If all goes well with my visa transfer I will be looking for a used car in Melbourne, can anyone advise on any reputable dealers from first hand experience / friends or family positive experience. I haven't got a particular car in mind but want to get one sorted pretty soon from arrival.

I am researching this as well and there are a lot of dealers adverts on the drive.com.au site - many of them say "family business, x number of years" etc etc but personal recommendation is usually better (depending on the person recommending I guess lol)

They are very very expensive, take what you would pay in the UK and triple it... Car sales.com.au is a good place to start. Also depends what you want it for. We have an old banger for the station commute, and a nicer family car.

trading post or gumtree for more of the banger level cars

Hi There

Depending where you are in Melbourne there is Car City in Ringwood in the SE suburbs.

Here's their website http://www.carcity.com.au I got my first run around from there.

Sara

Hmm triple the UK price? Used cars in Australia are closer to new car price because they don't have the winter salt etc to contend with and so generally speaking will do many more K's/miles before being sold. e.g. you will see low kms and then read it has 'only' done 100K.

I had very good dealings with Werribee Kia (largest Kia franchise in Oz) in getting a near new Kia Cerato Hatch (for about £2K more than UK price even given the current exchange rate FWIW).

So if you are looking out west I'd recommend them and the group they are in which covers about 10 different types of vehicles.

http://www.werribeeautomotivegroup.com.au/splash/

If you are reasonably confident try Manaheim Fowles...we went to look on a weekend and see what vehicles we liked the look of....then go back on auction day to bid. But then our mechanic was flogging his car and threw in a service and 6 month guarantee.
(our mechanic was also happy to go and check car over for $300 bucks I think)

Don't buy used cars from car dealers as they escalate the price without adding value-added service. Try Pickles Auction to check the car condition report on their website instead. You often find some bargains there.