Long Ago in a Very Far Land

[Kiwi_ME]

When we lived in Whangarei in 2003/04, I was amazed to see petrol over $1.00/l for the first time.

Yes, that was when I moved here from San Diego where my Xterra cost merely $30 to fill.

 

[Number_35]

Yes, that was when I moved here from San Diego where my Xterra cost merely $30 to fill.

Permanent move for you? In many ways I wish we'd stayed in NZ.

 

[Number_35]

@Kiwi_ME , I was just thinking that with petrol so high, an electric car would make sense - and then I remembered that electricity was also quite pricey when we lived there - NZ$0.18/KWh back in '03/04. What do you pay now?

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Permanent move for you? In many ways I wish we'd stayed in NZ.

Well, all my family are here or Oz but a big advantage here for me was that basic health care is provided (as you're aware) and not tied to employment. But now that I'm retired I'd get medicare anyway if I was in the US so it's irrelevant now and so my options have reopened.
Electricity costs me an average of 33 NZ cents/kWh all up but still my EV still costs 1/5 to run as my petrol car.

.. we lived in Whangarei in 2003/04..

That'll be a big difference in weather. I lived in Ottawa when I was in 2nd grade.

 

[Number_35]

Well, the main advantage here is that health care is provided and not tied to employment. But now that I'm retired I'd get medicare anyway if I was in the US so it's irrelevant now and so my options have opened.
Electricity costs me an average of 33 NZ cents/kWh all up but still my EV still costs 1/5 to run as my petrol car.

I found the tax system much simpler in NZ - unlike here there was no provincial tax, but like here there was a heavy consumption tax. I think NZ's GST was 14 or 14.5% when we were there

Much lower caps on charitable donation deduction limits in NZ as well.

Health care was mostly publically funded, as in Canada, but there was a fee for a visit to a doctor (unlike here) and medicine was extremely cheap (unlike here).

It looks like electricity has not increased nearly as much as petrol. Plus, NZ being temperate and relatively small seems well-suited for EVs.

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Health care was mostly publically funded, as in Canada, but there was a fee for a visit to a doctor (unlike here) and medicine was extremely cheap (unlike here).

It looks like electricity has not increased nearly as much as petrol. Plus, NZ being temperate and relatively small seems well-suited for EVs.

They need a fee for the subsidised health care to keep people from abusing the privilege. It's about $45 per 15 min visit now but what happens is that some people use the free hospital ER to avoid that. Yeah, medicines are well-subsidised, typically $2 or $5 for a month's supply.

The climate and renewable-electricity content here is ideal for an EV and we have an excellent charging network all down to one pioneering company. I can drive anywhere without a concern.

I found the tax system much simpler in NZ ...

True, it's fairly easy except that most "US persons" living overseas have to file US taxes as well.

 

[loneryder]

Look at the spread between unleaded and premium
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She's an old lady now....like I'm an old man!