isis 16 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 hey guys..new member here..just found this website by coincidence while looking for bmw cars in nz..awesome site, just need more volume posters! i haven't been to nz in over 10 yrs and was wondering if you guys could help me out with the introduction stuff. im kinda looking for an e38 728i..yes im young and i just love em. i've had a few beemers in the past - 71 2002 92 325i and now a 91 e30 m42 318iS.. loving it but i think i just want something cruisey for the moment & might jump back on the 2002 wagon if a nice example comes along in the future. was just wondering what the finance interest rates, fuel prices, insurance etc are like and the costs associated with them. i hear there's a WOF that needs to be done, are they for all cars or just vehicles over a certain age? whats the bmw scene like over there? are there many specialty service/parts/accesories places? if i do like a car that i want to purchase, is there a good workshop that i could get it inspected etc before i buy? sorry for all the nubie questions..hope you guys can lend some insight and hopefully get to meet a few of you guys at the meets etc.. cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 (edited) To be able to drive on New Zealand roads your car must hold a NZ Warrant of Fitness (WOF) and registration. Warrant of fitness is a check that goes ahead every 6months on imported cars and every 12 months on NZ New (i think). Costs no more than $40 to get it checked. Registration costs I think around $300, can remmeber. I believe the BMW industry in New Zealand is quite good, a fair number of dealerships around, and BMW's are becoming more and more common by the day. Parts are not hard to source for most models, and there are a also number of wreckers around. If any word to describe the industry, id say sufficent. In terms of getting something done, your able to approach BMW Team McMillan or Jerry Claytons (basically any BMW service centre) and they can give you a bmw pre-purchase inspection which costs around $100 - 125 + GST and takes 4 hours. Its also handy if the owner has a service history on the car, so you can checkup on regular servicing / what major servicing has been done on the car. The Automoble Association (AA) also does pre-purchase inspections but I would recommend you go with the BMW side of things just because they will have a better idea of where to look on bmws in particular. Edited November 7, 2005 by E30stz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petone 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 (edited) Welcome, the deal with WOF is every 12 months if less than 5(?) years old and 6 months if less than that. Cars are generally alot cheaper over here thanks to jap imports, (as you will have found) Replacement parts are easy enough to get but alot of performance parts have to be imported, or its much cheaper to import them. Fuel is around $1.40 per litre, and insurance depends on your age. If your under 25 you going to get raped, ie full insurance for me (19yo with slightly modified 318i) is around $600, while 3rd party is $200. Basically if its over 2.5, turbo or a performance model and you are under 25 you might have a hard time finding cheap insurance. They even run a mile when you say BMW... PS bring the iS over, we don't have many over here. Edited November 7, 2005 by petone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic325i 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 Welcome PS bring the iS over, we don't have many over here. Don't bring the is over. You won't be able to register it on the road until it is 20 years old. See various other threads for the details. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bimmer boy 21 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 Hey dude, welcome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 thanks for all the feedback guys...i was thinking of bringing the iS over in the begining but i found out that cars are really really cheap over there compared to here. i paid A$10gs for mine here, doubt it'll fetch that much if i want to flog it off down the road. what are the jap spec cars like? are they well maintained/problems with them? i hear mixed stories, will be great if the real owners can shed some light. i also found out that its really really difficult to pick up a manual beemer over there..why is that? even the e30's are all autos! yucks! currently keeping my options open for an e39 525i/528i or a manual straight six e46 if there are any out there.. wht are the servicing charges at the dealers like? i know over here its a ripper at A$90 an hour and about half that at specialist repair centres. any e38 owners out there? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 yeah my familys got an E38/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 yeah my familys got an E38/ share some ownership experience with it? which model is it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E30stz 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 1995 730iL 3L V8 legroom ... great car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*sic 1 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 welcome to the site. remove your shoes and take a number, your call is important to us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 It is quite bizarre. If you look at thenumber of e30's produced, then the number that were auto, then compare that with the number of auto ones in NZ, then it sometimes seems we got all of 'em which is weird considering our lack of large cities and straight, flat roads. Yes manual e30's are less common. I'm 23 with a less than clean driving history. I pay $600+ a year for full cover. Petrol over here is more expenive than diesel. That's because we pay road tax separately on diesel vehicles whilst you guys pay it at the pump. $1.40-$1.55 for petrol is the norm depending on octane rating and geographical location. Don't bother getting it serviced at the dealers - there are aseveral good workshops in the aucklandregion to get servicing done. When you know what suburb you're in, post back so the locals can tell you where is closest. Bavarian on Aucklands North shore is quite popular. WOF as said is a yearly or 6 monthly inspection of your vehicles safety depending on the age of the vehicle. Its a $30 or $40 expense plus any necessary repairs to make it comply. Yearly registration is a little over $200 and is compulsory for all vehicles. Jap imports imported in the early and mid 90's need to be thoroughly checked as alot had wound odometers and poorly repaired crash damage. A wary buyer will usully come off OK. Mine is a jap and it's one of the tidiest and most reliable examples I've seen (with the exception of specialty models like m325's) if I do say so myself. Newer imports are much better as there are more checks now although it is still possible to get burnt. Aside: Welcome! Why you moving over here? Feel like being under the thumb of our piss-weak government, or just feel like being paid less to do the same job in colder conditions?