UK rider looking to move to NZ

[jamie125sx]

Hi

I'm looking at moving to NZ this year, I'm just sorting out my EWBR licence ect at the moment. anyway I ride MX and SM here in the uk, not to any standard, but i enjoy it! I was wondering people's opinions on whether or not I should bring my bikes over with me, or sell them and buy more when I get there? Without any research so far, I have an idea that I'll be getting a container shipped over with all my stuff.

I have a 2003 KTM sx125 and a 2007 Husaberg 550fs, I think if I sell both of them here I would get about £3000, (maybe $5500-$6000)

I was also after some information on where about I should be looking at moving to, I've been given the choice of Auckland or Wellington, I'm into wakeboarding and snowboarding as well, a woman I spoke to said I should be looking at CHCH too?

any help would be appreciated,
thanks

[slofox]

Auckland might be best for wakeboarding, being further norf and with lots of water available but it's furthest from the snow.

Wellington is also close to the water but cooler. Closer to the snow.

Christchurch would be least favourable for wakeboarding but closest to the snow. Oh and it has a slight earthquake problem ongoing just now...:whistle:

[unstuck]

Dunedin, colder,but you should be used to that:yes:, wakeboarding:yes:,snow:yes:, awesome bike riding:yes:.Lots of pretty young students:yes: Sell your bikes and buy some here. Good luck.

[baptist]

Auckland might be best for wakeboarding, being further norf and with lots of water available but it's furthest from the snow.

Wellington is also close to the water but cooler. Closer to the snow.

Christchurch would be least favourable for wakeboarding but closest to the snow. Oh and it has a slight earthquake problem ongoing just now...:whistle:

Slight!!!!!! wow you must be a sales man ;)

I live in Auckland and to be honest if I had my time over again (been here 13 years) I think I would have lived in a dozen different places I have seen in NZ before living here. But there is work here I guess. Why not look at central North Island as well, Bay of Plenty / Hawkes Bay on the coast or inland maybe Rotorua area good water not to far away and snow close by as well... dunno just a thought (Fishing is also good over here if you like that)

Anyway when you get here have a tiki tour to scope the place if you can.

[jamie125sx]

thanks for the replies...

I'm planning on coming over for 3 weeks, maybe August/September to do a bit of a reconnaissance mission. I'm kind of restricted by work really, the company I'm talking to have positions in Auckland and Wellington, so I'm planning a week in both cities and a week on the South Island for a bit of snowboarding.

[KiWiP]

Bring as much stuff across as you can. Fridges, freezers washing machines etc. GBP to NZD is so atrocious at the moment anything you sell in the UK will buy you sod all out here. Also don't give all your tools away thinking it will be easy to build up a workshop again :facepalm:

[Nzpure]

Go to the BOP close to the water couple of hours from the snow. Its warm and only a two ride/drive to dorkland. Trust me dude nothing worth note is beyond the mystical bombay hills except obviously work but you dont want to spend too much time up there. You might turn into a jaffa!

[GrayWolf]

Hi there,
I'm an ex pat so been through the moving stuff years ago...
We bought a car and bike over by container, ONLY as both were only just over a year old. Factor in the shipping costs for the bikes, and all insurance/handling/customs fees.. and there will be. Probably you'll find it cheaper and easier to buy here, even on arrival the bike has to be inspected and verified as legal for NZ roads, which MAY also incour parts replacement costs for lights, ancillaries etc.

I lived down the south island, fantastic biking roads, and 'best' overall for winter sports... I live in wellington now, and would give auckland a wide berth to live.....but thats personal perspective.

[kevfromcoro]

Bring as much stuff across as you can. Fridges, freezers washing machines etc. GBP to NZD is so atrocious at the moment anything you sell in the UK will buy you sod all out here. Also don't give all your tools away thinking it will be easy to build up a workshop again :facepalm:

Is it??
I thought the GBP was quite strong at the mo..
Things are getting cheaper everyday...... specially when the big stores have the sales
Not to sure about shipping stuff from th UK......
Perhaps , tools, and yr personal items.
Coments please????

[wasiler]

I am going through this exact situation right now. The only difference is I am coming from the U.S. I am just waiting for my work visa to clear and find a place to stay in Christchurch before I ship. What I have found is that it really depends on how long you plan to stay. I found that if you plan on living in N.Z. for an extended period of time, you don't need to pay import duties or some taxes (read link below). Also, look up the cost of a similar bike in N.Z. Quite a price difference for me.

I decided to ship my 07 yamaha because of many factors (shipping costs, no tax or duties, cost of a similar motorcycle in N.Z., and mods I have already done to the bike). Then you need to make sure your bike meets all N.Z. requirements during inspection. I think I am easily going to break even and maybe even come out ahead. You will need to do your homework on what works best for you.

