New Zealand

Why Import cars to New Zealand from the UK?

Quite simply UK used vehicles are so much cheaper than the same make and model in New Zealand.

Due to the strength of the New Zealand Dollar buying a used British car can save you thousands of dollars (Depending on the make and model)

Cars with large petrol engines depreciate rapidly in the United Kingdom due to the high and continuously rising cost of petrol. The UK government increases the fuel duty on petrol and diesel every year!

You can find some fantastic bargains amongst used large petrol engine BMW’s, Mercedes-Benz and Audi’s have a look through our Stock cars to get an idea on pricing, for even greater savings have a look through the cars coming up for Auction

Diesel cars have become very popular in the UK due to their superior fuel efficiency over petrol. The UK consumer has been buying cars running on diesel to such an extent that the majority of second hand cars sold at auction are diesel versions. Every major car manufacturer produces Diesel versions, so there is an excellent range to choose from.

Diesel cars are especially attractive for Taxi operators due to the high millage that is driven, potentially saving them many thousands of dollars.

Due to the strength of the Japanese Yen, British second hand cars offer some of the best value Right Hand Drive cars to buy globally. In 2007 £1 bought you 250 Yen now it only buys you 130 Yen! This means that a Japanese export has nearly doubled in price compared to a British export.

Right Hand Drive Imports can supply Petrol (Gas), Petrol/Electric and Diesel cars with either Manual or Automatic transmission at competitive prices.

We can also supply an increasing number of American brands such as Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Infiniti and Jeep in right hand drive.

Elvey Auto Ltd, Trading as Right Hand Drive Imports is a member of the largest car auction group in the United Kingdom and passes all benefits of our purchasing power on to our customers.
We are your auction representatives. You can view pictures and details before auction and send your bids. We inspect the cars(s) based on the official auction Mechanical and Condition report and reject most cars. We only bid on those cars that are of sufficient quality (grade 1 or 2)

Summary

Right hand drive Imports can supply

• Right hand drive diesel, petrol and hybrid cars
• Right hand  drive American diesel and petrol brands
• American brands include Jeep, Chrysler, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Dodge and Infiniti
• Right hand drive diesel & petrol pickups.

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New Zealand Import Procedures.

How to Import a Car into New Zealand from the UK

Before importing a vehicle into New Zealand

If you are considering importing a car to New Zealand, we recommend you use an Entry Certifier.  The process can be lengthy and you will need to collect the correct supporting information for your application. Entry certifiers assess whether or not vehicles meet the applicable standards and can be registered for use on New Zealand roads.

However, if you want to import the vehicle independently we recommend that you talk with an entry certifier early in the process to get their advice on your vehicle’s suitability. If your vehicle doesn't meet the standards on arrival, it may be too late to do anything about it. You can find an entry certifier here 

Step 1. 

Requirements for passenger cars.  

1. Meet applicable emissions standards, 

a) Vehicle exhaust noise; For most vehicles this won't be an issue - they are manufactured to meet accepted noise standards.

b) Fuel consumption information; this information is required for every light vehicle when it is entry certified.

i) Fuel consumption information data must be supplied in litres per 100 kilometers. You must provide fuel consumption information for three different sets of tests:

- Urban cycle

- Extra-urban cycle

- Combined cycle

ii) To start producing your fuel consumption statement, fill out your details under Start here  and follow the steps.

c) Exhaust Emissions; from 1 January 2012 the applicable standard for used petrol or diesel powered cars is Euro 4. All cars registered in the UK after 1 October 2007 had to be Euro 4 compliant. Some cars registered after 1 January 2007 may also be Euro 4 compliant. 

Entry certifiers  check the vehicle’s compliance with emissions standards as part of assessing a vehicle for registration for use on New Zealand roads. 

We can supply you with either a copy of the cars UK registration document for so that you can check with an Entry certifier that the car complies and or the details contained on the car’s European Community (EC) whole vehicle approval plate/sticker. (This only applies to “stock” cars)

d) Manufacturers may charge for providing a certificate of conformity.

2. Your car has to be entry inspected.

Only approved testing stations can carry out entry certification inspections. The process involves an entry certifier: 

a) verifying that the vehicle met the required safety, emissions and frontal impact standards  when manufactured.

i) Proof of ownership, (we will supply you with the original V5 certificate and invoice)

ii) Emissions, Frontal impact and Overall standards can be confirmed with a suitable European Community (EC) whole vehicle approval plate/sticker (you can only use it as evidence if it includes the EC directive ‘2001/116’), or a UN/ECE approval plate/sticker attached to the car. (We can supply you with the details on the sticker.) or a statement of compliance ( we can request one from the manufacturer however there may be a charge for this)

b) carrying out a vehicle inspection to verify it is still in good condition (effectively a warrant of fitness WOF check)

c) deciding whether the vehicle needs any repairs and/or specialist certification to meet legal safety requirements

d) verifying who legally owns the vehicle.

Where the vehicle meets requirements, the certifier issues:

a) a registration application form (form MR2A),which verifies that it has passed these checks and is safe for you to drive, and

b) a warrant of fitness or certificate of fitness, depending on the vehicle's size.

