Fuel-economy figures on tribunal’s agendaAn adjudicator for the

Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal (MVDT) says

fuel-economy figures on Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) labels, which car dealers must display at the point of sale, are for comparative purposes.

Christopher Cornwell stresses what is achieved in real-life driving conditions can differ because of the wide range of factors that needs to be taken into account.

In his annual report for the 12 months ending June 30, 2015, he brings cases worthy of special mention to the attention of

Paul Goldsmith, the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

They include one about fuel-economy figures in an application by JT Lang Ltd against Andrew Simms Newmarket and Mitsubishi Motors NZ.

The new 2013 ASX involved, which was four-wheel drive and had a 2.2-litre diesel engine, had a rating of 5.8l/100km as advertised by the dealer as it was required by law to do, but the best the buyer was able to achieve was 6.1-6.8l/100km.

A neighbour of the purchaser gave evidence he had driven the

car 353km over three days on city and open roads, and achieved an equivalent to 7.05l/100km.

The trader’s after-sales manager serviced the ASX and checked its diagnostics to ensure it was operating properly. He then drove it for three days from his home in Warkworth to Newmarket, Auckland, and clocked up 65km on each trip.

His fuel-economy figures varied from 5.1-5.8l/100km according to the on-board computer, and the journeys were made in different weather and traffic conditions.

The trusted voice of the auto industry for more than 25 yearsIssue 20-2015

6 November 2015

In this issuep8 Call for more electric cars

p12 Tokyo Motor Show news

p13 Huge recalls by Mazda

p14 Stars set for fundraiser

p16 Developments with ITS

p19 Owner misled by dealer

Specialised training that’s

proven toincrease profits

Fleet managers back online tool

www.autofile.co.nz

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is delighted with

the feedback on its latest online initiative.

Its vehicle total cost-of-ownership tool has been launched to help fleet managers work out the different costs between options available on the market.

The system has about 490 vehicles listed with more new

models to be added and has had about 1,300 visits to date.

It was unveiled by Simon Bridges, Minister of Transport, and Energy and Resources, at last month’s New Zealand Transport Fuels and Fleet Management Summit with the aim of “demystifying” the running costs of electric vehicles (EVs).

Business transactions account for about 70 per cent of new car

sales in New Zealand and Bridges says the “lack of knowledge of EVs is a big hurdle to overcome”.

He adds: “Purchasing decisions are about good information and incentives – commercial, environmental and reputational – to help businesses position themselves in an increasingly carbon-conscious world.”

The cost-of-ownership mechanism allows fleet managers

[continued on page 6]

[continued on page 4]

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editor’s note

Visions of industry’s future unveiled

Editor

Darren Risby editor@autofile.co.nz 021 137 5430

AdvErtising

Brian McCutcheon brian@autofile.co.nz 021 455 775

onlinE producEr & rEportEr

Julia Braybrook julia@autofile.co.nz

dEsignEr

Adrian Payne arpayne@gmail.com

Autofile magazine is also available online as a readable file or downloadable as a PDF. Subscriptions are available at Autofile Online – www.autofile.co.nz. Back copies are also available on the website.

Copyright: Published twice monthly by 4Media Ltd, PO Box 6222, Dunedin 9059.

All statements made, although based on information believed to be accurate and reliable, cannot be guaranteed, and no liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions. Reproduction of Autofile in print or digital format in whole or part without written permission, whether by copying or any other means, is strictly forbidden. All rights reserved.

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Japanese exhibitors at Tokyo Motor Show have been doing what they are arguably

best in the world at – mixing up the fantastical with high-brow technology.

The event’s tagline of “your heart will race” was chosen by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers’ Association to reflect the spirit of a country that strives to lead the way with innovation, which has certainly been evident at this year’s event.

Nissan attracted attention with three concepts – the Gripz, which is a hybrid crossover, and the IDS and Teatro For Dayz, both of which are electric vehicles.

But hydrogen appeared to spark a bigger buzz. Honda unveiled its Clarity Fuel Cell concept, which is capable of converting its combustion output into electricity for the engine.

Toyota joined the face-off with its FCV Plus, which uses hydrogen to power a house as well as the car.

Along with cutting-edge technology, some pretty strange designs have been shown off. Some have raised eyebrows or chuckles, but creativity is the name of the game.

One emerging trend is “living lounges” with marques reinventing vehicles’ cabins in preparation for the autonomous future.

After all, if on-board computers are making the decisions, why not create a chill-out zone where you can have a party or an office on the move?

Mercedes-Benz is a case in point. Its Vision Tokyo concept has a “connected lounge”. It looks like a mini disco on wheels.

According to the press release, it “pays homage to urban Generation Z, people born since 1995 who have grown up with the new media”.

It continues: “The role of the vehicle has changed. It is no

longer simply a means of getting around, but a digital automobile companion. The Vision Tokyo takes things another step further.”

What follows is talk about “innovative algorithms” allowing the car “to evolve constantly”, while “deep machine learning and an intelligent, predictive engine mean that – with each journey – it becomes more familiar with its occupants and their preferences”.

It may all sound a bit far-fetched. However, it’s worth remembering 2015 is also the 30th anniversary of Back To The Future.

Alas, DeLorean is no longer with us, but the film did make predictions about 21st-century life. While flying vehicles and car ejection seats have yet to materialise, the film was more accurate about Google Glass, Skype and hover boards.

As for the automotive industry, who would have predicted what followed after Toyota unveiled a concept in Tokyo in 1995 with testing following a year later?

Prius is Latin for “to go before” and, according to the marque, this was chosen at its name because it was launched before environmental awareness was a mainstream social issue.

Toyota’s first Prius – model NHW10 – went on sale in December 1997 in Japan before its worldwide release a few years later. The range’s global cumulative sales came in at about 5.2 million units in July 2015.

While some of Tokyo Motor Show’s wackier exhibits may falter, it’s fair to say the march of technology will be unrelenting.

You can check out some of the vehicles in this and the next issue of the magazine, while there are plenty more online at www.autofile.co.nz. Enjoy the party.

Darren Risby, editor

4 www.autofile.co.nz

“The tribunal decided not to place any probative value on the test done by the purchaser’s neighbour because the method of measuring the fuel hadn’t been carefully documented.

“The conclusion the tribunal reached was that it wasn’t persuaded the purchaser was misled about the fuel-economy

news

Mitsubishi Motors’ technical manager told the tribunal that the car was tested in a German laboratory on a rolling road.

Its urban figures were 7.1l/100km and extra urban came in at 5.1l/100km, while combined fuel consumption was 5.8l/100km.

Cornwell says: “The calculation of the figures wasn’t done by the trader or manufacturer, but by an independent laboratory overseas that provides its figures to Australian and New Zealand authorities.

“The EECA mandates fuel-economy figures for each car displayed for sale manufactured after 2000, which must bear certain information as to that model’s fuel economy the authority has obtained.”

He adds the tribunal, which heard the claim in February, was

[continued from page 1]

A tribunal application involving a 2013 Mitsubishi ASX’s fuel-economy figures has been brought to the government’s attention

measures and accepted 5.8l/100km was provided for comparative purposes.

“A motorist’s actual costs per year and fuel consumption will vary from the figure shown on the energy-efficiency label by factors such as vehicle condition, the type and condition of tyres,

engine modifications, driving style and traffic conditions.”

Cornwell’s report also draws the government’s attention to a

recent case heard by the Disputes Tribunal involving a claim by a Ford Kuga owner against a dealership in Whanganui “regarding the fuel-economy figures claimed versus real-life driving”.

“The buyer was apparently told its fuel economy would be 7.7l/100km, but the best he could achieve was 9.4l/100km,” he notes. “The referee awarded compensation of $6,000 to the owner.”

uncertain from evidence given by the purchaser’s director if he was aware of the rating when he agreed to buy the car.

“He was unable to be sure when he had seen the figure of 5.8l/100km and couldn’t have been misled about it if he hadn’t seen it until after he bought the vehicle,” says Cornwell.

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Costs and fuel consumption vary

THE Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal has a case-disposal target of hearing and issuing decisions on at least 75 per cent of applications received within two months of them being filed and disposing of 95 per cent within three months of receipt.

In the past year, its disposal rate was 60.15 per cent within two months and 77.82 per cent within three months.

The reductions in these rates reflects the tribunal having only one adjudicator – Christopher Cornwell – sitting across the county for most of 2014/15, which resulted in applications not being heard as quickly as in previous years.

“The tribunal was still able to hear and dispose of 94.74 per cent of applications received within four months of their filing dates,” he says.

With Jason McHerron being appointed in September, Cornwell expects the case-

disposal rate to “significantly improve”.

McHerron, who has replaced Nicola Wills, is responsible for hearing cases for the South Island and lower North Island from New Plymouth to the Hawke’s Bay. Cornwell oversees applications filed in the upper North Island.

In previous annual reports, the tribunal has published how many decisions were made in favour or against the buyer.

“This may be misleading,” says Cornwell. “In many cases, although orders are made for the purchaser, the purchaser doesn’t obtain the remedy applied for.

“In some cases, orders made are the orders that reflect what the trader was offering before the hearing.

“The tribunal has, in the past, recorded this as a decision for the purchaser whereas it might equally be regards as a decision for the trader.”

Disposal rates to improve

www.autofile.co.nz 5

t Cornwell’s report flags up what appears to be “a serious failure in our motor-vehicle importation system”.

He refers to processes by which a car first registered in the UK can be shipped to Japan, re-registered there and then imported into this country with the NZTA allowing it to be registered with a date based on the one in Japan “and apparently without any investigation as to the vehicle’s previous history”.

The tribunal heard an application in Auckland during March filed by Jonathan Mathy.

He bought a BMW Z4 from C&R Motors, trading as JP Autos, which was represented as a 2013 model with an odometer reading of 14,539km.

“Four months later, the purchaser discovered the vehicle had been manufactured in Germany and first registered in the UK in December 2009,” says Cornwell.

“It was shipped to Japan, re-registered there in April 2013 and almost immediately shipped to

New Zealand where it was landed in July 2013.

“The local BMW agents also found the vehicle’s true recorded mileage was 32,278km – more than double that represented by the trader. The tribunal found the purchaser has been misled and awarded him $12,000 in damages.”

He says prospective buyers of used European cars sourced from Japan are advised – before agreeing to buy the vehicle – “to have its history checked by a franchised dealer for the brand agent to verify its build date, date and place of first registration, and its recorded repair history”.

The third issue Cornwell highlights is the increasing number of claims involving consumers buying vehicles sight unseen and uninspected.

More than 12 per cent off MVDT applications in the past year arose from online purchases made in this way.

“The highest price recorded for a

vehicle bought sight unseen this year was $33,150,” he reports.

“There were eight other claims heard by the tribunal for vehicles bought sight unseen for more than $15,000, but the bulk of purchasers did so in respect of old high-mileage vehicles costing less than $10,000.”

In regards to legislation, Cornwell has reiterated his views that the MVDT should have jurisdiction to hear and determine contract-based applications against registered traders under the Motor Vehicle Sales Act – for example, disputes about the effect of terms of agreements.

He says: “From time to time, the tribunal has to transfer part of a claim to the Disputes Tribunal because it is contract based.

“This is not only inconvenient for applicants, but a waste of taxpayers’ money in paying for the cost of two hearings when

matters in dispute could easily be resolved by the tribunal at

one hearing.”

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Applications dealt withThe Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal received 258 applications in the 12 months up to June 30 – 36 more than during the previous year.

It delivered 154 decisions, six more than last year, while 24 were carried over from 2013/14.

Of the applications received and heard, 130 were decided on the basis of the Consumer Guarantees Act and the Fair Trading Act was valid in 20. Four were transferred to the Disputes Tribunal.

The number of disputes settled by the parties before a hearing was 83 – or 29 per cent

of applications – compared to 78 in the previous 12

months, or 31 per cent.

6 www.autofile.co.nz

to compare owning electric, hybrid, petrol or diesel vehicles to assist in purchasing decisions.

A report commissioned by the EECA flags up EVs as better for the environment because they use less energy than petrol and diesel cars.

“The report shows across their life – from resource extraction and manufacturing to driving and disposal – EVs have 60 per cent fewer CO₂ emissions than petrol vehicles,” says Bridges.

He adds they have 80 per cent fewer emissions when driven in New Zealand because of the country’s high level of renewable electricity generation.

“Reducing emissions through the increased uptake of EVs by making the most of our renewable advantage is worth investigating.”

A prototype of the tool was trialled at a plug-in fleet day hosted by Drive Electric in Auckland on April 30.

Liz Yeaman, the EECA’s general manager of transport, told Autofile: “Although the tool back then was unavailable to the general public, people who knew where it was on the internet could access it.

“Many were using it and we got some great feedback so we knew demand was there. It created a lot of interest.”

Yeaman says the feeling at fuels and fleet management conference, which was held in Auckland from October 21-22, was the cost-of-ownership tool will be useful to businesses on a day-to-day basis.

“It has come about because of the interest in the potential being

shown for EVs in New Zealand,” she explains.

“We did some research with the Ministry of Transport [MoT], which showed 47 per cent of fleet managers didn’t know how to compare EVs’ operational costs against petrol and diesel-powered vehicles.

“The feedback we received on the tool at last month’s summit included managers saying it makes

it easier to also compare electric and hybrid models.

“Although aimed at fleet managers, the public can use it when looking to buy a new vehicle.”

Yeaman says purchasing decisions need to be based on whether a car is fit for purpose. Then the web-based resource can be used by each buyer to make comparisons in line with individual circumstances.

“The whole idea, though, has been to create a tool that fleet managers can use every day – not just as a one-off – and to compare

System ‘demystifies’ electric costs[continued from page 1]

mechanism at www.eecabusiness.govt.nz/tools, but people need to be aware certain fields apply to vehicles owned by businesses, such as those for tax calculations.

Yeaman says: “We are excited about this tool and how it will help fleet managers move towards best practice and getting lower costs of ownership by focusing on best practice.”

Whether or not fleet managers opt for EVs, Bridges stresses the EECA’s system is valuable for assessing the total cost of vehicles, including running costs.

Purchase decisions made by them have a huge impact on the nature of New Zealand’s fleet.

“Simply put, the more EVs passed on from corporate fleets to the second-hand market, the more Kiwis will be able to buy them,” says the minister.

He adds reducing emissions needs a range of measures with support for the likes of public transport, walking, cycling, vehicle sharing also important.

“The government is considering what role we could play in facilitating the uptake of EVs,” says Bridges.

“We are looking at ways to ensure charging infrastructure is developed safely and cohesively, and have extended the road-user charge exemption for EVs to June 2020.

