By Chris Daniels
transport reporter
Crash-damaged cars and those made for Third World countries will be harder to get on the road following the introduction of tough importing rules on March 1.
A new border inspection will be introduced and Government safety officials say the new rules will make it easier to
detect and trace potentially dangerous cars.
The border inspection is designed to pick up crash-damaged vehicles. Odometer readings will also be taken, to help stop odometer fraud.
While rules will be tougher for those importing dangerous cars, safety officials say reputable importers and dealers will go through an easier and cheaper procedure to put good-quality vehicles on sale.
The Land Transport Safety Authority is trying to discourage importers of dodgy vehicles by putting them through a more expensive and time-consuming process than those who bring in quality cars.
At least half of the 154,904 vehicles registered in New Zealand last year were previously registered overseas, mainly in Japan.
The safer vehicles policy manager, Simon Whiteley, said the system would also pick up those vehicles built for sale in countries with less strict safety standards.
"It's like going through Customs," he said.
"If you haven't got anything to declare, then you go through the green lane. You don't hold up all the travelling public if you have something to declare.
"The good stuff will sail through, but if you bring in the bad stuff, you will have a lot of hassle."
The border check would enable authorities to better track vehicles and their importers.
The Automobile Association secretary-general, George Fairbairn, said the new rules, while not saving motorists money, would provide more quality assurance.
Since the Government had decided to have "an open-door policy" - accepting cars from anywhere in the world - a strict border inspection was needed.
This would ensure New Zealand did not become a "dumping ground for substandard vehicles."
The chairman of the Imported Motor Vehicle Dealers Association, John Nicholls, said he supported the new system.
"For the genuine importer, bringing in genuine vehicles, it is probably going to be a better system."
Expensive inspection certificates given in Japan will soon no longer be required by New Zealand authorities.
Mr Nicholls said the present two-stage process would be streamlined, with brakes and the structure of vehicles looked at more carefully.
From March 1, inspections in Japan or the country of origin would no longer be needed.
"What it does is intercept these very badly crashed vehicles coming in, prevents them being cut and welded up - one vehicle into two."
The cost of inspecting and certifying a used import will drop from more than $200 to just over $100.
Pictured: Cars waiting to be transported from the wharves - imported vehicles will undergo stricter inspections from March 1.
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