Buying A Car in New Zealand as a long term tourist

If you are looking to spend a long time in New Zealand, but not move there permanently, you may find that your most cost effective way of getting around is by buying a car. This may not be the case in other countries, but due to the influx of Japanese cars into New Zealand you can pick up a car relatively cheaply and make good use of it to explore this fascinating country and all that it has to offer.

Petrol and insurance is also incredibly cheap, so if a few of you club together and buy a car you can really get off the beaten track and discover the parts of the country that the tourists haven’t yet discovered. Don’t be stingy and buy an old banger either, the idea of the car is to get you around, not be stuck in the garage for the majority of your stay and be able to get something back for it when you leave.

Budget cars that are intended for this sort of use are known affectionately as ‘Backpacker cars’, as it was traditionally backpackers who were the long term tourists in New Zealand and wanted a cheap motor to get them from A to B, and back again. There are many places to look for these cars, online sites and classified ads from garages etc are the best place to look, but before you hand over your cash that the car has a Warrant of Fitness.

This is the New Zealand equivalent of the MOT certificate, and is basically proof that the vehicle is roadworthy. Unlike the UK, on older cars WOF tests have to be done every 6 months and the date your next test is due is displayed on a sticker on your windscreen, next to your tax disc, which is easily renewed at any post office.

One of the toughest decisions you will have to make is whether to buy a petrol or diesel vehicle. Diesel is way cheaper than petrol, but diesel cars are subject to road user charges so you will have to weigh up which is the most economically viable for your needs.

When you go to register the ownership, you effectively buy road usage in blocks of 100km, so depending on how much you intend to travel the difference between diesel and petrol can end up a lot closer.

The strangest thing about having a car in New Zealand is that insurance isn’t compulsory, but it is always advisable to have at least 3^rd party as you never know what will happen. You must always ensure that you have your driving licence with you at all times as spot checks are very common in New Zealand and if you can’t instantly produce your licence  you are liable to an on the spot fine.

By being sensible and choosing a decent vehicle, you can turn your trip to New Zealand into a truly great adventure.