Wow. We just hit 4,000 signatures. Thank you Noline, signature number 4,000! And thank you Chris for signature 3,999.
According to the Federation of Motor Clubs survey (just out - see fomc.nz) there are 200,000 Kiwis who are collectible motor vehicle collectors, so we just hit 2%. Time to let the Minister of Regulation know... and the new chair of NZTA and the Minister of Transport.
It's Saturday morning, crisp and sunny - perfect day to install the speed bleeders on the 69 Alfa 105 brakes and finally get the air out of the lines... a job I've been putting off for six years now, because I just refuse to take the car for its first-import VIN and have it automatically fail on Entry certification 3-4: Threshold for requiring specialist repair certification: A vehicle must be referred to a specialist repair certifier if signs of repair, rust prevention, acid wash or under-sealing to any part of the vehicle structure are evident.
When the new rules came in yonks ago, I had two collectibles in shops and three already passed under the old rules - no problems with those, just reasonable things fixable for fair prices in the 28 days. But when I ran the next one through, it failed on new Rule 3-4. Why? Because it had just completed a $50,000 body restoration that showed evidence of repairs (what 30 year old car does not?) and had all new under-sealing. The $500 inspection fee was wasted because it would take more than 28 days to get the specialist repair certifier to sign off.
When it was moved to the panel beaters for inspection, the big shock came. For the certifier this was his meal ticket. I had to pay a thousand dollars on an ultra-high pressure water blaster to remove all the fresh German underseal. I don't if I was more offended with the price, or the loss of the undercoating which had been brilliantly done. But the drip-feed torture had only begun. I had reckoned once the certifier saw the quality of the steel work, I would get my ticket and pass the VIN. Nope.
The certifier demanded the panel beater cut open the chassis to inspect the clearly new steel that had been part of the restoration. Why? It does not look factory. Umm, this is a car that sold new for the price of 2.5 English homes, that was handmade by some of the most talented welders on the planet and their factory does not use an assembly line. Of course it does not look like factory. That's like saying a Saville Row suit must be defective because it does not look like one sold at H&M.
Certifier's response: Too bad, take it or leave it. He did not know what he was inspecting, did not care and was in a complete position of power.
I gave up and took it home. Sold it to a very wealthy collector, taking a huge loss. I also took home the Alfa. All Alfa's rust, but NZ had some of the finest restorers on the planet, so I had remanufactured-to-original-spec floor panels, sills and lower guards installed. But before sending it to VIN, I got a quote to pass the certifier... sorry, it will face the same drill... blast off all the work, cut it open, $10,000 to put repair the invasive inspection and repaint. Not because the car was in anyway unsafe, but because of Rule 3-4.
Those were the early days of the new rules, so I thought I would wait until it got sorted. Instead what I saw were the closing of the talented restoration shops. With no new flow of inventory from overseas, the collectible pool began to look like Cuba. Keep the existing 280,000 collectibles running, but a drastic drop in the collectible imports. When I had a resto expert come out in December, I got the same estimate $10,000 to invasively undo the professional restoration to earn the certifier's approval.
Annoyed, and hopeful the changes at NZTA and in government might actually pay attention, this petition was started. Now Simon Bridges (petrolhead) is chair of NZTA and David Seymour (petrolhead) is Minister of Regulation and Simeon Brown (petrolhead) is Minister for Transport, there is hope for change.
This petition is not about me, but about the 4,000 who signed it. The NZTA rules are written for the motor trade. We, the collectors of collectibles are collateral damage. Time to make a change. And we need change now. We have only 18 months before attention turns to the next election. In bureaucratic time, that is a couple of minutes at best.
If you know David, Simeon or Simon, let them know about this petition. Tell them to listen to the NZ Federation of Motor Clubs. Tell them to support our $16.5 billion avocation that is an important part of NZ history. Give us fit-for-purpose regulations for collectible motor vehicles that ensures safety while cutting expensive, even prohibitive red tape.
And thank you to all 4,000 who signed https://www.change.org/De-RegNZTA