By SCOTT MacLEOD
Legitimate car dealers are urging an immediate ban on flood-damaged imports, amid fears that they will prove lethal to unwary buyers.
This comes as the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) today reveals the chassis numbers of 137 "soggy" vehicles that have slipped into New Zealand ports.
The Independent Motor Vehicle
Dealers Association, which represents 400 importers, said yesterday that all such vehicles should be sent back to the country they came from at the owners' expense.
Chief executive officer David Lynn said legitimate dealers were worried that people might buy one of the "potentially lethal" cars without knowing - even though sellers are supposed to warn buyers of flood damage.
"This country does not need flood-damaged vehicles here under any circumstances," he said.
"No reputable licensed dealer would be seen dead having anything to do with them."
Mr Lynn said the association warned the Government about wet cars months ago. At the time, it asked that they be subjected to intense engineering and safety tests. Now, it wanted Customs to have them banned.
The Automobile Association said motorists should not touch the vehicles with a bargepole.
The AA's director of public affairs, George Fairbairn, predicted that the vehicles would develop serious electrical problems, as well as rust damage, within months.
He urged motorists to be more wary than usual when buying a car.
"If you are buying a used import you must specifically ask the dealer if it has been water or flood-damaged.
"Even then, it always pays to put the vehicle through a pre-purchase inspection."
Anyone buying from a car fair, roadside sale or through the newspaper was running a real risk.
A spokesman for Customs Minister Phillida Bunkle said the issue boiled down to safety and biosecurity. As long as the cars passed LTSA and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry checks, Customs had no problem with them.
"From a consumer perspective, we are satisfied that whoever buys these vehicles will know that they are flood-damaged."
Dozens of cars have been shipped to Auckland in the past two months after being soaked in Japan's September floods.
Fifty-five were unloaded on Monday alone, from the freighter Morning Charm.
Legally, the cars can be sold if they pass safety and biosecurity checks.
Sellers are meant to warn buyers the vehicles have been flooded, but consumer groups believe many are being sold without such warnings.
LTSA director Reg Barrett said the authority was listing the make, model and chassis numbers of flood-damaged cars on its website to protect buyers.
He warned importers that they would have to pay large sums of money to have the cars certified for sale. They might have to replace seatbelts, airbags and electrical systems to meet safety standards.
"Our inspections should keep them off the lots of reputable dealers, but others may try to sell them at car fairs, auctions or the roadside."
Mr Barrett said consumers should be especially wary of buying cars that were unregistered.
The chassis number is usually stamped on the firewall at the back of a vehicle's engine bay.
These are the cars listed by the LTSA (VIN/chassis, make, model):
A32-007225 Nissan Cefiro
A32-019316 Nissan Cefiro
A32-100649 Nissan Cefiro
A32-401656 Nissan Cefiro
A32-512423 Nissan Cefiro
AE100-0289346 Toyota Corolla
AE110-5264221 Toyota Corolla
BB8-1000039 Honda Prelude
BC3-019012 Subaru Legacy
BD5-011380 Subaru Legacy
BE5-007857 Subaru Legacy
BE5-036708 Subaru Legacy
BF5-099774 Subaru Legacy
BG4-006584 Subaru Legacy
BG5-016473 Subaru Legacy
BG5-019375 Subaru Legacy
BG5-065460 Subaru Legacy
