New Zealand Campervans

How do Buy Back Campervan Guarantees Work?

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:06:19 +0000

Buy back companies can be a good way of buying a campervan in New Zealand. They basically work by guaranteeing you to buy back the vehicle that you have bought at an agreed percentage of the value of the car or campervan. The percentage of buy back is usually dependent on the type of vehicle and how long you will use the car or campervan for. These companies can usually offer you insurance, roadside assistance, and mechanical warranties (well worth doing)

Buy backs usually work best if you don’t want to spend time re selling the vehicle if you have limited time on holiday, or if you are planning a trip that is over four weeks. Make sure the company that you use are registered motor vehicle traders. They work out about 50% cheaper than renting so its a viable option for people who are traveling on a budget.

Whats Better A Camper Van Or Station Wagon ?

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:44:34 +0000

When buying a car or campervan, it is important to keep a few things in mind to choose the right one for you. For example.

Q. How long will you be staying in New Zealand?

A. If you have a year visa, and you need a vehicle for that amount of time, one of the main things you should focus on is the quality of the vehicle, as you may have to put it through two warrant of fitness’s, and if you buy something of lesser quality, it could end up costing you a lot more.

Q. What is better for me, a car or a campervan?

A. Depending on what you are planning on doing during your time in New Zealand, and how many of you are traveling together, should help you decide whether a car, or a campervan would suit you better. For instance, If there are two of you, and you are planning on traveling a lot, it would be wise to buy a campervan, because you will be spending a lot of time in it. Sleeping, cooking etc. However, if you are thinking of working more, and having long weekends away, then a people carrier, or station wagon may be the better choice, as they drive like cars for the ease of your daily commute, and they have the room of a small van for those trips away.

Q. What car or campervan can I get with my budget?

A. Largely the type of backpacker car or campervan you will be able to afford, will depend on how much money you have. For example, station wagons are cheaper than campervans. So if your budget is not the biggest, then it would be wiser to buy a better quality station wagon car, than a cheaper campervan.

Q. When is the best time to sell my car or campervan?

A. When selling your car or campervan, a few good point to make it easyer, would be, firstly. The time of year. It is far easier to sell your backpacker car or campervan in the summer, as there are a lot more backpackers looking for a car or campervan than in the winter.

Don’t be too greedy in your asking price if you want a quick sale. Remember how much money you will have saved on accommodation and car or campervan hire.

How Does A Warrant Of Fitness Work In New Zealand?

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:42:58 +0000

The warrant of fitness is a safety check of vehicles every 6 months. Almost every garage in New Zealand has licensed warrant of fitness inspector that does this check. The common questions are:

Q. Do I have to apply or fill out forms before goes for examination?

A. It is not required from you to apply for WOF check before examination.

Q. How I can tell if vehicle has a new WOF?

A. A vehicle will have a sticker in a top left corner on the windscreen if you look at it from outside. The sticker has written the exact date of expiring.

Q. What do inspectors check?

A. The WOF inspectors check safety issues such as tyres, lights, seatbelts, brakes, etc.

Q. What is the cost of it?

A. The cost of inspection varies from garage to garage, it’s around $45.

Q. How long does the examination take?

A. Approximately an hour.

Q. Once my vehicle had WOF check done what is the time given for me to have repairs done if needed?

A. The time given to have repairs done is 28 days.

Q. Do I have to carry out the repairs in the garage that examined my vehicle?

A. No, it is not necessary to have repairs done in the garage that did examination.

Cost of Petrol and Diesel in New Zealand

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:12:41 +0000

Like most countries in the world New Zealand fuel prices vary quite regularly. You will also notice small regional variations in fuel prices, generally the further away you get from the main cities the more expensive the fuel gets. Here is a table giving you approximate fuel prices for Auckland, New zealand in July 2010.

Auckland Fuel Prices

View Pricing :: Minimum :: Average :: Maximum

Click on a fuel type to view prices for a region
Click on a fuel price to view stations offering this price

95/96

Diesel

LPG

CALTEX

n/a

MOBIL

n/a

$1.829

$1.759

$1.169

n/a

SHELL

n/a

CHALLENGE

n/a

$1.819

$1.759

n/a

ALTERNATE FUEL

n/a

$1.829

$1.759

$1.189

n/a

GULL

n/a

$1.749

$1.739

$1.179

n/a

GAS ALLEY

n/a

$ Today

$ yesterday

$ before yesterday

Getting Insurance For Your Backpacker Car

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:28:54 +0000

In New Zealand, like most countries vehicle theft is a problem. So it is wise to get an insurance policy that covers you against theft. Recently the most popular vehicles to be stolen are Toyota Hiace and Subaru Legacy station wagons. Although insurance is not mandatory. The insurance policies are very cheap so definitely worth taking one out.

check this website for prices

Also do take unnecessary risks, remove valuable items if you are parking the vehicle in an unfamiliar area, or if you will be leaving the car or camper van in the same place for a few days. Thieves tend to target vehicles in the larger cities and in places like tramping track car parks, as they know the owners wont be returning to the vehicle for a long time. So use your common sense.

