luthj
Engineer In Residence
Registration Plates
Since we actually got pulled over in Tasmania for not having a front registration/license/vehicle number plate and NZ has similar rules, we decided to keep our faux plate on through NZ. So, to appease the local enforcement and prevent unnecessary pull-overs, we recommend you spend $10 and have an image of your plate printed and laminated. Then tape it to the front of the vehicle. We haven't had an issue with it since have done so. HINT: Don’t mention why you need it done if you are doing it in NZ. We actually a printing place refuse to do it because he was uncertain whether it would break some laws.
Self-Containment Certificate
In NZ, if you want to take advantage of many of the “Freedom Camping” locations (see section below), especially in town, they often require you to have a self-containment certificate (SCC or CSC). To comply with the rules, we actually had to modify the vehicle some. For example, our grey water tank did not have a 1” or 25mm inside-diameter outflow faucet or hose. So, we went to some local irrigation and RV-supply stores and picked out what we needed and fit it on the vehicle. Then we had to schedule an appointment with an inspector. Since we were NZMCA members, a local volunteer did it for free for us. But, otherwise expect to pay. Being self-contained is not a requirement, but not having it greatly reduces the number of places you can camp.
Requirements: https://www.parliament.nz/resource/0000164999 or https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/4d565f_9f9520760c1047e3982b8a7828cf073c.pdf
Preparing for the Road
NZMCA
Similar to Australia’s CMCA or ACC, NZ has the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. After our experience in Australia, we had been thinking that we really didn’t need to join the club. Their website did a poor job of showcasing the exclusivity of their benefits, and I was thinking it would just be an expense that wouldn’t pay for itself, like in Australia. Boy, was I wrong! If you have the opportunity, join the club. It is worth it. However, they did just put in new rules about foreigners, so they may or may not let you join. The entry costs are $130 joining fee plus $90 per year. They offer huge discounts on the ferry crossings as well as access to many campsites that you wouldn’t be able to use otherwise. They also have a NZMCA DOC Vehicle Pass, which must be purchased for either 5 months or 10 month and allows you access to many DOC campgrounds that you don’t have to pay for. Greatly reduces the amount of cash you have carry around. Being a member also gives you discounts at many businesses as well, e.g. VTNZ, VINZ, RV/camping supply stores, electronics stores, etc.
Besides all that, the people of the club are quite friendly and helpful. You can typically count on them to respect the rules for camping in an area. And, the club itself extremely proactive in looking out for its members. It takes towns who try to forbid freedom camping to court for the benefits of its members and future camping. They work to regulate legislation, etc. If they had a similar association in the USA, I would join it.
https://www.nzmca.org.nz/
Stores and Rewards Program
If I thought Australia’s store reward programs were pretty bad, they were heaven compared to New Zealand’s! I tried Woolworth’s Countdown’s options in NZ. They earned at an even lower rate and you only got points for every $10 you spent, non-prorated. If you spent $15, you wouldn’t earn anything for the $5 more than the $10. I ended up shopping at Pak’nSave most of the time. As far as I could tell, they only had a fuel rewards program, which would have been a good deal ($0.12/liter) if I didn’t have Kiwi Fuelcards (see section below). I don’t recommend you bother with a reward program, except for Muffin Break’s, if you like coffee or want a muffin for your birthday.
NZ Bank Account and/or Credit Card
After wishing we had done this in Australia, we researched our options in NZ and decided to open a bank account with ANZ. This would allow us to have a Kiwi Fuelcards account and to withdraw cash without ATM fees (since our US card doesn’t provide that). It also let us use a cashless transaction (EFTPOS) at places that would otherwise charge exorbitant fees for a credit transaction.
Not sure how to transfer the funds to your account? You have a couple of options. Perhaps the simplest is to use your American bank accounts transfer rate (ours was about 4% off the actual exchange rate) at the ATM. For us, not only was the exchange rate not the best, but we also had ATM fees at the ATM and at our bank for the withdrawal. Alternatively, you can ask your Australian bank to do the wire transfer, but they will probably offer similar rates. We found the best option was to use a third-party wire transfer system. OFX is our current system of choice. They take about 3% from the exchange rate, but don’t charge you any additional fees and can ACH-debit your accounts for no additional charge (takes 5 days, though).
Kiwi Fuelcards
While the store rewards programs are pretty terrible, becoming a member of a fuel rewards program is a great idea. You can normally save at least 6 cents per litre, if not up to 12 cents. Our research at the time led us to getting a membership with Kiwi Fuelcards ($10 joining cost). Then, it offers discounts on Mobil, Caltex, and BP. We signed up for the Caltex and Mobil cards. The Kiwi Fuelcards issue “credit” cards for each brand. You pay for your fuel-up with the card for the full amount (discounts NOT applied on your receipt), then pay off your account on the 20th of every month, with the discounts applied on your statement. Mobil was often the cheapest on the North Island. The Caltex diesel stops (unmanned 24/7 pumps for trucks) were the cheapest on the South Island. McKeown Fuel Group also offered really cheap fuel without requiring a membership, but I think they also now offer a membership card for even more savings.
