Tributes to John Nicholls and ‘lasting legacy’

The automotive industry lost one of its pioneers in October. Autofile speaks to some of John Nicholls’ friends and colleagues from over the years.

Posted on 06 November, 2019

Tributes to John Nicholls and ‘lasting legacy’

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John Nicholls enjoying a spot of fishing in 2007.

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“Although generally articulate, John Nicholls was speechless when IMVDA members gave him a Toyota Cressida for his 70th birthday” – David Burke-Kennedy

John Nicholls was a pioneer of New Zealand’s used-imports sector, in which he worked for more than 20 years of his six decades in the automotive industry. Here are some tributes from the former friends and colleagues of this “true gentleman”.

Alistair Sheard, secretary of what is now VIA (the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association), who got to know Nicholls from the latter’s days at the Motor Trade Association (MTA).

“My first recollection of meeting John was at an annual conference in Christchurch around 1987 shortly after his wife died. His knowledge of legislation in regard to the ministries of transport, customs, agriculture and biosecurity was of major assistance as the used-imports industry became part of motor-vehicle trading.

“He oversaw the introduction of a seatbelt-testing programme to meet government standards. He was part of the team that established VINZ as the first transport safety delivery agent following the introduction of the vehicle-certification regime. John’s ability to represent the emerging industry’s requirements to his association members, ministers and government officials was one of the prime reasons for the rapid development of used-imports industry to become what it is today.

“His passion and motivation was to tirelessly work to make the association a leader in its field, and for the industry to comply with all legislation to ensure vehicles imported provided affordable and safe driving. I consider John to be an outstanding example of the type of citizen New Zealanders should aspire to be. I’m grateful to have worked with him, and to have been able to benefit from his motivation, knowledge and wisdom.”

Malcolm Yorston, VIA’s technical manager.

“There were benefits to the industry and public resulting from John’s involvement. He was its face in the early days and had negotiation excellent skills. It was his steadying hand that meant issues back then didn’t get out of hand and his adeptness when it came to advocacy meant everything went smoothly. What John achieved was enormous.

“As for New Zealand’s motoring public, what was achieved in the early days of used imports means many more Kiwis have been able to afford to buy better quality cars. He helped to clean up the old bangers that we used to see in our lower socioeconomic areas. The days of seeing them on people’s lawns because they had given up the ghost are largely over.”

Rod Milner, inaugural chairman of the Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers Importers Association (LMVDIA) in 1988 until Nicholls took up those reins in 1991.

“Up until that time, John was basically the secretary and was loaned to us by Fred Lewis, of Enterprise Cars, who paid his wages. John was extremely useful when it came to matters such as meetings, which were always carried out in the correct manner. He managed to get everything sorted out and the association, now VIA, is still run in a similar way to how he set it up back then in that it’s very democratic.

“He also did valuable work on campaigns we had to run, such as seatbelt anchorages for rear seats in used imports, which we did with Ron Brown, of Transport Specifications. Looking back on the history of the used-imports sector, we won the battle – that’s for sure. Much of that was down to John’s work as well as other people. The legacy of that is we now have one of the most efficient motor-vehicle industries in the world.

“Gone are the days of many cars broken down on the sides of our roads. Nowadays, it’s more of a rarity. In the old days, they were all the same in that they were pretty awful. Gone also are the days of rust because vehicles from Japan and other countries are now built properly. Used imports also helped trigger high inflation downwards because it was at insane levels back then, while another benefit was a reduction in road deaths, which were running at more than 800 per year at the time. Better and safer cars were the answer, which is still true today.

“The used-imports industry hastened the demise of the assembly plants and we have got it to where it is today thanks to John’s input. He was a true stalwart, who should have received national recognition for his work in the motor trade.”

Peter ‘PJ’ Johnston, who established GVI Vehicle Imports in Auckland.

“I remember John with great affection from the early days of used imports from Japan. He moved to Auckland from Gisborne in 1993 to become foundation chairman and executive officer of the Imported Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Association [IMVDA]. We were fortunate to have someone of John’s calibre during the industry’s formative years and I worked closely with him on association matters. He guided us and was inspirational in many ways, especially in the formative years of the IMVDA’s board.

“John gave our industry great kudos in government circles and when dealing with officials, which really helped us become successful. He would sit at the top table with great presence and his negotiating skills helped us as a fledgling industry move forward. He was of immense support when we, as a group of young importers, first got together. John was a true elder statesman of the used-imports industry and leaves a lasting legacy.”

