Ann and Paul Gartner-Testimonial for Kiwi Motorhome Importing

Testimonial for Kiwi Motorhome Importing

Any reservations we may have started with about the process of importing our own vehicle through an agent were very soon behind us. With us being total novices, Rob and Fiona made the whole process so easy. They listened to our requirements and suggested a quality make and model of motorhome that would suit our needs; educating us on our options and once agreed arranging the paperwork, putting us on to a company that gave us a great rate for our overseas money transfers; arranged NZ certifications, port handling etc and guided us through what we wanted by way of upgrades for solar, bike racks etc and put us on to reputable companies to get the work done; Rob installing our garage storage system himself.

Rob and Fiona have amazing knowledge about the industry they are in. They were very generous with their time and resources, getting us up to speed with our motorhome when it arrived. The fee they charge just didn’t seem enough for what they do. We would have paid a lot more for our vehicle if we had purchased it locally, and it wouldn’t have been bespoke as it is now. I can’t say enough good things about them. We were in very good hands and love our motorhome.

Ann and Paul Gartner

Tim and Dawn Hassell

Having read some of the testimonials on Kiwi Motorhome Importing, my husband Tim and I would just like to echo what everyone else has been saying, that Rob and Fiona are truly amazing.

In 2018 having enjoyed a fantastic holiday in New Zealand we decided this was the place for us, we would apply for a visa, buy a motorhome in the UK, send it over and start our new life in NZ. What could possibly go wrong!

At the beginning of 2020 the grand plan was on track, our visa was close to be issued and our first ever motorhome, a new Carthago had been delivered. We even managed a weekend away, but then of course Covid.

Ever hopeful the visas wouldn’t be delayed too long we decided to ship our motorhome, with Rob and Fiona taking care of the importing process it couldn’t have been easier, and in September 2020 our motorhome landed in New Zealand.

Unfortunately it wasn’t as easy for us and another eighteen months until we were able to join her. During that time there were many things in life to worry and fret over but never our motorhome, Rob and Fiona had it all under control, their efficiency, knowledge and kindness has been incredible.

We have no hesitation in highly recommending Kiwi Motorhome Importing, with Rob and Fiona you are in safe hands.

Dawn & Tim Hassell
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Steve and Tricia Bell

I first made contact with Fiona and Rob a couple of years ago when my wife and I were on our annual NZ trip from the U.K. We had been delving into the idea of importing a Motorhome from the U.K. to use in NZ and, after some serious research, Kiwi Motorhomes stood out as having the best reviews and our first contact with Fiona and Rob was made. Our telephone enquiries were answered with expert knowledge and a warm and friendly attitude ………with a good dash of patience too I imagine!

Following our first meeting face to face it was apparent that they were on the ball and instilled confidence that everything would go smoothly, we weren’t wrong. On returning home we made several enquires to dealers to find the Motorhome we wanted; a Swift Kontiki 597, at the right price and also a suitable delivery date for export. Following one email to Fiona and Rob, not only did they find the MH we wanted, but also the price we had been quoted was met, and the export dates were matched. Marvellous………this team really do offer the optimum level of service.

From there on in, it was plain sailing for us, Rob and Fiona organised everything and kept us

informed as to what was required regarding the paperwork. When the vehicle arrived into the U.K. dealers, we travelled to inspect it and load it with our necessary armour of tackle to live in NZ. We were very happy with this dealership as the price quoted many months prior never altered, as we know in some cases it has. The dealer arranged the transport to the ship, where it arrived into Auckland five weeks later. Rob and Fiona then transported it to their home.

When I arrived six weeks later, the vehicle was immaculately presented and prepared for me. I stayed in the MH for two nights at their place; their hospitality and helpfulness held no bounds, and it was very much appreciated. During this period they found me a bike rack at a local dealer and help fit it; and when I accidentally locked myself out of my new home they supplied the equipment to rescue my keys!

A few weeks later, they helped me repair the grey water pipe I damaged.

In all they are faultless and have set the bar very high in customer service with their reliable

efficiency and expertise, care and attention to detail, plus a friendly attitude to put you at ease.

What more could you ask for?

Many thanks Fiona and Rob,

Steve & Tricia
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Steve and Sue Draper

Testimonial for Rob and Fiona, Kiwi Motorhome Importing

We’re Steve and Sue, sharing our story and how Rob & Fiona helped enormously at each stage. We found Kiwi Motorhome Importing from a Google search and recommend them 100%. They are an awesome team and The Experts in importing motorhomes from UK to New Zealand.

We live in the UK and wanted a base for when we travel back to our New Zealand family for extended stays, as we are about to become grandparents. At the start of our decision-making, Fiona and Rob’s advice about the whole importing process was really helpful so that we knew exactly what to expect, how easy or difficult certain things were, and, once we decided on a specific motorhome, what the costs would be. Their costings turned out accurate within $30! Rob and Fiona offered help with UK dealers, but as it happened we found our own van – a new Carthago C-Tourer 148LEH from dealer Go European (also very helpful).

Fiona and Rob recommended getting our van on a ship in August so that it would not need to be fumigated for stink bug – a $3500 saving for us. Then came some Covid-19 complications as Auckland went into lockdown, but Rob and Fiona kept everything moving before we arrived at the end of November, including all the registration, compliance and self-containment work.