“We are also examining what the government could do to address the lack of awareness about EVs.

“As well as that, my officials are working with local government and key business leaders to

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a fresh approach to dealer finance

technologies as they come onto the market,” she adds.

“We will be constantly refreshing its information on a daily basis because most of its users will tend to be buyers of new vehicles.

“It includes factors such as residual prices, the cost of fuel and how much a car is driven from new.

“Models will be added as they

come onto the market with older ones taken off when no longer available.”

Users of the EECA’s tool can complete calculations by changing various fields, such as the recommended retail price if they have negotiated a lower one.

Another example is the cost of power. If a fleet manager has secured a special rate of electricity to fuel their EVs, this can be altered, while users can change a residual value if they have a different opinion of what it is.

Anyone can access the

news

Jörn Scherzer, left, showing a delegate the EECA’s vehicle total cost-of-ownership tool. Photo: Steve Scott

www.autofile.co.nz 7

t

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develop measures to encourage their uptake. We hope to announce this by the end of the year.”

Bridges is encouraged to see many organisations in New Zealand making progress in supporting EV ownership.

“I firmly believe the private sector will ultimately lead this step-change as the world transitions towards a low-carbon future.”

In May last year, Northpower installed the country’s first rapid charger, which can provide 80 per cent of EVs’ battery capacity in 20 minutes.

Mighty River Power has announced it will replace 70 per cent of its fleet with EVs before 2018.

“I congratulate them on this initiative, which sends a signal that EVs are becoming a real choice for buyers in New Zealand,” says Bridges.

The Electricity Networks Association, which represents the 29 companies responsible for national distribution, has announced plans that may lead to a “renewables highway” – a network of charging points.

In September, Air New Zealand launched its latest sustainability framework, which includes a transition of its fleet of road vehicles and ground equipment to 100 per cent electric where feasible.

TECHNOLOGY OF FUTUREIntelligent transportation systems (ITS) offer “some of the best prospects” to reduce carbon emissions, improve safety and increase efficiency.

“Imagine a world where connected and driverless vehicles are widely used,” says Bridges.

“If that happened, three to four times as many vehicles could use our current road space reducing the need for any new roads in the future.”

Bridges wants New Zealand to make the most of these and other transport technologies, and says the government has a role to help realise ITS’ full benefits.

“We are committed to regulation that’s flexible enough to

accommodate new technologies.”The government is looking

specifically at how technology can help solve Auckland’s transport problems, especially in reducing congestion.

Last year, it released an ITS action plan, which includes 42 measures “to establish the building blocks to enable” such systems to work in this country.

BIOFUELS BACK ON AGENDABridges used the summit to get across the government’s position on a host of issues related to the automotive industry.

They include biofuels providing opportunities for how the fleet is powered.

“While we look forward to the global transition to a low-carbon future EVs will be a part of, oil will – in the meantime – meet the majority of our transport needs,” he says.

“Benefits of biofuels are well-known,

including reduced net carbon-dioxide emissions, reduced emissions that affect air quality and human health, and better fuel lubrication and reduced deposits in diesel engines.

“The government wants to help with the uptake of biofuels wherever possible and commercially viable.”

One example is the ongoing review of fuel specifications to lift the top end of the biodiesel blend in diesel from five to seven per cent, which is the limit in Europe.

Another is to introduce a new standard for E85, which consists of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent mineral petrol.

Bridges adds: “Government-imposed standards for fuel quality and emissions have long been important to the introduction of more efficient vehicle technology.

“Progressive reduction in sulphur levels in petrol and diesel over the past 13 years, alongside stringent emissions standards, is allowing the newest and cleanest technologies to be adopted here.”

Simon Bridges

8 www.autofile.co.nz

“This country can get good supply contracts for second-hand electric light commercials, such as Nissan’s eNV200, and electric cars coming off lease in the UK.

“Used vans could be priced at about $38,000 to $45,000 here, while used generation-two Leafs could retail for between $30,000 and $35,000. That’s closer to fleets’ sweet spot.”

Gilbert stresses New Zealand’s regulatory system needs to be flexible enough to allow products to be driven legally on our roads.

He cites Renault’s Twizy, which has a maximum speed of 48km.

It is classified in Europe as a heavy quadricycle with the lower-powered Urban 45 model being a light quadricycle.

Gilbert says the two-seater is – in effect – banned from on-road use in New Zealand because it fails to reach front and side-impact standards for passenger vehicles.

But if was classed as a quad bike, there is potential for it to be driven on city streets if users don helmets.

“A new city classification needs to be considered,” says Gilbert. “If the Twizy can be sold and

which come in at about $60,000.“We have yet to hear whether

Nissan will import the second-generation Leaf and, importantly, if it will be positioned to hit the fleet market’s pricing soft spot.

“We talk about fleet purchases, but it isn’t going to happen with nothing confirmed in the new EV sector costing less than $60,000.

“It’s clear to most people that if we want to get more fleets and people into EVs, price points of less than $45,000 are needed.

“Many businesses have sustainability objectives and want to be future-focused, and are trying to achieve this. Air New Zealand is an example.

“But more need to follow the lead of the airline, Mighty River Power, Contact Energy, Downer and others by taking a bold approach and switching to EVs – especially for pool and fleet cars doing short distances.”

Gilbert notes some marques,

such as BMW and Volvo, are upping the EV stakes “and say their models will have plug sockets in the future across their ranges”. Audi and Volkswagen are similar with more manufacturers set to follow.

Other companies – for example, the Nissan-Renault Alliance – have a mix of electric products in Europe, “but need to make more decisions

around getting them here”. A number of vehicles being sold

in the UK could be imported and sold in New Zealand, and “if the

BMWs, Audis, Mitsubishis and

Nissans of this world can do it, others can”.

Gilbert adds: “If we have to focus on private buyers rather than fleets, the growth of EVs in this country will be much slower.”

He also believes current prices of new EVs are creating opportunities in the used market, which are being looked into by the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (IMVIA).

An organisation promoting the uptake of electric cars is urging

the new vehicle industry to make more models available in New Zealand, and consider distribution and pricing levels.

Drive Electric says the local market has come a long way over the past few years, but there are some hurdles to overcome.

Chairman Mark Gilbert, who attended last month’s New Zealand Transport Fuels and Fleet Management Summit, says more discussion is needed around electric vehicles (EVs) and their benefits.

“There was more interest and openness around them at the conference compared to 12 months ago with people now having a greater understanding of what they are about,” he told Autofile.

“Would-be owners of EVs are starting to see they are worthwhile purchases, so that’s a step forward, and conversations about them are happening when it come fleets.

“This is important because it has been stated fleets account for about 60 per cent of new vehicle registrations annually with all-of-government [AoG] contracts accounting for a substantial proportion.”

However, Gilbert says not enough electric models are available in New Zealand and price-tags are too high for many fleet businesses.

“I’m an avid supporter of the new car sector, but it’s not making much noise about new EVs coming onto our market.

“Apart from a few Nissan Leafs, the cheapest new EV is Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV,

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Upping ante in new car sector

More onlineVisit www.autofile.co.nz for an

in-depth interview with Mark Gilbert.

The website also has a gallery of photos from the NZ Transport Fuels and Fleet Management

Summit, and more reports from it.

Delegates at the New Zealand Transport Fuels and Fleet Management Summit;

inset, Mark Gilbert. Main photo: Steve Scott

www.autofile.co.nz 9

t

THE government is working on what Mark Gilbert describes as a “stimulus package” to boost the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) with talks taking place between the Ministry of Transport and industry to determine what’s needed.

“I believe there will be no incentives for EVs here as there are in some countries,” he says.

“What we need is more volume and products. That said, the government has signalled a willingness to do more in our sector.

“Some years ago, the direction of a previous government was towards an emissions target for New Zealand. It was thrown out, but something like that may bring about a change in behaviour.

“It wouldn’t stop people buying gas guzzlers. It would, however, provide a signal to consider alternatives and what EVs can do, such as reducing running costs by about $2,000 a year.”

Gilbert says the government can also help advance the country’s charging infrastructure or, for example, allow EV owners to use lanes set aside for two or three occupants.

“Accelerating the uptake of EVs – new and used – could be achieved through the all-government contract [AoG] contract and councils.

“At the moment, though, they may say, ‘sorry, they’re too expensive’. However, I acknowledge the Outlander is a confirmed AoG-contracted product, which is a start. I hope EVs get the support they deserve.

“The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s online total cost-of-ownership tool is great because it assists fleet managers in making comparisons.

“It will help businesses make the transition and create good sustainability stories to tell.”

Emissions target may helpoperated in London, surely that can happen in New Zealand.”

David Vinsen, chief executive of the IMVIA, was a panelist at the conference in Auckland.

“I spoke about my experience as a small fleet owner running an electric car and the big opportunity EVs present for the used industry, which can help fill the gap for bringing them into New Zealand,” he told Autofile.

“I asked Simon Bridges for the government’s view on the possibility of used EVs spearheading the approach for uptake. He didn’t rule this out or getting them into service for government departments.

“After the summit, I attended a meeting with Bridges and it looks like some targets are going to be set in this area.

“This work involves the Ministry of Transport, EECA, NZTA, and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment – so across departments and agencies, which is positive.”

Vinsen, keen to stress “it’s just talk” at this stage, adds: “It was a useful conference. What it did

show was Bridges is on top of his transport, and energy and resources, portfolios with EVs high on his list of priorities.”

Drive Electric’s bottom line is “getting more EVs on Kiwi roads” through the fleet market, which in turn will feed into the used private market, and via used imports.

“There were 817 EVs registered in New Zealand by the end of October,” says Gilbert.

“That total has risen exponentially in recent years, but there needs to be more discussion and action, and corporates and individuals taking a leap of faith and trying electric.”

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David Vinsen taking part in a

panel debate. Photo: Steve Scott

10 www.autofile.co.nz

Driving vehicle propulsion forwardIan Wright’s engineering prowess

is getting the electric car industry to stand up and listen.

The California-based Kiwi was one of Tesla Motors’ five co-founders, but called time on being its vice-president of vehicle development in 2004 to focus on his own projects.

What followed was his X1, the world’s fastest street-legal EV, and setting up his own company Wrightspeed – both in the following year.

Wright’s most recent trip back home was as a keynote speaker at last month’s New Zealand Transport Fuels and Fleet Management Summit in Auckland.

And developments he has pioneered in the EV sector impressed delegates from the automotive industry judging by feedback Autofile has received.

His company manufactures electric powertrains, which Wright describes as “the next step in the evolution of vehicle propulsion”.

Its gear traction drive (GTD) has been made by designing the inverter, 250hp motor and multi-speed transmission from the ground up to create a high-power, compact and lightweight system with clutchless gear shifting.

Then there’s The Fulcrum with its 80kW microturbine, which draws on jet-engine technology to generate electric power and charge battery packs on the fly. As long as it has

fuel, range is essentially unlimited.This system can halve the fuel

consumption of an average US rubbish truck, which burns about 53,000 litres of fuel annually, and is driven 210km a day with 1,000 stop-and-go movements.

It also uses regenerative braking-energy recovery. The heavier the vehicle and the more stops it makes, the more energy is recaptured for the battery.

Wrightspeed’s other products include The Circuit, which can take performance brands from 0-100kph in less than three seconds. It has all-wheel drive and control with a 250hp electric motor for each wheel.

The Route range-extending powertrain maximises efficiency without affecting the performance

of medium-duty trucks with its HD variant being more powerful.

Wright’s systems dramatically improve fuel efficiency with vehicles’ batteries being recharged 30 per cent more efficiently.

“If you want to make a difference, you’ve got to do something economically compelling that will get into mass deployment,” he says of his products, which are being retrofitted on medium to heavy-duty trucks in the US.

“They will then be all over the place. The problem with high-performance cars is there isn’t a big enough market and you can’t attract serious investment.”

Because of this, he looked for something “more scalable”. He learned a lot about building cars

at Tesla. He then thought about making powertrains and believes it’s important to tackle issues with larger vehicles because of their fuel consumption.

For example, a full-size rubbish truck in the US burns about 53,000l a year compared to a small car’s 1,000l, so potential savings are huge.

Cars rarely get new engines, but it’s common for trucks to get new powertrains. Their engines may only be good for seven or eight years, while the vehicles can last for 20. Wright’s systems are designed to replace original diesel combustion engines.

THE USE OF JET TURBINESBatteries have limited ranges, and this problem is compounded by

Ian Wright’s X1

industry profile

Ian Wright giving his presentation at the NZ Transport Fuels and Fleet Management Summit. Photo: Steve Scott

IAN Wright grew up on a sheep farm near Dargaville, which is where he became interested in mechanical engineering.

He enjoyed pulling apart tractors and televisions to see how they worked, and scored top marks in maths and science classes.

Wright first worked as an audio engineer for radio stations and recording studios in Sydney.

He moved to the US in 1993 and made ATM switches for Network Equipment Technologies.

Wright shifted to Cisco Systems in 1998 to design switches

and routers as wi-fi hit the market. This was followed by a stint at Altamar Networks, which stirred the entrepreneur in him.

Getting into electric vehicles

came over a few beers in 2003 with his neighbour Martin Eberhard – one of Tesla Motors co-founders along with Wright and Elon Musk.

Eberhard wanted to build a high-performance electric car.

Wright opined: “I think you’re crazy.”

Not long afterwards, he pulled up in one. It made the 0-100kph dash in four seconds. “I could see how you could make something new and interesting with electric drive,” Wright recalls.

The Kiwi produced his X1 in 2005 based on a modified Ariel Atom, a year after leaving Tesla. It takes 2.9 seconds to reach 100kph at the equivalent of 72km/l, but will never be a production car.

When Wright was younger, his father said he would never make a living “playing with bits of wire”. Wright says: “A few years ago, he told me he might have been wrong.”

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how heavy a vehicle is and its load.Wright’s solution is to use a

turbine as a battery charger as in his range-extender system, The Route.

“Plug it into the grid, charge it and drive on grid energy. Electric motors drive the wheels. When the battery gets depleted, the generator recharges as you drive.”

An all-electric truck will only clock up about 65km on a single charge, so Wright’s solution is to put that “miniature power station” on board. It can be set it up to burn natural gas or diesel, or with both fuel systems.

The jet turbine helps because its different process is more like a blowtorch with continuous combustion and copious amounts of excess oxygen. It also burns all hydrocarbons, particulates and CO₂ to be least 10 times cleaner than traditional combustion engines.

Wright concedes he doesn’t remember how he came on the idea, but he has a collection of turbine engines.

“They’re awesome things, so I guess it starts with them. One of the things we noticed at Tesla is we got our power from the grid.

