Buying guide
Tips for Buying a Used Car
Last updated
Set a budget that includes duty, transfer costs and insurance, shortlist models and learn their common problems, and compare similar listings before you look. Ask the seller questions before you travel, run a PPSR check, inspect and test drive the car properly, then negotiate on what you've found and pay in a way you can trace.
1. Set Your Budget
Allow for more than the price: motor vehicle duty and a transfer fee (see buying a used car in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia or South Australia), insurance, registration if it's close to expiring, and a buffer for tyres, brakes or a service that's due soon.
2. Shortlist Models
Choose two or three models that suit how you'll use the car, and read up on the problems commonly reported on each, so you know where to look hardest. See the inspection checklists by model.
3. Compare Listings
Compare price, kilometres, service history and how long each car has been listed against similar ones. Decide whether to buy from a dealer, who must give you consumer guarantees, or a private seller, who is often cheaper but gives you none (see buying from a private seller).
On online marketplaces, be wary of a price well below similar cars, a seller who's "away" and wants a deposit, and anyone who won't meet at the address on the registration papers.
4. Questions to Ask the Seller
Ask before you travel; the answers will rule some cars out, and you can check them against the car and its papers at the viewing.
| Question | Why ask |
|---|---|
| Can I have the VIN and rego number? | For the PPSR, registration and recall checks. A seller who won't share them is a red flag. |
| Why are you selling? | A vague answer is worth probing. |
| How long have you owned it? | A short ownership can mean a problem the last owner found. |
| Has it been in an accident or had major repairs? | So you know what to look for, and can compare the answer with what you find. |
| Does it have a service history? | A stamped logbook or receipts show whether it's been looked after. |
| Is there any money owing on it? | Check with a PPSR search anyway; the answer only tells you about the seller. |
| Are there any known faults or warning lights? | Anything they mention is something to price in. |
| Can I see it with the engine cold, and have it inspected? | Cold-start problems only show from cold, and an honest seller won't object to an inspection. |
| Is the registration current, and is there a roadworthy or safety certificate? | Victoria and Queensland require one from the seller; check your state's rules. |
5. Run the Checks
Before you pay anything, run a PPSR search for money owing, theft and write-offs, check the registration, and look up the recalls. See vehicle checks before buying.
6. Inspect and Test Drive the Car
See it in daylight and dry weather, with the engine cold. Work through a used car inspection checklist, then test drive it properly for at least 20 minutes. For the car you're about to buy, consider a pre-purchase inspection.
7. Negotiate
Base your offer on what similar cars sell for and what the faults you found will cost to fix. See how to negotiate the price of a used car.
8. Pay and Transfer
Run your PPSR search again on the day, check the documents, pay by bank transfer and get a signed receipt. Then transfer the registration within your state's deadline, usually 14 days.
Shufti, the used car inspection app, takes you through the checks, the inspection, the test drive and the negotiation for the car you're looking at, from its listing link.
Questions Answered
What questions should I ask when buying a used car?
Ask for the VIN and rego number, why they're selling, how long they've owned it, whether it's had accidents or major repairs, whether it has a service history, whether there's money owing, and whether there are any known faults. Ask to see it with the engine cold and to have it inspected.
Is it better to buy a used car from a dealer or a private seller?
A dealer must give you consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, and a private seller doesn't, but private cars are often cheaper. Whichever you choose, run the checks and inspect the car yourself. See buying from a private seller.
More Guides
- Vehicle Checks to Do Before Buying a Used Car
- How to Test Drive a Used Car
- How to Negotiate the Price of a Used Car
- Used Car Inspection Options Compared
- Is a Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Worth It?
- What Is a PPSR Check?
- What Documents to Check When Buying a Used Car
- Buying a Used Car From a Private Seller: What to Check
- Buying a Used Car in Victoria
- Buying a Used Car in NSW
- Buying a Used Car in Queensland
- Buying a Used Car in Western Australia
- Buying a Used Car in South Australia
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