Flood of flooded cars pours into country

By SCOTT MacLEOD transport reporter

Dozens of flood-ravaged cars unloaded in Auckland yesterday have been linked to six North Island firms.

Ports of Auckland workers started unloading 55 swamped vehicles from the freighter Morning Charm yesterday.

Documents showed firms based in Mangere, Onehunga, Parnell, Hamilton and Napier paid Kiwi Car Carriers to ship the vehicles.

Many of the cars - including late-model BMWs, Subaru Legacys, Mazda MX5s and Nissan 200ZXs - came from the Japanese city Nagoya, where they were damaged in record flooding two months ago.

Another 16 were spotted on a ship coming to New Zealand.

Land Transport Safety Authority spokesman Andy Knackstedt said the cars had been "flagged," meaning they would be closely checked for safety faults.

Flooded cars can legally be sold here if they pass the LTSA safety checks and meet the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's biosecurity standards.

Salesmen are required to tell buyers that the cars have been flooded, but consumer groups believe some will not.

They are also worried about rust, and sewage in the floodwaters.

One wharfie described the cars in yesterday's shipment as "disgusting," and said he and other dock workers were angry at their state.

Hamilton firm Any Mazz Spares is shown as importing 11 of the vehicles, but owner Brian Buck said they would be used for spare parts. He said no cars would be sold intact to unwary buyers.



Mangere firm Divers Group was said to have brought in 14 cars, about half of which were flood-damaged. A woman at Divers Group said her firm was only a freight-forwarder, and did not own the cars. She refused to say who did.

The name of Parnell firm Dubber and Craig Customs Ltd was on papers for four damaged vehicles. Partner Fred Dubber said he was only a customs broker acting for importers, whom he would not name.

An Onehunga firm that imported one soggy car could not be contacted, and the Herald was unable to get the name of a Napier-based importer.

Ports of Auckland officials refused to let the Herald inspect the cars, as the shipping agent, Kiwi Car Carriers, had barred access.

Managing director Terry Riches said his firm was sick of the wet vehicles and had decided not to ship any more.

"They smell, there's rust appearing and they could be a risk for unwary buyers."

At least three other shipments of wet vehicles have arrived in Auckland since the floods.

The biggest is thought to have had 22 cars.