July 2026
Kia ora koutou
Welcome to the latest edition of the Motor Vehicle Traders newsletter.
As we move through the year, this edition focuses on several important areas of compliance and good trading practice. We have included an article on acceptable quality standards under the Consumer Guarantees Act and highlighted recent Tribunal decisions that reinforce the importance of ensuring vehicles are accurately described and fit for sale. These cases provide valuable reminders of the obligations that come with being a registered motor vehicle trader.
We have also included further information about what constitutes motor vehicle trading and when registration is required. Recent data-matching activity has reinforced the importance of understanding your obligations, particularly where individuals may not realise that their activities fall within the definition of trading.
I encourage you to take the time to read the articles in this edition and consider how the learnings may apply to your own business practices. Staying informed and maintaining high standards helps build confidence in the motor vehicle industry and supports positive outcomes for both traders and consumers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and for your ongoing commitment to meeting your obligations as a registered motor vehicle trader.
Ngā mihi,
Duncan Connor
Registrar of Motor Vehicle Traders
What does 'acceptable quality' mean?
As a registered motor vehicle trader, you must make sure that vehicles sold to consumers meet the guarantees provided under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA). Under the CGA, vehicles for sale must meet acceptable quality standards.
What counts as a car sale - transferring ownership
MBIE and NZTA are using data matching to identify unregistered vehicle traders. Even if you make little profit, swap vehicles, or act on behalf of someone else, you may still be considered "in trade". Check your obligations before selling vehicles to avoid being contacted for unregistered trading.
Trader buys back car with tampered odometer
A Tauranga-based motor vehicle trader has bought back a vehicle with a tampered odometer sold by his company after the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) prosecution action.
Recent MVDT decisions – May 2026
Two recent MVDT decisions show how the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA) is applied to disputes about vehicle quality, durability, and remedies.
