[Dozzer]

Hi all,

How much does it cost to run a car in NZ ?

Here are some figures for the UK: (with NZ prices as of today from xe.com)
These are based on my 1800cc (1.8L - hehe) Renault Laguna Privilege.

Petrol (normal unleaded) is about 97p per litre :( (NZD $2.77)

Road fund licence (the dreaded road tax) - £150 per year (NZD $428) depends on emmissions.

MOT - same as WOF - Yearly for cars over 3 years old only - varies £35 approx

Fully comprehensive insurance - £350 with £100 excess payment - NZD $ 1,001 per annum

It costs about £56 to fill up the tank with unleaded (12 gallons ?) NZD $160

You register the car once when you buy it new... second hand owners just change the ownership docs over at the cost of a stamp.

How does this compare with NZ prices and systems ?

Regards,

Dozzer

[kiwidebs]

With petrol prices rising by the day (well, thats how it seems anyway)...the last time I filled up petrol was $1.70 a litre.

Not sure about the rest of it at the moment as we've not reached the WOF/rego/servicing stages of our cars yet. All I know is that our lovely 2.4L Mitsubishi Grandis costs about $65-$70 to fill and that lasts us about a week. Can't wait to get our second car (we're picking up our 1.3 Mitsubishi Colt - 'most economical car of its size on the market' - today).

Debs

[jo-and-jeff]

Dozzer,
What Debs is saying is correct. I paid $1.70/L last week, and the price does seem to go up every day (6 cents/L last week alone). I just bought a new car and everything (on-road-costs, rego and GST) was included in the price, and I do not have an itemised receipt, so I can't tell you for sure what all of that other stuff costs. I heard that a WOF and rego is around $300/year, but do not quote me on that. Hopefully, someone else will chime in with better numbers. You should know that cars over 6 years of age require a new WOF every 6 months.

Presently, I am paying around $750/year for full cover insurance with $1000 excess on my 1500cc Toyota Prius (can't stand those petrol prices!), but that is with a 5-year, 60%, no-claims discount. My insurer is AMI, and they are not the cheapest, but there seems to be very little difference in price between the insurers, so "Consumer Magazine" (www.consumer.org.nz) basically suggests that you chose insurers based upon other criteria (service etc....). I haven't had to fill the tank yet, but my experience with other "mid-sized" (by yankee standards) vehicles is that it costs around $100 for a full tank. How often you have to do that will obviously depend upon fuel economy and how much you drive....

I would be remiss if I did not mention that your costs will differ depending upon where you are. I am in Auckland, and just last week it was suggested that Aucklanders be forced to pay an additional $10/day tax just to park downtown. The idea is to drive Aucklanders out of their cars and, in doing so, reduce congestion. The only problem is the near absence of an adequate means of public transport to serve as an alternative. Long story short, it may cost you more to run your car in Auckland.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/9/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10378688

Don't know about Welly, but Auckland's traffic problems are legendary in NZ.

Hope this helps and that someone else can "fill in the blanks", so to speak. Cheers,

Jeff

[jubjub]

I asked the servicing question the other day, service is around $110 plus GST @ 12.5%, a tune up (air filters etc to make car run more economically) is around $150 + GST, WOF $40 (have seen it advertised for $25 and $50), cam belts from around $250 depending on car. If car is over a certain age it needs a WOF every 6 months (I think its six years) check it out here.... http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/road-user-safety/motorists/, also check here about changing ownership.

Rego is $205 per year.

Car insurance: we have one basic car and one sportyish one, basic is $216 per year for TPF&T, other one is fully comp at $456 for the year. (both cars are 10 yrs old) Excess depends on whether you have NZ driving licence or not, can be as high as $750.

About $60 to fill up my car, think its a 45 ltr tank.

[Radders]

We have a mitsubishi lancer 1.6. It costs about $55 to fill up at $1.70 a litre. WOF is $35 twice a year. Registration $205 for 12 months. Insurance fully comp with 40% no claims bonus was $450.

[jonSE]

In short cheaper than the UK.

Rego (Tax Disc) is about $200/ year
Wof (MOT) is around $40-45 every six months for a car older than ?3? years
insurance is cheap compared to the UK because you aren't paying to insure against others personal injury (You get to pay 1.5% on your earnings towards ACC instead) and Insurance isn't compulsory so there is more competition.
Petrol is cheaper than the UK because there is less tax but as a result the price is more volatile in response to the changes in the price of crude oil.
labour rates generally are cheaper than the UK so servicing is cheaper, BUT parts prices can be very expensive for rarer European cars and should you be in the position of needing bodywork parts for non current but recent European cars take a deep breath as they will need to beimported specifically.

I can't really give mainstream examples on insurance but FWIW
'91 Range Rover Vogue SE UK- £450pa
'94 Land Rover Discovery NZ - $ 480pa full business use
both fully comp

Porsche 928 S4 Sport
UK £ 750pa agreed value £13,000
NZ $ 720pa agreed value $60,000 based on replacement purchase in UK and all shipping costs to NZ with full business use

Porsche 928 GT
UK £ 650pa
NZ $600pa agreed value $50,000 based on replacement purchase in UK and all shipping costs to NZ with full business use

There's a lot to recomend the NZ system where Accident compensation is paid out by the ACC and the law prevents you suing for personal injury compensation. It does mean there is a lot less work for lawyers though!

[Oregonkiwi]

Registration is $200 per year? ouch! We just got our "vehicle registration renewal" form in the mail from the Oregon DMV, it's $54 for 2 years. (Waay cheaper than California, I should add.)