New Importation Laws

[*Glenn* 854]

I was told yesterday that the vehicle importation laws change on the 31st of December that will prevent dealers from bringing in cars pre 2005. Can anyone elaborate on this ??

I was told that all the Importers got together over this and wont provide compliance info on vehicles pre 2005

[Mark 178]

All cars have to meet 2005 emissions standards, which means no more E46 or E39's or older can now be imported.

[bravo 35]

Are 20yr+ vehicles still exempt?

[bradc 0]

This sort of thing annoys me a bit, surely it would be better to let in all cars that are less than 10 years old to try and get rid of some of the 80's and early 90's crap that is still on the road that isn't safe, terrible emissions etc. Send them to the scrappy and get some newer cars in

[Mark 178]

Are 20yr+ vehicles still exempt?

I believe so.

[darkwolf 0]

which means no more E46 or E39's or older can now be imported.

Lucky I got mine when I did. Means prices might go up for them too

Seriously though, that's ridiculous. How many people do you know can afford a 3 year old car that suits the needs of their families? So their options are already imported cars that will no doubt cost more as they can't be imported for peanuts anymore. I'm lucky as I just bought a new car but not everyone will be as fortunate.

I understand trying to make the emissions less, i'm no greenie, but I do understand. Why not make it possible for the older less eco-friendly cars to be imported but bring their emissions up to standard? Or are we all supposed to go out and buy a blue motion.

[Top Secret 2]

The post 99 thing was already hard enough to stomach, but THIS is just ridiculous. As with DarkWolf, I can see how the greenies want to be eco friendly, but considering our emissions contribute to 2/10ths of F all on the worldwide scale, I can't really understand how the vehicles we were importing were making it much worse. If I'm being ignorant, can somebody explain?

Australia actually seems to have a better importing system than we do at the moment, and their imports are of a higher quality. A bit more expensive, but at least you can get what car you actually want to (most of the time)..

[Jamez 2147483647]

you can import e30's, since there more than 20 years old, well most of them??????

are they that exspensive overseas? well i guess it would be cheaper to buy one in nz anyway

Edited December 11, 2008 by Jamez

[bravo 35]

This wasn't what i remembered was supposed to happen, so I went and re-read the emissions rules that came into effect on 1 Jan this year. They said on January 1st 2008 cars must be no older than 10 years old,on January 1st 2009 there is to be a rollover to Japan 2000/02 standards (cars must be no older than 8 years old), on January 1st 2012 it will rollover again to Japan 2005 standards (cars must be no older than 7 years old).

Will try to find info on any amendments that have been passed. maybe there is some confusion, or they have brought the 2012 date ahead by 3 years!?

[bravo 35]

OK - as far as the LTSA website shows, Infosheet 2.08 Revision 5 is still the current standard - there would have to be a new revision released ASAP to be able to change it on that date - (advanced warning required).

Link to infosheet revision history

Infosheet 2.08 rev 5

Table 1 outlines the dates for compliance with Japan 2000/02 and Japan 2005 rules and is same as above.

Glenn, can your source shed any light on new rules that may have been rushed in with the new govt without warning?

[Apex 693]

Good sh*t! Hope this sticks a big spanner in the used import cogs and hopefully they keep the standards up as emission standards become stricter.

[*Glenn* 854]

Bravo... I was told this by a dealer that has to get a E65 complied before the 31st otherwise he has to sell it to a wrecker for parts. Apparently its meant to be common knowledge... I never heard about it

[bravo 35]

Have emailed ltsa. Will post reply when received. May as well hear it from the horses mouth so to speak.

Edit - I've just clicked where the confusion may be!!!

NEW vehicles must comply with the 2005 standard - USED vehicles only have to comply with the 2002 standard.

So any NEW vehicle built to the old standard (an e65 might be as they were initially released for sale in 2002), won't be allowed in, but a second hand example will.

Edited December 11, 2008 by bravo

[*Glenn* 854]

Thats not what I've been told by people Graham... no more pre 2005 new or used is what some of the dealers have been telling me

[diablo23 1]

yup thats why i rushed to get my 7 series in the country and through compliance asap. but im sure i read on the website which I used to import the car that the new emission laws are for vehicles 2003 and over that can only be imported, i didnt think it was 2005 i could be wrong though

[Driftit 2078]

Bravo... I was told this by a dealer that has to get a E65 complied before the 31st otherwise he has to sell it to a wrecker for parts. Apparently its meant to be common knowledge... I never heard about it

Glenn. As long as the dealers car was boarder checked (ie Landed in NZ) before the 31st of Dec then he has nothing to worry about. It is the cars arriving after the 31st that have to comply to the new regulations. Some cars are boarder checked in Japan though. Depends on who is transporting the cars.