“How’s that power made? You start looking at power stations. If you run our systems on fuel instead of plugging them in, they’re cleaner because the turbines are clean. They are cleaner than the average mix of power stations in the US, which are 48 per cent coal.”

CROSSING OVER INTO CARSThe issue vexing the automotive industry is whether Wright’s technology can be used in passenger vehicles.

t

“Ultimately, yes,” he enthuses. The industry makes tens of millions of turbochargers per year at about US$150 each.

“There’s more to my engine than a turbocharger, but there’s scope to drive costs down. The more you can do that – and as long as you’ve got the efficiency – I think [it can take off] in the same way turbines took over the aircraft industry.

“It will be high power and consumption applications first, and will work down from there.

“The scaling properties are interesting. It costs, maybe, just less than twice as much to build the powertrain for a garbage truck than for a medium-duty truck, but you save three or four times as much fuel.

“As you look up the scale, it costs X dollars to build a powertrain for a Nissan Leaf and you only save Y

dollars in fuel. It costs maybe twice as much to do it for a Tesla, but you save more than twice as much fuel.

“To do a truck versus a car, maybe the powertrain costs twice as much, but you save 10 times as much fuel. The more you go up that curve, the better the economics work.”

Wright concedes there are issues with public perception because people see Nissan Leafs on the road, but don’t think about rubbish trucks as much.

Someone buying an electric car may be more concerned about saving the world than fuel. However, all motorists want to cut fuel costs.

“That’s what will drive high-volume deployment. If it’s economically compelling, it’s going to happen regardless of what people believe.”

Wrightspeed’s Route HD is a range-extended powertrain for electric vehiclesWrightspeed’s rear-axle system

industry profile

12 www.autofile.co.nz

new cars

Show reveals fast and curiousThis year’s Tokyo Motor

Show is set to beat Los Angeles with 42 world

premieres taking centre stage.The event is drawing to a close

with its rival in the City of Angels, which opens on November 20, unlikely to reach half that figure.

One of the biggest attractions in Tokyo came from Yamaha, which revealed its Sports Ride coupe concept.

The motorbike brand is no stranger in the car sector having teamed up with manufacturers in areas such as suspension and powertrain.

For example, it co-developed Lexus’ LFA’s 4.8-litre V10 and partnered with British designer Gordon Murray, who unveiled the Motiv.e electric city concept in Tokyo two years ago.

Yamaha has again employed Murray’s “iStream” process with the

Sports Ride donning a high-rigidity and lightweight carbon-fibre chassis. The two-seater weighs 750kg.

No powertrain details have been provided, but an updated Motiv.e one-litre three-cylinder petrol engine may fit the bill.

“Light-weighting is the final frontier in the industry’s fight to lower emissions,” says Murray.

“There have been strides forward in engine design, electrical control systems, tyre design and transmissions, but the law of diminishing returns is now coming into play.

“A step-change in weight to enable downsizing of the powertrain and components is all we have left in the armoury. This is important for internal combustion-engined cars, and more so for hybrids and electric vehicles.”

The hybrid-powered Honda NSX coupe showcases supercar evolution in much the same way as BMW’s i8.

It has an electric motor between its 75-degree 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 and a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with two extra electric motors across the front axle.

The combustion engine, which features a dry-sump lubrication system, produces 375kW and 500Nm. The rear-mounted electric motor adds another 148Nm with each front motor providing 73Nm for total output of 427kW and 646Nm.

While it isn’t a plug-in in the same vein as the i8, it can be driven on electrical power alone.

The marque has yet to reveal the NSX’s 0-100kph figures, but admits it can at least match the best in its class, which signals it can make the dash in about three seconds flat.

Easily accessible performance is thanks to its centre of gravity. This is in part due to its lithium-ion battery being between the driver and engine, the powertrain control unit in the centre tunnel and torsional rigidity from its space-frame structure, which weighs 1,725kg.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Tokyo Motor Show without some weird and whacky exhibits.

The Exmachina Ultra Lightweight Vehicle electric concept folds up to ensure it can fit into parking spaces. A press of a button on Niigata’s creation sees the wheelbase retract and bodywork push upwards.

A production model is likely to go on sale next year in Japan. About 100 are expected to be sold in the first year.

If Nissan’s Teatro For Dayz is anything to go by, social media is about to take over. The boxy concept boasts a lounge-style interior designed more around updating Facebook than driving.

The door trims, dash and seats have been fitted with digital displays, while conventional buttons and dials have been ditched in favour of voice control and motion sensors.

Lounge seating is an emerging trend in Japan with marques coming up with alternatives to conventional cabins, which may no longer be needed if autonomous vehicles prevail in the future.

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www.autofile.co.nz 13

Massive recalls for switches

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (IMVIA) is investigating what stock

available overseas will comply with the next phase of the electronic stability control (ESC) rule.

All class MC vehicles border checked after March 1, 2016, must have a factory-fitted safety system installed.

David Vinsen, chief executive, says: “The IMVIA is working to identify vehicles that comply and, more importantly, those that don’t. This isn’t easy to research because many different models are available.

“For example, Nissan’s Qashqai comes with two or four-wheel drive [4WD]. The 2WD variants are exempt from the March 1 deadline, but those with 4WD will need to have ESC installed.

“We are also looking into finding out how vehicles with it can be identified without having to look for an ESC light on their dashboards.”

Vinsen told Autofile used importers should ensure their

overseas purchases are border checked in this country or Japan by March 1.

“The key message is the industry needs to be aware of this deadline, which basically applies to small 4WDs, and we will be reminding people about the cut-off date on a regular basis.

“The NZTA has clarified that as long as vehicles are border checked before March 1, people can take as long as they like to import stock and have it certified.

“As soon as vehicles enter the Land Data system before the deadline, the pressure is off them.”

The MC class applies to 4WD passenger vehicles designed with special features for off-road operation and no more than nine seating positions – including the driver’s.

Visit www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicles/vehicle-types/vehicle-classes-and-standards/vehicle-classes for detailed definitions of what categories vehicles in New Zealand fall into.

Researching compliant stock

M azda New Zealand is calling back thousands of vehicles sold new

in this country and imported used from Japan because of their ignition switches.

The issue was uncovered in an internal investigation into models made between April 1988 and December 2005, which were found to have excess grease on touch points inside switches.

When they are operated and after prolonged use, the carbonisation of the lubricant can result in smoke and fires.

The marque is recalling about five million units globally, but it has yet to establish how many vehicles in New Zealand are affected.

However, six models manufactured between 1988 and 2002 – and first registered in this country – are being called back. They include some Mazda 2s, 323s,

626s, 929s, 121s and MPVs.Used imports from Japan

affected were produced from 1989 to 2005. They include the Demio, Familia, Eunos, Lantis, MPV, Bongo Friendee, Cronos/MS6, MX6, Clef, MS8, Capella, Sentia/MS9, AZ-3/Presso and Revue.

Visit www.autofile.co.nz for the full list of model years in both categories.

Owners will be contacted about repairs with Mazda NZ covering all costs, but people who observe smoke or abnormal heat around an ignition switch when starting the engine should go to a franchise or call 0800-800-626. More details will be released online at www.mazda.co.nz when available.

Meanwhile, Toyota is recalling about 6.5 million units worldwide to fix their power-window switches.

The fault results from the

inconsistent application of grease to electrical contact points in components supplied by the Tokai Rika Corporation.

Toyota has received one report of a customer’s hand being burnt in the US and is aware of 11 non-injury incidents.

The vehicles affected were manufactured between January 2005 and August 2006, and August 2008 and June 2010, in Japan – and those produced elsewhere from August 2005 to August 2006, and January 2009 to December 2010.

Toyota NZ is yet to provide information on how many units are affected here, but New Zealand-new models may include the Camry, Corolla, Highlander, RAV4 and Yaris. Used imports could be the Auris, Belta, Ist, Matrix, Ractis and Vitz.

Dealers will inspect cars and apply heat-resistant grease to switches’ circuits if needed or replace those showing signs of malfunction. It is estimated this remedy will take about 45 minutes.

Toyota NZ has also recalled 420 Voltz and Pronard used imports made between December 2001 and May 2004.

They were originally the subject of a call-back in 2013 for possible inadvertent deployment of airbags. The remedy has been changed after the parent company discovered the original fault may still occur.

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14 www.autofile.co.nz

Offer for shares leads to bigger stake in finance firmTurners Ltd aims to work with MTF to bring value to the Dunedin-based company after receiving valid acceptances approved by its board to now hold 7.6 per cent of its ordinary shares.

Paul Byrnes, chief executive officer of Turners Ltd, says talks will continue with MTF shareholders who are no longer originating loans, but are required to hold their shares while loans originated have some balances outstanding.

“We are prepared to consider taking over existing obligations or acquiring receivables from MTF members in ‘run-off’ to enable them to sell their holdings,” he says. “Our main focus now will be to work with MTF to explore opportunities for the business.”

Stephen Higgs, chairman of MTF, says: “All ordinary shareholders, including Turners, may continue to buy and sell ordinary shares in excess of their minimum holding, subject to board approval.

“Should any shareholder or associated person hold in excess of 10 per cent of voting shares in the future, the board will need to form a view on the merits of that position.”

Visit www.autofile.co.nz for Higgs’ views on Heartland NZ’s interest in making a full takeover offer for MTF.

Rally stars to attend fundraiser for racing teamHolder Brothers Racing is hosting an evening with Rod Millen, pictured, and Hayden Paddon.

The event in Mount Maunganui on November 20 will offer “a glimpse into the lives of some of New Zealand’s past, present and hopeful future rally superstars”.

Tickets include a three-course meal, and presentations by Paddon, Millen and David Holder. There will also be a fundraising auction, which will include Paddon’s first Hyundai World Rally Championship racing suit.

All proceeds from the night will go towards Holder Brothers Racing's campaign for 2016. Tickets are $90 each with 10-people table reservations available. There is also limited VIP seating with Paddon and Millen.

For tickets and inquiries, email dave.a.holder@gmail.com or phone 027-370-2136.

Company announces measures to reduce emissionsToyota has unveiled plans to phase out petrol-powered cars by 2050 in order to cut CO₂ emissions from its new vehicles by 90 per cent by then based on their baseline levels in 2010.

The company has identified five other “important environmental challenges”. These include making vehicles with “zero lifetime emissions”, including the energy used in production processes and making materials.

It also aims to minimise water use, enhance recycling and build a future society “in harmony with nature”.

Toyota says new technologies will help it achieve its emissions targets. They include its hybrid cars, such as the Prius, and the recently released Mirai, a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle (FCV).

A possible obstacle for Toyota’s plans is many countries’ continuing dependence on fossil fuels. Without a switch to renewable power, the hydrogen used in FCVs will still create significant carbon emissions. Border clearance levy to help protect environmentA new border clearance levy will come into effect on January 1, 2016, to fund activities “to help keep New Zealand safe from harmful pests, people and dangerous substances”.

The change will allow the Ministry for Primary Industries and NZ Customs Service to manage increasing traveller numbers with adequate resources. Visit www.autofile.co.nz for the full story.

NEws in brief

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Icon more powerful than everHolden has lifted the lid

on its most responsive and advanced

Commodore with 6.2-litre LS3 engines in all V8 models.

The VFII has a unique sound via a bi-modal exhaust and mechanical enhancer in addition to fresh styling cues, including hood vents and front fascia ducts.

The V8 delivers 304kW of power and 570Nm of torque with the latter’s peak coming earlier in the rev range compared to the outgoing model.

Tuned at the marque’s Lang Lang proving ground in Australia and tested in different driving environments, the VFII’s revised FE3 rear sports suspension increases ride comfort while retaining sharp handling.

Kristian Aquilina, managing director of Holden NZ, describes it as the culmination of nearly four decades of design, engineering

and manufacturing expertise. “We made a commitment to

keep this icon exciting and relevant for Kiwi motorists, and that’s what we have done,” he says.

“What’s new is a multi-sensory driving experience. The VFII’s soundtrack delivers an audible pleasure to match its driving feel.”

The Redline sedan’s rear-suspension stabiliser bar has been redesigned and – along with a reduction in the rear-spring rate and

returned dampers – ride, comfort and handling improvements have been achieved.

Holden’s standard brake option provides everyday performance while the optional performance package – developed for heavy-duty police applications – becomes available for retail customers.

The range-topping SS-V Redline boasts Brembo brakes on all four wheels to optimise track-day performance.

All sports models get a new front fascia with a larger grille for better cooling airflow. Extra fascia ducts bolster aerodynamic performance by reducing the size of the front-corner wake.

The Commodore VFII hits the market this month with demand expected to be strong.

Pricing starts at $49,990 for the V6 Evoke automatic sedan and increases to $81,490 for the Caprice V automatic sedan fitted with a V8.

Maserati’s new Ghibli boasts updated engines to meet Euro6

emission standards and cut fuel consumption by up to 12 per cent.

The Ghibli and S petrol variants feature new-generation three-litre V6 twin-turbo powerplants mated with eight-speed automatic transmissions and come with stop-and-go functions for the first time.

The S races to 100kph in five seconds and has a top speed of 285kph, while the Ghibli’s figures are 5.6 seconds and 263kph.

The turbo-diesel variant’s three-litre V6 makes the 0-100kph dash in 6.3 seconds and continues up to 250kph.

Safety features include blind-spot monitoring, cross-path warning and automatic dipping door mirrors.

The power-operated boot can be operated remotely or by waving a foot, while the addition of Siri personal assistant enables services and features to be operated by voice command.

Luxury can be boosted by an optional Harmon Kardon premium sound system. It has 10 speakers and is powered by a 900-watt 12-channel amplifier.

Personalisation levels are being widened with optional stitched trident logos on the headrests, black interior trim and different wheel designs.

The Ghibli costs $148,900, the diesel is priced at $149,990 and the S starts at $169,990.

New engines for range

The model-year 2016 Ghibli

Models in the Commodore VFII range

16 www.autofile.co.nz

Important work in technology fieldWhile some work

is being done on standardisation, ITS are – for the most part – being developed by jurisdictions independently based on their needs.

This means New Zealand will potentially have to find a way to make at least three different types of technology speaking three different languages, and possibly about three different topics, work together.

As difficult as it might seem, I think we are up for the challenge and I see potential for commercial opportunity.

Returning to our work with OEMs, the conference gave me an opportunity to not only see and hold new systems, but to also view flowcharts of where companies intend to go with them and speak to representatives about their plans.

Toyota, for example, intends to continue developing its

I recently attended the annual ITS Congress in France, which is the world’s largest event

covering intelligent transport systems (ITS) and services.

