How to read a Consumer Information Notice
Sample author · · 1 min read
Every used car offered for sale by a registered motor vehicle trader in New Zealand must show a Consumer Information Notice (CIN). It is the same form at every dealer, so it is the quickest way to compare cars.
What is on it
- The trader: the business's name, address and its Motor Vehicle Traders Register number.
- The car: make, model, year, odometer reading, engine size and fuel type, VIN or chassis number, and the plate if it is registered.
- The price: the cash price, including on-road costs where those apply.
- Registration: the year it was first registered in New Zealand and, for an import, overseas, and the country it came from.
- Money owing: whether there is a security interest registered against it on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).
- The radio: whether it receives all New Zealand FM stations. Some Japanese imports need a band expander.
What to check yourself
- That the odometer on the CIN matches the dashboard.
- That the VIN or chassis number matches the car.
- That the WOF and the licence are current, or when they will be done.
Ask us for the CIN of any car; it is also on each car's page on this site.
Questions people ask
Does a private seller have to give me a CIN?
No. The notice is required from motor vehicle traders, which is one reason buying from a registered dealer is safer.
What if the notice says money is owing on the car?
The dealer must clear the security interest before or when the car is sold to you. Ask how it will be cleared before you pay.
Ready to look at cars?
Every car shows its price, history and Consumer Information Notice up front.
More guides
· 1 min readBuying a Japanese import: what to check
Auction grades, odometers, radios and compliance: the five things to ask about before you buy a recent import.
Read the guide
· 1 min readHybrid, electric or petrol: which suits you?
How far you drive and where you can charge decide it. A short guide to choosing what your next car runs on.
Read the guide