Maintaining Your Car Or Campervan

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 03:15:32 +0000

Once your car or campervan has been mechanically checked, and you are confident that the engine is in good working order, it is wise to have the vehicle serviced if it hasn’t been already. This should be done every 10-15,000 km. In between these periods you should check the tyre pressures, oil, and water levels, and be sure to keep an eye on the temperature gage when you are driving. This should be done every day.

Oil Level Check

When checking the oil levels, for best results make sure the campervan is on level ground. If the engine has recently been running, wait for 5 minutes before carrying out this procedure. Locate the dip-stick (Found in the engine bay) remove dip-stick completely, and wipe the remaining oil from it. You will then see a maximum, and minimum mark. Re-dip the stick, remove again to see the oil level. If the level is low, you will need to top the oil. Simply locate the screw cap with the oil can symbol, remove, and poor in required amount.

Water Level Check

To check your water levels, supply remove the screw cap attached to the radiator, and refill with water until the water is 1 inch from the top, then replace the cap, making sure it screwed on securely.

Only do this procedure when the engine in cool. Ideally just before you start your journey.

Tyre Pressures

Check your car or campervans manufacturing specifications on tyre pressures. Each car or campervan may verify. Also it’s a good idea to plan your route, as you may need to adjust your pressures.

Engine Temperature

Remember to always check your temperature gage whilst you are driving the vehicle, to ensure the engine is not over heating. If it dose over heat, and you fail to notice this, it could cost you thousands of dollars!

Petrol vs Diesel, which is best in New Zealand, what do i need to consider when i am buying a campervan

admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:24:37 +0000

With the huge fluctuations in fuel prices recently, one of the big questions, when buying a car, is whether to opt for petrol or diesel.

So which is best?

There’s no easy right or wrong answer. This decision can’t be based solely on which fuel is cheaper at the pump as there are many factors to consider:

How many kilometres per year the vehicle will travel
The size and type of vehicle
The vehicle’s fuel economy
Purchase price
Depreciation
Fuel price
Road User Charge (RUC)
Registration costs
Service and maintenance costs
Convenience
Noise and performance
Environmental impact

Kilometres travelled

The financial benefits of diesel are generally better if you travel high kilometres. A car travelling low kilometres – 15,000km per year or less – petrol may be the better option.

Size and type of vehicle

Large cars and 4WDs with high fuel consumption will benefit from being diesel powered. Smaller cars with petrol engines of around a 1.6 litre capacity will generally be very economical. However in general smaller cars will also travel shorter distances, therefore a number of qualifying factors come into play.

Fuel economy

During the AA Energywise rally 2008 we discovered diesel cars usually travel up to 30% further on one tank of fuel. However fuel economy should be considered in conjunction with other factors such as registration costs, Road User Charges (RUC), purchase price, servicing and depreciation.

Purchase price

Diesel cars used to be considerably more expensive than petrol. These days the price difference may not be as extreme, but it’s still worth checking.

Depreciation

Depreciation is a major factor when considering which fuel type to use. In particular, petrol models of large 4WD’s tend to depreciate more quickly than their diesel equivalents.

Fuel price

Although fuel prices fluctuate, diesel has remained cheaper at the pump. However, RUC and greater registration fees must be factored in to the overall running costs of diesel vehicles.

Road User Charge (RUC)

RUC costs apply to all vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and cars using fuel that isn’t taxed at source, such as diesel. For vehicles with a Mass Gross Weight of up to 2 tonnes, RUC costs $36.07 per 1000 km, so this needs to be considered as a direct additional cost of diesel.

Registration Costs

The annual registration fee is a cost that is fixed regardless of distance travelled. This is where higher mileage vehicles have an advantage over low mileage vehicles. The annual registration fee for a private car is currently $211.84 for petrol and $336.69 for diesel, a difference of $124.85.

Service and maintenance costs

Diesel vehicles have traditionally been more expensive to service. However, many modern diesels now have much longer service intervals – up to 40,000km or 2 years in some instances. Fuel filters are usually a recommended service item so this is a cost to be considered. However, service intervals depend on the manufacturer’s recommendation, so different makes and models will vary.

Convenience

Historically, diesel pumps were tucked away in the corner of the service station. This is usually no longer the case although may still be evident in remote areas. Ensuring the RUC is up to date is another potential inconvenience of operating a diesel vehicle. However, the biggest convenience of operating a diesel vehicle is it requires re-fuelling less often.

Noise and performance

Older diesel engines tend to be very noisy; however modern technology has greatly improved noise levels. Performance used to be poor for diesel vehicles, modern direct injection, turbo intercooled diesel engines means this is no longer an issue.

