Submission Concerning import of motor vehicle

My name is Murray Sanderson I own Jag and Range rover Spares. I’ve been in the automotive industry for 38 years, we do new and used parts, importing cars for wreaking buying and selling in Australia and New Zealand from Hong Kong. We mainly import Jaguar, Range Rover, Rolls Royce, Discovery, Bentley before 89 models in Australia and before 94 for New Zealand. When we first started bringing cars in from overseas to Australia there was a fifteen year window for bringing cars in from over seas i.e. if it was the year 2000 you could bring in cars from 1985. We were also able to bring in complete road going cars not to be sold, but for wreaking. It was better for shipping costs less work at the docks and was all together faster and more efficient. There was also significantly less damaged parts on arrival in Australia. With road going cars for wreaking, you have to give a 3 month warranty on the parts that you sell second hand (Government Regulation) And with complete running cars you could guarantee working parts for the customer. In New Zealand you can still send complete road going vehicles in for wreaking. i.e. drive on the boat drive off the boat to the wreaking yard. New Zealand authorities take all the information i.e. body engine gear box number to assure the car is not put back on the road. Also in New Zealand they have a 20 year rule regarding Importation of vehicles i.e. 2014 you would be able to bring a 94 vehicle in to the country. Whereas in Australia they stopped the 15 year rule so we are being instructed to only be allowed to bring in vehicles before the year 1989. Before allowing a vehicle in New Zealand not to be wreaked but to be put on the road you must provide proof of ownership overseas proof of deregistration overseas and proof that the vehicle meets New Zealand regulation in other words it needs to meet the standards that their government provides. This information they get off the E11 plate (European cars). The E11 plate says whether it is fit with cat convertors, front axle weights, rear axle weights, seat belts specifications and other information.The other difference between the Australian and New Zealand policys is that in New Zealand they do not require you to decommission the 134A gas used in air conditioners. Whereas in Australia the 134A gas must be removed before it leaves the overseas port. This is annoying as we take this gas out and if this vehicle were to be resold in Australia we have to put the EXACT same gas back in it before resale on pree 89 cars wasting time and effort for some unforeseeable reason. In New Zealand in the last couple of years they’ve tightened up the importation laws in regards to the 20 year ongoing rule. A euro 5 engine specification rule which is for new cars 2005 to new. Unleaded and diesel.

They have a special interest class of vehicle i.e. cars that don’t meet the laws but are basically either very rare highly desired or a vehicle of special interest.

With Japanese cars The main reason they flood markets in Australia New Zealand and Africa is that the Japanese car must meet emission standards before being re-registered if the car doesn’t meet the emission regulations it cannot be registered it cannot be sold it traded in it is virtually worthless in the local market. Therefore people from these priorly mentioned countries have business men who buy these worthless cars for rock bottom prices and they are sold to the general public overseas or at home. Some of these cars do not meet Australian ADR rules but still manage to get in anyway. i.e. you can bring in a Nissan Silvia (which was never sold in Australia) but you are not allowed to bring in a 98 Bentley turbo R which there was only 1 sale in 1998. Its one of the worlds safest cars but you are not allowed to bring it in because 1 was sold in Australia.

Make it simple

  • New cars 2 to 3 years old. Should be only allowed to be sold by New dealers only i.e. Toyota Holden Ford etc. These companies have invested millions to maintain new vehicles and manufactures warranty’s. They also need to follow ADR rules this is already implace don’t change a thing.
  • 2-3 year old to 5 year old vehicles car dealer license holders only again preexisting for the maintenance of these vehicles.
  • 5 year old vehicles anybody private car dealers non licensed. Pree existing
  • Any vehicle can be imported into Australia but must meet ADR rules of its manufacturing date or is made to meet the ADR rules prior to road worthy certificate issued.
  • All cars prior to entering Australia must meet ADR rules of when that vehicle was manufactured
  • All imported vehicles must have proof of ownership overseas and deregistration overseas before leaving overseas.
  • Vehicles arriving in Australia should go to be checked over, on arrival to insure that It does in fact meet ADR rules of its manufactured date before road worthy is issued.
  • Classic or special interest cars low volume manufactured cars i.e. less than 500 of that model. Same as above must meet ADR rules before it is registered

KISS (keep it simple)

Most imported vehicles will not be the everyday car buyers. Because the simple cost of bringing a car in from overseas is very expensive the customer will not take this into account. Just to bring one car in from Hong Kong can be as much as $12,000AUD not including the price of the car. This is a 25 year old second hand vehicle. The people who will be wanting to import cars into Australia will be buying special interest vehicles or rare collectable cars. Say you were a bringing in an Aston Martin DB9 v12 it has to come through Rawrs, One of the first things they do is replace the tires with brand new tires and also replace the existing cat converters. Regardless of age and mileage. And this has to been down by rawrs at a cost of $20,000AUD. Most 10 year old cars that are imported will be rare and special interest vehicles will not be everyday cars they will not be driven everyday (no one will import a ten year old Toyota corolla). Full volume rule (imo stupid) 1998 Bentley turbo RT of which there are less than 260 ever made and only 1 was sold in 1998. This is classed as full volume. That was 16 years ago and there is no way that this one off purchase will affect todays market in any way shape or form. This car meets and exceeds ADR standards of its manufacturing date and we are not allowed by law to bring this car in which makes zero sense. But somehow you can bring in a 1998 Nissan Silvia which is a bit of a rubbish car comparably.

Conclusion

If we keep it simple (we can bring any car into Australia) over 2-3 years old that meets Australia ADR rules of its manufacturing date or is made to meet them this will keep the government cost down as well by keeping it simple. This puts the responsibility on the consumer to provide the information before you even bring the car in which eliminates a lot of unnecessary problems and we end up with a better safer quality of vehicle in Australia.