Not quite. The Kiwis have it VERY good. They get to bring in newer imports without bollocks taxes like us.

Also, have you ever drivin on a Kiwi road. Didn't think so.

According to New Zealand Performance Car the rules are a changing to stop older cars from coming in. This is to increase the average car age on the nations roads.

It also stops the older pieces of junk i.e 15 year old grade three crap, from hitting the roads.

I keep seeing these 15 YO cars coming in and honetly they are worse than a 15 YO Falcon or Commondore!

[sewid]

Quote  

Not quite. The Kiwis have it VERY good. They get to bring in newer imports without bollocks taxes like us.

Also, have you ever drivin on a Kiwi road. Didn't think so.

According to New Zealand Performance Car the rules are a changing to stop older cars from coming in. This is to increase the average car age on the nations roads.  

It also stops the older pieces of junk i.e 15 year old grade three crap, from hitting the roads.

I keep seeing these 15 YO cars coming in and honetly they are worse than a 15 YO Falcon or Commondore!

???

I have driven a hell of a lot on Kiwi roads. Only south island though I must admit. They are nice and twisty but there is nothing there to stop you falling off a cliff or getting up close and personal with a big tree. Oh and single lane bridges and rockslides that cover blind corners and then theres the speed cameras out in the middle of bumblefu*k.

Its not just about the road being fun to drive. Which I admit lots of them are when they arent painfully boring because your stuck behind a shitbox for miles and its blind corner after blind corner so you cant overtake. Its about them being safe, which is what 90% of the motorists on them need.

15 year old crap?

A few people on these boards are very very proud of their 15 year old pieces of GTR "crap".

[Cecam]

how come its so cheap?

Not much in the way of tax so its just purchase price in Japan, plus say $1.3K shipping, and about $600 or so compliance and thats about it really. Theres gst on on the purchase price, but thats not too bad...

Also, have you ever drivin on a Kiwi road. Didn't think so.

Where I will be heading today (Coromandel) on the coast will be fun drive, but the quality of the roads are absolute crap....

It also stops the older pieces of junk i.e 15 year old grade three crap, from hitting the roads.

The old junk is already in NZ so not getting imported, your in fine form if you want a 1980's Bluebird for example, theres pages of them in the paper...

Besides, old or new they still have their road worthy every 6 months so they could of tighten up those laws if they actually wanted the junk off the roads.

[tridentt150v]

How would you go importing a 34GTT from NZ instead of Japan then. No GST here to pay cos its already paid in NZ. Don't know about compliance etc

[Cecam]

It will be cheaper from Japan still I think you'll find.

Unless you've lived in and owned the car in NZ for a while (6 months or a year?) then I think you can take it with you without much issue, thats my current understanding of it...

[predator]

How would you go importing a 34GTT from NZ instead of Japan then. No GST here to pay cos its already paid in NZ. Don't know about compliance etc

What the? You would pay AUSTRALIAN GST ontop of what ever you bought it after GST was imposed in NZ. GST is not like a worldwide tax you know!

yeah, best way is just to live in NZ for a while (but who wants to do that )