Tribute to John Nicholls

John Nicholls, one of the pioneers of the used imports industry in New Zealand, has died aged 94.

His time as an advocate of the industry can be traced back to 1970. At about this time, he became branch councillor to the Motor Trade Association (MTA) in Gisborne, where he lived, and later became its chairman. 

In 1975, he separated the vehicle-sales division out of the MTA to form the Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Institute (MVDI).  He became the MVDI’s inaugural president and was a member of an advisory group that worked with the government to draft what became the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act.

The first Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal was formed in 1976 and he served for three years as a member of the Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Licensing Board. In 1979, Nicholls was made a life member of the MVDI and the used-car industry became of interest to the organisation when import licensing changed in the 1980s. 

At the time, he worked as a part-time consultant for Enterprise Cars and, in 1989, started working for the Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Importers Association. In 1991, Nicholls became its chairman and the association changed its name to Imported Motor Vehicle Dealers Association (IMVDA) the following year, which finally became VIA (the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association).

Nicholls negotiated with industry associations, the government and IMVDA members to find solutions to challenges for importing used cars. This included ensuring improving safety standards, such as seatbelt regulations, preventing odometer tampering and stopping unlicensed dealers from selling unreliable stock. 

In 1993, he moved to Auckland to help form Vehicle Identification New Zealand. It was later renamed Vehicle Inspection NZ, which he chaired. VINZ’s job was to ensure vehicles on Kiwi roads carried 17-digit alpha-numeric identification numbers and it went on to certify imports for compliance. To ensure Japanese used car dealers complied with requirements in this country, he did consultation work in the run-up to the formation of the Japanese Used Motor Vehicle Exporters’ Association.  

“This really is the end of an era,” David Vinsen, chief executive of VIA, told Autofile Online “It’s very sad that John has passed, although not unexpected. “John was the face and voice of the nascent used imports industry 30 years ago, and he took a gentlemanly approach in his dealings with government departments.

“He also identified the need for the industry to have accurate statistics and technical information for submissions and advocacy work. He should be given credit for the past and current credibility and respect of our industry.”

John Nicholls’ early years in the industry

Nicholls launched his lifelong career in the automotive industry after World War II and witnessed the dramatic changes that occurred during more than half a century when the nation’s economy progressed from one of unsustainable protectionism to one that was highly deregulated.

He was employed in the family business and worked as a truck salesman. The country boomed with infrastructure developments required to build a flourishing post-war nation. He sold Bedford trucks, a few Chevrolets and some ex-war GMCs throughout Poverty Bay and established a coach-building business that manufactured tip trucks, platforms, and cattle and sheep crates. 

Materials were in short supply and businesses learned to make do. Nicholls’ innovative custom builds created a successful enterprise, but overseas suppliers of vehicles always dictated the standard of New Zealand’s fleet and the pricing structure.

Over time, Nicholls felt the quality of General Motors’ products had deteriorated and when he had finally had a gutful he cancelled the franchise. He took on Nissan – partly for the cars and partly for the trucks, but he still had a few options for second-hand vehicles.