This year, the main theme was “towards intelligent mobility – better use of space”.

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association has a keen interest in ITS, which involve most – if not all – emerging vehicle technologies and transport services.

These systems represent a fairly major shift in how we view transportation. No more can the solution be more roads – future ideas have to be about smarter ways to get more out of what we have, which is the purpose of ITS.

Of course, cars will always be cars, and vehicle-specific ITS are primarily aimed at making them and drivers safer and more efficient.

The industry needs to be aware of the technology being developed for several reasons.

We want New Zealand to be able to reap the benefits of this technology while maintaining the ability to import used vehicles.

A key issue is the potential incompatibility of some technology with the New Zealand system.

Towards this end, we are not only collaborating with our government on strategy and policy, we are also trying to engage original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) directly during product development.

New Zealand is unique in that it receives product from multiple source markets and with specifications for those source markets.

tech report

Japan-specific vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology by integrating it into systems it hopes will eventually allow for autonomous vehicles.

Other OEMs are not as keen to commit to V2V technology being developed by Toyota, and

instead are trying to develop systems to integrate with what’s being advanced in Europe and the US.

Plans aside, it definitely makes things feel more real when holding a device in hand while discussing it.

To close, I want to mention I finally got to ride in an autonomous vehicle. It was a prototype of a small public transit vehicle with seating for about nine people.

It drove itself on public roads around the conference centre, and avoided people and other vehicles.

The idea behind this unit is for it to behave like a train car by platooning with others on roads until its destinations are close.

This is when it breaks from the pack and drops passengers at requested locations while the rest of the platoon continues without slowing.

While it was a testament to the potential of ITS and commercial opportunities they will provide, it also confirmed autonomous vehicles will not arrive on the market as soon as some people might hope.

We often conflate the idea of semi-autonomous vehicles that can self-park at the push of a button – or that can manage speed, distance and perhaps even lane positions on motorways – with fully autonomous and truly self-driving cars.

OEMs and many analysts say driverless vehicles will be here by the end of the decade or early 2020s. In these cases, they are referring to the availability of semi-autonomous systems.

The world will continue to change, and the knowledge and technology we develop with it will advance.

With cars today being built to last 450,000km, and with the increasing prevalence of free-trade agreements and consolidation of manufacturing into a smaller number of jurisdictions, the growth of the global used motor-vehicle industry is inevitable.

New Zealand is establishing itself as a leader on how markets with no automotive manufacturing should be set up and managed, and ITS will be a part of this solution.

There will be opportunities around the world if we can find a way to make ITS work here.

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disputes

Background Biju Joseph bought a 2006 Mercedes-Benz R350 for $16,500 from Chris Broadhurst Motor Company on June 3, 2015.

He purchased it relying on the trader’s written promise to rectify a fault, which caused the engine warning light to come on, and rejected it on August 3 on that basis and wanted a refund under the CGA.

The dealer – after receiving notification of the hearing and unsuccessfully requesting a one-hour delay to its starting time – failed to attend.

It emailed the tribunal on September 18 to say it wouldn’t be attending. It was considered the trader had proper and sufficient notice, so the application was heard in its absence.

The caseJoseph saw the vehicle on Trade Me on or about March 13, 2015. He produced the advert, which stated it had arrived from Japan.

He phoned the trader and was told the car wasn’t in New Zealand yet, but it could sell it to him for $16,000.

The dealer confirmed the offer by email on April 29 by which time it had arrived.

Joseph said it increased the price to $16,500 because of interest from other people.

He paid a $1,650 deposit on May 14 and had a pre-purchase inspection carried out by Incar Automotive the next day. This stated fault codes were present

and the engine check light was on. It added there were oil

residues around the transmission hose, at the front of the engine, bottom of the sump, rear of the engine, and on the power-steering and air-conditioning pumps.

Joseph gave the report to the trader. On June 3, it acknowledged the engine light remained on, and was the result of a defective part that had been ordered and would be replaced at the dealer’s expense in a timely manner. It also agreed to recheck the sump pan and any other oil leaks.

Joseph took delivery of the vehicle on the same day. The trader told him the part causing the light to stay on would take four weeks to import.

On July 1, Joseph contacted the dealer for an update in obtaining the part. He was told it was coming, which it had by July 8. The vehicle was taken to the trader the next day for remedial work.

Joseph wrote to the dealer after speaking to a Mercedes-Benz and independent repairer. Both said the job shouldn’t take more than five to seven days and he wanted the car repaired by the end of the week.

The trader replied on July 23 that the workshop was taking its “own sweet time” and it would be done “as soon as possible”.

The dealer provided Joseph with a loan vehicle, but its warrant of fitness and

registration expired on July 31 at which time it was returned to the trader, which told him the workshop couldn’t be pushed into repairing his car.

The findingThe tribunal took into account the vehicle was a nine-year-old imported Mercedes-Benz R350 that had travelled 94,600km when sold for $16,500.

It found as a fact the car was faulty when supplied because an engine warning light was on and its engine leaked oil, so it didn’t comply with the CGA’s guarantee of acceptable quality.

This was because it wasn’t free of minor faults when sold as a reasonable consumer would regard as acceptable for a vehicle of its age, type and price.

The tribunal noted the trader acknowledged the warning light existed on June 3 and claimed the relevant part had been ordered.

The dealer failed to repair the vehicle between July 9 and August 3 – five weeks and two days. When Joseph rejected it on August 3, the dealer promised it would be fixed by August 14. This didn’t happen and it was rejected again on August 17.

Joseph provided an email from Autohaus Auckland.

This stated two fault codes were related to the balance shaft sprocket, which required the engine to be removed. The cost to replace this part was usually

The case: The buyer rejected

his car under the Consumer

Guarantees Act (CGA) after the

dealer didn’t remedy a problem

with it. The trader failed to attend

the hearing.

The decision: The dealer

took five weeks to import the

required part and failed to have it

fitted for 27 working days after the

car was returned, so the tribunal

ruled it didn’t rectify the fault in a

reasonable time.

At: The Motor Vehicle Disputes

Tribunal, Auckland.

about $7,000, including GST.The tribunal considered it

could often take three to four weeks to import engine parts. However, once received, the part should have been fitted and the engine replaced in about five working days.

The trader took five weeks to import the part and failed to have it fitted for 27 working days after the vehicle was returned.

Accordingly, the tribunal ruled the dealer failed to fix the car within a reasonable time as required by section 18(2)(b) of the CGA.

Joseph elected to reject the vehicle because of the trader’s failure to repair it within a reasonable time and the tribunal found he was entitled to do so.

OrdersThe application was upheld with effect from August 3, 2015, and the trader had to pay the buyer $16,500.

The dealer failed to attend the hearing without good cause and was ordered to pay to reasonable costs of the tribunal’s hearing of $600.

trader told buyer workshop was taking ‘own sweet time’ to complete repairs

FINDING IT HARD GETTING A

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Getting the auto industry’s attention for more than 25 years

Contact Brian McCutcheon | p: 021 455 775 | e: brian@autofile.co.nz

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www.autofile.co.nz 19

disputes

BackgroundMaharukh Investments bought a 2012 BMW X5 with 53,684km on its clock from Mr Motors Group for $66,705 on March 8, 2015.

The purchaser said the salesman represented the vehicle as a grade-one UK import equivalent to a grade-five Japanese import and that it was free of rust.

The buyer later found several faults, which it claimed showed the car wasn’t grade one, and there was corrosion in its brake pipes and on its underbody.

The purchaser claimed it failed to comply with the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) and wanted its rejection upheld.

The trader insisted the vehicle was grade one and denied its salesman misrepresented it. The dealer offered to repair faults, but the buyer didn’t return the car.

The caseDr K Driver, for the buyer, and his wife gave sworn evidence he asked the trader’s salesman, Mr T Joubert, if it had any rust or had been repaired before agreeing to buy the car.

They said Joubert assured them it was rust-free and it hadn’t been fixed.

Driver added he was told the vehicle was a grade-one import, which meant it was the highest grade.

Joubert confirmed this in an email on March 10. This stated: “The grade of the BMW X5 is the highest ranking at grade one [UK grade].”

Driver agreed to buy the vehicle for Maharukh Investments because of these assurances and its rating.

Three days before it was collected, the trader had it appraised by the AA, which rated the vehicle as “sound – in above average condition for age and mileage”.

Ten days after it was supplied, Driver said the right rear-door light and handle fell off. He took it to Team McMillan for an inspection.

Its report recorded the boot, cover and trim as being damaged, the driver’s door trim had come off, there was surface rust, the right-rear outside door handle was loose, “possible paintwork” had been done, and surface corrosion was present underneath and on the brake-hose joint.

Driver said he took the vehicle back to the trader and was asked to send an email detailing the faults, which he did on April 8.

This stated: “I understand this is a used car, which is a low-spec UK import, but it is only two-and-a-half years old. It should be in better condition for its age and the price paid.”

Driver said he heard from someone called Jessie and sent her a copy of his email on April 19. He said the trader offered on April 24 to remove the car’s rust.

He also had VTNZ inspect the BMW. It reported the vehicle was in a satisfactory overall condition for its age and noted corrosion around the brake pipes. Driver

produced photos of the rust.On May 2, he emailed the

dealer saying he was rejecting the car because of its rust, he wanted a full refund and wasn’t interested in any rust-removal job.

Mr H Wang, the trader’s director, said no corrosion was identified during compliance although the tribunal noted from the certification check sheet that the rotors had to be replaced because they were “undersized and rusty”.

Wang added Joubert wouldn’t have said there was no rust, but might have said there was no structural corrosion, and the vehicle was correctly described as grade one because it had no dents or damage.

He agreed it couldn’t be described as grade one after the door handle fell off and rust was found in the brake pipes, and the trader offered to repair the faults.

The findingThe tribunal was satisfied the salesman probably innocently misled Driver into thinking the car was rust-free and it was given no definition of what grade one was.

It ruled Driver was probably misled by Joubert describing the vehicle as grade one, who probably thought that it was in excellent condition.

However, he knew the car’s age and mileage so his expectations of its quality should have been tempered by those facts.

Two reports and photos

The case: The purchaser

claimed a salesman had misrepresented his BMW as grade

one and rust-free when it was

supplied. He wanted to reject it

after he discovered some corrosion

and minor faults. The dealer had

offered to repair the defects.

The decision: The tribunal’s

order was for the buyer to return

the vehicle to the trader for

remedial work to be completed at

its own expense.

At: The Motor Vehicle Disputes

Tribunal, Auckland.

confirmed the BMW had three faults with the most serious being rust on the brake pipes.

The tribunal was satisfied Driver was misled, and the trader’s conduct in representing it as being rust-free and grade one was the cause of Maharukh Investments’ loss or damage.

It ruled the car failed to comply with the CGA’s guarantee of acceptable quality when it was supplied because it wasn’t free from minor faults.

However, Driver didn’t require the trader to fix the problems despite requests to return the vehicle. The tribunal considered he should have done so.

OrdersThe buyer’s rejection was declined and the car had to be returned to the dealer for remedial work at its own cost.

It had to replace rust-affected brake pipes and retaining clips, clean and treat underbody surface corrosion – including any on the engine’s front, in particular on the auxiliary-belt pulley, and reapply a plastic strip by the driver’s door.

tribunal supports purchaser’s claim he was misled by dealer about car

FINDING IT HARD GETTING A

MESSAGE TO YOUR TARGET MARKET?

Getting the auto industry’s attention for more than 25 years

Contact Brian McCutcheon | p: 021 455 775 | e: brian@autofile.co.nz

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Brought to you by

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New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Well ington Nelson Blenhe im Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Well ington Nelson

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Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North

Masterton Well ington Nelson Blenhe im Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames

Ar

ou

n d t h e c oun

tr

y

Total Used Imported Cars

xx2014: xxx  xx%

Total New Cars

xxxx2014: 8,517  xx%

O c to b e r 2 015

Total imported used cars

11,1492014: 11,105  0.4%

Total new cars

9,6342014: 8,910  8.1%

Whangarei

NEW: 130 2014: 143  9.1%

USED: 235 2014: 253  7.1%

Auckland

NEW: 5,032 2014: 4,299 17.1%

USED: 5,496 2014: 5,460 0.7%

Wanganui

NEW: 70 2014: 42 66.7%

USED: 73 2014: 73 0%

Hamilton

NEW: 479 2014: 389 23.1%

USED: 676 2014: 782  13.6%

Palmerston North

NEW: 185 2014: 212 12.%

USED: 281 2014: 271 3.7%

Westport

NEW: 3 2014: 1 200.0%

USED: 7 2014: 8 12.5%

New Plymouth

NEW: 127 2014: 133  4.5%

USED: 182 2014: 159 14.5%

Nelson

NEW: 86 2014: 73 17.8%

USED: 187 2014: 187 0%

Greymouth

NEW: 18 2014: 6 200.0%

USED: 27 2014: 25 8.0%

Thames

NEW: 46 2014: 44 4.5%

USED: 79 2014: 58 36.2%

Tauranga

NEW: 271 2014: 296  8.4%

USED: 456 2014: 466  2.1%

Gisborne

NEW: 40 2014: 45 11.1%

USED: 31 2014: 50 38.0%

Blenheim

NEW: 54 2014: 48 12.5%

USED: 54 2014: 63 14.3%

Masterton

NEW: 44 2014: 52 15.4%

USED: 64 2014: 53 20.8%

Timaru

NEW: 50 2014: 55 9.1%

USED: 97 2014: 92 5.4%

Dunedin

NEW: 220 2014: 192 14.6%

USED: 300 2014: 300 0%

Rotorua

NEW: 108 2014: 80 35.0%

USED: 116 2014: 114 1.8%

Napier

NEW: 146 2014: 178 18.0%

USED: 233 2014: 202 15.3%

Christchurch

NEW: 1,860 2014: 1,888 1.5%

USED: 1,439 2014: 1,528 5.8%

Wellington

NEW: 557 2014: 623 10.6%

USED: 941 2014: 811 16.0%

Oamaru

NEW: 19 2014: 11 72.7%

USED: 19 2014: 25 24.0%

Invercargill

NEW: 89 2014: 100 11.0%

USED: 156 2014: 125 24.8%

www.autofile.co.nz 21

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22 www.autofile.co.nz

Imported Passenger Vehicle Sales by Make - October 2015

MakE OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Toyota 2,565 2,638 -2.8 23.0% 26,988 22.6%