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 Milan (Beemn) has a great E38 730 for sale. Have a look on the site for photos of it. Welcome, bring the 318iS and turn it into a track car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 will be arriving on sun and will most probably be staying at howick till i can find something by myself.. i pay about 600 for comprehensive and im 25. rating 1 baby! i only use PULP which is about 1.10 -1.20 a litre here. are those figure u're throwing at me just for normal unleaded? why new zealand? i've got some family there & pretty good job prospects with a somewhat decent wage.. whats the weather like over there now? not really sure what to bring over as the weather over here now is a lovely 25!! not really wanting an older e38 as they seem to be plagued with problems, esp the early version of the 730i. most had their engines replaced in the days..looking for a 99-01 model preferbly.. cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 If u'r moving to auckland it will be cold and raining. Expect highs of 18 - 20 at the mo on hot days. Now if u were smart and moved to northland like me you'd only get about a 2-3 degree drop on your 25 and its been really sunny of late - browning up nicely. Up here unleaded regular is $1.42 and premium is $1.47 but its been as much as 10c higher recently. Auckland is around 5-8c a litre cheaper. I think they trying to encourage smog so that they get their own greenhouse effect to match our temperatures. You'll prob find it not too bad actuallyas Aklds hills trap moisture so its very humid - makes it feel hotter than it is as its so sticky compared with your dry heat over there. Northland isn't that much different I'm afaraid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 The early nikasil v8 engines had problems in the US and UK because of high sulphur levels in the fuel.I beleive that in aussie and Nz we didnt have those problems......wait for Martyn to chime in he has a uk spec 740.... And welcome..you shoulda bought a 540 LE six shooter and bought that over.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
petone 0 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 Welcome Don't bring the is over. You won't be able to register it on the road until it is 20 years old. See various other threads for the details. My bad, forgot all about that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted November 7, 2005 The early nikasil v8 engines had problems in the US and UK because of high sulphur levels in the fuel.I beleive that in aussie and Nz we didnt have those problems......wait for Martyn to chime in he has a uk spec 740.... And welcome..you shoulda bought a 540 LE six shooter and bought that over.... dont think i could gulp the 18litre/100km on average for those big V8s!!i like my power, but i also like efficieny that comes with it.. and mind you my old 325i was a bit of a guzzler coz of my heavy foot..at the rate of fuel prices now..i'll go broke real quick!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted November 7, 2005 Jap imports are fine - they work well and have very few problems. Insurance is cheap - I'm 21 and pay 601/year fully comprehensive on a 97 323i. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted November 8, 2005 Mate, how do you drive? I get 13.4l/100k in the 540 that's for normal around town driving for a month. Open road less than 10l/100k. Paul, he can't bring a 540LE over as the E34 has the same problems as the E30 (even if it has both airbags, like mine). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Palazzo 477 Report post Posted November 8, 2005 Cain, I thought E34s were OK with 2 bags, not otherwise?? Got that off the LTSA I'm sure?? I get the same fuel consumption you mention from an LS400 (Lexus, cue the booing). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isis 16 Report post Posted November 8, 2005 my old 325i running on pulp n i get about 14!! that was a joke of a car anyway with endless problems! had an e32 735i & that was floating around the 15-18 range if not heavier...what a thirsty car with a huge hungry tank! lol!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andrew Report post Posted November 8, 2005 Cain, I thought E34s were OK with 2 bags, not otherwise?? Got that off the LTSA I'm sure?? I get the same fuel consumption you mention from an LS400 (Lexus, cue the booing). there may be an exception for dual AB E34s - i can't find it though - usually they are pretty clear in the handbooks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic325i 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2005 E34s were OK with 2 bags Unfortunately not. Page 15 of this document makes it pretty clear. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi535 538 Report post Posted November 9, 2005 (edited) you might be able to get a 94 or 95 model in...definetly no pre 90 (production date)models even if they do have driver and passenger bags edit....mmmm maybe not..... Edited November 9, 2005 by kiwi535 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cainchapman 0 Report post Posted November 9, 2005 Interesting, they have changed that document, since the last time I look at it. It is ambiguous on whether you could import a 540LE (my car) from Oz. It states that the entire range of E34 do not comply, then has a caveat of being production prior to 1990. And also suggests that WBA as a production prefix is acceptable. To my knowledge, the main problem was the twin airbag on the E34 (or absense of). So my car is WBA and post 1990, I guess there might be an argument to be had there. But if the compliance guy stops reading at "the entire range does not comply", you wouldn't get a good response. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
