The deal with ‘imported as damaged’ vehicles on Trade Me

‘Imported as damaged’ is a declaration Motor Vehicle Traders (MVTs) must make if an imported vehicle has known damage. Damage doesn't always mean a crash. It could be from water or fire damage. Before the car can be driven in New Zealand, it must pass a safety check.

Consumer Information Notice for damaged imports

Motor Vehicle Traders selling a vehicle must have a CIN (Consumer Information Notice) physically attached to the vehicle for sale. If it’s being sold by auction on Trade Me, the CIN needs to be in a photo on the listing.

The CIN is used to provide the buyer with information about the vehicle and makes it clear whether or not the vehicle has been imported as damaged.

Buying imported cars on Trade Me

On Trade Me, the CIN only needs to be in photos of auction or Buy Now listings. Classified listings don't need the CIN because the sale isn't finalised on our site.

We suggest buyers view and inspect the car and get a MotorWeb check before buying a car from a classified listing. The CIN should still be physically attached to the car.

Before their purchase, buyers can also check NZTA’s Damaged Vehicle list to see if the car they’re interested in has any damage.

Selling imported cars on Trade Me

Car importers should say in their listing whether a car was imported as damaged or totaled. If you're selling a car as a car importer, you must follow the Fair Trading Act. This means you must accurately describe the car's history in the listing.

If the car is a statutory write-off from Australia, you must use wording that makes this clear. We suggest you use this statement:

"This vehicle was imported from Australia as a statutory write-off. Buyers should ensure they fully understand the history of the vehicle before purchase."