March issue out now

There are major concerns about how the clean-car policies will impact on dealers’ insurance claims as thousands of vehicles are written off with flood damage.

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) warns traders and consumers may lose out with replacements unless insurance companies take action on valuations. 

It says the clean car discount (CCD) and clean car standard (CCS) mean sticker prices are no longer what stock should be insured for because penalty fees or rebates change overall costs. Plus: advice from the Motor Trade Association (MTA) on how to spot – and what to do with – flood-damaged vehicles.

Aimee Wiley, formerly a programme director at Waka Kotahi for low-emissions vehicles, has been appointed chief executive officer of the Motor Industry Association (MIA) to replace David Crawford, who is retiring. President Simon Rutherford says Wiley “has a wealth of senior experience spanning the business sector”.

The CCD and CCS have been prompting plenty of industry debate. VIA is urging importers to continue challenging incorrect emissions data. Chief executive David Vinsen has reiterated the used-imports sector has consistently informed the government there’s insufficient fully electric and plug-in hybrid stock to access overseas.

Brian Anderton, advocacy manager at the MTA, says reducing pollution from transport in-line with the emissions reduction plan is unlikely to be reached if the clean-car policies are scrapped. He explains why it’s important industry suggests other tools the government could use.

The MIA is expecting Waka Kotahi’s fully developed systems that will oversee the CCS to be in place by the middle of this year.

And the MTA’s sector manager – dealers, Tony Everett, says the advice to dealers is to seek out accurate data, especially when bringing in European models from Japan. 

• It may have taken more than a decade to get a project in place for end-of-life tyres, but Mark Gilbert, chairman of Auto Stewardship NZ, hopes the road to creating nationwide recycling systems for other car parts will be smoother.

• “Perfect end to best job I’ve had,” says David Crawford on his time as the MIA’s chief executive. In his guest editorial, he adds the most frustrating part of the past decade has been “ministers and officials who don’t understand the way our sector works”.

• Moana Blue’s Matt Battle explains why the used-imports industry has already done plenty of work on lowering emissions by bringing in fewer vehicles with internal combustion engines and more petrol hybrids.

• Todd Fuller, of AdTorque Edge, says “consolidation, integration and automation” are key when it comes to dealerships keeping up with all data that comes into them to get the most out of all opportunities.

• VIA’s Kit Wilkerson explains why a recent decision by the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal appears to be the first time the CCD has been confirmed to affect a car’s value.

Plus: The best, and first, car-industry statistics, Austrian wins the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship, new cars, disputes and much more.

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