Since we actually got pulled over in Tasmania for not having a front registration/license/vehicle number plate and NZ has similar rules, we decided to keep our faux plate on through NZ. So, to appease the local enforcement and prevent unnecessary pull-overs, we recommend you spend $10 and have an image of your plate printed and laminated. Then tape it to the front of the vehicle. We haven't had an issue with it since have done so. HINT: Don’t mention why you need it done if you are doing it in NZ. We actually a printing place refuse to do it because he was uncertain whether it would break some laws.
Self-Containment Certificate
In NZ, if you want to take advantage of many of the “Freedom Camping” locations (see section below), especially in town, they often require you to have a self-containment certificate (SCC or CSC). To comply with the rules, we actually had to modify the vehicle some. For example, our grey water tank did not have a 1” or 25mm inside-diameter outflow faucet or hose. So, we went to some local irrigation and RV-supply stores and picked out what we needed and fit it on the vehicle. Then we had to schedule an appointment with an inspector. Since we were NZMCA members, a local volunteer did it for free for us. But, otherwise expect to pay. Being self-contained is not a requirement, but not having it greatly reduces the number of places you can camp.
Requirements: https://www.parliament.nz/resource/0000164999 or https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/4d565f_9f9520760c1047e3982b8a7828cf073c.pdf
Preparing for the Road
NZMCA
Similar to Australia’s CMCA or ACC, NZ has the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association. After our experience in Australia, we had been thinking that we really didn’t need to join the club. Their website did a poor job of showcasing the exclusivity of their benefits, and I was thinking it would just be an expense that wouldn’t pay for itself, like in Australia. Boy, was I wrong! If you have the opportunity, join the club. It is worth it. However, they did just put in new rules about foreigners, so they may or may not let you join. The entry costs are $130 joining fee plus $90 per year. They offer huge discounts on the ferry crossings as well as access to many campsites that you wouldn’t be able to use otherwise. They also have a NZMCA DOC Vehicle Pass, which must be purchased for either 5 months or 10 month and allows you access to many DOC campgrounds that you don’t have to pay for. Greatly reduces the amount of cash you have carry around. Being a member also gives you discounts at many businesses as well, e.g. VTNZ, VINZ, RV/camping supply stores, electronics stores, etc.
Besides all that, the people of the club are quite friendly and helpful. You can typically count on them to respect the rules for camping in an area. And, the club itself extremely proactive in looking out for its members. It takes towns who try to forbid freedom camping to court for the benefits of its members and future camping. They work to regulate legislation, etc. If they had a similar association in the USA, I would join it.
https://www.nzmca.org.nz/
Stores and Rewards Program
If I thought Australia’s store reward programs were pretty bad, they were heaven compared to New Zealand’s! I tried Woolworth’s Countdown’s options in NZ. They earned at an even lower rate and you only got points for every $10 you spent, non-prorated. If you spent $15, you wouldn’t earn anything for the $5 more than the $10. I ended up shopping at Pak’nSave most of the time. As far as I could tell, they only had a fuel rewards program, which would have been a good deal ($0.12/liter) if I didn’t have Kiwi Fuelcards (see section below). I don’t recommend you bother with a reward program, except for Muffin Break’s, if you like coffee or want a muffin for your birthday.
NZ Bank Account and/or Credit Card
After wishing we had done this in Australia, we researched our options in NZ and decided to open a bank account with ANZ. This would allow us to have a Kiwi Fuelcards account and to withdraw cash without ATM fees (since our US card doesn’t provide that). It also let us use a cashless transaction (EFTPOS) at places that would otherwise charge exorbitant fees for a credit transaction.
Not sure how to transfer the funds to your account? You have a couple of options. Perhaps the simplest is to use your American bank accounts transfer rate (ours was about 4% off the actual exchange rate) at the ATM. For us, not only was the exchange rate not the best, but we also had ATM fees at the ATM and at our bank for the withdrawal. Alternatively, you can ask your Australian bank to do the wire transfer, but they will probably offer similar rates. We found the best option was to use a third-party wire transfer system. OFX is our current system of choice. They take about 3% from the exchange rate, but don’t charge you any additional fees and can ACH-debit your accounts for no additional charge (takes 5 days, though).
Kiwi Fuelcards
While the store rewards programs are pretty terrible, becoming a member of a fuel rewards program is a great idea. You can normally save at least 6 cents per litre, if not up to 12 cents. Our research at the time led us to getting a membership with Kiwi Fuelcards ($10 joining cost). Then, it offers discounts on Mobil, Caltex, and BP. We signed up for the Caltex and Mobil cards. The Kiwi Fuelcards issue “credit” cards for each brand. You pay for your fuel-up with the card for the full amount (discounts NOT applied on your receipt), then pay off your account on the 20th of every month, with the discounts applied on your statement. Mobil was often the cheapest on the North Island. The Caltex diesel stops (unmanned 24/7 pumps for trucks) were the cheapest on the South Island. McKeown Fuel Group also offered really cheap fuel without requiring a membership, but I think they also now offer a membership card for even more savings.
