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Carmakers are to tell New Zealanders: if you want a new car get it now, because prices are going up.
The industry has been hit by the weaker New Zealand dollar after months of absorbing higher prices for commodities, like steel.
Some models are likely to rise by as much as 7 per cent over the next few months.
Japan's Honda and Mitsubishi, hit by the dollar's plunge against the yen, have already raised prices by around 5 per cent. Korean carmaker Kia has done the same.
Holden and Ford are also expected to move, while Toyota is looking at increases of between 2 and 5 per cent.
"We are doing the sums at the moment", said Toyota's managing director Alistair Davis. "We will have a decision in a week or so."
European companies are also planning price rises. Volkswagen is expected to add $1000 to some of its models in the New Year.
Its luxury stablemate Audi will look at things in January, said general manager Glynn Tulloch.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus are expected to do the same.
The increases come after a buoyant October market, where sales of 7477 new cars were up 12 per cent on September. Commercial sales of 1863 units were also up on the previous month.
The new-vehicle market is down 2.6 per cent in the year to date from total sales of 102,000 units in 2007.
The best-selling car so far this year is the Toyota Corolla, ahead of the Holden Commodore, Suzuki Swift and Ford Falcon.