Nissan 1,940 2,110 -8.1 17.4% 20,444 17.1%

Mazda 1,867 1,726 8.2 16.7% 19,378 16.2%

Honda 1,261 1,085 16.2 11.3% 12,635 10.6%

Subaru 647 517 25.1 5.8% 6,643 5.6%

Suzuki 632 691 -8.5 5.7% 7,210 6.0%

BMW 459 457 0.4 4.1% 5,445 4.6%

Mitsubishi 394 408 -3.4 3.5% 4,465 3.7%

Volkswagen 391 427 -8.4 3.5% 4,545 3.8%

Audi 200 207 -3.4 1.8% 2,412 2.0%

Mercedes-Benz 189 228 -17.1 1.7% 2,310 1.9%

Ford 112 131 -14.5 1.0% 1,404 1.2%

Volvo 79 72 9.7 0.7% 765 0.6%

Lexus 55 28 96.4 0.5% 510 0.4%

Hyundai 40 61 -34.4 0.4% 391 0.3%

Mini 40 38 5.3 0.4% 488 0.4%

Holden 36 25 44.0 0.3% 367 0.3%

Chevrolet 34 43 -20.9 0.3% 538 0.5%

Jaguar 30 26 15.4 0.3% 385 0.3%

Land Rover 25 29 -13.8 0.2% 366 0.3%

Daihatsu 23 16 43.8 0.2% 172 0.1%

Peugeot 21 21 0.0 0.2% 193 0.2%

Dodge 16 15 6.7 0.1% 195 0.2%

Jeep 15 5 200.0 0.1% 103 0.1%

Kia 9 4 125.0 0.1% 64 0.1%

Porsche 8 14 -42.9 0.1% 136 0.1%

Chrysler 5 6 -16.7 0.0% 84 0.1%

Fiat 5 5 0.0 0.0% 48 0.0%

Maserati 5 0 500.0 0.0% 23 0.0%

Mercury 4 0 400.0 0.0% 19 0.0%

Pontiac 4 4 0.0 0.0% 40 0.0%

Renault 4 4 0.0 0.0% 87 0.1%

Alfa Romeo 3 4 -25.0 0.0% 44 0.0%

Citroen 3 4 -25.0 0.0% 32 0.0%

Bentley 2 2 0.0 0.0% 26 0.0%

Others 26 54 -51.9 0.2% 357 0.3%

total 11,149 11,105 0.4 100.0% 119,312 100.0%

Imported Passenger Vehicle Sales by Model - October 2015

MakE MODEl OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Nissan Tiida 520 528 -1.5 4.7% 5,167 4.3%

Mazda Axela 506 504 0.4 4.5% 5,557 4.7%

Suzuki Swift 501 568 -11.8 4.5% 6,065 5.1%

Honda Fit 458 291 57.4 4.1% 4,587 3.8%

Mazda Demio 451 377 19.6 4.0% 4,825 4.0%

Subaru Legacy 327 292 12.0 2.9% 3,555 3.0%

Toyota Wish 324 236 37.3 2.9% 2,905 2.4%

Mazda Atenza 290 278 4.3 2.6% 2,873 2.4%

Mazda MPV 252 193 30.6 2.3% 2,243 1.9%

Volkswagen Golf 249 254 -2.0 2.2% 2,838 2.4%

Toyota Corolla 209 240 -12.9 1.9% 2,086 1.7%

Toyota Estima 188 184 2.2 1.7% 1,773 1.5%

Mitsubishi Outlander 184 201 -8.5 1.7% 2,261 1.9%

Toyota Vitz 169 272 -37.9 1.5% 2,243 1.9%

Honda Odyssey 149 198 -24.7 1.3% 1,716 1.4%

Toyota Ist 146 129 13.2 1.3% 1,291 1.1%

Nissan Note 145 153 -5.2 1.3% 1,512 1.3%

Nissan Murano 144 124 16.1 1.3% 1,323 1.1%

Mazda Premacy 139 168 -17.3 1.2% 1,552 1.3%

Nissan Bluebird 135 148 -8.8 1.2% 1,505 1.3%

Honda Accord 125 110 13.6 1.1% 1,322 1.1%

Honda Stream 121 102 18.6 1.1% 1,165 1.0%

Subaru Outback 120 81 48.1 1.1% 1,150 1.0%

Nissan Dualis 116 178 -34.8 1.0% 1,468 1.2%

Toyota Mark X 116 93 24.7 1.0% 1,254 1.1%

Toyota Prius 114 73 56.2 1.0% 1,053 0.9%

Nissan Teana 108 106 1.9 1.0% 1,112 0.9%

Subaru Impreza 107 74 44.6 1.0% 1,207 1.0%

Nissan Wingroad 96 88 9.1 0.9% 1,006 0.8%

Nissan March 95 127 -25.2 0.9% 1,090 0.9%

Toyota Blade 94 118 -20.3 0.8% 1,071 0.9%

Toyota Alphard 92 63 46.0 0.8% 735 0.6%

Honda CR-V 91 99 -8.1 0.8% 968 0.8%

Mazda Verisa 91 76 19.7 0.8% 877 0.7%

BMW 320i 89 109 -18.3 0.8% 1,147 1.0%

Others 4,088 4,270 -4.3 36.7% 44,810 37.6%

total 11,149 11,105 0.4 100.0% 119,312 100.0%

Value. Fixed fee with no hidden costswww.heiwa-auto.co.nz contact: Kei Mikuriya • mikuriya@heiwa-auto.co.jp

www.heiwa-auto.co.nz

www.autofile.co.nz 23

A well-known car trader in the Waikato is making the most of booming

business by opening purpose-built premises.

4 Guys in Hamilton is relocating from its current location in central Hamilton to the north of the city at the end of this month.

The venture will see its operation in Te Rapa Road close with its two businesses – AutoZone and Auto Barn – moving to the same mega yard on the corner of Arthur Porter and Wairere Drives.

The 10,000 square-metre site will include a new service department, retail store and boat storage.

Monte Wells, chief executive, says the dealership has outgrown its city-centre premises. He believes size is critical and will enable 4 Guys to accommodate a broader range of vehicles.

“We have got some new things, such as the MasterCraft franchise for boats,” says Wells. “There are a lot of things we are building around the yard itself. It’s just a matter of having physical space.”

4 Guys’ current site holds around 180 cars, but the new location will have capacity for about 500 units.

The addition of a repairs department has resulted in the business taking on more employees and Wells hopes growth will be exponential, which will mean more jobs.

“We would like to make it a destination if someone comes to

buy a car, get it serviced and take care of their needs, and we have courtesy vans so we can drop them off and they can go shopping,” he adds. “There’s room for expansion when we assess growth.”

Online shopping has bought growth to the business, says Wells, and 4 Guys is no longer limited to the region. The internet has allowed the business to sell a lot of cars across the country with many going to buyers in the South Island.

He says the move also aims to recapture old customers. “We’ve

been here a long time, have a big client base and don’t want to be known for one specific thing.

“We want to go back to grassroots and provide cars across the board – whether domestic, Ford Falcons, Japanese imports, American or from the UK. We want to be able to provide the whole spectrum.”

National sales of used imported cars came in at 11,149

Value. Fixed fee with no hidden costswww.heiwa-auto.co.nz contact: Kei Mikuriya • mikuriya@heiwa-auto.co.jp

www.heiwa-auto.co.nz

during October – up by 0.4 per cent from 11,105 on the same month of last year.

So far this year, 119,312 second-hand imports have been registered in New Zealand for the first time.

Last month’s top-selling model was Nissan’s Tiida on 520 units. Second spot went to Mazda’s Axela on 506 and Suzuki’s Swift came third with 501 registrations.

Don Oakes, owner of Don Oakes Motors in Stratford, has a “real mix of cars, a few Europeans and small economy cars”, as well

as some used commercials. “We also sell quite a few new

cars from different franchises,” he told Autofile.

If Oakes needs a new Ford for his yard, he can source one “pretty easily” from a local franchise and can then “take the trade-in from there”.

“We don’t advertise much,” he adds. “The yard sits on a main road with about 14,000 cars

going past each day, so that’s the main source of advertising.”

Matthew Carman is chief executive officer of Capital City Motors, which is Wellington’s largest Ford and Mazda franchise.

He notes interest from buyers in used late-model cars with his business selling vehicles that are four to five years old.

“The majority of what we sell mirrors the new car demand in terms of what buyers are looking for,” says Carman.

“There is still good demand for small to medium-sized cars, so we do pretty well with the Ford Kuga and Mazda CX-5. These tend to go pretty quickly.

“Our market is small cars and small to medium SUVs, especially here in Wellington.”

Gregg Nelson, of Motor-eka Ltd in Motueka, stocks about 50 used units and is looking forward to the summer season with the increase in foot traffic.

“We have been open since December and things are going well for us,” he says.

“It’s quite rare to come across negative business people in the area. Retail seems to be doing well. There’s bumper-to-bumper traffic pretty much all day here – even at the moment.”

Ryan Durry, managing director of Quay Cars in Nelson, says: “Inquiry-wise, things have been fairly good and it feels better than last year.

“Our statistics show we are up by five cars from where we were last year. The hardest part is having a whole yard filled with consistent quality.”

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

11000

12000

13000

14000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2013

2014

2015

Used Imported Passenger registrations - 2013-2015

Dealership moving to mega site

24 www.autofile.co.nz

new car sales

New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Make - October 2015

MakE OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Toyota 2,741 2,395 14.4 28.5% 14,643 18.3%

Holden 992 966 2.7 10.3% 8,491 10.6%

Mazda 907 621 46.1 9.4% 7,382 9.2%

Hyundai 687 673 2.1 7.1% 6,704 8.4%

Ford 594 667 -10.9 6.2% 5,047 6.3%

Suzuki 400 373 7.2 4.2% 3,609 4.5%

Nissan 395 336 17.6 4.1% 3,911 4.9%

Mitsubishi 366 427 -14.3 3.8% 4,834 6.1%

Honda 284 317 -10.4 2.9% 3,175 4.0%

Kia 265 244 8.6 2.8% 2,675 3.3%

Volkswagen 253 307 -17.6 2.6% 3,271 4.1%

SsangYong 226 90 151.1 2.3% 1,280 1.6%

Subaru 191 154 24.0 2.0% 1,959 2.5%

BMW 185 199 -7.0 1.9% 1,637 2.0%

Mercedes-Benz 178 134 32.8 1.8% 1,728 2.2%

Jeep 161 132 22.0 1.7% 1,249 1.6%

Audi 121 173 -30.1 1.3% 1,576 2.0%

Fiat 97 55 76.4 1.0% 626 0.8%

Skoda 92 85 8.2 1.0% 884 1.1%

Land Rover 80 56 42.9 0.8% 788 1.0%

Peugeot 79 79 0.0 0.8% 646 0.8%

Mini 58 61 -4.9 0.6% 528 0.7%

Lexus 50 55 -9.1 0.5% 523 0.7%

Volvo 41 32 28.1 0.4% 388 0.5%

Dodge 40 58 -31.0 0.4% 554 0.7%

Porsche 29 33 -12.1 0.3% 416 0.5%

Citroen 20 24 -16.7 0.2% 200 0.3%

Isuzu 18 4 350.0 0.2% 161 0.2%

Chery 14 27 -48.1 0.1% 172 0.2%

Renault 14 41 -65.9 0.1% 161 0.2%

Alfa Romeo 10 17 -41.2 0.1% 83 0.1%

Jaguar 9 10 -10.0 0.1% 146 0.2%

Chrysler 7 15 -53.3 0.1% 38 0.0%

Maserati 7 8 -12.5 0.1% 57 0.1%

Yamaha 7 0 700.0 0.1% 91 0.1%

Others 16 42 -61.9 0.2% 239 0.3%

total 9,634 8,910 8.1 100.0% 79,872 100.0%

New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Model - October 2015

MakE MODEl OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Toyota Corolla 1,334 1,257 6.1 13.8% 5,393 6.8%

Toyota Highlander 428 243 76.1 4.4% 1,999 2.5%

Toyota Yaris 378 438 -13.7 3.9% 2,107 2.6%

Toyota RAV4 362 263 37.6 3.8% 2,894 3.6%

Mazda Mazda3 278 233 19.3 2.9% 2,144 2.7%

Holden Captiva 270 111 143.2 2.8% 2,008 2.5%

Holden Commodore 268 294 -8.8 2.8% 2,396 3.0%

Hyundai ix35 258 181 42.5 2.7% 2,106 2.6%

Mazda CX-5 230 211 9.0 2.4% 2,153 2.7%

Suzuki Swift 209 266 -21.4 2.2% 1,931 2.4%

Mazda Mazda6 165 43 283.7 1.7% 802 1.0%

Ford Mondeo 153 87 75.9 1.6% 779 1.0%

Hyundai Santa Fe 150 173 -13.3 1.6% 1,772 2.2%

SsangYong Korando 145 65 123.1 1.5% 605 0.8%

Holden Barina 143 105 36.2 1.5% 829 1.0%

Honda Jazz 135 218 -38.1 1.4% 1,687 2.1%

Nissan X-Trail 131 87 50.6 1.4% 1,285 1.6%

Nissan Qashqai 124 106 17.0 1.3% 1,309 1.6%

Hyundai Tucson 123 0 12300.0 1.3% 205 0.3%

Mitsubishi Outlander 121 159 -23.9 1.3% 1,576 2.0%

Holden Cruze 113 243 -53.5 1.2% 1,320 1.7%

Mitsubishi Lancer 108 112 -3.6 1.1% 880 1.1%

Mazda CX-3 107 0 10700.0 1.1% 789 1.0%

Ford Focus 106 230 -53.9 1.1% 829 1.0%

Subaru Outback 101 38 165.8 1.0% 1,004 1.3%

Mazda Mazda2 98 112 -12.5 1.0% 1,295 1.6%

Volkswagen Golf 95 149 -36.2 1.0% 1,197 1.5%

Honda HR-V 91 0 9100.0 0.9% 338 0.4%

Ford Kuga 90 87 3.4 0.9% 1,058 1.3%

Nissan Pulsar 89 36 147.2 0.9% 493 0.6%

Jeep Grand Cherokee 83 71 16.9 0.9% 575 0.7%

Kia Sportage 80 61 31.1 0.8% 941 1.2%

Kia Cerato 73 72 1.4 0.8% 427 0.5%

Hyundai i30 70 87 -19.5 0.7% 898 1.1%

Jeep Cherokee 69 20 245.0 0.7% 370 0.5%

Others 2,856 3,052 -6.4 29.6% 31,478 39.4%

total 9,634 8,910 8.1 100.0% 79,872 100.0%

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Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne

Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Westport Christchurch Timaru Oamaru Dunedin

Invercargill Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth

Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua

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Biggest increases/Decreases By town year-on-year

(OctOber 2013 vs OctOber 2012)

Biggest increases new Used

westport  100.0% Blenheim  95.5% thames  51.2% nelson  64.9% napier  34.1% rotorua  52.0%

Biggest decreases new Used

wanganui  27.7% westport  41.7% gisborne  26.8% Masterton  20.0% timaru  23.7% timaru  12.4%

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october 2013

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Annual high for stockpileThe amount of stock held

by used car dealers during

October was the highest

monthly total of the year.