Environmental impact

Neither petrol nor diesel engines are good for the environment. However, minimising environmental damage should be of concern to all motorists.

CO2 (Carbon dioxide) is one of the major greenhouse gases that has been linked to discussions on climate change. Generally, diesel engines emit a lower level of CO2 per kilometre travelled so could be considered better for the environment.
CO (Carbon monoxide) is a lethal gas produced by petrol engines. While CO emissions have been combated with the use of catalytic convertors, they only work effectively once they have reached operating temperature, so CO is still a by-product of petrol engines during the warm-up phase.
NOx (Nitrous Oxide) combines with low level ozone to form smog. While NOx can be higher in a new diesel than a new petrol engine, petrol engines produce more NOx over time.
HC (Hydrocarbon) in fuels contains harmful chemicals including benzene. Benzene has been proved to be highly carcinogenic. HC emissions are much higher in petrol engines than diesel.
SPM (Suspended Particulate Matter) refers to particles suspended in the air, such as soot, emitted from the exhaust of a diesel engine. While modern diesels are fitted with particulate filters, SPM emissions are still high in older diesel engines.

To summarise the environmental impact of petrol vs diesel engines: Diesel comes out on top with regards to CO2, CO and HC. Both are around the same when it comes to NOx and diesel is worse for SPM.

Generally speaking, a large 4WD vehicle doing high mileage would be better off diesel powered and a small hatchback, doing a low mileage may be better being petrol powered.

However, there are many factors to consider, and each factor needs to be considered in conjunction with the others. Ultimately, it comes down to the individual motorist’s decision as to which fuel best serves their purpose.

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Motorhome vs Backpackers Campervan

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:16:06 +0000

The main differences between a motor home and a backpackers campervan is the space inside. Backpackers campervans usually sleep up to two people comfortably, where motor homes may be able to sleep up to six people and generally have more space inside to cook and sit. Motor homes are also on the hole better equipped in side often having showers, cookers and sometimes toilet facilities.

The other main difference between motorhomes and backpackers campervans is the price. In New Zealand you can generally pick up good backpackers campervan for around 10,000 – 20, 000 NZD but a proper motorhome will cost you around 40,000 NZD and upwards.

Because of the price, people who want to travel in New Zealand in a motor home will generally rent, depending on the length of their stay. However, many dealers of such vehicles offer guaranteed ’buy back’ prices. It can often depend on the time of year that you buy and sell as to how much of your money you will get back. Rental prices vary massively throughout the year due to the defined tourist seasons.

Many people decide to compromise with a backpackers campervan, being much cheaper to buy it can cost dramatically less to buy and sell a backpackers campervan, they are often easier to re sell. Just make sure you are buying a good one by checking it out first.

For those travelling on low budgets they may decide for a converted work van. Essentially the same thing without all of the comforts that can be found in the properly set up backpackers campervans. For the same vehicle it can be half the price for a converted van, meaning that you can make the same trip without such a big initial outlay and with the same amount of risk involved. A good converted van will generally cost you around 4000 NZD and up depending on the year, make and model.

Camping in New Zealand

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 23:46:08 +0000

Camping in New Zealand is extremely popular with tourists and locals alike. It is very well catered for throughout both North and South islands.

Camping can be one of the cheapest ways to see the country, at the end of spring and during the summer months i.e. November to April the weather is generally good enough to make this possible.

Some people will choose to travel in a car and camp in a tent, but people who are looking for more comfort and flexibility generally will buy a camper van. When camping in New Zealand with a tent and a car you must stick to designated campsites and campgrounds however people who are traveling in a camper van have the flexibility to park up and sleep in the van. It is however advised that a fair amount of discretion should be exercised and it is not recommended that you just park up anywhere, do a little research or even ask land owners and you will generally be met with a good reception providing you are respectful and tidy.

Camping at private campgrounds will usually cost between $10 and $25 / night depending on the facilities and location of the campsite and D.O.C. campgrounds are generally cheaper and in amazing locations but on the whole will have less facilities. IT IS ILLEGAL TO CAMP IN DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AREAS unless the area area has been designated for that purpose.

Buying a Camper Van or Car Vs Renting

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:42:39 +0000

There are a number of factors to take into account when you are considering this topic. Factors like the length of your stay, the time of year that you will be selling, the type of camper van all become important.

Generally if you will be staying over four to six weeks it will be financially more economical to buy and then re sell your car. If you are travelling in the lower season i.e. April to July then selling can take longer, if you are selling during this time you must give yourself enough time to sell. Failure to do this can result in bigger losses with respect to the price of the camper van.

When trying to sell camper vans of higher value it will normally take you longer to find a buyer so remember to give yourself more time.

Renting can better if you are worried about mechanical failure or the money is not an issue, but like most things in New Zealand it will always cost you more during the summer months.