The Best Second-Hand Cars In New Zealand

Written By: Mike Fraher – Editor Finance.co.nz

Do you want to save money when buying a car in New Zealand? We’ve got all the steps for buying a second-hand car that can save you thousands of dollars. Take the stress out of the “buying a second hand car” job.

What’s in this Guide?

1. We’ll tell you about the best second hand cars in NZ and where to research them
2. Checklist: What to consider when buying a second-hand car
3. How to get a car loan for your new vehicle
4. How to change ownership
5. Tell you about car insurance and where to compare so you can get the best deal

Best Second Hand Cars NZ

In April 2024 The AA released their top picks for New Zealand used cars across different categories. The table below summarises their selections. Hopefully this will give you some pointers, but if not you can start searching for cars from these different online sellers.

Autotrader | Turners Car Auctions | Trademe Motors

If you’re getting car finance, it helps to use a specialist car finance lender. We’ve shortlisted 3 of our top options to help you get the best deal possible.

Simplify uses technology to compare lending rates then negotiates on your behalf to get the best deal	Apply face to face at over 50 offices around the country or online	Driva provides specialist expert support to ensure you get the best deal from their panel of 10 lenders

Checklist: What to consider when buying a second-hand car

When you’re in the market for a used car, it’s crucial to consider certain aspects before handing over your cash. Here are some key factors to keep in mind:

Select the Right Car

Have you considered how economical the car is to run, how much does it cost to fill with petrol, safety features, carbon emissions and air pollution? The NZ government provides a site that can tell you all these things, you can search by rego number or car type. Or you can approach it the other way and search by safest, cleanest, most fuel efficient or lowest carbon emissions. Checkout Rightcar.

Get a Vehicle History Report

You shouldn’t ever buy a second hand car without getting a vehicle history report from an independent provider. The AA provide such a report and have an example report so you can see what you’re buying, but in short you’ll be answering the following questions.

• Is there any money owing on the car?
• Has the car been stolen or have police alerts against it.
• Is the odometer reading legitimate/been tampered with.
• Registration and number plate check, WOF status and expiry date
• Importation status and ownership history and car details i.e. emissions, fuel economy

Carjam is another option for vehicle history reports, you can see what theirs contains at this link.

Organise a Vehicle Pre Purchase Inspection

There are risks with buying a second hand car i.e. that the car itself is not road worthy because it’s been in a serious accident and should be written off instead of being sold. We suggest a vehicle pre purchase inspection is a must when buying a second hand car. Two independent providers of these inspections are the AA and VTNZ. Each link provides an extensive list of what they check.

Check the Price of your second hand Car

How can you ensure you’ll pay a fair price when you buy? Trademe offer a free service to check the value of your potential new car, using data from listings. Just go to their site, you’ll need to put in your car rego, kms and login but it’s very quick. You end up with information like below. There are other car valuation services around to compare prices – AA $19.95 and Carprice (free).

Have a Test drive

Taking the car for a test drive is a must when buying a second-hand vehicle. You’ll get a feel for how the car handles and check for any issues with the engine, brakes, or transmission. But most importantly you find out if the car is the right one for you!

Ask For All Service records

Ask the seller to provide the full service history on your potential new car. This will tell you how well the vehicle has been looked after. A well-serviced car is more likely to be reliable and have fewer issues down the line.

Is the Car Covered by a Warranty

If the used car you’re looking at is less than 3-4 years old, there’s a chance it will still be under new car warranty. This will give peace of mind for the duration of the warranty period, although bear in mind that warranty is something of value and hence you may pay a little more than a vehicle no longer under warranty.

Getting a car loan for your new vehicle

• When you’re looking to finance a used car with a loan, shopping around and comparing interest rates from different lenders is essential.
• Consider the loan term, how much you can put down upfront, and any extra fees that might pop up.
• Getting pre-approved for a loan can smooth out the buying process and make sellers take you more seriously.
• You might also want to think about loan protection insurance, it can be a lifesaver if you can’t repay due to unexpected events, giving you that extra peace of mind.

If you’re getting car finance, it helps to use a specialist car finance lender. We’ve shortlisted 3 of our top options to help you get the best deal possible.

Simplify uses technology to compare lending rates then negotiates on your behalf to get the best deal	Apply face to face at over 50 offices around the country or online	Driva provides specialist expert support to ensure you get the best deal from their panel of 10 lenders

Or if you’d like to see more options you can check out multiple car loan providers on our car loan comparison page

• Use our car loan repayment calculator to get an estimate of payments from each provider. Just put in the amount you want to borrow, the term (years) and each listing will update so you can compare.

Car Ownership Change NZ

So you’ve bought a new car from someone (or you’ve sold your car to another person) and you’re wondering how to change car ownership in NZ? The NZ Transport Authority / Waka Kotahi advise that you are legally required to tell them when you buying or selling a car. It’s quick and can be done online or at an NZ Transport Agency Agent.

You’ll find the easy to complete steps at the website below and will need ID. There’s also a useful checklist for both buyers and sellers to make sure you’ve got all bases covered.

Buying or selling a vehicle – change of car ownership NZTA website.

Do I need Car Insurance in New Zealand?

In New Zealand car insurance is not compulsory, this is unusual as in Australia and the UK you must as a minimum have third party insurance. There are 3 categories of insurance as below, you should determine which one is appropriate for the type of vehicle you run.

We have a full guide to car insurance with options for you to compare plans side by side. Each listing has a link to the Policy Wording document for each provider, if you’re considering taking insurance you must read this so you understand what you’re getting. Compare all car insurance providers or if you want to get a quote, try our shortlist below

Try our Car Insurance Comparison Engine

Head over to our Car Insurance comparison page and complete the steps listed or if you want to get on with applying you can use our shortlist of providers below

1. We have a comprehensive list of car insurers to compare so you get the best value.
2. Decide on the type of insurance you need.
3. We divide each type of insurance into different tabs so they’re easier to search through.
4. Compare listings side by side to see how they measure up.
5. Once you’ve got a shortlist read the policy wording document of each one so you know you’re covered on key items.
6. Want to educate yourself further on the basics, we have a full guide to insurance after the listings, here’s the shortcut.

Join Cove & you’ll get one month free on your new car insurance policy, worth up to $100.	Buy online or talk to advisers. Choose your excess and pay fortnightly or monthly.	Get up to 15% discount on premiums for Trade Me members.