Handover was also complicated by Covid, but after we left our 7 days in MIQ, we did our 3 days home isolation in our motorhome on Rob and Fiona’s property – thanks so much! We are used to motorhomes, but it was great to have those few days to unpack boxes and get used to ‘Juno’, our van. Once our isolation finished, we met Fiona and Rob properly as they shared the best info on motorhoming in New Zealand.

We could not have done all this without Rob and Fiona’s help, support and guidance. Thanks so much, you have made our plans a reality. Your comprehensive knowledge, detailed communication, accurate financial planning and smooth management of the whole process kept us calm and grounded, and are all beyond awesome!

If we ever do this again, we would be straight back in contact and we strongly recommend anyone importing from the UK to get in touch with you.

Steve and Sue

Kevin and Joan Sampson

Right from our first contact with them Rob and Fiona gave us confidence that they knew what they were doing.  We couldn’t buy the model of the new Dethleff motorhome in NZ that we wanted – the factory wasn’t even taking orders from NZ for 2022. But we had located one in the UK. We first spoke to Rob and Fiona at 4pm on a Friday while they were on holiday in the South Island. They rang us back at 10am on Saturday to say that they had made a deal with the UK dealer and if we paid a deposit within a few days the vehicle was ours.

Using their contact with the foreign funds transfer company we were able to save about $600 on the total cost. And at each step along the path to our taking over the vehicle their contacts and knowledge smoothed the process. For example, the compliance process in NZ is not as simple as the bald statements on their web page make it appear. But even with the hindrance of Covid lockdowns they were able to get the vehicle ready for us amazingly fast. If we had done it ourselves it would have taken a lot longer and been more expensive. Not only that, but they gave us good advice on issues outside their responsibility.

We highly recommend Kiwi Motorhome Importing to anybody wanting to bring a vehicle into NZ.  The fee they charge is money very well spent.

Kevin & Joan

Steve & Helen Jackson

Having lived in New Zealand for over 20 years and with Helen’s 60th birthday in June 2020 we decided to have an extended period in the UK and Europe to catch up with friends and family, celebrate her birthday and visit unfamiliar areas in Europe. Little did we know……..

We had heard of people buying motorhome in UK, using them for a period and then bringing them back to NZ but new absolutely nothing about it. We were also total newbies to the world of Motorhomes!

A quick google search brought us to Kiwi Motorhome Importing and an initial discussion with Rob and Fiona. From knowing nothing at all that one call framed up the whole exercise and encouraged us to investigate further. Having researched options on-line we had settled on a Burstner. We met Rob and Fiona at the 2019 Motorhome show in Hamilton where they kindly showed us round the models explaining the pros and cons of each.

Rob provided us with detailed costings (which proved remarkably accurate) and we decided to proceed in October 19. They managed to source a vehicle for us with an attractive discount and we left for the UK in March 20 not knowing that three days after picking up we would be on a deserted camp site for three months! We had a great summer though touring UK but never took the risk of getting trapped in Europe. Biggest challenge was getting a spot back in MIQ but we did eventually and arrived back in February 21, 11 months after departing.

Throughout the whole process Rob and Fiona have been exceptional. Up front they put us at ease with process and guided us at every step. We picked up the vehicle from their home in Tauranga and it was in showroom condition. Like picking up a new vehicle again.

I can’t recommend their service highly enough. Friendly yet professional, making the whole importation process stress free. We are now enjoying using our Burstner in New Zealand. Thanks so much Rob and Fiona

Steve and Helen Jackson

Craig and Kylie

We cannot say enough about the outstanding service we received from Kiwi Motorhome Importing. From the moment we asked for a quote to the day we collected our motorhome, we felt that our vehicle was going to be in good hands. Thankfully, we were right!

Rob and Fiona took care of all of our paperwork from beginning to end; all we had to do was collect our vehicle upon arrival in NZ. Their expert approach solved any issues we encountered throughout the process and their professional attention to detail mitigated any anxieties we had about the transportation process. However, we had nothing to worry about as their combined expertise ensured our vehicle arrived in pristine condition. All on-the-road costs and paperwork sorted so all we had to do was get in and drive it home. The complimentary bottle of bubbles, we received upon collection of the motorhome, widened the smiles on our faces further. Truly, their service is second to none.

When we found ourselves delayed in London, unable to collect our motorhome by a specific date, they kept our vehicle secured on their property without hesitation until we were able to collect it. Then upon collection, they were able to advise us on accessories suited to our vehicle, once again easing our transition into NZ’s camping culture.

We cannot recommend Kiwi Motorhome Importing enough.

Thank you for treating our precious motorhome with special care.

Craig and Kylie

Geoff & Denise Andrews

Geoff & Denise Andrews

January 2021

In life’s short journey you get to meet some amazing people.

Rob and Fiona Wilkinson are just such people.

To import our motorhome from the UK we used the services of Kiwi Motorhome importing. The business is owned by Rob & Fiona and we could not have imagined just how good their service would be. 

Like a number of people our original plans got torpedoed by Covid19. With minimal input from us, Rob & Fiona turned a potential problem into a positive opportunity.

We left our first meeting with Rob & Fiona somewhat overwhelmed. Their enthusiasm new no bounds. Their product knowledge was nothing short of unbelievable. Their warmth and welcoming smiles were a pleasure to be shared on many more occasions. Their ability to listen to our thoughts and to translate those thoughts into a reality was inspiring.

