New Zealand Backpacker Advice
Driving
Advice - New Zealand Backpacking Advice
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 09:27
Backpacker Car buying Advice
- Shop around, haggle and remember you get what you pay for.
- Make sure all warranties and guarantees etc are in writing and except nothing less.
- Make sure you get your car or van independently tested. NZBPI would only recommend the AA as a independent tester. There are no guarantees but a car or van that has passed a AA vehicle inspection test will give you a better chance of trouble free motoring around New Zealand.
- Ask to see any receipts for work done on the car. Assume nothing has been done to the car unless you see receipts.
- Ask if the cam belt has been changed. Cars normally require a cam belt change about every 100,000 km's. If the cam belt brakes you can do expensive serious damage to the internal workings of the motor.
- Before you start the car see if the motor is warm. If its warm it will start alot easier than a cold motor.
- Let the car idle and open the bonnet / hood and listen to the motor for a while. If you hear any knocking etc don't buy it.
- Check the oil. Make sure its clean and fluid. If it's thick and sludgy they could be hiding a noisy engine with a additive. If the oil is a cream colour defiantly don't buy it as its has water in the oil.
- Check the water. green is better, clear is good, Rusty is bad.
- Make sure you have a new warrant of fitness with 6 months until it expires. You will require a warrant every 6 months. Ask who issued the warrant, it is also written on the sticker. Warrants issued by the AA or On road New Zealand are better.
- Make sure your new car or van has no rust on any of the panels or underneath, mild surface rust is ok. New Zealand warrant
- Take a magnet, Place it on the various parts of the car. Any where it does not stick means it has been repaired with filler. It may have been in a big crash or rust repaired.
- Look in the bonnet / hood and check for any welding marks around the engine bay. Welding marks in here is not good.
- Check that the car has a good spare tyre and jack to change the tyre.
- Models like the Toyota Corolla petrol motors have a good name in NZ . For vans recommended are Toyota Diesel 2.7 litre and above and under 250,000 Km's. Stay away from small diesel motors. 2.5 litre and above. Remember also that dieses are more expensive to fix than petrol motors if some thing should go wrong.
New Zealand Tax Numbers
Advice - New Zealand Backpacking Advice
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 09:27
How do I apply for a New Zealand Tax Number
- To work in New Zealand you must be a citizen of New Zealand or Australia or have a work permit or appropriate visa. If you are intending to work in New Zealand you should obtain a work permit along with any tourist visas you may need depending on which country you are from.
- In New Zealand a Tax Number is commonly referred to as a "IRD Number"
- It is not essential that you have a Tax number immediately when you start work as you will be given a temporary number by your employer until your tax number is allocated. This normally takes between 5 - 10 working days. You will however be taxed at a higher rate. The amount of extra tax you will pay will often be less than paying for a mail service to obtain a IRD number before you start work.
- You will need a street address and not a P.O. Box address to apply for a tax number. Most backpacker hostels will be only to glad to let you use their address for this purpose. Feed back on mail services is a waste of time. Many Backpackers have reported to us mail being lost and directed to the wrong address. 9 times out of 10 backpackers don't stay in one town long enough for a service to be of any use and Auckland is like any other city so move on and go see the New Zealand you expected to see.
New Zealand Phones
Advice - New Zealand Backpacking Advice
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 09:27
New Zealand Phones
New Zealand has very good telephone systems and services compared to many other countries. Find out about cell phones, Pre pay and pay as you go phones and mobile phone operators like Vodafone an New Zealand Telecom. How to make cheap calls using calling cards. New Zealand Backpacker Directory recommends Vodafone. Vodafone New Zealand and New Zealand Telecom have stores all over New Zealand.
New Zealand Shopping Information
Advice - New Zealand Backpacking Advice
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 09:28
NZ Shopping Information
Useful information about shopping in New Zealand. Where to buy different items and the cheapest places to shop like supermarkets and unless you eat like Paris Hilton, you will need to visit one.
New Zealand Banks
Advice - New Zealand Backpacking Advice
Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 March 2009 09:28
New Zealand Banks
information about banks in New Zealand. Which ones are backpacker friendly and offer the best services. New Zealanders are amongst the highest users of electronic banking services in the world. ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) are available in most towns, even if they do not have a bank.
New Zealand has a cash payment system called EFTPOS.(Electronic Funds Transfer Point of Sale). This is very similar to Switch and Laser in the UK and Ireland except for one difference. You don't sign the transaction docket in New Zealand unless you are making a credit card transaction However the UK and Ireland have started to follow.EFTPOS (Laser/Switch)