Another one!

[Vantagefan]

Hi all,

I posted here about a year ago asking one of the more typical questions about freighting a car over and the like. Since then things quietened down and the relocation to NZ was put on the backburner...I was heading the way of many potential UK expats.

Spending Christmas in New Plymouth with my parents and a brand new niece I had the realisation that life's too short. Upon my return I booked my one way ticket, applied for visas and began selling my crap.

Clearing all my obligations in the UK isn't going to leave me very flush when I arrive but with parents to stay with I decided I'd get my motorbike licence before leaving the UK. The NZ system for getting a full unrestricted licence looks long and complicated whereas I can get one in a week here and then drive on the international licence. Part of this decision was also made on the assumption that used bikes would be cheaper to buy and run than a used car.

I'm still a bit confused about WOF and rego (?) and different costs for each. Is it like cars in the UK where the CO2 emissions dictate the tax you pay? Is the WOF fixed price for the test? Do motorbikes have a different class?

Any help to direct me to a good resource would be great!

Thanks

[CR6ZZ]

Warrants of fitness are a single cost irrespective of car type - usually around NZD$50 depending on which testing station you use. Not sure about motorbikes. This site will tell you pretty much all you need to know.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/

[uncinqsix]

As above, WoF cost is pretty low - $40-50 normally, but if you have a pre-2000 car it'll be every 6 months, post-2000 is once a year. Annual licencing costs vary depending on vehicle type: it's very expensive for large motorcycles ($500+ per year), and a bit cheaper for smaller bikes. It's also slightly higher for diesel cars than for petrol cars. Diesels also have to pay a per/km tax (called RUC) that petrol cars don't (There's no tax on diesel itself, so it's collected separately).

All very complicated, but the upshot is that if you want a motorbike, it's cheaper to get a smaller one (sub 600cc), and for a car a post-2000 petrol is probably the cheapest and least hassle.

[Vantagefan]

Can't thank you enough for your help. I had been getting excited about getting a large capacity bike but I will look at a 500cc to begin with.

That's honestly been a huge help with the links too. I do prefer doing my own research but had no idea where to begin.

ETA - Noticed 600cc was inclusive of the middle band so will probably end up with the highest capacity I can

Edited by Vantagefan on Thursday 20th February 13:28