New "kid" on the block

[Kiwi Bloke]

Wellll, OK. My first posting to the forum.

As you might be able to guess from the nickname, I'm in New Zealand. Originally British, but I saw the light in 1996 and moved here. I'm now 40 years old (sigh). I've wanted a C4 since I first saw one - so you can tell that this has been a long-time dream.

There are very few Corvettes in New Zealand (any other Kiwis on this forum?) and they're very expensive, because the general rule is that you now can't register left hand drive cars for road use - they need converting to RHD.

But, I've noticed a small "loophole" in the legislation - if the LHD car was first registered over 20 years ago, it doesn't need converting to RHD.

Ah-hah! I have some money coming to me in 2006, so my current plan is to spend the next two years learning all I can about C4s, and then come over to your glorious country in late 2006 to buy a car to ship back home to NZ.

I'd be allowed to import a 1984, 85, 86 or (if it was registered early enough) an 87 MY. My task over the next two years is to work out which year I want to aim for. My thoughts so far are to go for as late a model as I can.

I intend to locate the car by internet (and hopefully by then I'll be so friendly with this forum that I'll maybe get help on the ground <grin> ) and then fly over to buy the car. I'd spend two weeks driving it around all over the place, then have it shipped back home, so that the car can spend the rest of its life living in good old Lord of the Rings country. Sorry - I mean New Zealand.

So, that's my plan. Please feel free to comment on, criticise or ignore my idea! But I'm hoping to get plenty of information over thenext two years.

Regards,

Adrian

P.S. If I've set up my profile properly, the Avatar picture to the left was me when I was young and interesting. I'm now just an old fart.

 

[Fishman]

Greetings Adrian!

You have come to the right place for some information. Looks like you have already done some good research. I had an '84 at one time, it was a great car, regardless of the 'rumors' of the cross-fire engine being troublesome. Good luck in your search.

BTW- What's the price tag to ship one over there? I imagine it would take a couple of months of waiting as well... that would suck.

And welcome to the

Later... Brian

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the welcome! I haven't got the pricing of the shipping yet - I think it's about US$1,000 and I have to pay NZ Goods & Services Tax (GST) at 12.5% on the purchase cost+shipping cost+insurance.

Fortunately, the brother of a colleague has just done this exact thing - he brought back a 1977(?) Anniversary as well as a DeLorean. He'll be able to give me clues on the processes and pitfalls.

The dream starts to be realised, right now!

Adrian

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

Just been told by my colleague that shipping and insurance was US$2,000 per car.

Adrian

 

[UB2 SLOW]

the general rule is that you now can't register left hand drive cars for road use - they need converting to RHD.

Why????:confused

Oh and Welcome!!

 

[Edmond]

Just been told by my colleague that shipping and insurance was US$2,000 per car.

Adrian

+12.5% of the purchase cost? Ouch, I thought our Uncle Sam was bad about taxes!

PS. Love the John Lennon style frames. Had those a few years ago myself but didn't look as cool as you or Lennon.

 

[Rain]

Hi and Welcome to the CAC!
You found the right place and I imagine you will find several Vettes to chose from just thru the members of this forum.

Great stuff- welcome to the CAC!
Rain

 

[MsSchroder]

Adrian,
Welcome to the CAC
We welcome friendly old farts here
I don't recall any other members from New Zealand, but that's not a definitve answer. (There are several Aussies, though.)

Good luck with your plan.

Tammy

 

[RedRagTop]

Welcome! I seem to remember talk earlier of vettes in Oz being more abundant.
No luck there?

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

Cor! Lots of replies whilst I was asleep! Different time zones....

The LHD "ban" is to try to reduce road casualties. There have always been a lot of old American cars here, but unfortunately, there's a lot of looney drivers. There were a lot of casualties in LHD cars, and also in cars with poor frontal impact standards. So the legislation is to try to protect idiots from themselves...

John Lennon glasses frames - thanks for the compliment! I really feel cool when wearing these frames. That ain't bad considering that I founded the Sad Git Club here in Wellington. Membership four, plus one associate. We just like meeting to watch a DVD and eat takeaways. But at least I have a passion for cars!

