Jan 1, new import laws, why do cost go up then!

yea sorry should have mentioned my toungue in cheek when i wrote that. you make some good points the only thing that bugs me is why people are concerned about the price of used cars going up when new cars are relatively cheap. if used cars go up in value everyone will benifit trading up will be easier due to more equity in the trade. so nothing to worry about unless you are buying youre first car

In fairness to everybody it is as it always a BLIP. So Yea 2012 is going to be really tough for anyone wanting a 5-10k car. 2013 won't be a lot better in the first half of the year but I think from september on its going to ease back.
By 2013 then 2005 cars will be 8 years old so basicly back to norrmal
2014 everyone will be going -"ahh what emission thing"
Also as Japan recovers from their earthquake we will see reduced local demand for second hand cars

BUT--On the horison is compulsary ESC for all NEW cars arriving and the need for ALL imports to have a Ncap 3 or greater rating and new cars to have a Ncap 4 -In fairness the Ncap 4 thing I think is great given the cherry issue

true it says nothing much of emissions but wouldnt a much more logical starting point be for some sort of incentives to get older often smouldering dung heaps off the road that are far less compliant than the import range they will ban ! then implement the younger age of imports in stages

I sense a bit of elitism sneaking in here. Without older vehicles on the road who would you be able to feel superior to! No win situation.
I suppose you'd be able to look down on the people walking though, the ones who can't afford newer cars, that would be nice.

One suggestion offered by used importers was a 3 step process.
1) a ROLLING 10 year age limit for all imports so jap imports go with the timesnot fits and starts
2) Emission TESTING of ALL vehicles as part of the compliance process.
This was actually oposed by parts of the NEW car industry
3)A rolling implimentation of emission testing of ALL vehicles in NZ.
followed by steadilly increaded emmision standards over a 5 year period.
Go figure the owners of public transport that belch tonnes of diesel fumes,the owners of the countries most expensive train set and the heavy transport sector weren't very keen on that.
So the suggestion was ramped down to PRIVATE vehicles.
The idiotic thing is that the actual effect on emissions of this new law will be ZERO or in fact to increase emissions during the 2012/2013 period as people are forced to stay with older cars.
A conspiracy theoristwould think that the gubbiment in fact is trying to FORCE blue collar workers to save money.--Ie 2 years before cars are again in the 7-10k range means 2 years of no HP's for thoise cars.

but thats not good for economic growth

people need to increase consumption in order to help the "economy" (read that as the holders of wealth) increase in size

we havent spent the last 30 years developing into a throwaway society to suddenly start back-tracking now

commen sense be damned

I think the 10 year rolling age limit is a good idea