Cautionary Note For Importers

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 15, 8 September 1987, Page 5 (Supplement)

Cautionary Note For Importers

Buying a car in Australia and hoping to make a few dollars when you get home is just not on according to Mark Middleton, who has just completed the exercise. Mr Middleton travelled to Brisbane in July and purchased a 1985 "S" pack Falcon for $(N.Z.) 14,000. "The car was in immaculate condition and after several phone calls back to New Zealand to check the local market and confirm duty and shipping arrangements it looked like a good deal," Mr Middleton said.

Six weeks later, when the car landed in Auckland, the local market had dropped dramatically and New Zealand car dealers didn't want to know about privately imported cars. On top of that Mr Middleton spent two days in Auckland just getting the car back. He said that cus-

toms were reluctant to part with it and that getting the car through argriculture and finally the container terminal was no mean feat! Taking into aceount a dealers charges, a loss of between $2,000 and $4,000 has been common and many of the 1,000 cars imported into New Zealand in July

and August will prove to be an expensive exercise for their importers. An estimate of the costs involved is: Car purchase - $14,000 Transport and cleaning - $2,800 Duty and GST - $8,100 Registration - $360.