Buying a car or campervan

The biggest investment of your trip around Australia.

Here are a few helpful tips.

1) Buying and selling motorvehicles is regulated by the State authorities in Austrlaia.  So buy your car in the State that it is registered and where you will sell it, you will find it easier to sell.

2) Buy a car with at least three months registration left after you are going to sell it. WARNING: Not all States transfer registrations by mail.

3) In States where registration is cheap, it helps to pay for 6/12 months registration, if there is less than 3 months left when you go to sell.

4) Each State has different rules for transfer, registration, and insurances. Kings Cross Car Market has all the transfer and registration forms for all the States in Australia. They have the phone numbers to check that the car you are buying is not stolen, has had the registration cancelled for unpaid fines, or has money owing on it. Have a credit card ready if you want a certificate of proof, which costs around $12.00

5) DO NOT buy a car from unlicensed dealers who are hanging around hotels, hostels or on the streets, offering cars for sale. They are breaking the law and in many cases, as previous travellers have found, when you get back you will not find them. You will also have trouble with the registration as the unlicensed dealers do not put their names on the registration papers. Only buy privately from a person who can prove by a photographic licence or passport that they own the car.

6) WARNING There are now a number of people, offering cheaper mechanical inspections of vehicles for sale. Most of these people are not qualified mechanics, and do the inspections on the street. Make sure you see that the person you use to do any mechanical check for you is a licensed mechanic with a licensed workshop. Ask to see their Licence to carry out Mechanical work. Most of these guys are in fact unlicensed car dealers selling their own cars, or cars for a car dealer.

7) WE RECOMMEND Kings Cross Car Market and Travellers Autobarn, they have the best range of cars, Wagons, and Campervans for newly arrived travellers and you can be sure once you buy the car you will actually own it!