Neil Cottle, founder of Auto Court, Dunedin.

“John Nicholls was highly knowledgeable and was able to easily access government officials to talk about things. As one of the executive members back then, I had a lot to do with him in those days as did many in our industry. John was very competent at his job. He was excellent. I do not believe the industry would have got as far as it did and has without him, and he kept everything under control.”

David Burke-Kennedy, journalist and PR media consultant.

“A 25-year friendship began when I met John while managing public relations and media for the fledging IMVDA. As chairman, he was in Auckland to get things moving and ended up staying.

“John loved his work with the IMVDA, which became his life and continued well into his 80s. He was also proud of his Rotary involvement. And he loved cars – particularly his 1903 Oldsmobile. Although generally articulate, he was literally speechless when IMVDA members gave him a Toyota Cressida for his 70th birthday, replacing a much-loved old Holden.

“John had tales about his early motoring years in Gisborne and the family business Ormond Motors. He recalled delivering cars to barely accessible remote areas, fording streams and getting paid in hard cash. He lived through history – childhood memories of aviatrix Jean Batten staying at his parents’ home, his father being the first to fly over the Napier earthquake and his own air-force days. These were reignited decades later when a restored plane he flew on a visit to Ardmore, south of Auckland, turned out to be the one in which he trained in 1945. He proudly recalled visiting Vauxhall Motors UK and GM back in the day.

“John was old-school gentlemanly, unpretentious and no nonsense. He didn’t suffer fools or incompetence. A mentor to some, if not a bit like everyone’s father – or, for my now-teenage sons, a grandfather figure. They always enjoyed his visits or family outings. He touched many lives here and abroad. For me and a group of friends he came to socialise with, he leaves many fond memories.”

David Vinsen, VIA’s chief executive.

“John was the face and voice of the nascent used-imports industry 30 years ago, and 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 was always a gentleman with old-school respectability. He was always courteous and polite with the highest level of integrity.”

OBITUARY: JOHN NICHOLLS – A ‘TRUE GENTLEMAN’

John Nicholls, a pioneer of New Zealand’s used-imports sector in which he worked for more than 20 years of his six decades in the automotive industry, died in his hometown of Gisborne on October 21, 2019. Although he officially retired in 1998, he only called time on analysing statistics for the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association in 2014.

Nicholls was born in Sydney before his family returned to settle in Gisborne in 1925. He boarded at Christ’s College, Christchurch, from 1938-43 before enlisting in the air force. He became a commissioned pilot officer, receiving his wings in 1945. This was too late to serve in World War II, so he returned to Poverty Bay.

The 94-year-old started out in the automotive industry by greasing vehicles at his father’s business Ormond Motors, a dealership for Chevrolet and GMC products with a Nissan franchise added later. After becoming a registered accountant, he worked on the books and was also a well-respected salesman, mainly selling Bedfords.

Nicholls began working for the industry in 1971 when he became Gisborne’s branch councillor to the MTA. He then became its chairman and later separated its vehicle-sales division out to form the Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Institute (MVDI).

He was the institute’s inaugural president from 1976-77, during which time he was also a member of an advisory group that worked with the government to draft what became the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. He was later made a life member of the MVDI. Nicholls also served for three years as a member of the Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Licensing Board from its inception until 1982. It aimed to provide discipline in the industry, supply warranties and promote dealers.

In the late-1980s, he was a part-time consultant at Enterprise Cars, which bought his family’s business, and he started working for the Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers Importers Association in 1989. He became its chairman in 1991 before its name changed to the Imported Motor Vehicle Dealers’ Association (IMVDA) the following year.

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

In 1993, Nicholls moved to Auckland to help form Vehicle Identification New Zealand. It was later renamed, with “inspection” replacing “identification”, which he chaired. To ensure used-car dealers in Japan complied with requirements in this country, he also did consultation work in the run-up to the Japanese Used Motor Vehicle Exporters’ Association being formed.

Nicholls was also active in his community – as a member of Gisborne Rotary Club for 42 years and district governor from 1976-77, a director of East Coast Development Research Association and chairman of Gisborne Development. His funeral service was held at the chapel at Evans Funeral Services, Gisborne, on October 24. It closed to Frank Sinatra’s song, I Did It My Way. Nicholls, who was married to the late Ngaire, had four daughters, nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.