I Got 999 First World Problems

[knight1fox3]

Took the Camaro out of the garage yesterday to get it cleaned up before taking it in for the inspection. A bird **** on it in the 2 minutes it was parked outside while I took the towels back to the house.

Does that reduce the total amount of available HP then? :dunno:

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Everyone knows a clean car gains 10hp.  20hp if it's professionally cleaned.

 

[MA_PE]

Took the Camaro out of the garage yesterday to get it cleaned up before taking it in for the inspection. A bird **** on it in the 2 minutes it was parked outside while I took the towels back to the house.

I hope you killed it.

 

[MA_PE]

Vehicles are registered before you buy them from the dealership and the plates stay with them for the life of the car. They don't do the 30-60 day temp tags like in the US. And since you can't just drive the car from another state/country (they only have one plate for the whole country instead of state-based tags), you will never see anything other than NZ plates. 

Because I didn't buy my car locally, it needs to be inspected to ensure it meets local laws before it can be registered. So technically, I have to have it towed to the inspection facility and once it passes then I'll be able to buy plates for it. Then, cars need to have a Warrant of Fitness inspection every 2 years (longer if purchased new) in order to renew plates. Additionally, NZ laws require all cars to be right-hand drive, so I had to apply for an exemption permit to avoid having to convert it. They only allocate 500 permits per year and they were out by the time I got the paperwork done last year, so I had to reapply at the beginning of 2017.

Don't they buy/sell used cars?

have you seen any RHD camaros yet?

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Yes, they buy/sell cars used all the time. The first car we bought when we got here was used. When we bought it, the dealer will tell you how many months are left on the plates and when the next inspection is due. Some dealerships will pay for the inspection/plate renewal if it's within a few months. Almost every car that is imported to NZ for sale is new because of the import tax laws in place. The ones that are used are typically imported by immigrants bringing them when they move here or collectors after a specific vehicle. They all have to go through the same process I did (although not all have to go through the left-hand permit process).

Then, when it comes to being left-hand drive, only cars older than 1992 and cars that meet a very specific criteria can be granted permits. Everything else is either "off-road use only" (like a race car) or forced to convert. Here's a list of vehicles that got permitted this year (almost all American high-performance cars):

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/factsheets/12/docs/lhdvo-list.pdf

I have only seen about a dozen Camaros here in NZ and only one was RHD. There is a company in Australia who does the conversion, but it's stupid expensive.

https://www.motormag.com.au/news/1703/right-hand-drive-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-available-for-150k

 

[tj_PE]

When I met up with a friend in Sydney I kept going to the wrong/right side of the car and he kept restating that he's not letting me drive and I never learned. My travel buddies rented a car and ran into a parked car, in a parking lot... So I'm OK with not driving on the wrong side of the road.

 

[MA_PE]

interesting that they list specific years for the permits as opposed to models?  if you have a car that's not listed can you apply to have it added to the list?

 

[Supe]

interesting that they list specific years for the permits as opposed to models?  if you have a car that's not listed can you apply to have it added to the list?

25 years typically governs a lot of the import/export laws.  Expect to see a lot more RHD Japanese cars making their way to the states in the next few years.  

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

My daughter's dentist appointment conflicts with her marching band photo session.

 

[knight1fox3]

I'm not sure what to upgrade first, desktop PC, laptop, server, or tablet.

 

[tj_PE]

I still need help deciding what (STUPID APPLE) ipad pro product to upgrade to. anyone have advice? storage options go from 64 to 256 to 512. wheres the 128 love? I can't get the 12.9 because it's not available in rose gold (readink)

 

[knight1fox3]

I still need help deciding what (STUPID APPLE) ipad pro product to upgrade to. anyone have advice? storage options go from 64 to 256 to 512. wheres the 128 love? I can't get the 12.9 because it's not available in rose gold (readink)

Here, get this one:

 

[leggo PE]

256.

Not my problem per se, but there is an office upstairs that is closed literally close to half of the time. And it's a darned shame, because even when the lights are on, I don't see them playing their Street Fighter II (previously Ms. Pac Man) arcade game very much. It's always on, but definitely perpetually underused during normal business hours.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

interesting that they list specific years for the permits as opposed to models?  if you have a car that's not listed can you apply to have it added to the list?

Those were just the cars that had applied for and were given permits. They post it as a reference as to what has been approved in the past but not necessarily an exhaustive list.

Basically the car has to be either:

1. 20+ years old       -OR-
   
2. Meet 3 out of the 4 following criteria:
   
   Manufactured as a 2-door coupe or convertible (done)
   
3. Manufactured as a "high performance" vehicle (done)
   
4. Limited production (under 20k per model year) (nope)
   
5. Identified as a collector's vehicle (barely)
   

Evidence of each has to be provided (usually a photograph of the vehicle is sufficient), but the collector's vehicle evidence is via a recognized publication (like Car & Driver). I was able to find an article that listed the Camaro as a "future collectible", and it's a fairly well-known article with the agency because everyone who applies with a Camaro uses it.

 

[Madpiper]

The a-holes in the free sample lines at Costco. Raaaaaaaage!!!! :brickwall:

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

My company credit card is an American Express and isn't accepted at several restaurants when I'm out traveling for work, so I have to use my own check card to float the money until I can expense it.

 

[tj_PE]

My company credit card is an American Express and isn't accepted at several restaurants when I'm out traveling for work, so I have to use my own check card to float the money until I can expense it.

CHECK CARD?!?! as in you don't get points for this expenditure? I suggest getting a card that you get points for this!!!!!!!!!!!111one

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

My fraud detection on my credit card kept denying the auto charges from when I tried to add a credit card account to purchase bitcoins.

 

[Voomie]

My company doesn't have an espresso machine, just nasty Folgers coffee.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

CHECK CARD?!?! as in you don't get points for this expenditure? I suggest getting a card that you get points for this!!!!!!!!!!!111one

Forget credit cards. I gave up that **** when I left the US.