Wanted: Advice picking out a new vehicle, moving overseas

Hi all, first post. 

I'm moving overseas to New Zealand in a few months, and need to pick out my next car.

I've been a car enthusiast for years. Learned to drive in a 90's Civic, inherited an F150, passed it along and when it was time to buy my first car, it was between an NA Miata and a B16 Del Sol. I probably made the wrong choice, but the Honda was familiar and that 160HP of VTEC certainly was sweet. Plus I averaged ~36mpg, breaking into the high 40's at times, and it was dead reliable. I've had several Hondas, a few Toyotas. My current daily driver is a G1 Insight (1800lbs) I built with a Honda K24 motor. It makes for a nice commuter - runs 11's in the quarter mile with the right tires, delivers 55mpg on the highway (45 city and up to 65 on backroads), plus it has A/C, cruise, ABS, a communicative PS rack, etc., a huge hatch and tows a trailer.

In NZ, fuel prices are high, like ~$8 per gallon for regular. I toyed with the idea of bringing the Insight as a hilarious fuel sipper, but the regulatory hurdles might be too high. So, barring that, I'd really like to get something RWD with a removable top to enjoy the beautiful weather. Manual, of course.

Here's a snapshot of the market in USD:

1) 200k mile NA6 Miata. ~$4000. 26mpg realistic

2) 120k mile NB8B Miata. ~$6500.  26mpg realistic (?) might be higher, came with 3.63 rear overseas

3) 120k mile NC1 Miata. ~$6500. 28mpg realistic

4) 20k mile ND1 Miata. ~$20,000. 31mpg w/2.0 motor, probably closer to 40 w/1.5 motor

5) 120k mile AP1 S2000. ~$20,000. 24mpg realistic

6) 20k mile Honda S660. ~$20,000. Hard to get MPG data, looks roughly 37mpg

7)  70k mile Honda Beat. ~$6,000. Maybe 37mpg?

8) Tesla Model S. $40,000. Negligible fuel costs. But the roof doesn't come off.

Or I can always buy an $800 Honda Fit and get 45mpg all day long. Beat the crap out of it. Buy $19,000 worth of other fun experiences.  

Isn't the next Miata rumored to be at least partially electrified? At those fuel prices it's probably worth it. I'm having a hard time imagining commuting at 24mpg while paying $8+ per gallon for fuel. 

I can tell you that my 21 ND2 RF is averaging 34.5 on 91, with a healthy mix of highway and mountain driving, fwiw.  Top has been down at least 50% of the miles, for reference.

As a long time NA owner, I would recommend that you do not drive a ND unless you're prepared to buy one.  The RF is really the perfect commuter & fun car.

I believe a large part of the NZ car market is used cars from Japan , 

could you find a connection in Japan that ships to NZ and knows the ins and out of importing used cars ?
 

and go to Horopito  junkyard ......

Cheers

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

I'd likely opt for the soft top over the targa, tbh, but this is helpful. To me, 34.5 is still pretty low in an absolute sense when paying $8+ per gallon. But I really can't see myself enjoying commuting in a Leaf...

I did a bit of reading and research on KMiata's package, because I know I can tune a K24 swapped NA or NB Miata with a 3.6 (or taller) rear diff to be a 40mpg+ car with 200rwhp, considering the 3600lb Accord it came out of was rated for 36 on the highway with the A/C running. However I'm going to be new in the country, likely without a garage or most of my tools, busy starting a new job, meeting new people, etc. so I'm slightly leaning toward just buying something like a 2016 ND with a 1.5 and calling it a day. Or maybe the 2.0, since Flyin' Miata has a turbo kit I'd have the option to add later, should I feel the itch. Or I could get the NA or NB and just drive it like it is for a while, and do a swap in a year or two. But then there's the S2000... 

 Think the problem is that there really isn't a "wrong" choice in this list of cars. I'm just mulling over what the best balance is here. I can buy any of these cars outright, but how many weekend cruises, track days and dinner dates does $16,000 buy? On the other hand, the difference in fuel costs is not going to be much more than $1000 per year, even between the least and most economical of these. 

