Petkula73 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hi Apologies if these are obvious questions but can someone provide some advice on buying a car? My questions are: 1. What is the Australian equivalent of the UK tax disc and how do you get one? 2. Is car tax based on emissions as in the UK? 3. Does the carbon tax affect anything car wise? 4. Do people haggle as much when buying a used car? 5. What is the equivalent of an MOT? 6. How do I get an eTag fitted if I live in Melbourne? How much is it? 7. Why do people put carpets on the dashboard? 8. Are there any different regulations around LPG conversions? Still trying to get my head around car prices here. Nearly new deals seem like good value, but I don't understand how a ten year old banger holds its value. Some cars on sale here for $10K+ that would be worth less than a grand back home... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I think that they hold their value because they aren't as prone to rust here, so they last longer. It also seems to be more usual for people to buy a car and run it in to the ground rather than sell it and buy another every couple of years (probably something to do with the stamp duty). This website http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/ will probably be of most use. I am based in NSW, so lots of the rules etc are a bit different. I would definitely recommend haggling on the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 ..... Hi Apologies if these are obvious questions but can someone provide some advice on buying a car? My questions are: 1. What is the Australian equivalent of the UK tax disc and how do you get one? -Its called the 'Rego'. In NSW you get it via the RTA 2. Is car tax based on emissions as in the UK? - Not in NSW. 3. Does the carbon tax affect anything car wise? 4. Do people haggle as much when buying a used car? Yes. 5. What is the equivalent of an MOT? In NSW an e-Check. Its not as comprehensive as an MOT IMO. 6. How do I get an eTag fitted if I live in Melbourne? How much is it? - In NSW you apply to the RTA. 7. Why do people put carpets on the dashboard? - What else would you do with an off-cut of carpet??? :wink: 8. Are there any different regulations around LPG conversions? Still trying to get my head around car prices here. Nearly new deals seem like good value, but I don't understand how a ten year old banger holds its value. Some cars on sale here for $10K+ that would be worth less than a grand back home... - Back home a 10 year old car would be a 10 year old rusty banger. Here, it is just a 10 year old car. Remember, depreciation represents lost value. The lower the depreciation, the cheaper the running costs. Cheers :wubclub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockDr Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 no/less snow and ice, so no salt on the roads means less rust and a much longer life, hence cars hold their value better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petkula73 Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Agree about depreciation and cars lasting longer here, plus I think people don't seem as bothered about impressing the neighbours here with a new car every three years. I guess it's just perception. My sister in law is Japanese and her impression is that everyone in the UK drives an old banger as anything over a couple of years old in Japan is too old for them. My wife is from Finland however and over there if you've got anything less than 20 years old they'd say it's still new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Depends a bit on where you live in Australia tbh. It is not something I experienced in the UK either. Then again, I drive a 34 year old Volvo here (when she starts....) :biggrin: Agree about depreciation and cars lasting longer here, plus I think people don't seem as bothered about impressing the neighbours here with a new car every three years. I guess it's just perception. My sister in law is Japanese and her impression is that everyone in the UK drives an old banger as anything over a couple of years old in Japan is too old for them. My wife is from Finland however and over there if you've got anything less than 20 years old they'd say it's still new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AKA63029 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Depends a bit on where you live in Australia tbh. It is not something I experienced in the UK either. Then again, I drive a 34 year old Volvo here (when she starts....) :biggrin: Used to have one of those Flea, maybe not as old, but very near. We had the opposite problem, at one stage it got so bad when we took the keys out the engine still ran.:eek: Had to 'stall' it to stop it. Never got it fixed as we sold it, but did say it had the 'Optional' extra of 'No Key Transmission'.:embarrassed: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 We recently bought a second hand car here in Queensland OK not the same as Melbourne but will give you some idea. We were advised to sort ourselves out with Australian driving licences to save us having to spend ages filling in forms and showing ID, it worked it too 10 minutes to do the paperwork within an hour of making the offer I was driving off, the longest wait was in the bank for my bank cheque. We had no finance so not too sure if this slows things down. REGO is registration ours had some on it only a few weeks but as far as I know it is non transferable or if it is no one has told me, so we have just bought 6 months worth it also includes an element of third party insurance, in case we knock someone over, but it does not cover our car. We took out fully comprehensive insurance with our bank it also has breakdown cover. Do haggle, you may get no sense out of the sales men, it took me ages to pin them down, in the end it was take it or leave it and I stood up and started to walk out. MOT apparently we have none here, I have asked many times and have been told I do not have to have the car inspected unless I am selling it privately then I need to take it to the inspection depot and get a certificate. The REGO is displayed in the windscreen. Carpets on dash to be honest I don´t know, imagine it may have something to do with keeping cool and fading. A mechanic advised me to buy Japanese and to stay away from European cars particularly ones with the names we all know ... we bought a Toyota and so far so good. Good luck, but do haggle and be firm, if need be get up and get to walk out then they will know you mean business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardy Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 The "dash mats" are designed to protect the dash from damage from UV, something I've seen on a 20 year old Ford Sierra in the UK when it all cracked up and faded. They also prevent glare from the sun bouncing off the dash top and prevent heat reflection so keeping you cool. There are loads of companies who make them to fit your car. Haggling is a MUST as it is on electrical goods. Also don't forget the stamp duty you'll pay on the purchase price - http://www.carsales.com.au/ show what this would be based on the price of each car via an "on road costs" link above the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Yes I did mean to mention stamp duty, it is payable each time the car is sold, I haggled it into the price, one dealer kept going on and on about my stamp duty and I said it is not my stamp duty so just include it ....... I know in the end we pay it, but it hurts less if you think it is included, swings and roundabouts ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petkula73 Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 A mechanic advised me to buy Japanese and to stay away from European cars particularly ones with the names we all know ... we bought a Toyota and so far so good. Couldn't agree more. I've owned various BMWs in the UK (from old bangers to nearly new) and they've all been pretty shoddy and unreliable. We still have a Volvo sitting on the drive back home at the moment that stung us for the best part of two grand a couple of years ago. However, at one point we were hard up and bought a four year old Mazda 626 diesel with 140K miles on the clock and did something like another 80K in four years (including driving to Barcelona and back from the North of England) without it missing a beat. The only servicing it ever received was me doing the occasional oil change on a Sunday morning. Eventually, something blew in the engine and we had to sell it. If I could afford one here, my first choice would be a Toyota Kluger. We'll probably not be able to spend more than $10K though so will go for a saloon car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Our neighbours have a Kluger we have a Corolla and paid $12,000 for it, probably over the top, but I needed a car, it is a 2007 .... with 70 KM on the clock, nice actually. What the mechanic mean´t also with the European cars was that the parts are so expensive, he also told me to stay away from one beginning with an A and built in Germany I think, although I like them. We hardly ever see European cars out here, mainly Japanese and Malaysian ........ I have seen a few BMW´s but not many, quite a few Ford´s apparently the Ford´s are OK, but I wanted a Japanese. Holden are supposed to be OK too, the one´s the mechanic recommended to me were, a) Toyota b) Mazda c) Mitsubishi (he said probably the quietest engines he has ever heard) d) Hyundai There I think I got them all right, but he was very pro Toyota ... as we all seem to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabo Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Yeah, I forgot about stamp duty. It was about $38 on the Volvo which cost me $500. Our other car is a Toyota Corolla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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