BG5-070648 Subaru Legacy
BG5-077176 Subaru Legacy
BG5-083591 Subaru Legacy
BG5-108277 Subaru Legacy
BG5-276069 Subaru Legacy
Bg9-026491 Subaru Legacy
BG9-094529 Subaru Legacy
BG9-097873 Subaru Legacy
BH5-002800 Subaru Legacy
BH5-020236 Subaru Legacy
BH5-030166 Subaru Legacy
BH5-119122 Subaru Legacy
Bh5-119683 Subaru Legacy
BH9-013860 Subaru Legacy
BH9-035569 Subaru Legacy
BHALS-105682 Mazda Familia
CE1-1403647 Honda Accord
CE9A-0105377 Mitsubishi Lancer
CF4-1001810 Honda Tourneo
CN9A-0003814 Mitsubishi Lancer
CR42-0009341 Toyota Liteace
CXR11-0016502 Toyota Estima
CZ32-505121 Nissan 300ZX
DB6-1404450 Honda Integra
DC2-1207457 Honda Integra
DC2-1306411 Honda Integra
EA1A-0303852 Mitsubishi Galant
EA1A-0307725 Mitsubishi Galant
EA3W-0200330 Mitsubishi Legnum
EC8S-100177 Mazda Presso
ECR33-104119 Nissan Skyline
EK2-1106448 Honda Civic
EK3-1005577 Honda Civic
EN15-403501 Nissan Pulsar
EU14-158368 Nissan Bluebird
FD3S-110164 Mazda RX7
FN15-019059 Nissan Pulsar
GA3-3220752 Honda Logo
GC1-017844 Subaru Impreza
GC6-004536 Subaru Impreza
GC8-033606 Subaru Impreza
GCZ32-053331 Nissan 300ZX
GF6-012379 Subaru Impreza
GF8P-102225 Mazda Capella
HEEA-105027 Mazda Sentia
HEEA-200156 Mazda Sentia
HP11-014670 Nissan Primera
J111G-005558 Daihatsu Terios
JZS160-0106052 Toyota Aristo
K99-1100469 Mitsubishi Challenger
KR42-0031277 Toyota Liteace
KZN130-0011538 Toyota Hilux
KZN130-9028382 Toyota Hilux
LN130-0034845 Toyota Hilux
LWEW-112885 Mazda MPV
N33W-0002138 Mitsubishi Chariot
N84W-0021816 Mitsubishi Chariot
N84W-0125063 Mitsubishi Chariot
NA6CE-158417 Mazda Roadstar
NA6CE-135546 Mazda Roadstar
PR50-005422 Nissan Terrano
PR50-033143 Nissan Terrano
QU14-604490 Nissan Bluebird
RA1-1004000 Honda Oddysey
RA1-1004480 Honda Odyssey
RA1-1103876 Honda Odyssey
RA2-1026218 Honda Odyssey
RA2-1208366 Honda Odyssey
RD1-1034420 Honda CR
RD1-1109206 Honda CR
RD1-5105760 Honda CRV
RF1-1018121 Honda Stepwagon
RF1-1063258 Honda Stepwagon
RF1-1213044 Honda Stepwagon
RF1-1254634 Honda Stepwagon
RL1-1004371 Honda Lagreat
RNN14-150037 Nissan Pulsar
RA2-1207165 Honda Odyssey
RA3-1042632 Honda Odyssey
RA3-1113858 Honda Odyssey
RA4-1009026 Honda Odyssey
SARRHYLBKBM269550 Rover 620 SLI
SARRSCLLKAM234859 Rover 825 SLI
SARRSCLLKWM250782 Rover 800
SARRSSLLKAM235000 Rover 825 SLI
SF5-015359 Subaru Forester
SF5-022494 Subaru Forester
SF5-046583 Subaru Forester
SG5W-102253 Mazda Bongo
SR40-0231430 Toyota Exiv
ST215-3003775 Toyota Caldina
SV30-0090658 Toyota Vista
SV40-0091676 Toyota Camry
SV41-0031584 Toyota Camry
SW20-0038295 Toyota MR2
SXA11-0044168 Toyota RAV4
SXM10-7081991 Toyota Epsum
SXU10-0031526 Toyota Harrier
SXV20-0139400 Toyota Camry
TCR10-1296344 Toyota Estima
TCR10-1312704 Toyota Estima
TR50-003878 Nissan Terrano
UBS69GW-8111617 Isuzu Bighorn
V23-4001593 Mitsubishi Pajero
V24-3002465 Mitsubishi Pajero
VFY11-016065 Nissan Advan
VZN130-0082416 Toyota Hilux
VZV32-0007431 Toyota Camry
WBAAL32080FH69269 BMW 318i
WBACA02070AW43329 BMW 318
WBAGB410903147119 BMW Schnitzer
WF0NXXGBBNSE02184 Ford Mondeo
WP11-000785 Nissan Primera
WRGY61-800686 Nissan Safari
WBACG62030AL11051 BMW 318
ZFA17600006034648 Fiat Punto
ZZV50-0017919 Toyota Vista
Link:
Land Transport Safety Authority
Car safety website lists 'soggy' imports
By SCOTT MacLEOD
Legitimate car dealers are urging an immediate ban on flood-damaged imports, amid fears that they will prove lethal to unwary buyers.
This comes as the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) today reveals the chassis numbers of 137 "soggy" vehicles that have slipped into New Zealand ports.
The Independent Motor Vehicle
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
