Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHERE TO BUY
If buying a second-hand vehicle, keep in mind the hidden costs: stamp duty, registration,
transfer fee, insurance and maintenance.
ONLINE
Private and dealer car sales are listed online on websites such as
Car Sales
(
www.carsales.com.au
) and
Trading Post
(
www.tradingpost.com.au
)
.
PRIVATE ADS
Buying privately can be time consuming, and you'll have to travel around to assess your
options. But you should expect a lower price than that charged by a licensed dealer. The
seller should provide you with a roadworthy certificate (if required in the state you're in),
but you won't get a cooling-off period or a statutory warranty.
BACKPACKERS & RIDE-SHARING
Backpackers
Hostel notice- boards and online noticeboards such as those on
www.taw.com.au
and the Thorn Tree travel forum at
www.lonelyplanet.com
are good
places to find vehicles for sale.
Ride-sharing
A good way to split costs and environmental impact with other travellers.
Hostel noticeboards are good places to find ads, as well as online classified sites like
DEALERS
Buying from a licensed dealer gives you some protection. They are obliged to guarantee
that no money is owing on the car and you're usually allowed a cooling-off period (usually
one day). Depending on the age of the car and the kilometres travelled, you may also re-
ceive a statutory warranty. You will need to sign an agreement for sale; make sure you un-
derstand what it says before you sign.
PAPERWORK
When you buy a vehicle in Australia, you need to transfer the vehicle registration into your
own name within 14 days. Each state has slightly different requirements and different or-
ganisations to do this. Similarly, when selling a vehicle you need to advise the state or ter-
ritory road transport authority.
Some considerations:
Transfer of Registration Form
In the NT, you and the seller need to complete and sign
this form. In SA there is no form, but you and the seller need to complete and sign the re-
verse of the registration certificate.
Roadworthy Certificate
In the NT and SA you don't need to provide a roadworthy certi-
ficate when selling a vehicle.
