[Maggiepie]

Hi,

We are think of importing our 2004 Toyota Prius from CA, USA to NZ. According to http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/factsheets/12.html, we should be able to import it without requiring to change to a RHD car.
LHD vehicle on New Zealand roads. OK if meet the followings:
- A gross vehicle mass of not more than 3,500 kilograms
- Imported by you, for your own personal use
- Manufactured less than 20 years
- You have registered, owned and operated the vehicle overseas, for 90 days or more
- In a five-year period, you can only register one such vehicle in New Zealand
- The vehicle must be registered in the importer’s name (i.e. your name) for at least five years after it’s first registration in NZ.

Also checked the car's recall history & frontal impact protection. No problem here. There are Prius in NZ, should be fine with service & repair.

Transport and import cost might be the deciding factor. Any number from anyone?

Does anyone imported and been driving a LHD car in NZ? What are the problem you have encounter ?

Thanks
Maggiepie

[IanW99]

Sorry can't really answer your questions, you already seem to be looking in the right direction.

I'm sure that you have already read this about importing cars from the US?

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

One thing that I seem to remember but haven't found any proof of, is that if you try to sell the LHD car in NZ then you will need to get it modified to RHD before selling it (unless it is a classic car). As I would expect this to be expensive to do, would definitely try to confirm this if you might sell it in the future (you are meant to keep it for at least 5 years)?

HTH
Ian

[dharder]

Does anyone imported and been driving a LHD car in NZ? What are the problem you have encounter ?

Yes please, I'd like some information about this, too :)

We are going to take our car, LHD, and from what I've found out so far, it should be possible. I've talked to the Volkswagen people in Auckland (it is, you guessed it, a VW), and to Wallie from the AA (who other's have here have talked to as well, I think), and both seemed to think it is possible.

We calculated what we would get for the car here if we sold it, how much transport and import to NZ costs, and what we would have to spend to get something equivalent in NZ. Financially from that point of view, it makes sense for us to take it.

I'm looking at $800 I think for a certificate of compliance (you may not need that if you have certain type of sticker, we don't) from the Volkswagen people in NZ, and then another $800 for getting it checked, woofed and on the road with new plates (this is an AA compliance checking centre). It goes in a 20ft container, so obviously those charges will be added.

Of course this is all theory, and I'm bound to eat my words once I've actually tried to do it...

Daniela

[Maggiepie]

Thanks Ian for bring up a good point : "One thing that I seem to remember but haven't found any proof of, is that if you try to sell the LHD car in NZ then you will need to get it modified to RHD before selling it"

I haven't research it yet, but make sense. That mean I am "stuck" with the car. I like my car, but thing can happen.

Still waiting for shipper to quote.

[tiefchord]

I've never heard of that being the case. The only stipulation that I have read is that one cannot sell a newer LHD until it has been present in the country, after import, for atleast 5 years.

Also, LHD cars that meet FMVSS (US specific) do not need to be converted to RHD.