Buying a car in Australia

What you need to know

Buchanan Highway, Savannah Way Tourism Drive, NT. Photo credit: Peter Eve/Tourism NT

Buying a car in Australia

Car hire may give you the freedom to explore Australia to your heart’s content – but if you’re staying for months those hire charges can really mount up. Instead, consider buying a car in Australia.

Split the cost of the car (and petrol) with friends and buying a car doesn’t have to be beyond your budget, but do bear in mind that the additional costs of buying (registration, insurances etc) can run into several hundreds of dollars.

Where to buy a car in Australia

Buyback dealers
Vehicle buyback schemes are a convenient and thriving industry in Australia. Not only do you get the car (or campervan), you have a pre-agreed, guaranteed sale when it’s time to leave.

The advantage of the buyback scheme is you don’t spend the final days of your Australian adventure trying to offload a vehicle you don’t want. Also, you’ll usually have breakdown cover included – handy on a long and demanding journey.

The disadvantage is the longer you have the vehicle, the less you’ll receive. Even a stay of a few months could see you lose over 50% of the price paid.

Check the small print: Ask if you need a certificate of roadworthiness in order to return the car for cash. If you’ve been driving the outback for 12 months the repair bill to bring things back up to standard could be scarily expensive.

Hostel noticeboards
Make hostel notice boards your first port of call if you’re planning on buying a car in Australia. And bear in mind that anyone selling probably needs to sell fast.

Check the small print: It won’t have that new car smell and showroom sheen, but every sold car in Australia must at least have a certificate of roadworthiness. If yours doesn’t, run a mile – you won’t even be able to register it.

Do bear in mind that an older car may be cheaper to buy, but more expensive to run.

Classified ads
The weekend papers in major cities can be a good source of decent value cars.

Certificate of roadworthiness
All used cars need to have one before they can be sold. Don’t think of buying a car in Australia without it as you’ll need it to register the vehicle in your name.

Some states issue different coloured slips which indicate whether repairs are required. Look out for them, and check the requirements for individual states and territories prior to buying.

Registering your vehicle

Visit your local department of transport (the name varies from state to state) to register your new vehicle within 14 days of purchase. You’ll need to take the following:

Driver’s licence

Passport

Last certificate of registration

Receipt

Certificate of roadworthiness

An address

A fee (which varies according to the value of the vehicle)

All vehicles must be registered every 12 months in the state you are in. If you can, plan ahead and buy the vehicle in the same state you intend to sell. It can make life easier if you need to renew the registration prior to selling.

Your registration fee will include third party insurance – but do ensure it covers you for all you need.

Transport In Australia

One careful owner

Ask a few questions to satisfy yourself that the car is all it appears to be:

•   How many miles on the clock?
•   Has it been looked after?
•   Is the log book present?
•   Look under the car for any evidence of leaks
•   Check behind door seals for any sign that the car has been resprayed (which could suggest collision damage)
•   Take the car for a test run