As for the 20 year rule. I think this is a case by case thing now. You have to apply to import the car as a classic. And I hear there is only so many allowed per year. This is to stop the dealers abusing the system and importing a whole bunch of old jap sh*t. Which is what the impact and emmisions laws were introduced to stop.

[bravo 35]

Your dealer friend must either be mistaken or importing a NEW car:

Dear Sir/Madam,

it appears there is some confusion with my vehicle importer as to the status of the rule changes regarding emissions requirements for newly imported used vehicles.

My understanding of the Land Transport Rule - Vehicle Emissions 2007 (as referenced in Infosheet 2.08 Rev 5) is that as of 1 Jan 2009 all Petrol/CNG/LPG LIGHT vehicles certified for entry into NZ must comply with ADR 79/01; Euro 3; Japan 00/02; or US 2001 standards.

I have been told that this is incorrect, and that the ADR 79/02; Euro 4; Japan 05; or US 2004 standard must be applied. This standard was not to come into effect until Jan 1 2012.

Has there been an amendment passed without my knowledge?

Can you please calrify which standard will have to be complied with as of 1 Jan 2009?

Thankyou and Regards,

Good afternoon Graham

The Land Transport Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Rule 2007 specifies the emission standard that a vehicle must meet. These standards are due to change on 1 January 2009 as per the emission tables in the Rule. I have provided tables 2.1 which advise the standards that a used petrol CNG or LPG vehicle must meet.

Table 2.1 Vehicle exhaust emissions requirements for used petrol, LPG and CNG vehicles

Certified for entry into service

Approved vehicle emissions standard

Used petrol, LPG and CNG vehicles

Light Vehicles*

On or after 3 January 2008 and before 1 January 2009

ADR 79/00; Euro2; Japan 98; US 2001

On or after 1 January 2009 and before 1 January 2012

ADR 79/01; Euro 3; Japan 00/02; or US 2001

On or after 1 January 2012 and before 1 January 2013

ADR 79/02; Euro 4; Japan 05; or US 2004

As you can see from the above table the current standards a used light (3500kg and under) petrol, LPG or CNG vehicle must meet are ADR 79/00, Euro2, Japan 98 or US 2001. From 1 January 2009 until 31 December 2011 the required emission standard will be ADR 79/01, Euro 3, Japan 00/02 or US 2001.

The ADR 79/02, Euro 4, Japan 05 and US 2004 standard does not need to be met until 1 January 2012

I have provided a link to the Rule below which may interest you.

www.landtransport.govt.nz/rules/vehicle-exhaust-emissions-2007.html

I hope this is of assistance to you.

Kind Regards

Contact Response Team

Edited December 16, 2008 by bravo

[Fen 0]

Good work.

To translate to BMW then (assuming I understand correctly) any model sold new in Europe since January 2000 will meet the standard required until 2012. Thereafter any model sold new in Europe after January 2005.

Given that BMW is European, that Euro 3 came in before Japan and the USA adopted the same standard and that it was known about for quite some time before it came in I would say there is a good chance that any late 90's BMW of a model that was to run beyond 2000 and did so with no major model year 2000 revisions would meet the standard also, though I don't know how you go about proving that.

I'm no guru of model revisions, but I'd say unless there was a major revision of the e46 in late 1999 then it would be OK - barring individual model variant engine changes outside of major model revisions, but as the e39 revision came in 2000 (I think) then pre-facelifts may be doubtful. All the "Bangle Boxes" should be fine.

[zenetti 0]

Glenn. As long as the dealers car was boarder checked (ie Landed in NZ) before the 31st of Dec then he has nothing to worry about. It is the cars arriving after the 31st that have to comply to the new regulations. Some cars are boarder checked in Japan though. Depends on who is transporting the cars.

As for the 20 year rule. I think this is a case by case thing now. You have to apply to import the car as a classic. And I hear there is only so many allowed per year. This is to stop the dealers abusing the system and importing a whole bunch of old jap sh*t. Which is what the impact and emmisions laws were introduced to stop.

Drifit - unfortunately you are wrong in this case. The car must have an MR2a before the 31st of December. That is the car must be imported and complied before the 31st of December. The new rules are an emissions based rule, cars that come into the country must have at least a GH emission code. Some manufacturers only started producing GH in 2006 while other manufacturers actually started in 2002. This is what has caused the confusion.

To be safe the best thing to look at is the emission code (GH) and be frontal impact compliant.

To be fair you are correct on the 20 year rule though.

Hope this helps to clear it up for everyone.