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Going to New Zealand!

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2

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    #32
    esharknz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 267 ✭✭esharknz


    MrCreosote wrote: »
    Personally wouldn't single out Polynesian drivers. All Kiwi drivers, with the very odd exception, are absolutely s*** drivers.
    Same population as Ireland, similar numbers of cars, better roads....and roadtoll is nearly twice as high.

    Having said all that, some of the drives here are absolutely mind blowing.

    Also bear in mind that there aren't motorways linking cities, so the likelihood of head on collisions increases dramatically (although I've seen someone here manage to cross over the median barrier on the N11 here, some feat, so it can happen here, just far less likely).

    The average age of a car in Ireland is much younger than that in NZ, so that doesn't help either in terms of safety.

    I'm a kiwi living in Ireland and would say the same about the drivers on Irish roads.


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    #33
    esharknz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 267 ✭✭esharknz


    Why Should I wrote: »
    Quick question, Will my irish drivers license work over there, Or do i need to do a test?

    You can exchange it for a NZ one if you wish (you have 12 months to do so). However Irish authorities won't accept a NZ one at present, so I'm not sure what would happen to you if you were to return if you had exchanged it.


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    #34
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Crumble Froo wrote: »
    i would have to throw in that the new network 2 degrees is, ive found, a whole lot cheaper than the others. not 100% sure about 3G but i know they have just introduced 3G while i was away (been in Ireland last two weeks, but got an email).

    Sounds promising, 3G Internet is such isn't overly important, as long as there is some form of mobile Internet reasonably priced. For example here i pay 99cent a day here for 50mb and I've only once gone over that. And very rarely do I have 3G coverage. Guess I'll have to check it out when I land and see what's best. What's mobile coverage like in general? Because I won't be living in the city anyway!


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    #35
    earnyourturns
    Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭earnyourturns


    You'll be right out in Darfield, though if you go further out into the mountains you won't get coverage on the peaks and stuff. How did you manage to organise a job there btw?


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    #36
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    I'm going over to work with family to start off with. But if you have any sort of farming experience or an interest in farming it shouldn't be to hard to get a job.


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    #37
    DancingGrape
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭DancingGrape


    Conor, Go with 2 degreese mobile network. It's by far the cheapest. A lot of NZ Phones (infact most of them) are ran on a network but without a sim card so more than likely, you will not be able to use your irish phone. Hope it helps


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    #38
    brendansmith
    Registered Users Posts: 4,526 ✭✭✭brendansmith


    C0N0R wrote: »
    I hear what your saying. But I just love performance cars! The body condition isn't the most important thing to me, it's what's under the bonnet that makes me smile.


    Just make sure you know what to look for. The WOF seems to be a pretty lax affair and in NZ and OZ there is alot of this business of driving in first gear in the red for a kilometer before changing up through the gears, if that makes sense.


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    #39
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    brendansmith wrote: »
    Just make sure you know what to look for. The WOF seems to be a pretty lax affair and in NZ and OZ there is alot of this business of driving in first gear in the red for a kilometer before changing up through the gears, if that makes sense.

    Best to find a mechanic to come with me then. I'm hoping seen as I'm going to family it won't be to hard to find a mechanic I can trust. Would it be better going for a nz car or are jap imports safe enough??
    DancingGrape wrote: »
    Conor, Go with 2 degreese mobile network. It's by far the cheapest. A lot of NZ Phones (infact most of them) are ran on a network but without a sim card so more than likely, you will not be able to use your irish phone. Hope it helps

    That's the last thing I want to hear! I was hoping to use my iPhone out there as me normal phone to allow me to stay in touch with email etc


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    #40
    DancingGrape
    Registered Users Posts: 18 ✭DancingGrape


    Well iphones are more advanced than most phones so maybe something can be done. Ask your network.


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    #41
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    I'm hoping there wont be a problem. The iPhone is unlocked for use with any network so that shouldn't be a problem. I guess I'll find out when I get there. Thanks


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    #42
    brendansmith
    Registered Users Posts: 4,526 ✭✭✭brendansmith


    C0N0R wrote: »
    Best to find a mechanic to come with me then. I'm hoping seen as I'm going to family it won't be to hard to find a mechanic I can trust. Would it be better going for a nz car or are jap imports safe enough??


    If you rule out getting a jap inport you are going to have your work cut out for you. The imports undergo testing so they are grand.....I think


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    #43
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    brendansmith wrote: »
    If you rule out getting a jap inport you are going to have your work cut out for you. The imports undergo testing so they are grand.....I think

    Wasn't sure if there was any import test or not. So I'm assuming any import I were to buy would be tested. Was doing a bit of looking and legacy's seem to be good value.


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    #44
    brendansmith
    Registered Users Posts: 4,526 ✭✭✭brendansmith


    C0N0R wrote: »
    Wasn't sure if there was any import test or not. So I'm assuming any import I were to buy would be tested. Was doing a bit of looking and legacy's seem to be good value.


    The lad i work with was just saying yesterday that he had a legacy and he hated it.

    All wheel drive and so fuel guzzler, noisy and ****e handling.


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    #45
    earnyourturns
    Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭earnyourturns


    Sooooo many legacies here in Otago. Between those and Rav4s they seem to make up every second vehicle. I've heard mixed stuff about Subies as well. I would seriously recommend getting something with 4WD/AWD though.


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    #46
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Well ideally I would love a rwd car but from looking through any websites they seem to be pricier for what you get. The noise wouldn't bother me and I don't intend doing a massive amount of driving to start off with. It was the b4 one I was looking at. Are they all 2.0 Turbo?? The other option that looked like a possible was a Impreza wrx sti wagon. They will never be known as the most reliable car in the world but I know that!


