[justin.g.s]

It has been previously mentioned that it is cost prohibitive to bring over an american truck. Yet if you do the math, you can make more than a buck or two if you bring over a ford f-150 or a dodge dakota. Just wondering if anyone know the tax consequence if you sell it within a years. As I understand it now, if you keep it for over one year you would not pay any tax.

I found it odd, that American trucks really are a status symbol is certain parts of N.Z They seemed really big in the Hamilton region. Some were fetching over $165k

Bought here and sold there will pay for a whole-lotta shipping.

Same question, what duties should I expect to pay on goods I intend to buy here and sell there. I found some fishing gear items that I could turn a descent profit on.

Do your homework on what to bring over. Alot of items are rediculously expensive over there. Basically study the prices of things you know, I know about camping gear. If you know fashion, I've been told to bring designer jeans.

Thanks Justin

[veronica]

I think that you would have to pay duty on a car/truck if you have owned it for less than a year.

[deebat]

Sorry if this sounds like a whine, but: Here's one American who doesn't really want to see any big American vehicles over in NZ! The monsters on our roads are just another reason why I'm fed up with the US. :no

I realize that there's a need for such things in construction-type business, though... and it would be hard to pass up the potential profit if you have a vehicle that could pull in $165k. As long as those horrific Escalades, Yukons and Exterminators stay in N.America, I guess I'll survive. :?

-Dan

[clg]

Looks like it may not be very easy unless the truck is converted to RHD. You can't sell a LHD truck until 5 years after you import it.

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/12.html

More information

http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/publications/infosheets/infosheet-2-12-usa.html#ma

I am sort of thinking about bringing my car over, it is a nice car and it would cost about double its price in NZ. I just don't know if I want to put up with the LHD issue.

[sweetpea]

I am sort of thinking about bringing my car over, it is a nice car and it would cost about double its price in NZ. I just don't know if I want to put up with the LHD issue.

I know where you're coming from. I love my VW Passat and had planned on driving it into the ground. I'd desperately like to keep it, but the LHD thing is too much to deal with. Now I have to start thinking about all the things I found some nostalgia in (the chewed up door locks compliments of a too-cute foster puppy, the teeth marks my first dog left on the emergency brake handle), and work on fixing them.

The good thing is that reliable used cars seem to be fairly inexpensive in NZ, and the money I make selling my car can be used for moving expenses.

[clg]

Used Japanese cars are cheap but European cars are pricey. We are going to England in a couple of weeks and will be renting a car there. I am going to spend some time in the passanger seat and try to imagine what it would be like if I were driving from there. I will probably not end up taking my car but boy I would like to.

Chris

[justin.g.s]

Converting a rhd will cost @20k to do it.

Sorry to say, that outside the city you will see some big trucks. But not like the states.

Gas being expensive you have to be rich to drive a V8 monster car, hence the status symbol of it. Oh and they DO have Hummers there. Sorry.

[chris b]

... I will probably not end up taking my car but boy I would like to.

Chris

I don't feel that driving a LHD car in a RHD country is necessarily as difficult as it sounds. You do need to already be comfortable driving on the left-hand side of the road. I lived in Japan for a couple of years and had a RHD car, but did drive a LHD car that belonged to a friend; he'd bought it since the waiting list for the RHD version was too long (Mercedes SLK).

I was surprised at how natural it felt, not disorienting at all. This was partly because I was well used to driving on the left by then. Toll booths were no problem as they had LHD kiosk lanes, but things like fast-food drivethroughs I could see being a problem.

Maybe you could source a postal-service-use RHD truck here in the U.S. and ship it over?

[clg]

I tagged onto this thread for the LHD/RHD issue. I am not really interested in the profit motive here and I don't want to drive a truck. I just don't want to give up my car. The RHD version of it is MUCH more expensive.

[Kim39]

Glad to see your talking about 4x4 cars and not MACKS and KENWORTH trucks, cos to us Europeans trucks pull 44ft trailers. Clg, get behind the wheel while your here in the UK it will feel odd at first but give it a few hours and you'll have the hang of it. I drove in Greece a LHD and yes it was weird, but soon i was throwing it round those cliff bends. Enjoy your visit.

[veronica]

We've driven RH drive cars over in Europe and as long as you adjust your perspective its not a problem, although changing lanes and overtaking is more difficult.
There is one other benefit of driving the correct hand drive for the country you are in if you are used to driving on the other side of the road, that is it makes you more aware of the difference, and less likely to go into'habit mode'. Might help you to not turn down the wrong lane at junctions.

[MelissaLG]

We just sent our Toyota Tundra off with Allied, hopefully to arrive in NZ at about the same time we do, or shortly thereafter. After looking at all the options, we decided it was worth it to bring our truck. Since it is LHD, we can't sell it for 5 years, but we wouldn't plan on it anyway. The import process is pretty easy, just make sure you have your title, the original bill of sale or some other paperwork (like registration papers) to show you have owned the vehicle and been in residence in the export country for the past 12 months, and the FMVSS sticker (on the driver's door in most cars sold in the US). Also, you should get the car detailed, making sure to clean the undercarriage well with a pressure washer. Going to a do-it-yourself carwash and getting under the undercarriage with the high-pressure water sprayer works well also. NZ no longer requires "steam cleaning" the vehicle...they just want it to be as clean as possible with no dirt or soil or bugs on the vehicle. Also, don't be fooled by the "heat treatment" information and "preclearance" information you might find on the MAF web site....there are no facilities in the US authorized to do it. So you just get your car clean, send it with the required docs, and hope they do not find any bugs or soil on the car. If so, they will probably decontaminate it which will cost you more bucks! Last thing, call NZ's version of AAA (Auto Club) to arrange for someone to meet the vehicle after it has cleared Customs/MAF, so that it can be registered and licensed. Otherwise, it won't be legal to drive and you won't be able to get it from Customs/MAF. Good luck all!

Melissa