Cars in Aussie tend to be more expensive, because they have car import tariffs too! At least we shelved those taxes! Cars here cost about twice as many Big Macs as equivalent models in the US.

I *am* a friendly old fart. And I loved that Gollum animation, RJSROCKET - I felt right at home. Maybe I should buy the Vette in Canada, as you measure by Kilometers too...

Adrian

 

[DRTH VTR]

The newer the C4, the better. The C4 was a great car right from the start. It had world class performance for its time. The criticism of the 1984 is the ride quality. The suspension is very firm. The crossfire injection was a semi fuel injection semi carburertor that has received some criticism, but a friend of mine has one and it runs very well. The 1985 had softened suspension and the tuned port fuel injection. Each year incremental improvemnts were made.

 

[chevyaddict]

Welcome! I've always wanted to visit New Zealand. The lab I work in at the University here has collaborators in New Zealand.... hopefully it will give me a ticket to come there soon!

Good luck on your future purchases! And, since you'll be one of few vette owners there don't forget to start the waving tradition!!

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

I've been reading closely about the year-on-year improvements on the C4, and I reckon I'd come to the same conclusion. I think I'd rather get a higher mileage 1987 than a lower mileage 1984.

New Zealand is just wonderful. Even though we're a tiny country of 4 million, way down below, it's a high tech country. More fibred and broadband connected than almost any other country, and many of the world's high tech inventions were developed here. And we've just imprisoned some Mossad agents who tried to steal NZ passports, and suspended diplomatic relations with Israel. And we refuse to let nuclear armed or powered naval vessels into our territorial waters (which I'm afraid has ****ed off the US government for the past couple of decades.)

And all Kiwis know that Richard Pearse was the first man to make controlled flight, not the Wright Brothers:
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/pearse1.html

Come here and spend your tourist dollars!

As for the Corvette Wave - there is a wave done here by drivers which is merely raising the index finger of the right hand, whilst keeping the hand on the wheel. Maybe I could expand that!

<grins to all>

Adrian

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

As for the Corvette Wave - there is a wave done here by drivers which is merely raising the index finger of the right hand, whilst keeping the hand on the wheel. Maybe I could expand that!

I quite often make a similar gesture here in Spain but I use my second finger.

 

[chevyaddict]

I quite often make a similar gesture here in Spain but I use my second finger.

Ahhh, we are introducing our new vette friend to our humor! Gotta luv it!

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

I'll tell you what humor is! My current car, that I use for commuting 85 miles a day. It's a Honda the size of a small refrigerator. 1.3liter twin spark (at least I **do** have a car with 8 spark plugs!) 81bhp. 0 to 60mph sometime this week, and 55mpg average.

Now *that's* a joke!

Adrian

 

[MsSchroder]

I'll tell you what humor is! My current car, that I use for commuting 85 miles a day. It's a Honda the size of a small refrigerator. 1.3liter twin spark (at least I **do** have a car with 8 spark plugs!) 81bhp. 0 to 60mph sometime this week, and 55mpg average.

Now *that's* a joke!

Adrian

0 to 60 sometimes this week

:L I know that feeling.
But I only have 4 spark plugs in mine.

 

[Kiwi Bloke]

Hey Tammy - you wanna do a swap for a coupla weeks? I have your Z06 and you have my Honda Jazz?

Oh, wait - the Pacific Ocean is between us...... better not bother.

Adrian

 

[MsSchroder]

I once swapped the Z06 for a couple of weeks for my son's Integra. So... that's not as far fetched as it seems. (I needed a car to transport the kids for a while).
But the Pacific does present a bit of a problem :L

 

[UB2 SLOW]

I once swapped the Z06 for a couple of weeks for my son's Integra. So... that's not as far fetched as it seems. (I needed a car to transport the kids for a while).
But the Pacific does present a bit of a problem :L

How about for a beat up 90 Jeep Cherokee. I promise to bring the Z06 back!!! Eventually!!!:L