3. Preparing to import.

Once you're satisfied your vehicle meets the applicable New Zealand standards, we will arrange transport with a shipping agent to get it to New Zealand. Our preferred shipper is McCullough Limited . Together with our McCullough Ltd we will arrange UK export clearances, Packing LCL in Container, Ocean Freight, Customs Clearance in New Zealand, MAF fees, Port Service, Container Cartage, Unpacking, and delivery to compliance in Auckland or Christchurch.

Also check to see if there are any unaddressed safety recalls, It is strongly advised that you to check whether your vehicle is subject to a safety recall. It is your legal responsibility to ensure that vehicles you import are cleared of any recalls before arriving in New Zealand. 

You can check on the United Kingdom's Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) if your car has been subject to a recall. As all our stock cars are sourced from franchised dealers we will be able to supply you with written confirmation of any required repair from the dealer.

4. Importing your vehicle.

Double check that you have all the information and documentation required for when the vehicle lands on shore. You also need to arrange for an entry certifier to perform the entry certification inspection.

Entry certifiers

All motor vehicles entering New Zealand must pass an entry certification inspection before they can be registered for use on New Zealand roads. To arrange for this inspection you need to contact an approved entry certifier.

Your vehicle will also need to pass biosecurity and customs checks.

New Zealand Customs.

Customs charges. There is zero duty on motor vehicles.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) charges. There is 15% GST on all motor vehicles. GST is calculated on the CIF value (Cost Insurance and Freight).

MAF

All vehicles must be clean inside and out.

MAF will be looking for dirt, mud, leaves and seeds in and on the vehicle. Pay particular attention to:

1.  The engine bay and grills for leaves. 
2.  The boot and spare tyre well for dirt and plant material.
3.  Underneath on the wheel arches for dirt and mud.

Summary

Although the above may seem daunting at first, it is generally straight forward.

1. Check that the car you wish to purchase meets NZ Standards, We can supply the necesary documentation to enable you to check.
2.  If qualifies purchase your car.
3.  Arrange shipping, we recommend you use McCullough Limited or we can arrange this for you.
4.  When your car arrives in New Zealand arrange for your Customs Broker to clear your car through Customs and MAF
5.  Arrange to have your car transported to an entry certifier.
6.  Register and Licence your vehicle for use in New Zealand.

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Shipping your car to New Zealand

Before Shipping

1. Check with an Entry Certifier that your car meets the applicable New Zealand standards and can be registered for use on New Zealand roads.
2. We strongly recommend that you purchase Marine Insurance as this could be your container!

We recommend that you use a local NZ shipping agent as they should be able to arrange customs and MAF clearance on your behalf as well as delivering your car to an entry certifier.

We will arrange shipping with our recommended shipping agent  McCullough Limited, Who we will liaise with to ensure a smooth departure for your car from the UK. They offer a shipping  package for approximately 3400.00 NZD which includes:

1. UK Export Clearances
2. Packing LCL in a Container
3. Ocean Freight
4. Customs Clearance in New Zealand
5. MAF fees
6. Port Service
7. Container Cartage
8. Unpacking
9. And delivery to compliance in Auckland or Christchurch

This does not include.

1.  UK Inland transportation to the port of departure, (allow £200)
2. Cleaning of the vehicle if required, while we make every effort to ensure that every vehicle sold from “Stock” is clean when we hand it over to the shipping agent in the UK, the cars may be driven at some stage in the delivery process and could pick up some road debris. (allow $200 estimate) Cars bought from auction may require further cleaning and this can be arranged upon the customer's request. (Approximate cost in the UK for full Valet £100)
3. GST to Customs 15% of CIF value (Cost of vehicle, Insurance and Freight)
4. Compliance and on road costs (Compliance for a Euro vehicle is around $500 NZD if it goes straight through)
5. Registration
6. Marine Insurance – Can be provided by McCullough Limited (Normally around 350 NZD/ 500 excess covering from pickup to delivery)

If you prefer shipping can be arranged on your behalf by www.rhdimports.com your vehicle will be shipped in either a 20ft or a 40ft container. This has been said to be one of the safest and most secure forms of transport by sea, your car will be loaded and secured inside the container by the use of chocks and straps then the container will be sealed until it arrives at its destination. 

Paperwork required to ship your vehicle.

1. A copy of your passport photo page only.
2. We will supply the shipper with all the other necessary documentation

Insurance 

We strongly recommend that you purchase insurance as we cannot be held liable for any damage sustained to your vehicle once we have handed it over to the shipping company. A condition report is completed and digital photos are taken of the vehicle as standard to offer proof of its state when it is handed over to the shipping company.

Payment

The balance is due before shipping, we can either invoice the shipping charges together with your final payment for your purchase and pay the shipping on your behalf, or you can pay the shipping agent directly. 

Documents

We will receive the documents from the shipping company approximately one week after the vessel has departed, this is industry standard practice. They will then couriered on to you. The documents we will send to you are as follows and you will need to deliver them to your appointed customs broker.

• Bill of Lading. This is an extremely important document which signifies the ownership of the vehicle. You will not be able to collect your car without this document.
• Invoice. Vital proof of what you paid for your car
• Registration Certificate. Signed by the previous owner to signify transfer of ownership. This document replaces the need for a separate export certificate.

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