Choosing between the best used car dealers in Palmerston North comes down to knowing which yard stocks what, from Japanese imports hand picked at auction to New Zealand new Fords and Holdens that have been refurbished before they hit the forecourt. The used car dealers in Palmerston North below all handle finance, trade-in valuations, mechanical breakdown cover and delivery outside the region, so you can sort the car and the paperwork in one visit. Ian Humphrey Motors and Mainly Cars are among the long established yards covered here.
1Ian Humphrey Motors
Ian Humphrey Motors is a family owned and operated dealership that has been selling late model used vehicles from Tremaine Avenue for over 27 years. The yard specialises in Ford and Holden, and sells only New Zealand new vehicles that have been fully checked over and refurbished before they go on the yard for sale. It suits buyers after a sedan, wagon or ute from a single marque rather than a mixed forecourt.
Services
- Used Ford and Holden sales across sedans, station wagons and utes
- Vehicle finance applications completed online
- Trade-in appraisals through the Price My Trade upload tool
- Outright purchase of Ford and Holden vehicles
- Nationwide delivery for out of town buyers
Highlights
- Family owned and operated, trading from Palmerston North for over 27 years
- Stocks only New Zealand new vehicles, checked and refurbished before sale
- Finance arranged through Marac and UDC, with mechanical insurance available
- Vehicles can be bought entirely remotely, with paperwork signed digitally
Location & Contact
Name: Ian Humphrey Motors
Address: 745 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 355 5761
Website: ianhumphrey.co.nz
2Mainly Cars
Mainly Cars is a family run car yard at 127 Grey Street, owned and operated by Pete and Maria, who took the business over in 2014. The yard has traded from the same Palmerston North address for more than 25 years and stocks cars, utes, SUVs, four wheel drives and vans priced from $2,000 to $14,000. It is a straightforward option for anyone shopping at the affordable end of the market who still wants to buy from a dealer.
Services
- Used car, ute, SUV, four wheel drive and van sales
- Vehicle finance applications
- Mechanical breakdown insurance and warranty options
- Nationwide vehicle transport, quoted on request
Highlights
- Trading from the same Grey Street site for more than 25 years
- Owned and operated by Pete and Maria since 2014
- Stock priced between $2,000 and $14,000
- Open Monday to Saturday, with Sunday viewings by appointment
- Stock searchable by make, body style, price, year and odometer reading
Location & Contact
Name: Mainly Cars
Address: 127 Grey Street, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 356 4642
Website: mainlycars.kiwi
3Yes Cars
Yes Cars sells pre-loved hybrid, petrol and diesel vehicles from its yard at 461 Rangitikei Street in Cloverlea, with stock drawn largely from Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda and Honda. Trade-ins, valuations and finance are all handled on site, and third party pre-purchase inspections are welcomed. It suits a buyer who wants to test drive, trade in and arrange the loan in a single visit.
Services
- Used hybrid, petrol and diesel vehicle sales
- Zero deposit finance, with an online repayment calculator
- Trade-in appraisals and vehicle valuations
- Extended warranties and after sales service
- Nationwide delivery and lease options
Highlights
- Third party pre-purchase inspections welcomed on any vehicle
- Finance arranged through a mix of local and national lenders
- Will source a specific make and model that is not currently in stock
Location & Contact
Name: Yes Cars
Address: 461 Rangitikei Street, Cloverlea, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 353 0096
Website: yescars.co.nz
4Imported Carz
Imported Carz is a direct importer of Japanese vehicles operating from 668A Tremaine Avenue, with its own company and buying team in Japan hand picking the stock. Every vehicle is inspected and complied through VTNZ, VINZ and the AA, arriving with a certified odometer, a fresh warrant of fitness and a full service. The yard is open seven days and works with first time buyers as well as trade-in customers.
Services
- Japanese import sales across cars, SUVs and hybrids
- In house finance packages, applied for by phone or email
- Mechanical breakdown insurance for one to three years
- Trade-in valuations
- Supply and installation of reversing cameras, alarms and GPS units at fixed quotes
Highlights
- Direct importer with its own company and buying team in Japan
- Odometers verified by AA Japan and quality control tested by VINZ
- Three months free warranty included with vehicles sold
- No deposit finance, open to beneficiaries and study or work visa holders
- Open seven days a week, with nationwide delivery available
Location & Contact
Name: Imported Carz
Address: 668A Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 929 4951
Website: importedcarz.co.nz
5Japan Cars
Japan Cars is a family owned and operated dealership at 857 Tremaine Avenue that has been trading since 2012, selling imported and locally supplied used vehicles. Stock leans towards Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan, with a steady run of hybrids and people movers on the yard. Buying from out of town is a core part of the business, with transport rates published by destination.
