v15ben Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 I am heading to NZ in November for 6 weeks or so and after much thought and looking at the other options I have decided that buying a car out there for 6 weeks may well be the best route to get around! I have a few questions though, firstly will being 19 and never having had my own fully comp insurance be a problem in getting a car. Also, would it be possible to get a guaranteed buy back price for a car if I purchased it in Ch'Ch where I am landing and sold in Auckland? How easy/difficult is it to buy and sell in NZ and is it worth the risk? Has anyone tried it or considered it even, what do you think? Thanks Ben! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_C Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Sorry, but how on earth is buying a car for a mere six weeks the 'best route' over simply hiring a Focus at the airport?? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Errrmm actually... We bought a Honda Accord over there when we went travelling. Did three months in it added 8000km to the clock, polished it all up and gave it a good clean and sold it back to the SAME dealer with a loss of ..... £120. Try and get three months hire for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omi Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 Same for us with a Toyota M-m-m-myyyy Corona! Paid $1400 > Toured North Island, moved to South Island, used it for 3 months then sold it to a student for $600. Three month's rental for £300, and some of the funniest motoring moments ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 16, 2005 Report Share Posted September 16, 2005 We went posh and paid $3500 and sold it for £3000. The car was great - Full leather, electric everything and pretty pokey with a 2.0litre motor and, bizarrely, a full set of new Eagle F1s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P_G Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Errrmm actually... We bought a Honda Accord over there when we went travelling. Did three months in it added 8000km to the clock, polished it all up and gave it a good clean and sold it back to the SAME dealer with a loss of ..... £120. Try and get three months hire for that! [/ QUOTE ] Ideal if you are staying for that length of time but bearing in mind he's going to be there for 6 weeks and has to insure it, the sums don't quite stack up as well. I've known people who have been there for 8 weeks, bought a car and it cost double that of hiring after resale; then I've known others who like you have made profit and a killing compared to rental. IMO it's just too much hassle for 6 weeks and I'd prefer spending my first and last day/s (although I suppose you could buy it over the web before you get there but risky nonetheless) touring with such a short timescale to see both islands than going to a dealer and flogging a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v15ben Posted September 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 I am more inclined to the hire route now simply for the convenience and the fact that I won't have to sell it at the end. If I can get insurance then I reckon that will be the best bet but how is insurance for a 19 year old in NZ? I don't think it is the same as in the UK with age limits but does anyone have an experience on hiring in NZ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazmondo Posted September 17, 2005 Report Share Posted September 17, 2005 Didnt realize they had cars in New Zealand, I thought they were all commuting around in horse and carts and barebacking it on donkeys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v15ben Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 OK, scrub what I said before as insurance companies have kicked dirt in my face all day telling me I need to be 21 before I can hire from them. I am thinking of buying a car now for a cheap price and selling it cheap at the end of my trip. Has anyone bought before and what can you suggest as pointers that I should look out for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Dazmondo - Does that mean you have not surfed one of my all time favourite spots, Kaikoura?! Three perfect reefs with tonnes of power and a backdrop of snow capped mountains! Re: buying - We spent a day trawling the car yards, found the right car and did the "rounds" when we got back. Allow a couple of days. One thing you'll get stung on is breakdown cover (6 months minimum) and insurance - Check them out first. I was 24 and wife was 21 when we went and we had no problems getting covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Jap cars are cheap and everywhere.... check out THIS WEBSITE . Insurance is cheap also.... even for young'uns like you. Kids can drive from the age of 15 there !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v15ben Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Cheers for that website Mort, that makes very interesting reading indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzed Posted September 26, 2005 Report Share Posted September 26, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Didnt realize they had cars in New Zealand, I thought they were all commuting around in horse and carts and barebacking it on donkeys [/ QUOTE ] Oi! We have saddles now Not sure of the details for visitors but insurence companies have a thing about charging loads for remotely boyracerish cars, though probably still a bargain compared to what you get screwed for. Insurence is not compulsory in NZ. If you're happy with 3rd party, you can get pretty cheap insurence. Buying is easy. If the car is already WOFed and regoed there shouldn't be any extra charges. If you are worried about mechanical soundness, you can get the AA to do a check for you. Not sure about a gaurenteed buy back. Bit of a gamble I would say. Good luck and have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Where in NZ do/did you live? Lovely place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzed Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Family is from Palmerston North, in the North Island funnily enough. Wouldn't be suprised if you didn't know it. Not much reason to go there unless you're a student or in the army. Still it has an understated beauty that I didn't appreciate until I had spent a few years in Japan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Palmerston North, not to be confused with the one near Dunedin, has a small airport and a rugby museum and is quite academic. I did NZ quite thoroughly and have a few mates from down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrzed Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Well, you probably know the country better than I. The only time I went down South was when I was about 3 Must go home and make a trip of it one year. Oh, and that wee airport is actually international... once a week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattR32 Posted September 27, 2005 Report Share Posted September 27, 2005 Spent a lot of time in the South and had some of the best surf ever (Kaikoura), snow, mountains, etc - Stunning but N Island was a lot warmer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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