Not long after our first meeting, at which we had decided which brand (but not which model) of motorhome to buy, we received a detailed forecast costing for the options. What was remarkable was that some 20 months later, when the motorhome arrived in New Zealand, the costings were accurate to almost the $. 

We pretty much left Rob & Fiona to do it all. It was a complex process made the more so by Covid19 and by changing customs rulings. And yet they managed their way through the challenges with seeming ease – the mark of true professionals.

We picked up our new motorhome all ready to go! Wow.

And the fee charged was miniscule in relation to the work done.

And their service has not stopped.

You don’t need us to conclude. You can tell that we have no hesitation in recommending Rob & Fiona. We feel privileged to have met people with such integrity and to have been guided by them.

Geoff and Lois Stevens

We had planned on doing our big 12-18 month trip to the UK and Europe in a motor home during 2020/21 however, it wasn’t to be.

We had purchased our new Burstner 736 in Portsmouth January 2020 with intentions to travel beginning in May.

We were referred to Rob and Fiona by friends who had used them to import their motor home back to NZ from the UK.

Our initial call to Rob and Fiona was honestly the best thing we could have ever done.

The whole process starting from helping get a discount on our purchase to offering immeasurable advice and assistance during the whole process and eventually shipping the motor home back to NZ, was outstanding.

It was a hard decision to have to make to bring our vehicle home back without even travelling in it as our dream trip had been simply squashed however, Rob and Fiona’s gentle and easy process made this decision seem a little easier.

We found Rob and Fiona to be completely friendly and honest, their communication, advice, and general assistance was second to none. We loved dealing with them!

They go well beyond just being importers and we would have absolutely no hesitation on using them again or recommending them to anyone

Geoff and Lois Stevens

Queenstown

Owen & Liesbeth Sunnex

TESTIMONIAL:

Owen & Liesbeth Sunnex

We recently purchased our first motor home.

Several experienced motor-homers said that we would need to buy and try two or three or perhaps more, to learn what works for us, and to find one that we really enjoy.
My reaction: Not me! I set out to research, to plan carefully and to make the right choices first time.

However there is just one thing that you can be sure of when you plan something like this, and that is: IT WILL NEVER BE THAT SIMPLE!

Further complicated because we elected to purchase in Europe, use it to tour that region before importing it to New Zealand.

There is just so much to learn and so many pitfalls, not to mention completely unexpected set-backs like Covid 19!

Enter: Rob & Fiona of Kiwi Motorhome Importing Ltd.

There are other companies that we could have chosen to assist us with the purchase and import, but we chose this smaller owner-operated company run by a couple who are themselves very experienced motor home enthusiasts.

Of all the decisions that we needed to make this was perhaps the most significant because Rob & Fiona helped us make wise choices in so many other facets of the process.

The first major issue is that from the git-go, Rob & Fiona set aside their own preferences, their own motivation to make a sale, and instead sought to help us choose what we want and what is practical for our intended use.

Our initial research prior to meeting Rob & Fiona was through motor home magazines, web pages and You Tube. Then I met with Rob & Fiona at the 2019 NZMCA show at Mystery Creek.

Upon hearing our intent to spend a lot of time in the motor home the first thing Rob did, was to sit with me for a while inside a couple of the contenders in my short-list… To encourage me to soak in the atmosphere, and to note the difference in feel that lighting and colours make. An aspect that cannot be gleaned from pictures and videos which inevitably distort the sense of space.

Rob discerned quite quickly and correctly that, amid the multitude of other technical considerations, I had previously not consciously thought through this aspect which is so very important to us.

That was the beginning of many decisions wherein Rob & Fiona have saved us much cost and heartache!

They helped us refine the short-list to settle upon our choice of layout, manufacturer and model. Understand that there is no perfect match to any comprehensive list of desired features, but what Rob & Fiona helped us do, was to make sure our final choice met all the essential aspects, leaving only minor compromises that could easily be adjusted after-market.

Then they helped us locate one at a dealership in UK, whereupon they took up the negotiation to score us a hefty discount on the listed price as well as doing all the paper-work to arrange export, shipping and import. Much documentation is needed in timely fashion to qualify for UK registration, VAT exemption and NZ Customs concession. They took care of many other details that only experienced operators would think of.

They provided a wealth of information about what to do and what not to do to make our European holiday safe, cheap and enjoyable…

But then Covid 19 erupted!

Their expertise and experience, together with inside knowledge of goings-on in the shipping industry, really came to the fore when Covid disrupted our travel plans with the motor home stuck in storage at a cousin’s place in Holland. They efficiently rearranged shipping from Belgium instead of UK, and even took advantage of the worldwide oil surplus to score us a substantial discount on shipping cost.

Needless to say, Rob & Fiona took total care of all the NZ compliance and registration issues after import.
More so, they are full of good ideas to improve a multitude of things.
Fore example among many useful tips, they suggested and supplied a filter system for the water filling hose. This keeps chemicals and pollutants out of our fresh water system, so that the tap water in the motor home is drinkable.
Power supply cables must be fully uncoiled to prevent overheating for safe use. They suggested and arranged for our 25M power lead to be modified (and certified by an electrical inspector) into a more manageable 10M length plus the additional 15M extension that need only be used when needed. They also supplied a certified RCD adapter for use when plugging into domestic household power.

Very happy with every aspect of service provided by Kiwi Motorhome Importing as well as the beginnings of what is clearly going to be a happy relationship with Rob & Fiona.