There were 10,374 units

imported last month with a

variance of 1,829 on 8,545 sales.

The number of cars in stock

amounted to 9,323 compared to

7,494 in September.

There have been two other

major increases during 2013 – with

variances between imports and sales

of 3,121 in April and 2,507 in May.

Graeme Macdonald, chairman

of the North Island branch of the

Imported Motor Vehicle Industry

Association, says the current

stockpile should correct itself – as it

normally does.“If the monthly stockpile was

10,000 on a regular basis it means

there are solid holding numbers,”

he told Autofile. “North of that

and we would be looking at an

oversupply issue.

“There was good buying in Japan

in March, and we saw high arrival

numbers in April, May and June.

“The stockpile occurs more at

certain times of the year. Since

I came back into the industry in

1996, it has ebbed and flowed.”

Used car stock levels are

traditionally based on what’s

happening in Japan and what

consumers are buying here.

Conditions there have improved

recently and the exchange rate

has gone up.“October and November are

normally difficult for the industry,

so the stockpile tends to go

up,” says Macdonald. “But trade

swings up over Christmas and the

holidays, so it goes down.

“December and January are

good months for sales because

people take time off work, the kids

are off school and people may have

Christmas bonuses or holiday pay.

“It’s a time when Kiwis tend to

make financial decisions, so dealers

need to have plenty of stock to

match demand.“When the market’s down in

Japan, stock is hard to get. When

it’s buoyant, you tend to buy what

you can because you don’t know

what will be available next time.

“Dealers also need to bear in

mind it takes four to six weeks to

get stock from Japan.”

Larger operations, of say 300

units, are more static with their

holding not changing too much.

A drop of 50 units may not be

too drastic. But stock can vary

enormously by proportion on yards

with 30 to 40 cars.

“They can suddenly be selling

without having bought for a few

weeks and being 10-15 units down

makes them more susceptible,”

says Macdonald.

“Dealers then jump online to

buy more from Japan, but that’s

always been the way.

“You can oversupply when

buying conditions are good, but

the marketplace normally corrects

itself by pulling back from Japan or

selling down. The numbers might

drop for a month or two before

trundling up again.

“There’s no magic supply-chain

miracle. When it’s slow, it tends to be

slow for everybody. If you can get

good supply with a good exchange

rate, everyone benefits.”

did come down after the global

financial crisis [GFC].

“Stocking levels then increased

again and they respond to the

number of new vehicles sold and

the rate at which they are sold.

“They basically go up when

sales go up, but I’m not so sure

about the days stock is held for

being longer and can’t explain that.

“Average sales per day came

down during the GFC and before

that they were much higher.”

If 80,000 vehicles are sold one

year and 100,000 are sold the

following year, the average sales

per day should be higher – and

the MIA is expecting more new

vehicles to be sold this year than

during 2012.There were 54,404 sales in 2009,

62,029 in 2010, 64,019 in 2011

and 76,871 in 2012, and the MIA is

predicting about 82,000 passenger

vehicle and SUV sales this year.

“We’re looking at about 30,600

light commercials and we’re on

track for 112,000 or 113,000 new

vehicle sales overall.”

Business confidence being

high and strong regional

economies in Auckland and

Christchurch are boosting sales.

“Trades people are upgrading

their vehicles,” says Crawford.

“Although passenger cars aren’t so

hot, SUVs are.“People in the housing market

are refinancing their mortgages

to buy big-ticket items especially

when they are confident about

keeping their jobs.”

All that said, some of the

regional centres, such as Hawke’s

Bay and Palmerston North, aren’t

showing as much growth as

other centres.“But 80 per cent of New Zealand’s

population is in Auckland and

Christchurch. “If you add in Dunedin and

Wellington, these centres cover a

large proportion of the population

and all have strong economies.”

Year to date, 77,438 new cars

have been imported and 68,612

have been registered to give a

variance of 8,826 so far this year.

Days with stock at hand has

been steadily increasing from 78 in

January to 131 in October.

Last year 90,754 units were

imported and there were 76,871

sales for a variance of 13,883.

Stock levels of new cars have

increased every month

except one this year, with

October’s total of 29,509 being the

highest of 2013.There were 7,962 sales last

month, also this year’s biggest

amount, while the variance was

1,400 with 9,362 units imported –

the second highest amount after

11,065 imports in August.

The total stock figure at the

end of December was 20,683 and

that dropped to this year’s low of

18,653 in January.

David Crawford, chief executive

officer of the Motor Industry

Association (MIA), says current

models aren’t sitting around in

stock for too long.

“The industry tends to manage

stock levels quite well and does this

day in, day out,” he told Autofile.

“My data suggests this is a

cyclical thing and levels were no

higher in previous years, but they

Industry manages levels well

Dealer stock of new cars in New Zealand - Oct 2013

2012 Imported NeW CArS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

MIA stock estimate as at end of December 2011 12,984

Jan ‘12 5,026 7,499 (2,473) 10,511 242 43

Feb ‘12 7,368 5,633 1,735 12,246 223 55

Mar ‘12 7,228 6,499 729 12,975 218 59

Apr ‘12 6,285 5,430 855 13,830 209 66

May ‘12 7,742 5,942 1,800 15,630 205 76

Jun ‘12 8,870 7,142 1,728 17,358 211 82

Jul ‘12 7,894 6,208 1,686 19,044 209 91

Aug ‘12 8,589 5,959 2,630 21,674 207 105

Sep ‘12 6,828 6,637 191 21,865 209 105

Oct ‘12 8,155 7,336 819 22,684 211 107

Nov ‘12 8,953 6,484 2,469 25,153 212 119

Dec ‘12 7,816 6,102 1,714 26,867 211 128

ytd total 90,754 76,871 13,883

2013 Imported NeW CArS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2012 26,867

Jan ‘13 5,355 7,385 (2,030) 24,837 238 104

Feb ‘13 7,027 5,799 1,228 26,065 223 117

Mar ‘13 6,329 6,800 (471) 25,594 222 115

Apr ‘13 7,391 5,908 1,483 27,077 216 125

May ‘13 7,429 6,347 1,082 28,159 214 132

Jun ‘13 8,051 7,542 509 28,668 220 130

Jul ‘13 8,423 6,769 1,654 30,322 220 138

Aug ‘13 11,065 6,828 4,237 34,559 220 157

Sep ‘13 7,006 7,272 (266) 34,293 222 154

Oct ‘13 9,362 7,962 1,400 35,693 226 158

Nov ‘13 - - - - - -

Dec ‘13 - - - - - -

ytd total 77,438 68,612 8,826

2013 predicted sales 82,380

Dealer stock of used car imports in New Zealand - Oct 2013

2012 Imported USed ImportS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2011 8,579

Jan ‘12 3,191 6,375 (3,184) 5,395 206 26

Feb ‘12 4,920 6,000 (1,080) 4,315 210 21

Mar ‘12 6,504 6,429 75 4,390 209 21

Apr ‘12 6,613 5,877 736 5,126 206 25

May ‘12 7,693 6,793 900 6,026 208 29

Jun ‘12 6,947 6,184 763 6,789 208 33

Jul ‘12 5,335 6,641 (1,306) 5,483 209 26

Aug ‘12 5,540 6,621 (1,081) 4,402 210 21

Sep ‘12 5,506 6,222 (716) 3,686 209 18

Oct ‘12 5,688 6,867 (1,179) 2,507 211 12

Nov ‘12 8,486 7,183 1,303 3,810 213 18

Dec ‘12 6,414 7,119 (705) 3,105 215 14

ytd total 72,837 78,311 (5,474)

2013 Imported USed ImportS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2012 3105

Jan ‘13 4,468 7,397 (2,929) 176 239 0.7

Feb ‘13 8,247 6,922 1,325 1,501 243 6

Mar ‘13 8,852 7,581 1,271 2,772 243 11

Apr ‘13 10,539 7,418 3,121 5,893 244 24

May ‘13 10,967 8,460 2,507 8,400 250 34

Jun ‘13 8,089 7,862 227 8,627 252 34

Jul ‘13 8,623 9,629 (1,006) 7,621 261 29

Aug ‘13 8,635 8,648 (13) 7,608 263 29

Sep ‘13 7,501 7,615 (114) 7,494 262 29

Oct ‘13 10,374 8,545 1,829 9,323 263 35

Nov ‘13 - - - - - -

Dec ‘13 - - - - - -

ytd total 86,295 80,077 6,218

2013 predicted sales 96,145

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Days stock in nZ - UseD import cars

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New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Make - November 2013Make Nov '13 Nov '12 +/- % Nov '13

Mkt Share 2013 total 2013 Mkt ShareToyota 1746 1190 46.7 23.4% 14670 19.3%Holden 685 673 1.8 9.2% 8102 10.7%Ford 618 596 3.7 8.3% 6519 8.6%Hyundai 572 624 -8.3 7.7% 6695 8.8%Mazda 512 485 5.6 6.9% 5447 7.2%Nissan 382 281 35.9 5.1% 3342 4.4%Suzuki 376 405 -7.2 5.0% 4436 5.8%Mitsubishi 351 272 29.0 4.7% 3661 4.8%Honda 310 312 -0.6 4.2% 2994 3.9%Volkswagen 288 261 10.3 3.9% 3527 4.6%Kia 202 240 -15.8 2.7% 2563 3.4%BMw 172 178 -3.4 2.3% 1861 2.4%Subaru 165 153 7.8 2.2% 1645 2.2%Audi 163 150 8.7 2.2% 1748 2.3%Mercedes-Benz 128 82 56.1 1.7% 1398 1.8%Peugeot 108 60 80.0 1.4% 1001 1.3%Jeep 92 65 41.5 1.2% 775 1.0%Ssangyong 86 49 75.5 1.2% 724 1.0%Dodge 64 46 39.1 0.9% 478 0.6%Skoda 63 56 12.5 0.8% 654 0.9%Lexus 54 44 22.7 0.7% 508 0.7%Land Rover 51 22 131.8 0.7% 443 0.6%Mini 44 43 2.3 0.6% 474 0.6%Chery 34 21 61.9 0.5% 351 0.5%Alfa Romeo 24 31 -22.6 0.3% 182 0.2%Great wall 23 38 -39.5 0.3% 211 0.3%Fiat 21 2 950.0 0.3% 142 0.2%Renault 21 8 162.5 0.3% 98 0.1%Volvo 18 19 -5.3 0.2% 229 0.3%Porsche 13 11 18.2 0.2% 182 0.2%Citroen 12 16 -25.0 0.2% 286 0.4%Jaguar 12 5 140.0 0.2% 128 0.2%Chrysler 10 13 -23.1 0.1% 120 0.2%Can-Am 9 6 50.0 0.1% 75 0.1%Daihatsu 6 19 -68.4 0.1% 258 0.3%Aston Martin 4 1 300.0 0.1% 25 0.0%Maserati 4 2 100.0 0.1% 14 0.0%Mahindra 3 - - 0.0% 6 0.0%MG 2 0 200.0 0.0% 12 0.0%Chrysler Jeep 1 - - 0.0% 1 0.0%Mclaren 1 0 100.0 0.0% 6 0.0%Others 3 5 -40.0 0.0% 71 0.1%total 7453 6484 14.9 100.0% 76062 100.0%

New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Model - November 2013Make Model Nov '13 Nov '12 +/- % Nov Mkt

Share2013

total2013 Mkt

ShareToyota Corolla 626 462 35.5 8.4% 5283 6.9%Toyota RAV4 289 80 261.3 3.9% 2521 3.3%Holden Commodore 260 171 52.0 3.5% 2399 3.2%Mazda Cx-5 239 141 69.5 3.2% 1989 2.6%Toyota yaris 227 267 -15.0 3.0% 2235 2.9%Suzuki Swift 218 254 -14.2 2.9% 2750 3.6%Ford Mondeo 184 98 87.8 2.5% 1201 1.6%Hyundai ix35 168 81 107.4 2.3% 1338 1.8%Mitsubishi Lancer 168 84 100.0 2.3% 894 1.2%Toyota Camry 168 131 28.2 2.3% 1270 1.7%Holden Captiva 135 319 -57.7 1.8% 2039 2.7%Volkswagen Golf 134 103 30.1 1.8% 1469 1.9%Toyota Highlander 118 79 49.4 1.6% 1092 1.4%Ford Focus 114 212 -46.2 1.5% 1429 1.9%Honda Jazz 113 76 48.7 1.5% 922 1.2%Ford Kuga 112 18 522.2 1.5% 952 1.3%Mazda Mazda3 109 151 -27.8 1.5% 1537 2.0%Toyota Aurion 107 23 365.2 1.4% 447 0.6%Holden Cruze 106 80 32.5 1.4% 1925 2.5%Hyundai Santa Fe 103 261 -60.5 1.4% 1847 2.4%Honda Civic 100 115 -13.0 1.3% 852 1.1%Mitsubishi Outlander 97 118 -17.8 1.3% 1258 1.7%Hyundai i30 95 103 -7.8 1.3% 1255 1.6%Nissan Qashqai 93 106 -12.3 1.2% 884 1.2%Toyota Landcruiser Prado 87 38 128.9 1.2% 557 0.7%Nissan x-Trail 86 52 65.4 1.2% 779 1.0%Ford Territory 83 137 -39.4 1.1% 1188 1.6%Volkswagen Tiguan 78 53 47.2 1.0% 689 0.9%Hyundai Accent 77 29 165.5 1.0% 572 0.8%Honda CRV 71 82 -13.4 1.0% 793 1.0%Mazda Mazda6 70 82 -14.6 0.9% 960 1.3%Mazda Mazda2 66 77 -14.3 0.9% 712 0.9%Ford Falcon 65 45 44.4 0.9% 835 1.1%Nissan Pathfinder 65 7 828.6 0.9% 191 0.3%Dodge Journey 64 46 39.1 0.9% 476 0.6%Jeep Grand Cherokee 64 39 64.1 0.9% 502 0.7%Ssangyong Korando 63 36 75.0 0.8% 480 0.6%Ford Fiesta 60 85 -29.4 0.8% 892 1.2%Bmw 116i 59 13 353.8 0.8% 378 0.5%Holden Malibu 58 - - 0.8% 334 0.4%Others2254 2130 5.8 30.2% 25936 34.1%total7453 6484 14.9 100.0% 76062 100.0%

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850 wds

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2012  

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New Passenger registrations - 2012-2013

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www.autofile.co.nz 25

models is generated off national television advertising. Customers see price points on TV and, by the time they get to us, they are pretty well-qualified.