NZ has a pretty thriving rotary scene, probably as thriving as Puerto Rico's. Just sayin...

In reply to Ecky :

Depending on registration & insurance costs there I'd vote Fit Sport + NA or NB Miata. 

Fit gets my vote. Add a rear sway bar and wheels/tires and call it a day.

In reply to Ecky :

Is that NZ $8?  A gallon?  Right now A US dollar is 1.45 NZ.    So that's roughly $6 US  which isn't that bad compared to around the $5.00 US they pay in California. 
 

I'd also reconsider  what I import.   If I'm not mistaken you get one free from import duty.   I'd look at demand in New Zealand.   Corvette's, Pickup?   Is there something you can score really well on?   
 
    I'd then buy a Japanese car because of right hand drive.  Driving an American car on the wrong side of the road is really a pain!!!  Especially a fast nimble one unless you like the idea of picking a truck's front end out of your face. 

I am reminded of this GRMer who was writing from NZ.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/les-getz-hyundai-getz-beta-swapped-hill-climber/151655/page1/

He was inserting a 2.0L where a 1.6L previously resided.  I recommend you reach out to him and gain some "local knowledge."  

frenchyd said:

In reply to Ecky :

Is that NZ $8?  A gallon?  Right now A US dollar is 1.45 NZ.    So that's roughly $6 US  which isn't that bad compared to around the $5.00 US they pay in California. 
 

I'd also reconsider  what I import.   If I'm not mistaken you get one free from import duty.   I'd look at demand in New Zealand.   Corvette's, Pickup?   Is there something you can score really well on?   
 
    I'd then buy a Japanese car because of right hand drive.  Driving an American car on the wrong side of the road is really a pain!!!  Especially a fast nimble one unless you like the idea of picking a truck's front end out of your face. 

NZ $11 per gallon.

You're right about bringing a car - it's classified as an immigrant vehicle. Whatever I bring, I can't sell for a year but after that it's fair game, so long as it passes their warrant of fitness. So, maybe it needs some extra lighting retrofitted, or the tail lights updated or something. Might be $$$. But there's probably some lost opportunity if I don't.

I was also told to fill the trunk with used Honda transmissions, as they sell for ~3x what they go for in the US. 

In reply to John Welsh :

I'll reach out, thanks!

The Insight is probably not a bad car to bring, honestly. It's low volume even in the US, and would likely be one of a kind in NZ. I suppose I can afford to just hold onto it there and put the work needed into making it road legal, and buy something else in the mean time. That's tough to do though when starting a new job, having no place to live, and knowing nobody, but doable. I'm not strapped for cash. 

Keep in mind that NZ like a bunch of other ex-British colonies drives on the wrong (left) side of the road and thus there is a general preference for RHD vehicles. I'm not sure if it's worth bringing a bread-and-butter LHD vehicle with you because of that, especially as they probably have a better selection of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.

Now if you have something special or something you don't want to part with, that's a different story.

I wouldn't take anything from the USA to NZ.

Buy something there and drive it.  Local car, local parts.

Sell it when you leave.

In reply to Noddaz :

I agree with buy it there and leave it there.  Otherwise, it could be a lot of hoops to jump.  

I think it would be more fun to live as NZ'lander in NZ for a few years than it would be to live (drive) as an American in NZ for a few years.  I'd try to join the NZ culture and what you drive could be a big part of that.  

Not to mention that they tend to import interesting stuff directly from Japan.

I appreciate the feedback, all. They're great points about not being able to get parts, about better assimilating into the culture, and about the money spent to bring it over. I think I'm just about sold on selling the Insight in the 'States and buying something there. However, whatever I do get, will almost certainly be both less fuel efficient and slower (in a straight line), unfortunately. But, I'm basically convinced. 

I'm leaning toward an ND1 Miata with the 1.5 at this point. Looks like a great balance of frugal, turn-key, reliable and fun.