Simon & Wendy

The purchase and importation of a UK sourced motorhome has been quite a journey for us in many different ways. Rob and Fiona Wilkinson of Kiwi Motorhome Importing have been the perfect master guides in all facets of the journey. Their wisdom, knowledge and advice helped us navigate the many twists and turns and smoothed out what could have been a bumpy ride.

Our journey has taken place over two years from tentative inquiry to an adventure of a lifetime motorhoming the highways and (very narrow!) byways of the UK, to an NZ road-ready home-on-wheels. Put quite simply, we couldn’t/wouldn’t have done it without Rob and Fiona.

Simon and Wendy,

Kapiti.

Eric and Ruth MacLeod

It’s easy to say complimentary things about family and friends that you love. But the words that follow are a sincere and objective appreciation of our experience with Fiona and Rob at Kiwi Motorhome Importing.

When we found them after searching the internet to help us achieve our dream of exporting a motorhome to New Zealand for the summer, we had to take them on trust and commit ourselves to their care. It has been a trust and care that has never been in question ever since.

They not only helped us to navigate the vagaries of the logistics of getting the motorhome to our destination, but also to ensure that it was prepared for the open road when we eventually took possession of it on New Zealand soil.

After enjoying a full 5 months of travelling around North and South Islands, we were confronted with the dilemma of where to stay during lockdown. Without hesitation, after the announcement, they contacted us to say we were welcomed to stay in their compound adjoining their property.

We remained there for two months before being able to find a suitable flight to get us back to the UK. And these were two months we shall never forget!

Not only did we make good friends of Fiona and Rob (and, of course, their cat Coco), we made friends with a good number of their neighbours. We established a ‘happy hour’ at the end of each day when we got know each other better finding, in the process, that we shared a lot of common interests such as Fiona and Ruth’s love of clothes’ shopping (online of course!), gardening, cooking and shell collecting whilst Rob and I found a commonality in our sense of humour, politics, good wines and food. The time passed as one of the best holidays we have ever had.

We had to leave for the UK before we could sell our vehicle and left it in their capable hands once again. The result, after a few irritating time-wasters, was that a sale was concluded and moneys transferred through Fiona and Rob’s recommended mechanism to our bank here in the UK. All’s well that ends well, especially when the whole project turns out to pay for itself!

But, the most important outcome of the whole adventure is that we have added two people to our life whom we now consider the dearest of friends and for whom we have much love and respect. We miss them and New Zealand very much and are looking forward to organising another trip ‘down under’ when travel restrictions are eventually discarded. We can’t wait! ?

Ruth and Eric MacLeod

Eddy & Chris Rademaker

Our dealings with Rob & Fiona far exceeded our expectations. They guided us through the many potential pitfalls of purchasing a camper van from the UK and importing it into NZ.

We had a very particular wish list for our next camper van. Fiona was very helpful in finding potential vans and pointing out things to avoid that complicated the importation.

Once we had selected on a potential candidate, Kiwi Motorhome Importing contacted the dealers in the UK and did the preliminary checks to ensure the vehicle was suitable for import into NZ.

A few short months later we took delivery of the camper van.

Although we had a business arrangement with Rob & Fiona it felt like we were old friends.

We have no hesitation in recommending Kiwi Motorhome Importing to anyone.

Testimonial – Donald and Gillian McDonald

Being of independent spirit, we had decided to travel throughout Europe and the UK by motorhome and then bring it back home to NZ.

Thinking we could manage the initial purchase, wade through the mire of paperwork involved both here and the UK, handle the dealer issues, shipping, NZ Customs etc etc., we quickly arrived at the point where we obviously began to need help.

Enter Rob and Fiona Wilkinson of Kiwi Motorhome Importing in Tauranga.
While we thought we had been quite clever, it was gently explained to us that there was a lot more to this exercise than we realised.

Presented with a hugely detailed costing from the initial purchase to finally handing over a vehicle fully compliant to all NZ requirements at the end of the journey, we are amazed to report that the final costs were almost exactly as quoted.  Now that in itself is impressive but what makes it all the more impressive is the completely professional way this was all conducted by Rob and Fiona.

No stone is left unturned and from start to finish they are with you every step of the way.  It doesn’t stop there as their availability to answer follow up questions is ongoing and helpful.

We could not be more delighted with both our vehicle and our new friends.
No need to look elsewhere, this is your complete one stop motorhome importing shop!

Donald and Gillian McDonald

Testimonial – Jacque and John

Testimonial – Jacque and John

A call to Rob and Fiona opened a new door to purchasing a motorhome. We couldn’t quite hit the number with the local dealer, and Rob and Fiona took up the challenge to land the same brand new vehicle. Robs spreadsheet was something to behold, and they sourced a vehicle in the UK, got a couple of things added, shipped to NZ, customs and insurance, obtained NZ certifications for gas and power etc, got some extra’s put on in Tauranga and handed us the keys with an unbelievably accurate figure from Robs initial spreadsheet prepared some months previously. I was astounded at the accuracy, I think Rob gets a kick from winning us over on how solid his numbers are.

After picking us from the airport, Rob and Fiona gave us a 2 hour introduction to using the motorhome, it was so comprehensive that we (nervously as first time motor-homer) plunged into a 13 day trip back to the South Island that was off the grid and incident free – nearly. In the days leading up to picking up the MH, Rob and Fiona happily gave us ideas of what were essentials for the trip south, and introduced us to the RV shop in town for those necessities.