“We have no particular model that sells above another and it’s all reasonably consistent over our ranges.

“Having said that, we found Nissan sales were quite tough during September and aren’t exactly sure why that was.”

Suzuki boasts a range of economy and family cars, and SUVs, which sells well, says

Emma Gilmour, dealer principal of Emma Gilmour Motors in Dunedin.

“The Grand Vitara has a popular following as does the all-new Vitara and S-Cross,” she told Autofile. “So, aside from the Swift, we have a pretty even range across new vehicles.

“With the choices consumers make about which car to buy, it’s both the model and cost.

“People are pretty well-researched now when they come onto your dealership and, with the internet, they have so much information.

“They will quite often hear about or read about a car, but want to come to the yard to see it in the flesh.”

Shane Drummond, managing director of The Car Company in Nelson, which holds a SsangYong franchise as well as selling used vehicles, says: “New cars are quite cost-effective at the moment.

“Our best-seller is the Korando. It drives like a small car too, so there’s appeal from a new sector of the market.

“The small SUV has turned people away from buying Corollas, Focuses and those types of cars towards the small SUV market.”

Drummond believes buying trends tend to hit the Nelson region a little later than other centres, but this can be an advantage to dealerships.

“When something new comes into the country, we have a little play with it to see if it’s successful before we jump,” he says. “That was the case with SsangYong’s Tivoli, which has been a bit of a hit.”

Year to date, 112,217 new vehicles have been registered in New Zealand compared to 106,446 by this time in 2014.

This is an increase of 5,825 units, or by 5.5 per cent, reports David Crawford, chief executive officer of the MIA.

He says: “If this pace continues, the industry will smash last year’s record sales of 127,352 by about 7,000 units.”

Registrations of new passenger vehicles last month have resulted in

the sector achieving its strongest-ever total for an October, according to the Motor Industry Association (MIA).

There were 9,634 cars sold in New Zealand last month – up by 724 units – or by eight per cent – on October 2014’s total of 8,910.

Toyota took out the top four passenger models on the back of strong rental sales. Its Corolla led the way with 1,334 sales. Next up were the Highlander on 428, Yaris with 378 and RAV4 on 362.

Gavin Murdoch, who is the branch manager of Counties Toyota in Pukekohe, says: “Manukau Toyota purchased Counties Motor Group last December and we’re tracking ahead of where business has been in the past.

“Toyota has recently had some favourable interest rates with 2.9 per cent interest over 36 months.

“We are very fortunate that most of our models are performing well, such as the Yaris, Corolla, Highlander and RAV4.”

Murdoch adds: “Because of the cross-section of farmers in this area, we haven’t seen a downturn.

“You look at the main street here and there is one empty shop. The health of the township’s bars and restaurants is another indicator that people have got spare change to spend locally.”

Stephen Duff, dealer principal of Stephen Duff Mitsubishi in Dunedin, reports continued solid sales across his range of models.

“Our best-selling new car is the Lancer GSR, which is down to good

record month for new carsmarketing by Mitsubishi.”

Duff describes the two-fold effect of good new sales as also impacting on used sales in that more people are keen to trade in for value-for-money new cars, which helps to keep used stock levels up.

“It’s a win-win,” he says. “Good figures of new car sales impact used sales in a positive way.

“New cars are generally more affordable now, although the volatile dollar will mean that at some stage there will be increases across the board, but people are getting in now.

“You can buy a really good brand-new vehicle for $25,000 to $30,000, so a lot of people are asking what the point is of buying a second-hand one for $20,000.”

Vern Walker, dealer principal of Nelson Bays Motor Group in Nelson, which has franchises for Holden, Suzuki, Nissan and Subaru, agrees customer know-how is now the norm.

“A lot of the interest in

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New Passenger registrations - 2013-2015

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MBI

New  

Used  

Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne

Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Westport Christchurch Timaru Oamaru Dunedin

Invercargill Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua Gisborne Napier New Plymouth

Wanganui Palmerston North Masterton Wellington Nelson Blenheim Greymouth Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Thames Tauranga Rotorua

Ar

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n d t h e c ou nt

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Biggest increases/Decreases By town year-on-year

(OctOber 2013 vs OctOber 2012)

Biggest increases new Used

westport  100.0% Blenheim  95.5% thames  51.2% nelson  64.9% napier  34.1% rotorua  52.0%

Biggest decreases new Used

wanganui  27.7% westport  41.7% gisborne  26.8% Masterton  20.0% timaru  23.7% timaru  12.4%

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aucklaNd, wellINgtoN, chrIstchurch hamIltoN, tauraNga, duNedIN, PalmerstoN North

Used imPORt PassengeR Vehicle RegistRatiOns by city

october 2013

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26 | www.autofile.co.nz

www.autofile.co.nz | 27

Annual high for stockpileThe amount of stock held

by used car dealers during

October was the highest

monthly total of the year.

There were 10,374 units

imported last month with a

variance of 1,829 on 8,545 sales.

The number of cars in stock

amounted to 9,323 compared to

7,494 in September.

There have been two other

major increases during 2013 – with

variances between imports and sales

of 3,121 in April and 2,507 in May.

Graeme Macdonald, chairman

of the North Island branch of the

Imported Motor Vehicle Industry

Association, says the current

stockpile should correct itself – as it

normally does.“If the monthly stockpile was

10,000 on a regular basis it means

there are solid holding numbers,”

he told Autofile. “North of that

and we would be looking at an

oversupply issue.

“There was good buying in Japan

in March, and we saw high arrival

numbers in April, May and June.

“The stockpile occurs more at

certain times of the year. Since

I came back into the industry in

1996, it has ebbed and flowed.”

Used car stock levels are

traditionally based on what’s

happening in Japan and what

consumers are buying here.

Conditions there have improved

recently and the exchange rate

has gone up.“October and November are

normally difficult for the industry,

so the stockpile tends to go

up,” says Macdonald. “But trade

swings up over Christmas and the

holidays, so it goes down.

“December and January are

good months for sales because

people take time off work, the kids

are off school and people may have

Christmas bonuses or holiday pay.

“It’s a time when Kiwis tend to

make financial decisions, so dealers

need to have plenty of stock to

match demand.“When the market’s down in

Japan, stock is hard to get. When

it’s buoyant, you tend to buy what

you can because you don’t know

what will be available next time.

“Dealers also need to bear in

mind it takes four to six weeks to

get stock from Japan.”

Larger operations, of say 300

units, are more static with their

holding not changing too much.

A drop of 50 units may not be

too drastic. But stock can vary

enormously by proportion on yards

with 30 to 40 cars.

“They can suddenly be selling

without having bought for a few

weeks and being 10-15 units down

makes them more susceptible,”

says Macdonald.

“Dealers then jump online to

buy more from Japan, but that’s

always been the way.

“You can oversupply when

buying conditions are good, but

the marketplace normally corrects

itself by pulling back from Japan or

selling down. The numbers might

drop for a month or two before

trundling up again.

“There’s no magic supply-chain

miracle. When it’s slow, it tends to be

slow for everybody. If you can get

good supply with a good exchange

rate, everyone benefits.”

did come down after the global

financial crisis [GFC].

“Stocking levels then increased

again and they respond to the

number of new vehicles sold and

the rate at which they are sold.

“They basically go up when

sales go up, but I’m not so sure

about the days stock is held for

being longer and can’t explain that.

“Average sales per day came

down during the GFC and before

that they were much higher.”

If 80,000 vehicles are sold one

year and 100,000 are sold the

following year, the average sales

per day should be higher – and

the MIA is expecting more new

vehicles to be sold this year than

during 2012.There were 54,404 sales in 2009,

62,029 in 2010, 64,019 in 2011

and 76,871 in 2012, and the MIA is

predicting about 82,000 passenger

vehicle and SUV sales this year.

“We’re looking at about 30,600

light commercials and we’re on

track for 112,000 or 113,000 new

vehicle sales overall.”

Business confidence being

high and strong regional

economies in Auckland and

Christchurch are boosting sales.

“Trades people are upgrading

their vehicles,” says Crawford.

“Although passenger cars aren’t so

hot, SUVs are.“People in the housing market

are refinancing their mortgages

to buy big-ticket items especially

when they are confident about

keeping their jobs.”

All that said, some of the

regional centres, such as Hawke’s

Bay and Palmerston North, aren’t

showing as much growth as

other centres.“But 80 per cent of New Zealand’s

population is in Auckland and

Christchurch. “If you add in Dunedin and

Wellington, these centres cover a

large proportion of the population

and all have strong economies.”

Year to date, 77,438 new cars

have been imported and 68,612

have been registered to give a

variance of 8,826 so far this year.

Days with stock at hand has

been steadily increasing from 78 in

January to 131 in October.

Last year 90,754 units were

imported and there were 76,871

sales for a variance of 13,883.

Stock levels of new cars have

increased every month

except one this year, with

October’s total of 29,509 being the

highest of 2013.There were 7,962 sales last

month, also this year’s biggest

amount, while the variance was

1,400 with 9,362 units imported –

the second highest amount after

11,065 imports in August.

The total stock figure at the

end of December was 20,683 and

that dropped to this year’s low of

18,653 in January.

David Crawford, chief executive

officer of the Motor Industry

Association (MIA), says current

models aren’t sitting around in

stock for too long.

“The industry tends to manage

stock levels quite well and does this

day in, day out,” he told Autofile.

“My data suggests this is a

cyclical thing and levels were no

higher in previous years, but they

Industry manages levels well

Dealer stock of new cars in New Zealand - Oct 2013

2012 Imported NeW CArS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

MIA stock estimate as at end of December 2011 12,984

Jan ‘12 5,026 7,499 (2,473) 10,511 242 43

Feb ‘12 7,368 5,633 1,735 12,246 223 55

Mar ‘12 7,228 6,499 729 12,975 218 59

Apr ‘12 6,285 5,430 855 13,830 209 66

May ‘12 7,742 5,942 1,800 15,630 205 76

Jun ‘12 8,870 7,142 1,728 17,358 211 82

Jul ‘12 7,894 6,208 1,686 19,044 209 91

Aug ‘12 8,589 5,959 2,630 21,674 207 105

Sep ‘12 6,828 6,637 191 21,865 209 105

Oct ‘12 8,155 7,336 819 22,684 211 107

Nov ‘12 8,953 6,484 2,469 25,153 212 119

Dec ‘12 7,816 6,102 1,714 26,867 211 128

ytd total 90,754 76,871 13,883

2013 Imported NeW CArS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2012 26,867

Jan ‘13 5,355 7,385 (2,030) 24,837 238 104

Feb ‘13 7,027 5,799 1,228 26,065 223 117

Mar ‘13 6,329 6,800 (471) 25,594 222 115

Apr ‘13 7,391 5,908 1,483 27,077 216 125

May ‘13 7,429 6,347 1,082 28,159 214 132

Jun ‘13 8,051 7,542 509 28,668 220 130

Jul ‘13 8,423 6,769 1,654 30,322 220 138

Aug ‘13 11,065 6,828 4,237 34,559 220 157

Sep ‘13 7,006 7,272 (266) 34,293 222 154

Oct ‘13 9,362 7,962 1,400 35,693 226 158

Nov ‘13 - - - - - -

Dec ‘13 - - - - - -

ytd total 77,438 68,612 8,826

2013 predicted sales 82,380

Dealer stock of used car imports in New Zealand - Oct 2013

2012 Imported USed ImportS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2011 8,579

Jan ‘12 3,191 6,375 (3,184) 5,395 206 26

Feb ‘12 4,920 6,000 (1,080) 4,315 210 21

Mar ‘12 6,504 6,429 75 4,390 209 21

Apr ‘12 6,613 5,877 736 5,126 206 25

May ‘12 7,693 6,793 900 6,026 208 29

Jun ‘12 6,947 6,184 763 6,789 208 33

Jul ‘12 5,335 6,641 (1,306) 5,483 209 26

Aug ‘12 5,540 6,621 (1,081) 4,402 210 21

Sep ‘12 5,506 6,222 (716) 3,686 209 18

Oct ‘12 5,688 6,867 (1,179) 2,507 211 12

Nov ‘12 8,486 7,183 1,303 3,810 213 18

Dec ‘12 6,414 7,119 (705) 3,105 215 14

ytd total 72,837 78,311 (5,474)

2013 Imported USed ImportS SoLd VArIANCe StoCk

AVerAge SALeS per dAy - ytd

dAyS StoCk

At hANd

Total stock at the end of December 2012 3105

Jan ‘13 4,468 7,397 (2,929) 176 239 0.7

Feb ‘13 8,247 6,922 1,325 1,501 243 6

Mar ‘13 8,852 7,581 1,271 2,772 243 11

Apr ‘13 10,539 7,418 3,121 5,893 244 24

May ‘13 10,967 8,460 2,507 8,400 250 34

Jun ‘13 8,089 7,862 227 8,627 252 34

Jul ‘13 8,623 9,629 (1,006) 7,621 261 29

Aug ‘13 8,635 8,648 (13) 7,608 263 29

Sep ‘13 7,501 7,615 (114) 7,494 262 29

Oct ‘13 10,374 8,545 1,829 9,323 263 35

Nov ‘13 - - - - - -

Dec ‘13 - - - - - -

ytd total 86,295 80,077 6,218

2013 predicted sales 96,145

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Make - November 2013Make Nov '13 Nov '12 +/- % Nov '13

