[avil4723]

Hi everyone,

I was looking at taking my car with me to NZ, but came across a couple of government sites that say a car imported to NZ needs to be right-hand drive - if it's not it will need to be modified.
Does anyone have experience with that? In what range would the costs be to modify (upper) middle class car into a right-hand drive?

Best regards,
avil4723

[mylesdw]

Converting left to right hand drive (or vice versa) is a very big job and is seldom worth it.

[BkyMonster]

iirc I think that is if you intend to sell the car. Other people have brought over LH drive cars for personal use.

[dilanium]

I believe it depends on how old the car is though...

[BkyMonster]

Here's an old thread
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25697

[72andsunny]

iirc I think that is if you intend to sell the car. Other people have brought over LH drive cars for personal use.

Here's a recent thread on the subject: http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25697

You can bring over an LH drive car for personal use (no more than 1 per year). Unless it's a very old car, you cannot sell it for 5 years. My guess is, nobody would want to buy a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side anyway.

Personally, I thought the hardest part about driving in NZ was that everything in the (RH) car was backwards.

[72andsunny]

Here's an old thread
http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25697

You beat me.

While we're on the subject, anyone have a rough estimate of what it costs to ship a car from the US to NZ? I can make a good argument for taking mine if it's <$2000 (US).

[dilanium]

Are you taking a container? I know some people have just brought their cars inside their container and I believe it didn't cost much extra.

[avil4723]

Wow that went fast! Thanks so much for the quick reply.

Also for the link to the other thread - this indeed also clarified NZTA regulations for me.
Looks like I won't have to convert the car then. Just that so far it has been registered on my father (for tax and insurance reasons) and he won't be moving to NZ - so I guess the only criteria left for me to fullfill would be the 90 days registration on my name here in Germany.

Anyone experience on the LHD matter in general? Is it very uncomfortable to drive it in NZ? Given the shipping costs it would be more than worth it for me to bring it over. But does it cause any future problems apart from what is written on NZTA?

---

To 72andsunny: I don't know exactly what it will cost you to bring the car over from the US, but given that I got a quote of approx. US$2500 (container) and US$2000 (RoRo) for a car from Europe to NZ you should be under US$2000 from the US.

[mylesdw]

Driving a LHD in NZ is no big deal, apart from the usual hassles of car park barriers etc.

[Wooly_Cow]

I would say that given that there are very few moterways and freeways, many roads are narrow especially out of town, overtaking with a LHD car here would increase the danger.

Of all the places in the world NOT to have the steering wheel on the wrong side, this would be top of my list!

[JandM]

Anyone experience on the LHD matter in general? Is it very uncomfortable to drive it in NZ?This is VERY much a matter of personal feelings. I've driven LHD cars in the UK, and RHD cars in Europe, and it doesn't bother me, but some people are very bugged by this kind of thing. Any chance you could take a quick trip to the UK and test yourself?

[avil4723]

;-) No, not really - but I've driven cars all around the world and also in places where driving isn't easy in the first place. However, I never managed to drive on the "wrong" side of the car in any given country yet. I guess if its more a swift adaption thing I should have no problems!?

But BTW, given that there is no need to modify the steering of the car, but what about lights? Are the beams not inverted?
This is VERY much a matter of personal feelings. I've driven LHD cars in the UK, and RHD cars in Europe, and it doesn't bother me, but some people are very bugged by this kind of thing. Any chance you could take a quick trip to the UK and test yourself?

[mylesdw]

Yes, the lights need changing.

As far as driving on the wrong side goes, I have done it once or twice and for me the danger time is months or even years after the change, when the new side has become 'normal' and you're not really thinking about it anymore.

[Caniwi]

Just my 2c. I'm a Kiwi and lived in Canada for 16 years. I would think I could easliy adapt, but there have been some definate "Bugga" moments.

I contemplated bringing my car, only because it was paid for, but the disadvantages fair outweighed the advantages. Now if you're talking classic 'stang, 'vette, etc, then it would be worth it.

Caniwi