Have you set your heart on a dream car only to realise that it’s unavailable in New Zealand? Luckily, privately importing new or used cars into NZ is completely legal, but less luckily, it’s quite a complex process.

To help you smoothly navigate the process and secure your import, you’re going to need an import specialist.

 

What Importing a Car Involves

The process of importing your new ride into NZ can be lengthy and complicated. You’ll need to ensure that your vehicle meets a range of standards and criteria, and provide supporting evidence. It’s important that this is done before the vehicle is shipped – otherwise, you might end up with a car in the docks that you can’t collect, and shipping companies don’t give refunds for bad planning on your part.

What You'll Need to Prove

Before importing a car, you’ll need to provide evidence of the following:

  • That the car met the required safety emissions and frontal impact standards when manufactured
  • That it was recently inspected and found to be in good working order
  • That the vehicle currently meets safety and emissions requirements
  • Whether or not the car requires repairs to meet the standards
  • Who legally owns the vehicle
  • The vehicle's identity and that it has a valid vehicle identification number (VIN) assigned and affixed

How to Choose the Right Import Specialist to Help You

There are a range of qualities you should look for when choosing a company to be your import specialist.

They should be able to act as an entry certifier – providing the evidence above as well as taking care of the logistics of the import.

 

Import Specialist Checklist

Here is a quick checklist of features you should look for in an import specialist for new or used cars:

  • Experience is the most important – choose a company that knows the ins and outs of importing cars. A great local car company will be no good if they don’t have experience with the import process.
  • Professionalism in all dealing with customers, officials, and foreign stakeholders
  • Skills and knowledge relating to the complexities of international trade
  • A proven reputation for delivering cost-effective air or sea freight transport and passing those savings onto customers
  • Ability to deal with a wide range of logistical needs, from any location to any destination in NZ
  • An established network of global partners
  • A reputation for year-round, on-time, and undamaged, delivery of cars

2 Cheap Cars: Your Import Specialists

When it comes to importing cars to New Zealand, 2 Cheap Cars is the natural choice. At 2 Cheap Cars, we import cars year-round, so we know the process inside out. We can take care of everything from the entry certification process to organising shipping; making sure that you get your car hassle-free.

We can also make sure you are getting a fair price on your vehicle from the overseas seller. Plus, with fourteen locations throughout NZ, we can easily have your car delivered somewhere close to you.

Call us today on 0800 223 370 or enquire online to find out more.