Top 6 Reasons to Import a Vehicle into New Zealand

← back

Top 6 Reasons to Import a Vehicle into New Zealand

Posted on December 7, 2014 – Shipping Vehicles

If you want to import a vehicle into New Zealand, albeit a car, caravan, boat or motorboat - it's no simple process if you choose to go it alone. That’s why McCullough has a tried and tested process to bring your pride and joy right to your front door, without you having to deal with all the complicated packing and shipping details and without having to get bogged down in Customs and MAF clearances.

And because McCullough makes it so simple and stress-free, there’s a wealth of reasons why you would turn to us to help you get the vehicle of your dreams delivered to New Zealand.

1. Emigration: Around the time of the 2013 Census, The Herald on Sunday and Key Research released results of a poll showing 92,100 migrants arrived in New Zealand in the year to October – up 9% on the previous year – while people moving to Australia fell during the same period. Put simply, New Zealand is a pretty popular place to want to live these days and people from around the world are flocking here to enjoy the quality of life and an improving economy based around high-jobs areas such as the Christchurch rebuild. If you’re thinking of moving to New Zealand or have recently moved and left a whole heap of family possessions back in storage on the other side of the world, a safe, secure and trustworthy shipping company is an absolute must. And, let’s face it, having your favourite family car or your man-cave must-haves back parked in your garage, feel a great deal better than leaving them unused half a world away.

2. Coming home: Along the same lines as emigration, Kiwis who left New Zealand are flocking back to our shores – often off the back of having made decent money in Europe, Asia or the United States. Statistics New Zealand figures also showed 22,721 migrants last year came from Australia, a record total which the agency said had been boosted by Kiwis returning home after the Australian economy started to suffer. Returning Kiwis may simply want to leave their old lives behind them and come back to a place they know – but many will also want to bring the trappings of their success with them. And that means having to find a way to ship those vehicles home.

3. Just visiting: Tourists can bring a car into New Zealand for up to 12 months without having to complete the standard permanent importation certification – which is great if you’ve had your eye on a grand trek around the North and South Islands and you’ve got the perfect open-top tourer, classic motorcycle or stylish favourite parked up at home. A few provisos: the vehicle has to be licences in its country of origin, must be recorded on the Overseas Visitors Licence register, pass a Warrant of Fitness and have a current WoF sticker displayed on the windscreen. You’ll also have to pay an ACC levy when you arrive.

4. Counting the cash: We all know the feeling. You can pay the standard rate for something, or you can do a little research and save a bit of cash. Importing a car or caravan from overseas can be a great way of getting a great deal on an everyday item. And with a little hard work researching what you want online and then handing over the reins to McCullough to make sure everything goes smoothly bringing your purchase home, you could easily find yourself having saved thousands of dollars. Wellington 23-year-old William Findlay told stuff.co.nz that he’d saved around $4000 importing a 2005 Mazda Axela Sport direct from Japan after watching his grandfather do the same thing back in 2005

5. Living the dream: Sometimes New Zealand simply doesn’t cut it when it comes to being able to source exactly the right dream car, caravan, bike or boat. There’s a world of custom-built café-racers and motorcycles out there which you’re unlikely to be able to find down your local dealer. Equally, there’s plenty of Kiwis dying to get their hands on a classic US muscle car, good old Aussie flat-bed ute, limited edition European model or one-off collector’s item, for whom heading to overseas auction houses is pretty much their only option. When you’re shelling out top dollar for a world-class vehicle, then you need an absolutely trustworthy shipping agent who will look after every aspect of importing and clearing your new favourite toy.

6. Global village: Whether you’ve lived in New Zealand all your life, have recently arrived or have come home from time away, you must have seen how the country has changed. We’re not an obscure country at the bottom of the world any more, and thanks to fast and secure shipping and the breaking down of trading borders thanks to the internet, we’re all able to buy and sell easily with the rest of the world. On a personal level that can mean logging on to Amazon or Ebay, making a major vehicle purchase and then going to a shipping agent such as McCullough to ensure your car, booat, caravan or bike arrives in New Zealand exactly how you intend it to. Or, on a larger scale, it can mean looking to McCullough for your general cargo shipping requirements. If you contact us with the dimensions, weight, number and specs of your cargo, then you can leave us to arrange the best solution to move your goods either into or out of New Zealand as cost-effectively as possible.

← back

What are the advantages of importing a car to New Zealand?
Posted on 26th August 2021
If you have ever considered buying a car from overseas and then privately importing it to New Zealand, you may have wondered whether it’s really worth it. Here are some of the advantages we have observed when it comes to buying a car offshore then getting it shipped to NZ.
Read more

---

How to Buy a De-registered Car in NZ
Posted on 1st October 2018
If you are looking into purchasing a second-hand vehicle, you may come across so called de-registered cars. Their great advantage is that they can be a bargain. Although there are legitimate reasons why a car may be de-registered without it hiding anything sinister, you should however exert caution and do your homework as it can also be a sign that the vehicle is a lemon.
Read more

---

The Challenges of Ship Recycling
Posted on 15th September 2018
A thousand ships are dismantled every year, 86% of them in Southeast Asia often in conditions dangerous to workers and the environment.
Read more

---

What is a Warrant of Fitness and Can I Arrange It Myself When Importing My Car?
Posted on 1st June 2018
During the certification process, your car will be issued with a Warrant of Fitness – also called Certificate of Fitness depending on the vehicle’s size - which is a key document when importing a vehicle into New Zealand.
Read more

---