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I purchased a 2006 Honda CR-V just over a week ago.
I did a run from Auckland to Te Puke last Saturday and as I pulled into a parking area the motor died when I removed my foot from accelerator. I re-started the car, parked her, turned ignition off, re-started vehicle, parked up and left for approximately an hour.
When I returned I had no ignition and called the AA breakdown service. The car jump started successfully and all checks indicated a 'dud' battery which was replaced with a new one costing $160.00.
I have since contacted the car sales I purchased the vehicle from to be told I should have contacted them before purchasing a new battery and they have offered to reimburse me $80.00. Considering the hour lost in travelling time and the inconvenience of waiting for assistance with two children in a hot car, I don't feel inclined to accept their offer! What do you think? What is my position here?

Did you make any attempt to contact the dealer at the time of the breakdown, because going by the letter of the law the dealer must be notified before any work is carried out, so strictly speaking, they are not obligated to pay.
It does seem mean spirited of them to quibble over a few dollars for something that failed on the day you bought the car, but under the Consumer Guarantees Act, you must get the approval of the dealer before any costs are incurred.
However, I can't see how they could have rectified the problem on the side of the road any cheaper than you were able to via the AA Roadservice.