WOF on imported, 20year old BMW?

[Kodachrome 150]

Hi,

Ive been lurking here for a while, awaiting my own personal "importation" options to come together (ie Visa's and such). Im planning to bring my UK spec 850CSi (its not like many actual CSi's are left in the world so Id rather hold on to it!) with me and get it imported/certified as a 20year old car which means it skips Frontal Impact and Emissions requirements (which is good as it wouldnt pass either modern standards). I will have to add a 3rd/high level brake like though.

Someone else told me getting a WOF on a 20year old car is difficult there and they go overboard on rust if they see any. I dont think I have anything even remotely structural, but Im sure there might be a little bit of bubbling here or there on the bodywork.

Should I be freaking out over it passing a WOF? Its already passed my own countries annual car inspection but is the WOF exceptionally difficult?

[C-130 Hercules 570]

Hi bud

After importation you will need to pass a compliance test before being able to register the vehicle on the road. After 6 months of that initial compliance test you will face your first WOF.

In the compliance test they will 'strip' the car back to some extent to check for any hidden rust (for example sills, etc). Anything they will find you will have to address prior getting the certificate.

I wouldn't worry too much. If you owned for a while you know it's been looked after and if they find something it will be a good thing to pick up on it and get fixed.

Check with a compliance centre in your area.

[Kodachrome 150]

In the compliance test they will 'strip' the car back to some extent to check for any hidden rust (for example sills, etc). Anything they will find you will have to address prior getting the certificate.

Thanks, sounds like I should go look behind the sills then. I didnt expect that level of "probing" physically to be honest!

How does one address such things when I cannot be moved from the Compliance area (or am I misunderstanding the physicalities here)?

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

Thanks, sounds like I should go look behind the sills then. I didnt expect that level of "probing" physically to be honest!

How does one address such things when I cannot be moved from the Compliance area (or am I misunderstanding the physicalities here)?

to clarify, a normal WOF is not that extensive. only the initial compliance. a normal WOF is a visual inspection only.

you can move the car from compliance area etc and bring it "into the country", its your car. but to get it road legal it has to be complied first. For example, there is a compliance center in the middle of my town which is nowhere near any ports etc. you would have to put it on a car trailer etc.

E: You definately wont have any trouble bringing this car into the country. they have started tightening down the loop holes, but the CSi will be fine. Ci and i probably wouldnt be allowed, nor 840's

Edited March 23, 2013 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[BM WORLD 1283]

they dont pull sills off , just guard linners , door trims , lower a and c piller trims etc.

they might remove body kit side skirts???

they look fro any impact damage , badly repaired crqash damage stuff.

rust around structual pionts , suspension points .

there was a guy local who imported a 850csi a few years back from the Uk , and its still not on the road due to failling for rust etc.

[jeffbebe 1559]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the registration criteria are less stringent if you an immigrant bringing your car with you. Worth looking into I think.

[kiwi535 538]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the registration criteria are less stringent if you an immigrant bringing your car with you. Worth looking into I think.

some exceptions are made if it your own vehicle if you are bringing in

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

An immigrant bringing in their own vehicle is exempt from all the impact and emissions regs, regardless of age of vehicle.

Downside is the car is marked as "immigrant's vehicle" which will make it harder to sell as most people don't know what it is.

WoF is no harder for 20 year old car than 2 year old - Same rules for rust! Find a decent WoF inspector and you'll be sweet just avoid the VTNZ jobsworths!

[Driftit 2069]

They may also make you replace your seat belts. Which is a real pain in the ass.

[Kodachrome 150]

They may also make you replace your seat belts. Which is a real pain in the ass.

Why would they want to do that? Or are you referring to the seat belt anchors... which would be impossible to change on an E31 as the seat belts/anchors are integrated into the seats themselves, it has no B pillar.

[huff3r 347]

Why would they want to do that? Or are you referring to the seat belt anchors... which would be impossible to change on an E31 as the seat belts/anchors are integrated into the seats themselves, it has no B pillar.

If the seatbelt doesn't have any/the right tags on it, they will make you replace. They want to see that it meets the correct standard. They can be a little fussy with things like that.

[bmwwgn 14]

kodachrome, let us know when your car is here and all sorted.

We are about to launch the NZ E31 8-series register, so it would be good to add your CSi to the list.

