The easiest/cheapest/best car to buy upon arrival in Oz?
Discussion
We'll be arriving in Perth in September and will be needing some wheels. I'd like to keep a rental for as short as possible and buy something pretty quick, even if it's a banger and only does us a month it'll be cheaper than a rental.
So what are the most common cheap, reliable motors in WA?
I presume the second hand car trade over there is operated by similar folk to those in the UK?
So what are the most common cheap, reliable motors in WA?
I presume the second hand car trade over there is operated by similar folk to those in the UK?
I've just done this in Brisbane ... stepped off the plane and picked up a hire car for a week - then spent a couple of days charging around the car lots / private ads etc.
We may have different ideas of cheap (I was looking for really cheap, as a temporary set of wheels for 3 months whilst waiting for our cars to be shipped from the UK) - but I found that cheap cars are a lot more expensive than the UK - and there is a lot of crap around !
I ended up spending $3K on a 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage. That bought me a generic 3 door hatch with aircon. Good condition, except for a few dents, and 1 months rego (= road fund licence + third party insurance). The car was by far the best I saw (probably looked at 10 or 12).
The system will be different in WA, but make sure you understand the OTR costs of buying from a dealer. Many of the cars they stocked were priced without rego ... so need to extra $$$. Not a biggie on a real car, but a bit of a shock on an old clunker !
It's also a pain to register a car in your name (in QLD anyway) if you don't have a QLD driving licence ... and it seemed to be very awkward to get one (no test needed if you haave UK licence - just write a cheque) if you can't prove your residential address.
Final thought - in QLD a car needs a roadworthy certificate when it is sold or being re-registered (after old rego was allowed to lapse) ... As far as I can tell, there is no annual check - so be careful if you are thinking about buying something that needs rego ... it might not have seen a garage for years.
Have a great trip !!
We may have different ideas of cheap (I was looking for really cheap, as a temporary set of wheels for 3 months whilst waiting for our cars to be shipped from the UK) - but I found that cheap cars are a lot more expensive than the UK - and there is a lot of crap around !
I ended up spending $3K on a 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage. That bought me a generic 3 door hatch with aircon. Good condition, except for a few dents, and 1 months rego (= road fund licence + third party insurance). The car was by far the best I saw (probably looked at 10 or 12).
The system will be different in WA, but make sure you understand the OTR costs of buying from a dealer. Many of the cars they stocked were priced without rego ... so need to extra $$$. Not a biggie on a real car, but a bit of a shock on an old clunker !
It's also a pain to register a car in your name (in QLD anyway) if you don't have a QLD driving licence ... and it seemed to be very awkward to get one (no test needed if you haave UK licence - just write a cheque) if you can't prove your residential address.
Final thought - in QLD a car needs a roadworthy certificate when it is sold or being re-registered (after old rego was allowed to lapse) ... As far as I can tell, there is no annual check - so be careful if you are thinking about buying something that needs rego ... it might not have seen a garage for years.
Have a great trip !!
Never buy anything without rego or at least a month or 2 - if you have rego just renew and no pits visit.
No clocking here (or at least minimal) due to massive fines stomped it out years ago.
Mechanic checks required just like the uk.
Get a Magna or Camry.
Www.carsales.com, quokka or gumtree.
No clocking here (or at least minimal) due to massive fines stomped it out years ago.
Mechanic checks required just like the uk.
Get a Magna or Camry.
Www.carsales.com, quokka or gumtree.
Thanks for the replies - I had noticed there seems to be a distinct lack of roadworthy cars for less than a grand. In the UK you can easily find something that'll last 6 months without spending much more than £500!
Sounds like a couple of months rego will be at the top of the list of things required.
Sounds like a couple of months rego will be at the top of the list of things required.
200bhp said:
Will I have to get myself a WA driving license before I can buy? I'm hoping to be able to buy privately for a couple of grand very soon and hence, I may not have a WA licence at the time.
No, I think you have 6 mths to get WA one but fine driving round on a uk one.Oh and when you buy one there's no v5 equivalent just the receipt for the rego/stamp duty when paid so don't br be surprised when nothing arrives.
Google WA department of transport and all will be revealed...
Wife bought our first car for $8000 on a UK passport on the first weekend. We had a hire car Getz for 3 days.
We got a Subaru Outback. Within 4 months it was shot, but that could have been the mega miles and the abuse we gave it.
But by then we were both earning and bought something good.
All depends on what you are after. But I'd suggest going up and down Albany Highway in Vic Park as there are loads of dealers all within walking distance. Gimmie a shout if you like, I'm only round the corner.
The cheaper dealers don't really advertise. But I'd budget at least $5000 for something that'll last 6months without too much work. About 2 years ago we had a big hail storm, so there are plenty of cars looking like golfballs out there.
Also be ready for the stamp duty on the car buying, it's usually "forgotten" to be mentioned by the dealer and will be a few hundred bucks extra.
We got a Subaru Outback. Within 4 months it was shot, but that could have been the mega miles and the abuse we gave it.
But by then we were both earning and bought something good.
All depends on what you are after. But I'd suggest going up and down Albany Highway in Vic Park as there are loads of dealers all within walking distance. Gimmie a shout if you like, I'm only round the corner.
The cheaper dealers don't really advertise. But I'd budget at least $5000 for something that'll last 6months without too much work. About 2 years ago we had a big hail storm, so there are plenty of cars looking like golfballs out there.
Also be ready for the stamp duty on the car buying, it's usually "forgotten" to be mentioned by the dealer and will be a few hundred bucks extra.
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