What to Know About Our Car Dealership – Portage Cars FAQs

We sure do! Here at Portage, we want to help you squeeze every last dollar out of your old car, so we offer trade-in deals that will help fund your new set of wheels. We provide a free, no-obligation trade exchange valuation, which we guarantee for up to 7 days. Our expert valuers are on hand to ensure you get the best price for your old car. Find out more about our car trade-in process.

Portage Cars is well and truly your local! We have car dealerships up and down the country, meaning you’re never too far from a great automotive deal. Visit our locations page to find a Portage Cars near you.

Portage Cars opening hours are usually 9 am to 5 pm across all our locations. Our larger car dealerships may be open from 8 am to 6 pm. With summer being the busy season, you’ll be pleased to find we are open a little later on those sunny days. You can visit our location pages for more detailed information on our opening hours. 

While the individual cars are not specifically AA-approved, Portage Cars is an AA-approved dealer. This means we have been certified by AA to meet their quality standards. Buying a used car from an AA-approved dealership like ourselves will mean that our inspectors have thoroughly checked your car to ensure it’s roadworthy and ready for its new journey. 

Our staff are experts at matching drivers with new rides. Before hunting down the perfect car, we’ll start by probing you for extra information on your wants and needs. Everyone should have a car that matches their personality and lifestyle, and with Portage, that’s exactly what you’ll get.

Portage Cars offers competitive car financing and plenty of resources for understanding what you’ll be getting into. You can visit our vehicle financing page and use our finance calculator to gauge how much it will cost you and apply through our easy online application. For any additional questions, check out our car finance blog or give one of our staff a ring.

Vehicle financing allows you to purchase a car through borrowed money to soften the blow of upfront costs. You then pay back the money in manageable instalments, either weekly, monthly, or fortnightly. Vehicle financing is a great way to get the wheels you need when you need them.

The deposit amount you pay with Portage can vary depending on your credit criteria and status. You may even be able to pay no deposit at all! However, a bigger deposit will mean you’ll pay less interest over your term. 

Our finance rates are currently around 13.95% and up, depending on your driver’s license status and credit history. These rates are reflective of the climbing OCR in New Zealand. 

If your credit history has seen better days, gaining approval will be more difficult but not impossible! You’ll need to provide some extra information and history behind your poor credit, and the interest rate will also be higher. However, our expert team will work with you to find a financial pathway that works for you.

While standard vehicle insurance might cover theft and damage from accidents, Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (sometimes known as engine breakdown insurance) can cover mechanical faults and repairs, like steering problems, engine repairs, electric battery replacements, or auto-electrical issues. However, it’s important to note mechanical insurance will not cover standard wear and tear issues. Visit our car insurance policy page to learn more.

If labour and parts costs are under your mechanical breakdown insurance policy, then yes, both would be covered. The Portage Cars car insurance policy includes most parts, and larger mechanical parts and labour are fully covered.

An excess is the amount that you contribute to a claim. If you make a claim and it’s accepted, your insurer will pay the repair or replacement costs over your excess amount. Each excess could be different depending on the fault. Usually, excess costs will fall between $250-$100, depending on the policy.

Our car insurance policy will cost anywhere between [for 3 years $795 to $1695 ] depending on the vehicle and your chosen level of coverage. If you have any questions about our mechanical warranties and what option is best for you, drop our team a line, and we’ll be happy to help.

It sure can! One of our staff will be in touch before your current car insurance policy expires to discuss your extension options. You can extend your policy weekly, monthly, or fortnightly.

When collecting your car, we’ll need keys, bits, and pieces to ensure you are you and we aren’t giving your new car to Joe Blow. We need proof of identity, a valid driver’s license, finalised payment if not already completed, and finance documents if applicable. 

Before you can speed off in your new car, you’ll need to set a time and date to come and collect your car. Drop your salesperson a line, and they can arrange a timeframe that works for you. 

This one isn’t rocket science. When picking up your new car, you’ll need to grab it from the dealership you purchased it from. 

When paying for your new car, you can either pay on the day you pick it up or pay before pick up. However, we will need proof on the day of your prior payment. 

If you are financing your new car, you need a comprehensive insurance cover letter before driving away. However, if you purchase it outright, you won’t require any form of insurance, but we highly recommend organising it beforehand. You never know when an accident could happen!

Our after-sales care team are only a phone call away! If you have any issues, you can contact the person who sold you the car, and they will pass you on to the client claims department or after-sales service department. If phone calls aren’t our thing, you can also get in touch with the team through our email: services@portagecars.co.nz.

We have a range of affordable cover for your vehicle, choose from one-year warranty to a two- or three-year cover period for a few extra pennies. With this extra protection, you can confidently drive around town, knowing you’re covered for anything that may happen.

First things first, jump on the phone with the person who sold you the car. Our after-sales team will help you get it into a workshop and back on the road in no time.

In an ideal world, you’ll have been shown all the bells and whistles your new car has by the salesperson before you’ve purchased it. However, if something has fallen through the cracks, contact the person who sold you the car. They’ll be able to talk you through any features you don’t understand. If you can’t get a hold of the salesperson, the car dealership manager is your next best bet. For their contact information, visit our location pages.