KEY POINTS:
The Government's decision to buy luxury BMW cars for ministers could be seen as snobbish, as well as having to potential to pay through the nose for mainentance, says a motoring expert.
"It will be perceived as a snobbish choice," said Dog and Lemon Guide editor Clive Matthew-Wilson.
"And they've bought vehicles which I don't think are particularly good.
"The very best of European (quality) is about equal to the very worst of Japanese - they've bought a vehicle with a fairly poor track record for reliability," he said.
Climate Change Minister David Parker announced yesterday that the Department of Internal Affairs has decided to replace the VIP fleet of Ford Fairlanes and Holden Statesman cars with BMW 730Ld.
He said buying 34 of the more environmentally-friendly cars "will mean more savings for taxpayers over time" .
"For the first time the department is including whole-of-life costs and the impact on the environment in selecting cars for the VIP transport service fleet," Mr Parker said.
"Historically we've bought Australian-assembled cars but because they don't meet our efficiency criteria, the Australians are now losing our business."
The BMW model is not sold in New Zealand, but in the UK they cost A3;54,550 ($147,992) - a "carbon-exclusive" model is available for A3;60,010. The Government is likely to get a discount for buying 34 of them, but the comparable list price for a 4-litre Fairlane is $71,990.
Mr Matthew-Wilson said the big Ford cars which the Government had been using up to now were no longer made.
But he said rather than creating an impression of being snobs, the Government might have been better to choose a Toyota Crown or a Lexus.
"A Toyota Crown could have been purchased at a fraction of the price and would have given four times the reliability," Mr Mathew-Wilson said.
The Dog and Lemon Guide and the Consumers' Institute recently warned that New Zealand motorists who buy European brands are unwittingly buying some of the world's least reliable cars.
Another critic who isn't beaming up with the ministers is Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, who said the decision to buy 34 luxury six cylinder BMWs contravened the Government's own fuel efficiency standard for diesel vehicles, laid out in the energy efficiency conservation strategy.
"The energy efficiency strategy sets out a target for diesel vehicles entering the country to use only 6.5 litres for every 100 kilometres travelled," she said in a statement.
"These luxury cars use 8 litres for every 100km travelled".
The difference between the "greener" BMW fleet and the Government's own standard was equivalent to 22 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year - and sent the wrong message for the nation on the eve of the first Kyoto commitment period.
"If the Government expects individual New Zealanders to make positive changes in their lives to cut climate change emissions, they need to start taking their own responsibilities more seriously," said Ms Fitzsimons.
She drives a 1300cc car which uses less than 5 litres for every 100 kilometres travelled.
The long-wheelbase BMW 730Ld's use an average of 8.01 litres fuel/100km and put out emissions of 212gr CO2/km, compared with the current Ford Fairlanes, which used of 10.21 litres fuel per 100km and put out 260gr CO2/km.
The first 13 BMWs will be operating by June.
- NZPA