Currently there are six 850CSi's in NZ, including one race car (ex-UK, Lagoon green) and the aforementioned ex-UK (Daytona violet) CSi that has not yet been complied.

[Kodachrome 150]

kodachrome, let us know when your car is here and all sorted.

We are about to launch the NZ E31 8-series register, so it would be good to add your CSi to the list.

Currently there are six 850CSi's in NZ, including one race car (ex-UK, Lagoon green) and the aforementioned ex-UK (Daytona violet) CSi that has not yet been complied.

Will do thanks. 6 CSi's in NZ is not bad going, given the difficulty to import, size and location thats above the average. There are only 67 left licensed (on the road) in the UK, their primary RHD market.

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/bmw_850_csi

[bmwwgn 14]

Will do thanks. 6 CSi's in NZ is not bad going, given the difficulty to import, size and location thats above the average. There are only 67 left licensed (on the road) in the UK, their primary RHD market.

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/bmw_850_csi

Thanks for that link.

Interesting that there were only ever a maximum of 142 RHD CSi's licensed in the UK (1999).

That leaves 18 others, of which one was the single Alpina B12 5.7, and seven were the non-UK spec cars that went to HKG (2), Singapore (2) and Australia(3) - two of these cars are now in NZ.

That leaves 10 other RHD CSi's unaccounted for at that time.

Incidentally, one of the UK cars went to Kenya in around 2000, and is now for sale by its second owner, with 13k miles on the clock. Asking price is around $NZ98k.

http://kenyacarbazaar.com/car_details.php?...mp;model=850CSi

Edited March 26, 2013 by bmwwgn

[Zadkiel 41]

We have just brought back in to NZ a personal car that we had shipped from NZ to the UK about 10 years ago. They have noted basically all the rust they spotted, no matter how light and we are having to fix it all up. We need to get an engineer (of a set list of people they have) to identify all rust, then a panel beater to fix it, then the engineer comes back and checks it all off. This includes really minor rust spots on the surface of not structural sheet metal. So they are being pretty darn tough.

I would recommend getting any and all rust you can see tidied up before you try complying it here, it will make life much easier. If they don't spot any then you skip the whole process.

[jom 98]

Watch which port you use to import the car to. Wellington still fumigate with Methyl Bromide (if they think it needs it) and this is not a smell that you'll get rid of easily. Make sure the car is squeaky clean (steam clean, full vac) because if thers a sign of a bug (spiders web etc.) it will be fumigated...

[Kodachrome 150]

All good tips thanks. Thinking I might strip it back a bit myself and spray some preventative stuff and treatments if required. I know they said they "fail" fresh paint or sealant, it would be 5-6mths realistically from now before it would be inspected.

Ill also probably get it detailed inside and out before putting it on the container.

[bmwwgn 14]

kodachrome - how's progress with your importation?

[Kodachrome 150]

kodachrome - how's progress with your importation?

Nothing much to report as it wont be going on the ship till late October.

I got the Statement of Compliance from BMW in Auckland as the car doesnt have an EU Type approval plate.

Will arrange bodyshop to check for any rust or paint damage and sort out and arrange a detailer to clean inside and out.

Ive been reading online about other peoples experiences and certainly doesnt look good though, hard to see how anything passes the Compliance Check at Importation.

[E30 325i Rag-Top 2956]

Ive been reading online about other peoples experiences and certainly doesnt look good though, hard to see how anything passes the Compliance Check at Importation.

I think you're worrying too much. My 325i 'vert was over 20 years old when I brought it out, they only picked up on three things:

- springs were too low (so I took out superlows, and put in superlows and it passed)

- high-level brake light had to be added on the boot lid as it didn't have one from new.

- rear discs were worn below the minimum thickness.

So a couple hundred dollars and a few hours work and it was all sorted, all done by myself. It helps if the car is very sound and good condition to start with, but if it is roadworthy in the UK it should be Ok here.

[Kodachrome 150]

Thanks Jon, good to hear a success story on a similar age car! What did he mean by "too low" though? My CSi is pretty low, but I need to swap out the front springs and shocks for Bilstein B12's as my stock unit is leaking (and original part!), it will get a little lower.

This is the type of horror story I usually come across:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showpost.ph...mp;postcount=21

Edited June 28, 2013 by kodachrome