Rob and Fiona were superb to work with, friendly and responsive to our questions, very trustworthy, and knew how to get it done. We are very grateful we found Rob and Fiona to guide us into our new motorhome and we can unhesitatingly recommend them as fantastic to deal with.

Testimonial – Bob & Crellin Bowen

After researching & contemplating the merits of buying a motor home in London and travelling in the UK for a stay of 3 plus months duration. We asked Rob & Fiona of Kiwi Motor Home Importing for an indication of price and all up costs including their charges to ship a <6 m Burstner Lyseo IT 590 180 hp Motor Home back to New Zealand. They responded with a very thorough indicative price and time schedule. We went ahead and purchased 1 August 2019 the Brand New Burstner with a number of extras including factory installed air conditioning. On departing London at the end of October we dropped the Burstner into the supplier who took the Motor Home to the Port to commence its journey to Auckland and then to Tauranga. Rob & Fiona took care of all export / import shipping payments & requirements to ensure the Motor Home was up to New Zealand WOF - Self Containment - Gas & Electrical certification. We supplied all documents Rob & Fiona requested and payments to them as they invoiced us. Fiona met us in Tauranga and took us to their home where we slept overnight in our immaculately presented motor home. They treated us to breakfast and gave us a very thorough run through the operation and use of the Motor Home before commencing our journey home to Palmerston North. The price indicated mid July 2019 was accurate compared to the sum of the progress invoices paid through to collection 29 January 2020 only varying by $500 because of the extra height incurred with factory fitted air conditioning which they were not aware of at the time of pricing. We were told that there was a 12 month plus waiting list in New Zealand if we wanted to order this make /model motor Home from the factory. I found Rob & Fiona to be honest, totally trustworthy and true to their word providing a friendly, welcoming, accurate and prompt service. Thank you Rob & Fiona for a very professional service delivery.

Testimonial – Ruth & Eric MacLeod

It takes some courage and faith when handing over the keys of a brand-new motorhome to a complete stranger in the carpark of a shipping company at the Belgium port of Zeebrugge. That was the stark reality of having engaged with Kiwi Motorhome Importing Ltd to act as our agents in exporting our vehicle to New Zealand.

I didn’t know Fiona and Rob Wilkinson then, other than through emails and a couple of phone calls across the globe to the antipodes. But if I had known them then, as I know them now, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought and indeed my better half, Ruth, wouldn’t have had the sleepless nights and the dark thoughts of never seeing our new motorhome ever again.

But all’s well that ends well and we eventually, after a few minor hiccups, made the acquaintance of our vehicle once again, as well as meeting Fiona and Rob at their home, in one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever visited in New Zealand.

Ruth and I were instantly welcomed and invited into their home as if we had been long lost friends. We remained with them for a very long weekend, clearing some remaining compliance requirements, driven to the shops for extras required for our stay in the motorhome and being guided and instructed on a great many aspects of our van and what living in one in New Zealand for 5 months would involve. The latter was gratefully received as we were complete novices.

We, eventually, left them (reluctantly like fledglings leaving the nest) to venture out into our great big NZ adventure with a very big thanks for going out of their way in everything they did for us.

p.s. On a financial note – Fiona and Rob’s eventual cost came to slightly under the estimated cost they gave me some nine months previously ?

Allan and Dale Sutherland-Carvell

We want to thank you both, Fiona and Rob, for organising the import and compliance – and everything else – that went with bringing in our Roller Team T590. We very much appreciated your attention to detail and your communication, keeping us updated every step of the way. We have no hesitation in recommending Kiwi Motorhome Importing to anyone wanting to purchase a motorhome from the United Kingdom. Thank you again. ~Dale and Allan Sutherland-Carvell

Testimonial-Greg and Jill

We cannot speak highly enough of the service we received from Rob and Fiona.
From our first enquiry, Rob and Fiona answered all the questions we had and added suggestions that enabled savings along the way.
Pricing was precise and clear, setting out all the costs involved with purchase, compliance in Britain, freight, insurance, customs and NZ compliance etc.
When our motorhome was ready we flew to Tauranga and were met by Rob and Fiona at the airport where they took us shopping so we could kit out the various items required in a motorhome. Their knowledge was invaluable while shopping with lots of helpful suggestions. That night we were invited into their home for a meal and drinks and we stayed the night in their driveway in our fantastic new motorhome.
On the hand over they gave us a full run down on the operation of the Fiat and the motorhome and answered any questions we had.
We found Kiwi Motorhome Importing to be very professional in their business and were a pleasure to deal with. We would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone wanting a hassle free importation of a motorhome. Doing it yourself is a no brainer once you have dealt with Rob and Fiona!
If anyone wants to contact me personally feel free to do so on 027 2426650
Greg and Jill

Stephen and Jane

A big thank you to you both for making the whole process of importing our van from the UK so simple, even when there were issues meaning we had to change shipping companies in the middle of the night while we we backpacking in Cambodia, you simply made things happen. Your knowledge of all the in’s and out of importing motorhomes was invaluable. I can’t believe we even considered trying to go through the whole process on our own.

I know we’ll be calling when we next look to import a motorhome.