I have not shipped my bike yet because I don't have a Christchurch address yet. Therefore, this might come back and bite me in the ass. Below are a couple links you might find helpful.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/importing/index.html
http://www.customs.govt.nz/news/resources/factsheets/Documents/Fact%20Sheet%2029.pdf

[KiWiP]

Is it??
I thought the GBP was quite strong at the mo..


It is, and this is the problem for our new immigrant. When I came out 4 years ago exchange was about .33 it is now .52 eek. So 4 years ago you bring across 100GBP you get 303NZD today you only get 194NZD. If you sell your white goods in the UK you get shit all because they are so cheap to buy new anyway. You then have to buy here where new is considerably more than UK and 2nd hand is so expensive without a warrantee/guarantee to not be a worthwhile option. Shipping is quite cheap compared to buying goods again and the more you ship the cheaper per unit of stuff it gets.

When relocating it is a temptation to shove stuff into storage. If you do make a costed inventory of what you are storing and how much it's worth. It only takes a short amount of time for the storage rental to be more than the worth of the goods you're storing. plus you have to factor in van/man rental shipping to and from storage.

From my experience when I left the UK putting stuff into storage, selling it, transferring money etc It would have been cheaper to give it all away to charity. 20:20 hindsight eh!

[jamie125sx]

Neither of my bikes have been used on the roads, they have no documents or anything as they've never been registered. I don't know how that'd work for bringing them across, I guess they are more like normal possessions than vehicles? I live about a mile from the MX track so the KTM is the bike I use most often. The Husaberg is rarely used maybe 4 or 5 track days a year, so I'm thinking I'll probably sell it before I come out.

My plan is to stay for good, I'm trying to plan my trip to see as many places as possible, and check out estate agents ect and make sure I like it! although I've never been anywhere on holiday I haven't liked so I need to come out with a clear head!

[wasiler]

Neither of my bikes have been used on the roads, they have no documents or anything as they've never been registered. I don't know how that'd work for bringing them across, I guess they are more like normal possessions than vehicles? I live about a mile from the MX track so the KTM is the bike I use most often. The Husaberg is rarely used maybe 4 or 5 track days a year, so I'm thinking I'll probably sell it before I come out.

My plan is to stay for good, I'm trying to plan my trip to see as many places as possible, and check out estate agents ect and make sure I like it! although I've never been anywhere on holiday I haven't liked so I need to come out with a clear head!


I would think it would be a personal possessions but, don't know for sure. I have sent them emails and they have been pretty good at answering my questions. If I was you, I would send them an email to make sure and get to get it in writing. That way you are not sitting at some port with an officer giving you a hard time. Below is the email I used.
info@nzta.govt.nz

[Swoop]

There are several websites that will give you an idea on pricing of second-hand bikes. Try www.trademe.co.nz as a startpoint.

Rental housing prices have gone mental recently, so accomodation might be good to talk with your employer about, especially during the first stage of living here.

Auckland Vs Wellington is a tribal thing and many will speak of the benefits of each. Christchurch is recovering from Mother Nature being pissed off with the city and deciding to wipe the sheet clean.

[oneofsix]

There are several websites that will give you an idea on pricing of second-hand bikes. Try www.trademe.co.nz as a startpoint.

Rental housing prices have gone mental recently, so accomodation might be good to talk with your employer about, especially during the first stage of living here.

Auckland Vs Wellington is a tribal thing and many will speak of the benefits of each. Christchurch is recovering from Mother Nature being pissed off with the city and deciding to wipe the sheet clean.

Whilst on Trademe check out the rental prices. About that tribal thing referred to above, most of our media has an Auckland slant so when they say rental prices are high they generally mean Auckland, and statistical they are correct as a third or so of population are in that one place but you can find that Wellington hasn't risen as much. Also there is a rental crisis in Christchurch at the moment which also means the 'national' rental prices are high.

You can't bet Wellington on a good day, there just aren't that many of them. It rains every day in Auckland. Take your pick. :laugh: Oh and one is over due for an earthquake although it is possible Christchurch got that :shutup: and the other is over due for a volcano :woohoo: Extreme sport without leaving home. :facepalm:

[Swoop]

our media has an Auckland slant so when they say rental prices are high they generally mean Auckland
Not quite.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10798063

Tax changes to rental properties makes it less attractive for landlords, which means prices go up/down*

*Delete the one not applicable...;)

[oneofsix]

Not quite.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10798063

Tax changes to rental properties makes it less attractive for landlords, which means prices go up/down*

*Delete the one not applicable...;)

Did you have to quote the Auckland paper? :laugh:

Just for balance here is the news from the Wellington paper
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/residential-property/6722819/Wellingtons-rental-squeeze

[Flicks]

If you go to Auckland then go South to around the Franklin district, Pukekohe is nice, it is 3 hours from Mt Ruapehu, there are beaches everywhere and rivers for wakeboarding and alot of trail riding and MX.

