apsinkus

After spending two weeks with my wife in NZ we are strongly considering moving. We were already considering moving from US to Europe (when I am from), but NZ just has what we are both looking for.

So here is the question: I do want to bring my Cayman to NZ, because it would be a crime to not have a Porsche on those roads.

I was told I just bring in LHD and I would be allowed to register it, since I owned it in US for more than 6 months. Where the heck to I get more info on that?

2nd question is: is there a good Kiwi petrolhead forum out there? I compete in autocross (not sure what it is called in NZ) and am earning my points to move up in track groups. Would love to learn more what is going on in NZ in both sports.

RS ZWEI

This should website should have all your answers:

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/importing/index.html

What do you class as Autocross? Track days?

Wouldnt you be best to sell your Cayman and purchase a RHD one here?

apsinkus

RS Zwei,
Under SCCA regs I was in SuperStock until they bumped 07 Cayman S into AS class. PCA has me under 5S four years and counting. I am not touching the modified 7R or 9 for a while. In my region that would be tens of thousands of dollars in mods to match

With where general market is in US, it is not worth selling Cayman. Plus same Cayman S in NZ is 2X what it costs here.

There is that LHD permit one can get which looks like they issue for up to 500 cars per year and Cayman fits 3 out of 4 conditions with only one really required to be met. The only issue there is I will not be NZ resident or citizen, unless work visas make you resident.

Another avenue is motor sports competition exemption, which may or may not work:

Category C5: Specialist vehicles
A Class MA or Class MC motor vehicle that is:
(a) used in motor sport competition; and
(b) operated in accordance with the conditions of a valid motor sport authority card issued to that vehicle by an organisation appointed under 4.7.

J1NX3D

where abouts in NZ are you moving to?

apsinkus

At this point I am just in the research stage. We are likely 1.5-2 years away from moving. Very likely it will be Auckland, since wife is going to take lecturer/professor job and U of Auckland and for me tech companies are mostly concentrated in Auckland too.

Too bad I would not be able to bring my muscle car wagon there. Going to figure out what sensibly priced performance grocery-getter to get in NZ, if I end up moving there.

993MAN

The first thing would be to join the Porsche club. You will meet all types there and find out where all the fun events are.
You are able to import your own car and get a LHD excemption for it. Well you could last time I looked but these guys change there minds like we change our undies.
But honestly, driving a LHD sports car here, on our roads would freak me out!
In 2 or so years the Cayman will be cheap enough to buy here maybe.
Shame you will be moving to AKL (no disrespect to Aucklanders) but the best roads are everywhere but there. Not unless you like travelling to find the good roads.
Cheers

apsinkus

933MAN,
I had PCA membership the moment I got the VIN :-) I love renewing it every year, since I love supporting my awesome club.

I did see the LHD exemption option. They seem to give out only 500 of them per year, so I would have to try to register early. Just don't see selling my Cayman, since it has a sentimental value to me.

Re. AKL - tech companies and universities are there. I don't mind driving to get to a good road. I did 2000KM in NZ, for a car guy your roads are a cargasm!

993MAN

I agree about our roads. We are really lucky and you can basically find an empty road anywhere. Just watch out for the odd horse and cart
I live on the East Coast and have the best driving right at my door step. It's great!
I would love to have a drive of a Cayman one day. From what I hear they are a lot of fun and drive like they're on a track. It would be perfect to have the cayman AND my TT. In my dreams.......
Cheers

apsinkus

993MAN,

Best roads for me are 3 hours away here... but I also have 3 tracks within same distance and one decommissioned airport 30 minutes away for autocross.
If I moved to NZ, not sure I would be so lucky with tracks and autocross facilities. Am I wrong?

Cayman is a phenomenal car. Changing factory Cayman-neutering alignment to one with more negative camber up front and tossing Michelin PS2s into garbage for Neova AD08s makes it even more incredible.

I enjoyed Kiwi roads in Ford Focus, so I can only imagine how Cayman would have felt especially on South Island roads.

993MAN

Living in Auckland will be good for you because that's where everything happens. So if there is an AX somewhere you won't be far away.
Where I live it takes me 4 hours just to get to Auckland, which is why I hardly go there. Done a few driver training days up there where you get to blast your car around a track though and that's a lot of fun.
Personally I would rather go for a drive down to TeKaha (google it) and have some mainly empty roads. That is a GREAT drive.

apsinkus

993MAN,

So for meter ninety six petrolhead, what is a good gently used sub-$30K NZD performance "grocery getter" family car?

I would love to bring over my Dodge Magnum (300C Touring with HEMI in NZ), but I am burning 16L/100 on that usually due to my lead foot :-) And I am not paying $20K NZD to RHD it.

993MAN

For $30K NZ these days there is a huge selection of cars. Not sure about the prices compared to the US, but that would get you a like new Subaru, Mazda 6 and any number of great family type cars.
It will be fun looking (for about 4 minutes) though.

andy928

I know there is exemptions to the import rules for cars ie LHD, frontal airbags etc if you are moving here to live, I know of people bring in Ferrari 355s this way.

If you need to know more i will get the info once the compliance center opens up after the Christmas holidays.

Cheers

KiwiSean

Hi there, I've PM'd you the Tech Services Manager for the imported vehicle association in NZ. He was very helpful when I was considering importing from UK rather than buying in NZ.

Cheers.

J1NX3D

re: your hemi, just be aware petrol is a bit more expensive here than the US. You might have noticed when you were here on holiday. 91 Ron is about 2.06/li, 95 2.12/li and 98 is about 2.18-2.21/li. i just read a post earlier today that someone had a gripe running a performance chip with higher octane that was US60c a gallon.
it costs approx $135 to fill my 944 with 95 with the petrol light on.

for tracks near auckland there is Pukekohe and Hampton Downs. Taupo is next at about 3.5hrs drive away and Manfeild is another 2hrs.

the popular car clubs in Auckland are
auckland car club
pukekohe car club

and of course there's Porsche Club NZ

hopefully these searches will work for you. they dont show all cars on the market but should be indicative of whats out there. you can adjust the search primeters as you wish.
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