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    #47
    jank
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,018 ✭✭✭✭jank


    Well there is a reason why a legacy is so sought after. AWD is great for the winter, heaps of room for bikes, skis and ****! Plus not a bad engine up on it. Also parts are cheap and readily available as there are so many of them. I bought mine for $1,700 sold it a year after for 2,100. Got about 30 calls for the damm thing. Easily sellable and sought after believe it or not.

    Not a bad car at all IMO a bit heavy on the juice alright though!


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    #48
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Jesus that does sound cheap. I was thinking of spending a bit more on one. Are they reasonably quick??

    Thats another thing j was wondering, did you do much skiing when you were over there? Because that is definatly something I will be doing come winter. Is it easy enough to hire gear including jackets trousers because I can't really bring everything with me! And is it expensive? Was it decent skiing?


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    #49
    earnyourturns
    Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭earnyourturns


    Skiing is the main reason I came back out to NZ (I've gone back to college here, will be here for next 3 years) and in Darfield you'll be SO close to a lot of the club fields. I've been out skiing the past three weekends and also spent a winter up at Wanaka two years ago. Any questions at all about skiing here, send me a PM.

    Gear is a lot more expensive here than in Europe or North America so it's worth bringing as much stuff as possible with you. But lift tickets aren't so bad, well not if you go to the club fields, the passes at places like Treble Cone are extortionate.

    Also be prepared for some...bracing...conditions. I have a black eye at the moment from being literally blown off my feet in a gale last weekend.

    As for what nutcrackers are, well maybe save that for a surprise till you get here hehehe...


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    #50
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Well the only gear I have is clothes, just normally rented ski's and boots wherever I went. When does the ski season start and end? The conditions sound ehh what's the word, interesting!! When you say club field what do you mean??


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    #51
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Hmm another question, I have my visa granted, do I need to get a tax number? Is so how d feck do I do that??


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    #52
    MrCreosote
    Registered Users Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭MrCreosote


    C0N0R wrote: »
    Hmm another question, I have my visa granted, do I need to get a tax number? Is so how d feck do I do that??

    The info you need is here: http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/irdnumbers/#ir595

    Wait till you get out to NZ, bring along the completed forms to the post office and they do the rest. The red tape in NZ is pretty minimal compared with Ireland and government depts usually really easy to deal with.


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    #53
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Sweet, cheers for the advice. So there is basically nothing I can do before I go apart from having the form half filled out. Thanks


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    #54
    jank
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,018 ✭✭✭✭jank


    C0N0R wrote: »
    Jesus that does sound cheap. I was thinking of spending a bit more on one. Are they reasonably quick??

    Thats another thing j was wondering, did you do much skiing when you were over there? Because that is definatly something I will be doing come winter. Is it easy enough to hire gear including jackets trousers because I can't really bring everything with me! And is it expensive? Was it decent skiing?

    You can buy your ski gear in NZ cheap, really cheap if its the end of the season. In fact I would say that NZ is the cheapest place in the world to buy gear. I bought everything apart from the skis themselves when I was there. Once you have it, you have it for ever especially the good gear. There is an outlet out in hornby where you can lots of stuff cheap.

    Loads of ski fields in and around CHCH.


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    #55
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    Tempted to bring my trousers and jacket out with me now! I'll defo buy boots anyway, especially if I can get ones that fit well cheaply! Cheers


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    #56
    brendansmith
    Registered Users Posts: 4,526 ✭✭✭brendansmith


    Anyone know where to get cheap ski gear in Auckland?

    I went to snow planet yesterday and i have gotten a taste for it.


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    #57
    jank
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,018 ✭✭✭✭jank


    Trade me


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    #58
    Why Should I
    Closed Accounts Posts: 200 ✭✭Why Should I


    brendansmith wrote: »
    Anyone know where to get cheap ski gear in Auckland?

    I went to snow planet yesterday and i have gotten a taste for it.

    http://www.trademe.co.nz


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    #59
    pclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,940 ✭✭✭pclancy


    For anyone looking for cars/jeeps check out Turners auctions with depots in the major cities: http://www.turners.co.nz/Pages/Home.aspx

    You can check the car out beforehand and get it tested etc before bidding. Got a VERY good price for my Toyota Levin from them and a year on i'm still happy with it.


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    #60
    C0N0R
    Registered Users Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭C0N0R


    pclancy wrote: »
    For anyone looking for cars/jeeps check out Turners auctions with depots in the major cities: http://www.turners.co.nz/Pages/Home.aspx

    You can check the car out beforehand and get it tested etc before bidding. Got a VERY good price for my Toyota Levin from them and a year on i'm still happy with it.

    Cheers I'll check it out, do they have alot of cars going through??


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    #61
    irishh_bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,700 ✭✭✭irishh_bob


    MrCreosote wrote: »
    Personally wouldn't single out Polynesian drivers. All Kiwi drivers, with the very odd exception, are absolutely s*** drivers.
    Same population as Ireland, similar numbers of cars, better roads....and roadtoll is nearly twice as high.

    Having said all that, some of the drives here are absolutely mind blowing.

    when i spent half a year in new zealand back in the late nineties , the number of road deaths per year was twice that of ireland yet car insurance was a quater the price :eek: which put paid to the notion that insurance in ireland was sky high due to the number of road fatalitys , kiwis dont have a culture of making fraudelent insurance claims which is why thier premiums are far lower than ours


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