Kind regards
Jane & Stephen

Testimonial with grateful thanks from Mel & Vivienne

If you wish to take the stress out of importing your own motorhome or caravan, as well as save yourself a great deal of time and effort, look no further than Kiwi Motorhome Importing Tauranga.
We highly recommend using Kiwi Motorhome Importing as your trusted agent for importing a motorhome or caravan into New Zealand.
Our recent experience of working with Rob and Fiona to import our new motorhome from the UK has been great.
Their attention to detail has been both welcome and necessary. They have anticipated and dealt with issues before they materialised and became problems. They have also very happily answered our many dumb questions on everything from NZ Customs requirements, mains plug socket and gas conversions and NZTA registration to motorhoming in New Zealand. To navigate these many hurdles you need someone like Rob and Fiona who have seen it all before and are used to doing things right.
Rob and Fiona welcomed us into their home when we called to collect our motorhome and took the time to explain everything we needed to know about using and operating our brand new van. Fiona makes awesome muffins as well by the way.
All in all we are very pleased with the excellent service and advice we have received from Kiwi Motorhome Importing and definitely made the right decision to use them very early in the process.

Oliver and Teresa

We recently purchased a motorhome through Kiwi Motorhome Importing and can highly recommend the service that Rob and Fiona provided. From the very first conversation with Rob and Fiona it was very obvious they knew their business.

They gave us excellent advice and made us fully aware of the processes involved with importing a motorhome. The spreadsheet they provided of the costs involved was very detailed and incredibly accurate – there were no hidden costs or surprises! They kept us informed throughout the process and responded to our questions promptly.

When the vehicle arrived in New Zealand they organised all of the compliance requirements and registration details. They went out of their way to make the collection process as easy as possible, Rob picked me up from the airport and took me back to their place to do the hand over.

Rob and Fiona took their time explaining all the ‘ins and outs’ of the motorhome and even lent me their tyre inflator kit for the return journey home. For us the importing process was a dream and we are thrilled with our new motorhome. The friendly and professional service they provided was outstanding.

Georgina and Chris

We cannot speak highly enough about the attention to detail, care, service and professionalism of Rob and Fiona. Importing a motorhome to New Zealand is a minefield of taxes, certification, stink bugs, self-containment & electrical compliance, the list goes on – Rob and Fiona are experts on how to navigate all the issues, avoid unnecessary pitfalls and ultimately save you money and stress. Whenever we had any questions they were on hand to provide the answers, always willing to go above and beyond for their clients. I feel we have not only gained a new motorhome, but also new friends. The service doesn’t end once you’ve collected your new vehicle, they provide a comprehensive handover so she’s all ready to go and, being new to motorhome ownership, they were on hand to answer our multitude of “how does this work?” questions. If you are considering importing a vehicle give them a call….they will make it a reality and save you a heap of money compared to buying the equivalent in New Zealand!

Kate and John


We are not generally part of ‘On-line’ life’s Reviewing brigade – not being geeks to start with – instead being the sorts that usually do our own ‘homework’ and get on with our project being rather ‘independent’ types, but we we’re truly relieved to make the acquaintance of Rob and Fiona Wilkinson from KIWI
MOTORHOME IMPORTING relatively near, but not quite near enough, the beginning of our project to purchase an ex VAT motorhome in the UK, travel and then export the vehicle back to NZ for le.  


Had we gone straight to Rob and Fiona with what we were looking for in a Motorhome,
we would have had none of the chasing around UK dealerships that we did, as we had not realised the demand on manufacturing slots that dealerships were experiencing in the UK in 2018; we would have had the benefit of Kiwi Motorhome Importing’s network of ‘reliable’ dealerships, a portion of dealers’ discount,
and probably Rob and Fiona would have found our vehicle in a better arrival location than northern UK and we may not have got the run-around from an outfit too big to care that we did.  More fool us!


However, we were really fortunate to ‘fall into’ Rob and Fiona’s reliable and extremely
capable hands, when we struggled to get insurance for our vehicle just three weeks out from our departure. A desperate online search popped up Kiwi Motorhome Importing and Insurance together. Thank Heavens! From that point on all the huge variety of facets of what we were in for in terms of an importation of a Motorhome we’re lifted from the shoulders of a pair of fairly rank amateurs, albeit practical folk, and into the hands of some real professionals!


Unfortunately, we’d missed out on Rob and Fiona’s assistance in acquiring the vehicle of our choice and we did get lumbered with a dealership that we’d have preferred not to have dealt with, but moving on, Kiwi Motorhome’s legendary MOTORHOME IMPORTATION COST ANALYSIS was a revelation and you could be in NO DOUBT as to what is involved in an importation and just what you are up for, before you embark on the project. We are not experts, but we have tackled a few projects in our time (building houses and boats), and this analysis, referred to in other reviews, is such a comprehensive, up front calculation that proved
so reliable as to have just over a $100 variance (through subsequent electrical
plug requirements in NZ) in the overall costing over a 8 month period, taking into account currency fluctuations etc. Really impressive and we’d venture to say, unheard of in today’s NZ Motorhome market.

From their terrific UK Insurer, with whom Rob and Fiona were personally acquainted, to the Schedule of Required Documents and Originals, Rob and Fiona put together to be obtained from the Dealership, their instructions on VIN# photos etc., and paperwork making things straight forward with NZ Customs etc, UK drop off instructions, to their sorely tested Shipping Agent back here in NZ and the Motorhome’s final arrival and delivery to Tauranga, Rob and Fiona co-ordinated and counselled us, with always the most prompt email replies and words of Wisdom.

