Car safety website lists 'soggy' imports

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Legitimate car dealers are urging an immediate ban on flood-damaged imports, amid fears that they will prove lethal to unwary buyers.

This comes as the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) today reveals the chassis numbers of 137 "soggy" vehicles that have slipped into New Zealand ports.

The Independent Motor Vehicle Dealers Association, which represents 400 importers, said yesterday that all such vehicles should be sent back to the country they came from at the owners' expense.

Chief executive officer David Lynn said legitimate dealers were worried that people might buy one of the "potentially lethal" cars without knowing - even though sellers are supposed to warn buyers of flood damage.

"This country does not need flood-damaged vehicles here under any circumstances," he said.

"No reputable licensed dealer would be seen dead having anything to do with them."

Mr Lynn said the association warned the Government about wet cars months ago. At the time, it asked that they be subjected to intense engineering and safety tests. Now, it wanted Customs to have them banned.

The Automobile Association said motorists should not touch the vehicles with a bargepole.

The AA's director of public affairs, George Fairbairn, predicted that the vehicles would develop serious electrical problems, as well as rust damage, within months.

He urged motorists to be more wary than usual when buying a car.

"If you are buying a used import you must specifically ask the dealer if it has been water or flood-damaged.

"Even then, it always pays to put the vehicle through a pre-purchase inspection."

Anyone buying from a car fair, roadside sale or through the newspaper was running a real risk.

A spokesman for Customs Minister Phillida Bunkle said the issue boiled down to safety and biosecurity. As long as the cars passed LTSA and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry checks, Customs had no problem with them.

"From a consumer perspective, we are satisfied that whoever buys these vehicles will know that they are flood-damaged."

Dozens of cars have been shipped to Auckland in the past two months after being soaked in Japan's September floods.

Fifty-five were unloaded on Monday alone, from the freighter Morning Charm.

Legally, the cars can be sold if they pass safety and biosecurity checks.

Sellers are meant to warn buyers the vehicles have been flooded, but consumer groups believe many are being sold without such warnings.

LTSA director Reg Barrett said the authority was listing the make, model and chassis numbers of flood-damaged cars on its website to protect buyers.

He warned importers that they would have to pay large sums of money to have the cars certified for sale. They might have to replace seatbelts, airbags and electrical systems to meet safety standards.

"Our inspections should keep them off the lots of reputable dealers, but others may try to sell them at car fairs, auctions or the roadside."

Mr Barrett said consumers should be especially wary of buying cars that were unregistered.

The chassis number is usually stamped on the firewall at the back of a vehicle's engine bay.

These are the cars listed by the LTSA (VIN/chassis, make, model):

