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Buying a Car in Oz?

Buying a Car in Oz?

Old Aug 6th 2009, 7:23 pm
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Question Buying a Car in Oz?

Hi I will probably have to buy a car when I move to Perth.
Hoe easy is it to just go to a garage, find a car and get it on the road.
What is the story with tax, reg, and insurance etc,
Do the Irish no claims bonus stand for anything with Oz insurance companies?

Thanks
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 2:05 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Originally Posted by Beachband
Hi I will probably have to buy a car when I move to Perth.
Hoe easy is it to just go to a garage, find a car and get it on the road.
What is the story with tax, reg, and insurance etc,
Do the Irish no claims bonus stand for anything with Oz insurance companies?

Thanks
As a Paddy new here in April, I was concerned too, but for no reason. Cars are easily got, shop around for value. Anything from $2500 for a half-decent run-around.
Buy it with "Rego" for 6/12 months if possible. This is reg/tax/3rd party combined (sort of) to what we were used to. I too brought my no claims statement from Hibernian but it hasn't been used yet. I paid $4500 for a 96 Camry so not too worried about getting her covered for fire or theft.
An Oz license was easily got too by producing full Irish Driving License, proof of address, bank cards x 2 and Passport.

Anything else just ask, the people here on BE are great for any query, no matter how trivial you think it is!!!
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 2:53 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

ronanbrady (may I call you Besty?) has it covered. All I would add is that I had a lot of trouble proving my no claims bonus here in Australia. The problem was I was insured with Direct Line and they wouldn't issue me with a no claims bonus until after the policy had been cancelled, which was of course my last ever day in England.

Trying to get my no claims letter out of them after that was a joke! Of course, you need to buy a car pretty much as soon as you get here. So I didn't have time to mess around. For me, the solution was an online insurer called Bingle. They are a subsidiary of AAMI, a well respected insurance company here but their premiums are much lower as everything is done online. Their quote, without any no claims was better than other companies quotes with.


They are definitely worth getting a quote from.
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 1:29 pm
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

We're looking at the moment (yawn) and there are loads of garages. We spent most of the week at Wanneroo where there is a whole road of garages and today in Osbourne Park. Plenty to choose from if you are not fussy on make and model - unlike my husband!
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 2:25 pm
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Originally Posted by ronanbrady
As a Paddy new here in April, I was concerned too, but for no reason. Cars are easily got, shop around for value. Anything from $2500 for a half-decent run-around.
Buy it with "Rego" for 6/12 months if possible. This is reg/tax/3rd party combined (sort of) to what we were used to. I too brought my no claims statement from Hibernian but it hasn't been used yet. I paid $4500 for a 96 Camry so not too worried about getting her covered for fire or theft.
An Oz license was easily got too by producing full Irish Driving License, proof of address, bank cards x 2 and Passport.

Anything else just ask, the people here on BE are great for any query, no matter how trivial you think it is!!!
Moon the Loon here!


Yep, will be looking for a shed on wheels, or maybe a carriage for the queen when we land? We will be based probably in either Southport or Labrador GC Qld?

How easy will it be for me to get a car? Its just the queen will need to get to work asap, to keep me in the quality of life i have become accustomed too?

So no messing, we are going to hire one initially, but for how long? Do you think it will take me to get one after landing. The most we have to spend is $4500.00, no more than that? Do you think we will get a good deal, any advice where to go, where to look, how to haggle, cash in hand, finger on the pulse, he who dares etc etc? You know, no time to eat, a pot noodle on the go? You know it makes sense Rodder's?


Thanks for any advice, but buying a car is a big deal for us, you know a car is for life not just for Christmas?


Always Keith
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 2:52 pm
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Of course you need a new car, you drove your last one into a swimming pool didn't you, you loony!

Other than that I would say it is just like England. Best to stay away from car dealers and buy privately, you will save yourself around 20% just doing that. Haggle, yes of course and cash is always tempting. Just like in England, there will be the occasional car parked in a prominent position at the side of the road with a for sale sign on the windscreen and a mobile phone number.

The only thing that is different here, certainly in Queensland I'm not sure about the other states, is that "MOTs" do not exist. But this is what does happen. Before someone sells a car they have to to get a safety certificate. A safety certificate is a bit like an MOT and any car you buy must have a brand new certificate.

Once the car is yours, you can drive it for years without getting a safety certificate. But when you decide to sell it, you can't sell it without getting a new safety certificate.

Same as in England you can either be lucky and buy a lovely car or you can be unlucky and buy a bag of nails.
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 5:13 pm
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

and the 3rd party ins that comes with ur rego only cover the persons u hit and not there car or property so might be an idea to get some extra ins which is quite cheap
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 5:41 pm
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Hi

Is it necessary to have an Australian driving licnnece before buying a car?

We will be in temporary accommodation for a while and so proof of address may be difficult.

Charlie
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Old Aug 7th 2009, 7:25 pm
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Smile Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

I imagine an international driving license issued from Ireland would be grand to use for driving a car in Oz, I used one when I drove there last year.
Some great advice here guys.
So haggling works in Oz too, which is good to know.
Also if you buy privately, could you get caught for any finance that might be owed on the car and the private seller failed to mention?
So is it better then for piece of mind to buy from a dealer?
Aslo how much roughly would a reg cost?
I will defo try Bingle for insurance, cheers Brisbane Bob.
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 2:51 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

my uk drivin lic was fine had to leave it with the dealer when i was test drivin the cars we bought got 2500 off me ute so haggle if u think u can get them down have a go u might only get a tank of gas u have to pay a transfer fee and stamp duty of about 2.5% the value of ur car u buy and pay that to the DPI u get a bill which i didnt understand and put in the draw then got a hundred dollar infringement bit of shock should of let the wife deal with it payin it and dont rush to get ur lic changed to an Oz one u have three months so wait till ur in ur perm rental as it has ur address on, good luck
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 7:38 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Are there plenty of petrol munching V8 monsters up for grabs?
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 7:42 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Originally Posted by jasonlec
Are there plenty of petrol munching V8 monsters up for grabs?
Plenty of everything up for grabs.

We bought on my UK licence, paid by UK credit card ($10,000) in one hit and all was fine. Bought one day, picked up the next. Very easy...
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 8:02 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Originally Posted by slipshot
Plenty of everything up for grabs.

We bought on my UK licence, paid by UK credit card ($10,000) in one hit and all was fine. Bought one day, picked up the next. Very easy...
Paid with yookay credit card? Does that mean you have a free car now
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 8:50 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Ummmm!

Been looking at the online classifeds, some heeps for heeps,uummmm?


As a thought i will be in and around the Gold Coast, anybody know of any good trust worth mechanics in the area, it would seem if i get me a heep, well the chances are its gonna have problems, oh yeh?


Any guys who fix up cars, not garages, but one man bands?

Always Keith
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Old Aug 8th 2009, 8:56 am
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Default Re: Buying a Car in Oz?

Originally Posted by Keith Moon
Ummmm!

Been looking at the online classifeds, some heeps for heeps,uummmm?


As a thought i will be in and around the Gold Coast, anybody know of any good trust worth mechanics in the area, it would seem if i get me a heep, well the chances are its gonna have problems, oh yeh?


Any guys who fix up cars, not garages, but one man bands?

Always Keith
troy from Autocare, brisbane road labrador. 55632166
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