Re-rego Would You Bother

[1rotty 40]

Guys I need your opinions on whether this is worth doing.

Has been de regd since late 08-lapsed,not because of accident damage.

I picked up an 86 nz new e30 325 4dr 5spd 250k parts car in dark green for f/a.

Lowered on Munroes & King superlows(+100mm)

Keyless entry,shaved locks.

Externally it is almost unmarked-no structural rust-some on sunroof/some light surface in boot &couple of very small stone dents.

Underside is clean as a whistle

Interior is in gd nick but ugly green but I have a nice interior I cud swap in.

Have receipts for engine work($2500) in 09 LOL (Incl all cooling system & ALL hoses) but has blown headgasket-still runs.

Again I have a head or could recon for $400 ish.

Box,clutch,diff etc all look & feel good.

Known costs:

VTNZ $490

Rego $350

Head $400

I'm not so unrealistic as to not understand that there will be other costs eg replacing bushes etc.

So,how tough do vtnz get-the guy I spoke to there said the parameter was that it had to be in the same condition as when first registered-for real

The car would not be a keeper for me.I would sell if/when done but looking at it as a fun/get hands dirty exercise not a profit making thing

Your input please(jst seems a shame to part it lol)

Edited July 15, 2010 by 1rotty

[Silver Fox 43]

Do the maths, for easy sale say worth 2500 to 3000 going, worth maybe 1200 to 1500 parted, cost to fix, 1000 to 1500, I'd say part it myself.

[R90S 2]

Having gone through the process last year with two different vehicles, the re-VIN rules are different for pre-'90 and post-'90 cars. For 1990 or later, the inspection is extensive and invasive, but for pre 1990 cars the inspection is little more involved than a very thorough WOF.

If the car has a low $$$ value even after getting VIN-ed, it really needs to be in sound cosmetic and mechanical condition otherwise it just isn't worth the expense IMHO.

[antil33t 90]

Keen on the head (if it's in rebuild-able) condition, if you do decide to part.

Does seem a shame to part it though, sounds like a good machine.

Edited July 15, 2010 by antil33t

[Sick Puppy 1]

Having gone through the process last year with two different vehicles, the re-VIN rules are different for pre-'90 and post-'90 cars. For 1990 or later, the inspection is extensive and invasive, but for pre 1990 cars the inspection is little more involved than a very thorough WOF.

Just to clarify, I take it you mean vehicles registered in NZ pre and post-1990, or do you mean vehicles made pre or post-1990?

[R90S 2]

Just to clarify, I take it you mean vehicles registered in NZ pre and post-1990, or do you mean vehicles made pre or post-1990?

In both cases I was directly involved with, the re-VIN was for NZ-new cars previously registered in NZ for which the registration had lapsed. The 1990 cut-off relates to the build date.

In the first case, the car was a NZ-new 1993 model which my son had driven for four years, and then overlooked registration while it was off the road. I bought the car off my son and took it for a VIN expecting ti to be straightforward, and for the most part it was, except for one thing: the VIN inspection uncovered a scruffy previous accident repair to the front r/h chassis rail which the inspector rejected, even though the same VTNZ site had previously issued WOF's for the same car for five years without comment. An independent assessor then almost wrote the car off when he saw the chassis rail, but after he took some chassis measurements he found that the car was in fact straight. He insisted though on getting a panelbeater to do what was essentially a cosmetic repair to tidy it up, and finally the VIN was issued.

The second case was a 1992 car which my son bought with lapsed rego, but the price was attractive enough to take a chance with it. We had all the previous rego history, and the VIN process was quite straight-forward, but again very thorough.

In yet another example, I bought the '92 Subaru I'm using as a daily driver twelve months ago. It's an import for which the previous owners had inadvertently let the rego lapse four years ago, and it too required re-VIN'ing.

In all three cases, the vehicles were sound structurally & mechanically, and presentable cosmetically. The biggest potential trap IMHO is where (like in the case of my son's 1993 car) the inspector finds previous chassis damage or sub-standard body repairs which may not have caused a WOF fail but will most definitely trigger a potentially expensive VIN headache. For example, during the inspection the interior will be gutted so that the seatbelts and seatbelt anchor points can be thoroughly checked, and the brakes will be dismantled front and rear.

Talk to your local VTNZ branch manager. Show him the car, and ask for his advice.