When the Motorhome was back in NZ, we were more than reassured by the quality work
of their compliancing team and more assistance above and beyond during a tight sales process caused by shipping delays, Rob and Fiona did their utmost co-ordinating compliancing and paperwork in record time, and then offering us
sales contract advice and our buyers, several useful items to get them on the road, home to the South Island.

If you want reliability, knowledge and accuracy of information, straight answers from genuine and exceedingly helpful operators, Kiwi Motorhome Importing and Rob and Fiona Wilkinson are lovely people at the top of their game and it’s our pleasure to recommend their services to prospective Motorhome importers and purchasers.


Kate and John

Ian and Chris Kear

In 2018 we decided that as we are keen on motorhoming and also like to visit New Zealand, we would combine the two and have an adventure to remember in our own motorhome. We decided that another Burstner would “fit the bill” and so visited Camper UK of Lincoln who had the model in stock.
Negotiations went well and we asked who they recommended to help us send the motorhome to New Zealand. Without hesitation I was told “Kiwi Motorhome Importing”. Bearing in mind this is the main dealer for Burstner in the UK, I followed their advice.
We read KMI’s advice regarding export/import arrangements and contacted Rob & Fiona with a view to using the motorhome for 3 months before exporting to NZ -as we wanted to be sure that everything was working perfectly before it left the country. Rob immediately sent us a detailed spreadsheet showing all the likely costs that we were going to incur based on the purchase price -which of course was VAT (UK Tax) free.
All seemed reasonable and so we agreed to KMI putting the wheels in motion. They kept us informed throughout of what was happening and what documents were needed and when. They were also very understanding when the UK licensing department (the DVLA) made a complete hash of licensing our motorhome ready for export. That obstacle over, the Marmorated Stinkbug reared its ugly head and caused extreme problems for Rob in getting a suitable replacement ship when the ‘Pest Import’ rules changed. Thanks again Rob/Fiona.
So, we were reunited with our motorhome in early 2019 and were delighted that all the documentation, licensing and conversions had been arranged and carried out swiftly by Kiwi Motorhome Importing to a VERY HIGH standard. The original spreadsheet? Well, that was within a couple of hundred dollars of the final price -which had been affected by the Stinkbug. Not bad eh?
Thank you once again Rob & Fiona for everything.
Ian & Chris Kear
Cheltenham, U.K.

The Macdonald family

To whom it may concern,

In August 2018 we made the decision as a family to return to New Zealand after 18 years away. While living in the South Pacific and Europe had been great, the desire to return to NZ had become too strong. Our plan was simple – leave the UK on December 1st, hire a motorhome on Dec 3rd, travel the country, find somewhere we all liked to live and settle down. But if like us, you have also looked at the prices of hiring motorhomes in NZ over the peak period then this was never going to fly. So research of alternative options was undertaken and the first site we found was Kiwi Motorhome Importing – within 24 hours we were speaking with Rob and Fiona about our plans, wishes, wants and preferences – and boy did they make it easy for us!
Being fairly new to motorhoming (we had hired a few in the past) the knowledge and wisdom that came from Rob and Fiona was extraordinary. Having two teenage daughters in tow meant sleeping arrangements were a key challenge but Rob immediately mentioned the Sunlight A72 with its rear bunks and not only that, also pointed us towards a supplier in the UK who had them and that we could go and see. Literally within weeks we had viewed and agreed the purchase of our new travelling home and the shipping date had been confirmed to ensure the MH would be in New Zealand ready to roll well before our arrival.
And this is where you might think that the challenge to bring the MH to New Zealand only started!
However, with the guidance of Rob and Fiona, via emails and WhatsApp calls, they had all the paperwork we needed sent to us with clear instructions on what to do with them and fully outlined the process required. In terms of hassle for us – there was simply none! It was actually easier than buying a car locally as I didn’t even need to pick the MH up and drive it to the docks for shipping!
But wait, there’s more. Not content with simply the importing side, Rob and Fiona then assisted with the full set-up of said MH from the legal aspects (WOF, Electrical Certificate etc) through to ensuring that we had everything we needed in the van itself (from consumables for the toilet through to plates, cutlery and even a potato peeler!) – and even now, 2 months after we took delivery of our MH we are still in contact with Rob and Fiona and indeed regard them as good friends.
From the very first enquiry both Rob and Fiona have actively supported and helped us to realise our dream of getting mobile in New Zealand with very little stress or strain from our side. If you have similar desires to us and want to find and/or bring a MH of your own into New Zealand then I cannot recommend Rob and Fiona at Kiwi Motorhome Importing enough. They have simply been exceptional.

The Macdonald family

The Spiers Family

We were thoroughly impressed with the service provided by Rob and Fiona at Kiwi Motorhome Importing. They helped with contact for sourcing a van and knew the importing process inside out allowing everything to go smoothly. Even when we had issues on our end they were very patient and went above and beyond to make sure everything went well. We can’t recommend them highly enough.

Tim and Jo

We are so grateful to have found Rob and Fiona when we were thinking about sending our camper van from the UK to NZ, they sent us estimates of pretty much what it would cost, the legalities of the VAT exempt scheme, the shipping, the import and compliance procedures.

Once we decided on a date they organised all the rest, all we had to do was to drive the campervan to Southampton and they did the rest.

They were very trustworthy, informative and professional in their approach to the whole procedure after all it’s a lot of money you’ve got invested!

