Buying a car or a van in New Zealand

Negociations

You can try to negotiate a number of points with the seller:

• le prix : bien évidemment, vous pouvez essayer de le faire baisser,
• les réparations dont le véhicule pourrait avoir besoin. Elles ont un coût et ce n’est peut-être pas à vous de les payer mais plutôt à l’ancien propriétaire de le faire,
• le WOF et la license véhicule, tous les deux obligatoires : vous pouvez essayer de négocier auprès du vendeur la prise en charge, au moins partielle, de ces dépenses,
• les RUC’s qui pourraient être dus par le propriétaire actuel du véhicule.

Purchase

Once you’ve set a price for the vehicle, it’s time to make the actual purchase. Agree with the seller on the best way to carry out the transaction. This could be a bank transfer, payment via paypal or Wise, or payment in cash. If possible, take a torch with you to inspect your vehicle thoroughly. The first things to check are the following:

For cash payments (one of the most common), check that you will have sufficient funds available on the day of purchase. Many working holiday makers miss out on good deals because they are unable to withdraw the full amount requested. Banks don’t always allow large withdrawals and the money isn’t always available in full. Make sure you find out beforehand!

Also, to avoid security problems, try to take someone with you when you go to buy the car from the seller. Ask a friend or someone you met in a hostel to come with you.

The change of ownership

You will then need to register your vehicle. This can be done very quickly at a post office and will cost you just under $10. Bring your passport, your international driving licence and your home licence.
You will need to provide your personal details for the seller’s registration certificate.

If the seller does not have it, this can happen. In this case, they will have to complete form MR13A while you complete form MR13B, which is available from the post office.

Once the fee has been paid, you will need to collect the receipt proving that the change of ownership has been completed.

When you sell your vehicle, make sure that the owner’s name has been changed. Otherwise, any problems the new owner might have will fall on you. To find out more, read this article on the New Zealand Transport Agency website.