24|09|2018, Vehicle Safety Check and application for the IRD Number

Hello Germany,

it was a relatively late hour of 7 o'clock for us to get out of bed today. Our sleep rhythm still hasn't fully adjusted here!

After getting up, taking a shower and having a hearty breakfast, our day could begin.

First on the agenda was a visit to the bank. Here we had to get proof that our New Zealand account is fully functional. I'll tell you why we needed this later!

The acquisition of the document went smoothly, so we had some time before our next appointment. We used this time for a short morning walk through the city center of Auckland and then took an Uber to our next appointment.

As mentioned yesterday, we had an appointment with the New Zealand "ADAC".

We met with him at the car dealership so he could perform a "Vehicle Safety Check" on the car before we buy it.

When we arrived, the "ADAC" employee was already there. About an hour before the actual appointment time. Explanation: "I like to come early so I can leave early too!". He's right, he's right!

The result of the check was that the car is running great for its age! It has no defects and according to the man, it will be "a loyal companion for the next six months".

A very good news!

The car we want to buy is a Toyota Estima Lucida.

A 7-seater, converted to a 2-seater with a large sleeping area at the back. We are the first generation "Work and Traveller" to travel with this car, so everything is still new! The car will also undergo a new New Zealand "TÜV" inspection and will be registered in our name.

Another great advantage of the car is that it is considered "Self Contained". This means that with this car, we are considered self-sufficient! Of course, this also means that certain requirements must be met, but since the car already has a "Self-Contained" sticker, all requirements are already fulfilled.

What does this "Self-Contained" actually mean?

As a camper with a regular camping van, you are only allowed to stay overnight at registered campsites in New Zealand. Although there are also free campsites here, they often cost money. So you would always be somewhat restricted in terms of sleeping space.

In contrast, a "Self-Contained vehicle" is allowed to stay overnight almost anywhere in New Zealand, as long as it's not private property. This means no campsite fees and almost unlimited freedom! 😊

Although cars with this sticker usually cost more, we made a real bargain. That's why we decided to take the car today! So far, everything seems to be going smoothly, and if there are any issues, there's still a dealer guarantee for the first month that covers any damages that may occur. These are all reasons why we decided to take the car! It may not be the most beautiful on the outside, but in terms of the interior, it's the perfect companion for us, and we all know that "It's the inside that counts!".

Enough fun! I'm really glad we found such a good deal and I'm looking forward to the experiences we will have with this car! 😊

I'll attach some pictures!

Other than that, today we also took care of applying for our "IRD Number", our New Zealand tax identification number. For this we needed proof of the functionality of our account here...

A lot of scanning, printing, writing and a lot of patience, but we need the number to be able to work here. As my dad would say, "Can't do much about it, my boy!"

Afterwards, we tested the frozen pizza again in this country and did some laundry. We'll have to get used to that as well. No more "magic stairs" that magically wash and fold the laundry and put it back in my room! 🤔

We'll manage!

I'll check in again tomorrow. Greetings from Auckland, New Zealand! 🇳🇿

Your Tim! 😊😊

Unfortunately, it's only possible to upload these 3 pictures right now. More will follow tomorrow! 😊