Car in New Zealand Costs $1k. Peesai?

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New Zealand's a beautiful country,and you'll want to see it all. Here's how.Hello No need for us to proudly state again how beautiful our country is. Hopefully, you'll soon discover this for yourself - and with this email, learn a bit more about your transportation options here.To be fair, most of the time you'll need or want a car to get about. We do have reliable public transport in most towns and all main centres. And you can get around the country by plane, train and bus reasonably easily and affordably. But the car really is the basis of most transport here.Bringing a car to New ZealandOne of the questions we're often asked is whether or not it's worth bringing your car to New Zealand. The answer probably depends on costs - and whether your vehicle has left-hand steering.A new, family-sized car in New Zealand will differ widely in price, depending on the make and model. See ConsumerNZ to find out more about pricing. Pre-owned cars - used cars - are considerably less, and can start from as little as NZ$1000, depending on age and mileage. Check out TradeMe motors for a full selection of new and used automobiles on offer.Then you need to check the cost of shipping and landing the car. A general guide is around £1,800 from the UK. From the west coast of the USA it can be around US$3,000. You'll also need to check that your car complies with New Zealand import rules regarding safety features and low emissions. For more on this, see Land Transport NZ.To find out more about car ownership in New Zealand, including the cost of petrol -- it currently costs about NZ$85 to fill a family-sized car -- go to AA (The New Zealand Automobile Association).Driving in New ZealandWe drive on the left in New Zealand, and give way to cars turning right. Otherwise, our road rules are similar to most Western countries. You can find the complete road rules at Land Transport NZ.Our largest cities have motorway networks but these don't usually go much beyond the city. As for the 'State Highways' that link cities and towns throughout the country, you'll probably find these are small by international comparison and many have only one lane in each direction.Once you go beyond the main roads -- to get into the great outdoors -- you'll need to take special care because rural roads are winding and are often unsealed. But they do take you to some of the most amazing places on earth.Driving licencesIf you have a current and valid driver's licence, you'll be fine to drive in New Zealand. You can use a licence from another country or an International Driving Permit for the first year you're here. Then you'll need to apply for a New Zealand licence, which may involve taking a written and oral test but that probably won't be difficult for you.If you're on a licence from a country that has a similar licensing system and requires similar driving skills to New Zealand's, you do not need to sit an exam. This includes the UK, USA, South Africa and a number of European countries. But you will need to pass an eye-sight test. For more information, go to Land Transport NZ FactsheetWhen you're not drivingEvery city and most towns have reliable bus and taxi services, and Wellington and Auckland also run suburban train services.Ferry services operate in Auckland and Wellington, connecting those cities with the surrounding bays around the harbour and the local islands. There's perhaps nothing more idyllic than commuting by ferry, and plenty of people consider the daily 40-minute commute from Waiheke Island to downtown Auckland to be the highlight of their day.For fast access between towns, cities and tourist destinations, most people fly. Three main airlines operate networks around New Zealand, and competition means you can pick up a one-way fare between Christchurch and Auckland for around NZ$50 at sale price or around NZ$80 with an early booking.Book early and, for around NZ$240, you can fly from Auckland to the adventure capital of the world -- Queenstown -- for an inexpensive and amazing weekend.Check prices and factsFor more details, tips and prices about getting around New Zealand:RedBook - For prices of new and used cars. Turners - For the latest prices of used cars sold at auction. TradeMe - For listings of new and used cars for sale. Land Transport - The government website with details of driver licensing, importing cars and New Zealand's road rules. AA - The New Zealand Automobile Association website. Taurus - For details and prices about shipping your car to New Zealand Air New Zealand, Jet Star and Pacific Blue websites, with details of routes and prices around New Zealand Fullers - The Auckland ferry company website. Tranz Scenic - Featuring New Zealand's scenic rail journeys. MAXX - Auckland's public bus company. Metlink - Wellington's public bus company. Metro - Christchurch's public bus company.See you soonSo, now you know how to get around, we look forward to seeing you here soon.As this is the last of our information email series to you, we hope you'll now take the next steps towards a life in New Zealand. We'll continue to keep in touch with you - and keep you up to date with new opportunities and news - through our quarterly newsletters.Regards,Kirsty RyanImmigration New ZealandPS. Have a question we haven't yet answered? Test our Knowledge Base. We're always adding new information to it based on queries we get from potential migrants like yourself. Department of Labour | P.O. Box 3705 Wellington, New ZealandTo unsubscribe from this newsletter click here.Powered by m-savvy View Full Message