Ask an expert

I am looking to buy a new 12 seater minibus and have been offered either a factory assembled vehicle or a van with retro-fitted seats. What do I need to be aware of in the van with retro-fitted seats?

If the vehicle was first registered or modified in New Zealand after 1 April 2002, you need to make sure that the modification has been certified by a Low Volume Vehicle certifier. This applies to the seats, seat anchorages and seat belts.
The vehicle will also have been re-classified from a goods vehicle to a passenger vehicle, however, this is a relatively simple process as long as the seat modification has been certified, and should have been done at the time of the modification.