Help buying a car in New Zealand?
By Cars & Motorcycles on May 05, 2009 with Comments 5
I am looking at buying a late model car for 10 15 grand. should I buy NZ new or used Import? I intend on keeping it for a long time do you get better value for your money buying an Import and should I also buy Auto over a manual?
Filed Under: Buying New Car
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The one thing to look out for is safety equipment. Non-NZ new imports from Japan do not comply to the same safety standards as some NZ new vehicles. I have just bought a used import Mitsubishi Colt Plus, from Japan. It does not have the side airbags you can get on NZ-new models.
If your import comes from Japan, I would not worry about durability. Japanese cars are world-famous for it, and quality standards at home are sky-high.
It is generally agreed that manual transmissions will outlast automatics, but the difference is marginal – consider that you will be able to use your car for about 10 to 15 years before it really starts deteriorating; maybe, in that time, you’ll have a situation when you’ll appreciate an automatic? I’d get an automatic (and I have).
Automatics will allow you to go through traffic with less stress – you may not think it amounts to much, but it does. Starting from a traffic light on a hill without ever stalling it or rolling backward, having someone else drive you home, crawling through long traffic jams in Auckland simply by lifting your foot off the brake a bit… it adds up. You’ll be glad to have it.
And make sure it has airbags and ABS braking – you can verify by turning the ignition key to first stop and watching the lights that come up; one should say “SRS airbag”, one “ABS”. If it has both, you’ve got a keeper.
I have had Japanese imports simply because they have been cheaper to purchase. The down fall is you really cannot be sure of the full history and it is wise to have a certified odometer check. I purchased a Toyota Corolla which was a fantastic car but when I put it in for a service, realised it had been tampered with.
NZ new cars will probably meet the specified safety standards – at best do your homework on the make and model of the vehicle you seek to purchase.
I would go for an automatic simply because if someone else ever needs to drive for you you can be assured they’d be able to drive your vehicle. Also, driving in the city can be a pain with a manual when you have to stop and start. Long distance driving is also easier with an automatic.
Fuel consumption is likely to be less with an automatic because of your ability to set cruise control – but that will also depend upon the type of vehicle you buy and the way you drive.
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