[Red39]

any help would be appreciated,
thanks

Hey Jamie, Auck v Wellington is a tricky one. When I first moved from UK I worked in Wellington during the week and flew back to Auckland for weekends. Each city has a completely different feel so definitely the best thing to do if you can is check them both out before deciding on which one to live in permanently :)

[mellowyellow]

in regards to whiteware and electrical.
our plugs are different to yours. sure you can buy adaptors but they are pretty bulky and expensive when they become unplugged (i.e. freezer).
bring all your 230v electrical goods over but keep in mind some may not be compatible (some brands of tv's) or we may not have replacement parts if they breakdown. also consider hiring an electrician to cut the ends of the plugs and install NZ plugs. To do it yourself and cause a fire could void your insurance.

back to the subject, if the bikes are to be kept off road and import taxes arent too high, bring them over. check out www.trademe.co.nz and sites like www.redbaron.co.nz for prices and parts availibility though im sure that wont be an issue.

as far as real estate in wellingtongoes, contact companies like www.professionals.co.nz or www.quinovic.co.nz (for rentals) and let them know your plans. perhaps they could run you around to several places in 1-2 days.

im from wellington, always lived here. i find auckland weather too damp and the attitude of aucklanders takes a while to get use to.
wellingtons more a small city attitude with a lot of wind, more depending where you live/work. Dont expect much from us and we'll excell in your expectations, i'm sure i'm gonna cop alot of crap for saying that :facepalm:
seriously though, what type of area are you coming from (city or rural, small or large, expected weekly rent/house price, attitude of the community), might help us give you some suggestions on where you might be better to look for a place to live.

[Madness]

Pukekohe is nice, it is 3 hours from Mt Ruapehu.

How's your demerit points? (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?saddr=Pukekohe,+Auckland&daddr=Mount+Ruapehu,+Tongariro+National+Park,+Mana watu-Wanganui&hl=en&sll=-41.244772,172.617188&sspn=42.753239,100.546875&geocode=FS5XyP0d2dBsCil7MzMlj6oSbTHg-qJDYe8ABQ%3BFVGVqP0dVO92Cinv_HwBBP9qbTHr4u6_rN5rgQ&oq=ruapehu&t=h&mra=ls&z=8)

[Flip]

Wellington is kind of cute, Auckland is not. Wellington would get my vote every time.

There is fuck all snow in the north island, but there is good surf.

[jamie125sx]

thanks for all the responses!!

At the moment I live in a small city, but in the suburbs. I suppose I'd be looking for a similar place to settle down, I don't think I'd do well in an inner city apartment.

I have a 3 bedroom house at the moment but I live here alone, the only reason I got the house was the garage! It's worth around £110k I guess is maybe $200k?? (I pay about £400/month currently) I want to look in at a few estate agents when I come across. My plan at the moment is that I'll probably end up renting for a few months to give me time to adjust and time to find somewhere I'd like to settle.

On the electrical side of things, I'll have my EWRB licence when I come over so swapping a few plug tops shouldn't be a problem!

My Dad mentioned to me that you work a 6 day week is that true?? ie mon-sat is standard? But from what I've read from my prospective future employer, I'll be working around 40hr weeks + overtime, which is in line with what I do now.

I'd love to be able to do weekend trips to the mountain during winter and as much MX and wakeboarding in the summer, maybe even some kitesurfing.

thanks again for all the replies!

[mellowyellow]

thanks for all the responses!!

At the moment I live in a small city, but in the suburbs. I suppose I'd be looking for a similar place to settle down, I don't think I'd do well in an inner city apartment.

I have a 3 bedroom house at the moment but I live here alone, the only reason I got the house was the garage! It's worth around £110k I guess is maybe $200k?? (I pay about £400/month currently) I want to look in at a few estate agents when I come across. My plan at the moment is that I'll probably end up renting for a few months to give me time to adjust and time to find somewhere I'd like to settle.
if you come to wellington, you'll probably be looking to move into lower hutt. rent is cheap, comute to wellington isnt too bad and its far enough away from the crazy people in the city centre. Upper hutt is cheaper still but driving into wellington during morning and afternoon trafic can take 1 hour each way. Ii think you'll be looking at about >$330pw for a 3 bedroom house in upper/lower hutt vs >$500+pw for any suburb surrounding wellington.


On the electrical side of things, I'll have my EWRB licence when I come over so swapping a few plug tops shouldn't be a problem!

My Dad mentioned to me that you work a 6 day week is that true?? ie mon-sat is standard? But from what I've read from my prospective future employer, I'll be working around 40hr weeks + overtime, which is in line with what I do now. depends who you work for and what type of job your doing. i've always been mon - fri with alternating weeks on call. I know of a few people that work 6 days, i also know a few that work 5 days. the rest of them just turn up to work to get away from home life ;)

I'd love to be able to do weekend trips to the mountain during winter and as much MX and wakeboarding in the summer, maybe even some kitesurfing.

thanks again for all the replies!mountian from wellington is maybe a 4 hr drive (depending on traffic), i've seen some kite surfing in the harbour but i know nothing about mx in wellington. seems there are suppose to be a few spots you can go.