Services
- Imported and domestic used vehicle sales
- Vehicle finance, including zero deposit applications
- Mechanical breakdown insurance covering six months or the first 5,000km
- Nationwide delivery through vehicle transporters, quoted by destination
Highlights
- Family owned and operated since 2012
- Most vehicles AA appraised, with AA or VTNZ pre-purchase inspections arranged on request
- A Vehicle Offer and Sale Agreement is sent with full details before any deposit is taken
- Indicative delivery pricing published for centres including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch
Location & Contact
Name: Japan Cars
Address: 857 Tremaine Avenue, Palmerston North
Phone: 0210 223 4544
Website: japancars.co.nz
Used Car Dealers in Palmerston North at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Humphrey Motors | Palmerston North | Family owned and operated |
| Mainly Cars | Palmerston North | Trading from the same Grey Street site for more than 25 years |
| Yes Cars | Cloverlea | Third party pre-purchase inspections welcomed on any vehicle |
| Imported Carz | Palmerston North | Direct importer with its own company and buying team in Japan |
| Japan Cars | Palmerston North | Family owned and operated since 2012 |
How to Choose the Right Used Car Dealer in Palmerston North
- Decide whether you want a Japanese import or a New Zealand new vehicle, because the yards in the city tend to specialise in one or the other and that shapes the price, the service history and the parts supply.
- Check what mechanical cover comes with the car, and for how long. Dealer warranties and mechanical breakdown insurance vary widely in length and in what they actually pay out on.
- Ask whether an independent pre-purchase inspection is welcome. A yard that encourages an AA or VTNZ check on its own stock is telling you something useful.
- Compare the finance offer against your bank rather than signing at the desk, and look at the total repaid rather than the weekly figure.
- Confirm what is included in the advertised price, since many yards quote a figure that excludes on road costs, and get the trade-in valued in writing before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston North Used Car Dealers
Where are most of the car yards in Palmerston North?
Tremaine Avenue carries the biggest cluster, with several yards spaced along it, and there are others on Grey Street closer to the city centre and on Rangitikei Street heading north towards Cloverlea. If you are looking for used cars in Palmerston North without a fixed shortlist, working along Tremaine Avenue and then cutting across to Rangitikei Street covers most of the independent dealers in one trip.
How do I check that a used car dealer is registered?
Anyone in the business of selling motor vehicles in New Zealand must be listed on the Motor Vehicle Traders Register, and you can look up a trader by name and see their current registration status free of charge at motortraders.govt.nz. A registered trader must also display a Consumer Information Notice on every vehicle offered for sale, which sets out the odometer reading, the year of manufacture and whether any money is owing on it.
What does a used car cost in Palmerston North?
Advertised stock runs from older, higher kilometre runabouts through to late model hybrids and SUVs, and every yard on this page publishes its current prices on its own website. Read the fine print on whether on road costs are included, as many yards quote the vehicle price plus ORC, which covers registration, a warrant and the licensing fee.
Is a Japanese import worth considering?
Imports are usually cheaper for the same age and specification, and the yards that bring them in directly have them complied through VTNZ or VINZ with the odometer verified before they can be sold here. The trade-offs to weigh are the service history, which may be in Japanese, and parts availability on models that were never sold new in New Zealand.
Can I buy from a Palmerston North dealer if I live somewhere else?
Yes. Out of town buying is routine for Manawatū yards, and most will arrange transport anywhere in the country through a vehicle transporter, sometimes with indicative pricing published by city. Paperwork is commonly signed digitally, so it is possible to complete the whole purchase without visiting the yard, though it pays to arrange an independent inspection first if you cannot see the car yourself.
Do Palmerston North dealers take trade-ins?
Trade-ins are standard across the yards here, and several let you upload photos and details of your current vehicle for an appraisal before you visit. Getting a figure in writing ahead of time makes it much easier to compare offers between yards rather than negotiating the trade and the purchase together at the desk.
What warranty comes with a used car from a dealer?
It varies by yard, from a few months of included cover to mechanical breakdown insurance sold for one to three years, and the terms differ on what components are covered and what excess applies. Separately, the Consumer Guarantees Act applies to vehicles bought from a registered trader, which gives you rights that a private sale does not.
Should I get finance pre-approved before visiting a yard?
It helps. Knowing your budget and your rate before you walk on to a forecourt gives you a benchmark for whatever the dealer offers, and most Palmerston North yards run online applications so you can be pre-approved before you look. Zero deposit finance is widely advertised, but a deposit still lowers the total interest you pay.
How We Chose the Best Used Car Dealers in Palmerston North
Every business in this guide was found by searching for used car dealers in Palmerston North, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Palmerston North, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.