A32-007225 Nissan Cefiro

A32-019316 Nissan Cefiro

A32-100649 Nissan Cefiro

A32-401656 Nissan Cefiro

A32-512423 Nissan Cefiro

AE100-0289346 Toyota Corolla

AE110-5264221 Toyota Corolla


BB8-1000039 Honda Prelude

BC3-019012 Subaru Legacy

BD5-011380 Subaru Legacy

BE5-007857 Subaru Legacy

BE5-036708 Subaru Legacy

BF5-099774 Subaru Legacy

BG4-006584 Subaru Legacy

BG5-016473 Subaru Legacy

BG5-019375 Subaru Legacy

BG5-065460 Subaru Legacy

BG5-070648 Subaru Legacy

BG5-077176 Subaru Legacy

BG5-083591 Subaru Legacy

BG5-108277 Subaru Legacy

BG5-276069 Subaru Legacy

Bg9-026491 Subaru Legacy

BG9-094529 Subaru Legacy

BG9-097873 Subaru Legacy

BH5-002800 Subaru Legacy

BH5-020236 Subaru Legacy

BH5-030166 Subaru Legacy

BH5-119122 Subaru Legacy

Bh5-119683 Subaru Legacy

BH9-013860 Subaru Legacy

BH9-035569 Subaru Legacy

BHALS-105682 Mazda Familia


CE1-1403647 Honda Accord

CE9A-0105377 Mitsubishi Lancer

CF4-1001810 Honda Tourneo

CN9A-0003814 Mitsubishi Lancer

CR42-0009341 Toyota Liteace

CXR11-0016502 Toyota Estima

CZ32-505121 Nissan 300ZX


DB6-1404450 Honda Integra

DC2-1207457 Honda Integra

DC2-1306411 Honda Integra


EA1A-0303852 Mitsubishi Galant

EA1A-0307725 Mitsubishi Galant

EA3W-0200330 Mitsubishi Legnum

EC8S-100177 Mazda Presso

ECR33-104119 Nissan Skyline

EK2-1106448 Honda Civic

EK3-1005577 Honda Civic

EN15-403501 Nissan Pulsar

EU14-158368 Nissan Bluebird


FD3S-110164 Mazda RX7

FN15-019059 Nissan Pulsar


GA3-3220752 Honda Logo

GC1-017844 Subaru Impreza

GC6-004536 Subaru Impreza

GC8-033606 Subaru Impreza

GCZ32-053331 Nissan 300ZX

GF6-012379 Subaru Impreza

GF8P-102225 Mazda Capella


HEEA-105027 Mazda Sentia

HEEA-200156 Mazda Sentia

HP11-014670 Nissan Primera


J111G-005558 Daihatsu Terios

JZS160-0106052 Toyota Aristo


K99-1100469 Mitsubishi Challenger

KR42-0031277 Toyota Liteace

KZN130-0011538 Toyota Hilux

KZN130-9028382 Toyota Hilux


LN130-0034845 Toyota Hilux

LWEW-112885 Mazda MPV


N33W-0002138 Mitsubishi Chariot

N84W-0021816 Mitsubishi Chariot

N84W-0125063 Mitsubishi Chariot

NA6CE-158417 Mazda Roadstar

NA6CE-135546 Mazda Roadstar


PR50-005422 Nissan Terrano

PR50-033143 Nissan Terrano


QU14-604490 Nissan Bluebird


RA1-1004000 Honda Oddysey

RA1-1004480 Honda Odyssey

RA1-1103876 Honda Odyssey

RA2-1026218 Honda Odyssey

RA2-1208366 Honda Odyssey

RD1-1034420 Honda CR

RD1-1109206 Honda CR

RD1-5105760 Honda CRV

RF1-1018121 Honda Stepwagon

RF1-1063258 Honda Stepwagon

RF1-1213044 Honda Stepwagon

RF1-1254634 Honda Stepwagon

RL1-1004371 Honda Lagreat

RNN14-150037 Nissan Pulsar

RA2-1207165 Honda Odyssey

RA3-1042632 Honda Odyssey

RA3-1113858 Honda Odyssey

RA4-1009026 Honda Odyssey


SARRHYLBKBM269550 Rover 620 SLI

SARRSCLLKAM234859 Rover 825 SLI

SARRSCLLKWM250782 Rover 800

SARRSSLLKAM235000 Rover 825 SLI

SF5-015359 Subaru Forester

SF5-022494 Subaru Forester

SF5-046583 Subaru Forester

SG5W-102253 Mazda Bongo

SR40-0231430 Toyota Exiv

ST215-3003775 Toyota Caldina

SV30-0090658 Toyota Vista

SV40-0091676 Toyota Camry

SV41-0031584 Toyota Camry

SW20-0038295 Toyota MR2

SXA11-0044168 Toyota RAV4

SXM10-7081991 Toyota Epsum

SXU10-0031526 Toyota Harrier

SXV20-0139400 Toyota Camry


TCR10-1296344 Toyota Estima

TCR10-1312704 Toyota Estima

TR50-003878 Nissan Terrano


UBS69GW-8111617 Isuzu Bighorn


V23-4001593 Mitsubishi Pajero

V24-3002465 Mitsubishi Pajero

VFY11-016065 Nissan Advan

VZN130-0082416 Toyota Hilux

VZV32-0007431 Toyota Camry


WBAAL32080FH69269 BMW 318i

WBACA02070AW43329 BMW 318

WBAGB410903147119 BMW Schnitzer

WF0NXXGBBNSE02184 Ford Mondeo

WP11-000785 Nissan Primera

WRGY61-800686 Nissan Safari

WBACG62030AL11051 BMW 318


ZFA17600006034648 Fiat Punto

ZZV50-0017919 Toyota Vista


Link:

Land Transport Safety Authority