When we arrived at their house in Tauranga the van was waiting ready for us. They invited us to stay on their driveway for another day/night while we sorted out the van ready for our NZ roadtrip. They couldn’t do enough for us to make sure everything was perfect.

We can’t recommend then highly enough and expect to be using them again for our next NZ adventure.

Tim and Jo

Dale, Beccy, Tate & Brock

We shipped our Burstner motorhome from the UK to New Zealand with Kiwi Motorhome Importing where Rob and Fiona handled the entire process. This took a great deal of stress away from us and meant we could enjoy our holiday whilst the motorhome made its way to New Zealand.

Once it had arrived Rob and Fiona looked after our motorhome like it was their own and went to great lengths to assist us setting up once we arrived. Rob and Fiona are two of the kindest, most genuine people we have met and if you are shipping to New Zealand, we can’t recommend them highly enough.

Dale, Beccy, Tate & Brock

Mark, Tania and Indie Knight

Thank you Rob and Fiona. My wife and I (and 9 mth old daughter) wanted to utilise the last 3 months of her maternity leave by travelling around her home country (Britain) along with Spain and France…. It was also a great way for me to spend some quality time with my daughter.

My background is in import, distribution and retail sales of truck parts in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, as such I was never going to be an easy customer for Rob to satisfy (The arrogance to have an opinion on everything, and the ability to do it myself if I don’t think it was being done the way I thought best)

From the start both myself and my wife liked the way Rob and Fiona came across confident but also down to earth and prepared to discuss all possibilities to find the best solution for our situation.

Our plan was to do what we wanted, when we wanted and how we wanted… all the time satisfying a 9mth old girl who makes her own demands. A Motorhome was therefore a fait accompli… the only question was which?

We looked hard at many Motorhomes initially preferring the idea of a 3-5 year vehicle (new enough, but discounted in price that comes with new vehicles)… but upon review of the UK tax system and the benefits afforded by the UK ‘Personal Export Scheme’ and best place to position ourselves in the NZ retail market for a successful and profitable efficient resale. It was always our intention to return the vehicle to New Zealand and sell the vehicle to return the capital investment we had made in full.

Robs advice was invaluable as a number of times we went down wrong pathways that would have ultimately ended up cost us money, time and hassle.

Having accurate costings and understanding of exactly what was required to achieve and complete this project was greatly assisted by the complete details of Kiwi Motorhomes comprehensive expense sheet, along with the benefits of his industry knowledge and extensive contacts. That is not to say we did everything his way, but we listened with respect to everything he had to say.

Ultimately we found the most sensible solution was to purchase a new Motorhome early in the UK summer, use it for the Northern Hemisphere summer and then return it to New Zealand in time to market and sale it for the start of the NZ summer season.

The Motorhome enabled us to have a fixed base and a common place to call ‘home’ (Important for the stability of our 9 mth old whilst we travelled, ultimately this trip was for our benefit but we wanted to have the least impact on our child’s learning, growth and development as possible).

It also enabled us to travel where we wanted and when, saving us in travel, accommodation and food without hassle, and with the benefit of putting us in an environment to meet real people everywhere we went. Just seeing the major attractions was never a major objective to us… rather to experience and sample was so much more what we wanted to achieve.

Rob’s timings where accurate from start to finish, his costings were precise and even as a tough customer to please I can only compliment both he and Fiona for their efficiency.

Having now completed our project/adventure I am happy to say that not only have we minimised our expenditure but with the benefit of renting our house at home in the interim have gone a long way to covering all of the costs associated with our experience, in fact we were able to sell the motorhome in 3 weeks and realised a profit on the sale, a great outcome!

Proof that if you are smart, careful and capable a motorhome adventure does not have to be an expensive exercise.

Thank you Kiwi Motorhome Importing.

Mark, Tania & Indie Knight

Teresa and Graham McClymont

After lengthy research online to find a campervan either in the UK or New Zealand and realizing that the English option required a lot more work, I was recommended to talk to Rob and Fiona by the logistics team from Extreme Global who I had rung about the cost to ship.

It became very clear to me that Kiwi Motorhome importing could save me not only time but also money. Their advice and putting me in touch with the firm that sold second hand campers saved me the VAT on the purchase and when the vehicle I had purchased arrived, they took care of all the customs clearance, registration and compliance. For time poor self-employed tradies, this was a major bonus

All we had to do was get to Tauranga to pick up the van and have a run through of all the fixtures and fittings with Rob and Fiona before happily bringing Wanda home.

I would highly recommend Kiwi Motorhome Importing, we are more than happy with our new vehicle but also feel we have made new friends.

Teresa McClymont

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Jacqui and Alastair

Via some friends we stumbled upon Rob & Fiona who
had experience and knowledge of bringing a motorhome back from the UK. Rob
& Fiona were in the throes of setting up a new business “Kiwi
Motorhome Importing”. After some initial discussions and a visit over to
the BOP we became their first clients to put our full trust in their services.

18 months down the down the track we have bought a
motorhome, travelled a big chunk of Europe and now have the motorhome sitting
here in NZ and are looking forward to more adventures here in Aotearoa.

The cost of using Kiwi Motorhome Services has been more
than compensated in reduced buy price of the Motorhome and the money transfer
costs all organized by Rob & Fiona. On top of that we got fantastic service
and information which saved us time and money so we didn’t make mistakes and we
felt confident knowing the rules and regulations of buying and travelling
around the UK and Europe in a Motorhome thanks to wealth of knowledge they possess
and share.