Mkt Share 2013 total 2013 Mkt ShareToyota 1746 1190 46.7 23.4% 14670 19.3%Holden 685 673 1.8 9.2% 8102 10.7%Ford 618 596 3.7 8.3% 6519 8.6%Hyundai 572 624 -8.3 7.7% 6695 8.8%Mazda 512 485 5.6 6.9% 5447 7.2%Nissan 382 281 35.9 5.1% 3342 4.4%Suzuki 376 405 -7.2 5.0% 4436 5.8%Mitsubishi 351 272 29.0 4.7% 3661 4.8%Honda 310 312 -0.6 4.2% 2994 3.9%Volkswagen 288 261 10.3 3.9% 3527 4.6%Kia 202 240 -15.8 2.7% 2563 3.4%BMw 172 178 -3.4 2.3% 1861 2.4%Subaru 165 153 7.8 2.2% 1645 2.2%Audi 163 150 8.7 2.2% 1748 2.3%Mercedes-Benz 128 82 56.1 1.7% 1398 1.8%Peugeot 108 60 80.0 1.4% 1001 1.3%Jeep 92 65 41.5 1.2% 775 1.0%Ssangyong 86 49 75.5 1.2% 724 1.0%Dodge 64 46 39.1 0.9% 478 0.6%Skoda 63 56 12.5 0.8% 654 0.9%Lexus 54 44 22.7 0.7% 508 0.7%Land Rover 51 22 131.8 0.7% 443 0.6%Mini 44 43 2.3 0.6% 474 0.6%Chery 34 21 61.9 0.5% 351 0.5%Alfa Romeo 24 31 -22.6 0.3% 182 0.2%Great wall 23 38 -39.5 0.3% 211 0.3%Fiat 21 2 950.0 0.3% 142 0.2%Renault 21 8 162.5 0.3% 98 0.1%Volvo 18 19 -5.3 0.2% 229 0.3%Porsche 13 11 18.2 0.2% 182 0.2%Citroen 12 16 -25.0 0.2% 286 0.4%Jaguar 12 5 140.0 0.2% 128 0.2%Chrysler 10 13 -23.1 0.1% 120 0.2%Can-Am 9 6 50.0 0.1% 75 0.1%Daihatsu 6 19 -68.4 0.1% 258 0.3%Aston Martin 4 1 300.0 0.1% 25 0.0%Maserati 4 2 100.0 0.1% 14 0.0%Mahindra 3 - - 0.0% 6 0.0%MG 2 0 200.0 0.0% 12 0.0%Chrysler Jeep 1 - - 0.0% 1 0.0%Mclaren 1 0 100.0 0.0% 6 0.0%Others 3 5 -40.0 0.0% 71 0.1%total 7453 6484 14.9 100.0% 76062 100.0%

New Passenger Vehicle Sales by Model - November 2013Make Model Nov '13 Nov '12 +/- % Nov Mkt

Share2013

total2013 Mkt

ShareToyota Corolla 626 462 35.5 8.4% 5283 6.9%Toyota RAV4 289 80 261.3 3.9% 2521 3.3%Holden Commodore 260 171 52.0 3.5% 2399 3.2%Mazda Cx-5 239 141 69.5 3.2% 1989 2.6%Toyota yaris 227 267 -15.0 3.0% 2235 2.9%Suzuki Swift 218 254 -14.2 2.9% 2750 3.6%Ford Mondeo 184 98 87.8 2.5% 1201 1.6%Hyundai ix35 168 81 107.4 2.3% 1338 1.8%Mitsubishi Lancer 168 84 100.0 2.3% 894 1.2%Toyota Camry 168 131 28.2 2.3% 1270 1.7%Holden Captiva 135 319 -57.7 1.8% 2039 2.7%Volkswagen Golf 134 103 30.1 1.8% 1469 1.9%Toyota Highlander 118 79 49.4 1.6% 1092 1.4%Ford Focus 114 212 -46.2 1.5% 1429 1.9%Honda Jazz 113 76 48.7 1.5% 922 1.2%Ford Kuga 112 18 522.2 1.5% 952 1.3%Mazda Mazda3 109 151 -27.8 1.5% 1537 2.0%Toyota Aurion 107 23 365.2 1.4% 447 0.6%Holden Cruze 106 80 32.5 1.4% 1925 2.5%Hyundai Santa Fe 103 261 -60.5 1.4% 1847 2.4%Honda Civic 100 115 -13.0 1.3% 852 1.1%Mitsubishi Outlander 97 118 -17.8 1.3% 1258 1.7%Hyundai i30 95 103 -7.8 1.3% 1255 1.6%Nissan Qashqai 93 106 -12.3 1.2% 884 1.2%Toyota Landcruiser Prado 87 38 128.9 1.2% 557 0.7%Nissan x-Trail 86 52 65.4 1.2% 779 1.0%Ford Territory 83 137 -39.4 1.1% 1188 1.6%Volkswagen Tiguan 78 53 47.2 1.0% 689 0.9%Hyundai Accent 77 29 165.5 1.0% 572 0.8%Honda CRV 71 82 -13.4 1.0% 793 1.0%Mazda Mazda6 70 82 -14.6 0.9% 960 1.3%Mazda Mazda2 66 77 -14.3 0.9% 712 0.9%Ford Falcon 65 45 44.4 0.9% 835 1.1%Nissan Pathfinder 65 7 828.6 0.9% 191 0.3%Dodge Journey 64 46 39.1 0.9% 476 0.6%Jeep Grand Cherokee 64 39 64.1 0.9% 502 0.7%Ssangyong Korando 63 36 75.0 0.8% 480 0.6%Ford Fiesta 60 85 -29.4 0.8% 892 1.2%Bmw 116i 59 13 353.8 0.8% 378 0.5%Holden Malibu 58 - - 0.8% 334 0.4%Others2254 2130 5.8 30.2% 25936 34.1%total7453 6484 14.9 100.0% 76062 100.0%

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850 wds

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Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec  

2012  

2013  

New Passenger registrations - 2012-2013

Subscribe - FREEgo to www.autofile.co.nz/subscribe for the latest industry newsConneCt & engage

26 www.autofile.co.nz

for retail until December, we are fielding a lot of inquiries. It’s going to be huge and we have got four or five pre-sold already.

“Ford did a lot of run-out pricing on the Ranger similar to what we

are doing and obviously we are getting rid of old stock.

“The Hilux has competed pretty well considering it’s at the end of its life cycle. We are looking forward to the new model and feel we’ll be able to compete right across the range.”

On the market generally, Murdoch adds: “Sales of new commercials are up because people are coming out of big six-cylinder sedans and getting into SUVs or utes, especially double cabs. It’s a lifestyle choice.”

There were 3,052 new commercial vehicles sold last month – down by 61 units against October 2014 – but year-to-date sales are up by 5.85 per cent.

The Ford Ranger outsold its main opposition – Toyota’s Hilux – by 558 units to 364

last month.Holden’s Colorado was

October’s third best-selling ute with 296 registrations.

Year to date, the Ranger leads the market for commercial vehicles with 5,534 sales. The Hilux is second on 4,530 and the Colorado is third with 3,012.

The blue oval was also October’s top commercial marque with 628 registrations. Next up were Toyota with 583 and Holden on 313.

Gavin Murdoch, branch manager of Counties Toyota in Pukekohe, reports a huge amount of interest in the new Hilux, which goes on

sale in New Zealand next month.“My understanding through

our dealer network is that there are 300 pre-orders already,” he told Autofile.

“Because they aren’t available

1750 2000 2250 2500 2750 3000 3250 3500 3750 4000 4250 4500

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2013

2014

2015

New Commercial sales - 2013-2015

Ranger extends lead over rivals

New Commercial Sales by Make - October 2015

MakE OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Ford 628 691 -9.1 20.6% 6,341 19.5%

Toyota 583 707 -17.5 19.1% 6,868 21.1%

Holden 313 252 24.2 10.3% 3,162 9.7%

Mitsubishi 245 131 87.0 8.0% 2,082 6.4%

Nissan 210 142 47.9 6.9% 2,718 8.4%

Isuzu 196 168 16.7 6.4% 2,380 7.3%

Mazda 121 104 16.3 4.0% 1,172 3.6%

Mercedes-Benz 107 70 52.9 3.5% 631 1.9%

Fiat 98 81 21.0 3.2% 545 1.7%

Volkswagen 63 123 -48.8 2.1% 1,124 3.5%

Hino 57 55 3.6 1.9% 550 1.7%

Mitsubishi Fuso 54 77 -29.9 1.8% 545 1.7%

Hyundai 48 52 -7.7 1.6% 553 1.7%

Foton 42 59 -28.8 1.4% 429 1.3%

SsangYong 38 75 -49.3 1.2% 590 1.8%

LDV 27 35 -22.9 0.9% 375 1.2%

UD Trucks 27 28 -3.6 0.9% 221 0.7%

DAF 21 20 5.0 0.7% 178 0.5%

Kenworth 18 25 -28.0 0.6% 166 0.5%

Great Wall 16 47 -66.0 0.5% 394 1.2%

Others 140 171 -18.1 4.6% 1,474 4.5%

total 3,052 3,113 -2.0 100.0% 32,498 100.0%

New Commercial Sales by Model - October 2015

MakE MODEl OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Ford Ranger 558 627 -11.0 18.3% 5,534 17.0%

Toyota Hilux 364 514 -29.2 11.9% 4,530 13.9%

Holden Colorado 296 235 26.0 9.7% 3,012 9.3%

Mitsubishi Triton 245 103 137.9 8.0% 2,010 6.2%

Nissan Navara 210 142 47.9 6.9% 2,718 8.4%

Toyota Hiace 207 175 18.3 6.8% 2,103 6.5%

Isuzu D-Max 124 110 12.7 4.1% 1,470 4.5%

Mazda BT-50 121 104 16.3 4.0% 1,172 3.6%

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 92 56 64.3 3.0% 525 1.6%

Fiat Ducato 88 79 11.4 2.9% 437 1.3%

Ford Transit 65 62 4.8 2.1% 761 2.3%

Hyundai iLoad 46 51 -9.8 1.5% 538 1.7%

SsangYong Actyon Sport 38 75 -49.3 1.2% 590 1.8%

Mitsubishi Fuso Canter 37 16 131.3 1.2% 244 0.8%

Volkswagen Amarok 35 57 -38.6 1.1% 732 2.3%

Foton Tunland 34 51 -33.3 1.1% 391 1.2%

Isuzu F Series 32 18 77.8 1.0% 379 1.2%

Isuzu N Series 29 33 -12.1 1.0% 386 1.2%

Hino 300 24 13 84.6 0.8% 173 0.5%

Hino 500 24 26 -7.7 0.8% 276 0.8%

Others 383 566 -32.3 12.5% 4,517 13.9%

total 3,052 3,113 -2.0 100.0% 32,498 100.0%

new commercial sales

From the rising sun to the long white cloud The history of used car importing to New Zealand

www.autofile.co.nz 27

toyota top marque and modelThere were 736 used

imported commercials sold last month, which

was a five per cent increase on 701 in October 2014.

Last month’s total brought the year-to-date aggregate for this sector to 7,315 units.

Toyota topped the ladder for marques with 378 registrations – up by 10.5 per cent compared to October last year. Its year-to-date total now comes in at 3,608 for a market share of 49.3 per cent.

Nissan was second on 124, down by 8.8 per cent, while Mazda notched up a sizeable jump of 35.7 per cent to 57 units.

October’s best-selling model was the Hiace on 247, with the

Bongo and Caravan joint second on 51.

“Business has picked up in the past couple of weeks,” says Don Oakes, who has owned and operated Don Oakes Motors

in Stratford for more than two decades.

“We are surrounded by beef, dairy and sheep farmers where we are in Taranaki.

“It has been bloody hard on

those guys, but it is picking up. “Even the guys at RD1 have

confirmed things are moving again and, of course, milk-powder sales have gone up again.”

He adds: “We have some good used commercial vehicles on the yard, and have a Ford Transit, Toyota Hiace and Ford Couriers in stock as well Honda CR-Vs and Holden Commodores. These are all moving steadily.

“I had two double-cab utes sell the other day, which both went to young fellows who weren’t farmers, so that market is changing.

“You are up a bit higher in those vehicles and it’s a safety thing too.”

300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2013

2014

2015

Used Commercial sales - 2013-2015

Used Commercial Sales by Make - October 2015

MakE OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Toyota 378 342 10.5 51.4% 3,608 49.3%

Nissan 124 136 -8.8 16.8% 1,400 19.1%

Mazda 57 42 35.7 7.7% 421 5.8%

Mitsubishi 31 30 3.3 4.2% 288 3.9%

Fiat 21 9 133.3 2.9% 76 1.0%

Isuzu 21 23 -8.7 2.9% 309 4.2%

Ford 17 32 -46.9 2.3% 234 3.2%

Chevrolet 16 15 6.7 2.2% 183 2.5%

Hino 11 20 -45.0 1.5% 190 2.6%

Holden 11 11 0.0 1.5% 139 1.9%

Volkswagen 9 3 200.0 1.2% 60 0.8%

DAF 4 1 300.0 0.5% 16 0.2%

Alexander Dennis 3 0 300.0 0.4% 5 0.1%

Daihatsu 3 2 50.0 0.4% 11 0.2%

SsangYong 3 0 300.0 0.4% 20 0.3%

Suzuki 3 3 0.0 0.4% 24 0.3%

Dodge 2 3 -33.3 0.3% 43 0.6%

Factory Built 2 0 200.0 0.3% 17 0.2%

GMC 2 4 -50.0 0.3% 38 0.5%

Iveco 2 0 200.0 0.3% 12 0.2%

Others 16 25 -36.0 2.2% 221 3.0%

total 736 701 5.0 100.0% 7,315 100.0%

Used Commercial Sales by Model - October 2015

MakE MODEl OCt'15 OCt'14 +/- % OCt'15 Mkt sharE

2015 YEar tO DatE

2015 Mkt sharE

Toyota Hiace 247 244 1.2 33.6% 2,605 35.6%

Mazda Bongo 51 37 37.8 6.9% 331 4.5%

Nissan Caravan 51 54 -5.6 6.9% 599 8.2%

Toyota Regius 32 43 -25.6 4.3% 275 3.8%

Toyota Toyoace 25 13 92.3 3.4% 179 2.4%

Nissan Vanette 25 30 -16.7 3.4% 279 3.8%

Toyota Dyna 24 16 50.0 3.3% 289 4.0%

Fiat Ducato 20 9 122.2 2.7% 75 1.0%

Toyota Estima 20 4 400.0 2.7% 31 0.4%

Toyota Hilux 20 10 100.0 2.7% 142 1.9%

Nissan NV200 20 13 53.8 2.7% 169 2.3%

Mitsubishi Canter 15 13 15.4 2.0% 150 2.1%

Isuzu Elf 13 14 -7.1 1.8% 183 2.5%

Nissan Atlas 12 10 20.0 1.6% 139 1.9%

Chevrolet Silverado 10 8 25.0 1.4% 78 1.1%

Nissan Navara 8 15 -46.7 1.1% 112 1.5%

Mitsubishi Delica 7 9 -22.2 1.0% 43 0.6%

Isuzu Forward 7 3 133.3 1.0% 81 1.1%

Toyota Landcruiser 7 1 600.0 1.0% 32 0.4%

Ford Ranger 7 9 -22.2 1.0% 71 1.0%

Others 115 146 -21.2 15.6% 1,452 19.8%

total 736 701 5.0 100.0% 7,315 100.0%

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