Buying cars
Road Worthiness
One of the main points to keep note of is that it isn't always compulsory to have
your vehicle checked. The law differs from state to state, so whilst
you may think that the car that you are looking at is a lovely 5 year old Subaru,
it may be in such a bad condition that it isn't worth the money. Always
check the car over thoroughly and get an independant inspection if your spending
alot of money.
Another thing to remember is that whilst ice on the roads does not occur and so
there are gritting lorries running about, salt can still be a problem if the car
has lived anywhere near the coast. So, again, always check the car over
thoroughly and get that independant inspector if in doubt.
Rego and CTP Insurance
If you are buying from a main dealership, they will sort both of these out for you. However,
if you are buying privately, you will obviously have to do this yourself. There
are numerous insurance companies in Australia that offer CTP insurance such as AAMI, Allianz and RACQ. Your
Rego can be sorted out at your local transport office.
Dealerships
There are alot of dealerships and cars out there for you to choose from. Remember
that the bargain you see infront of you might not necessarily be the sale of the
century, so do your homework and check the car over thoroughly. The state
of Queensland has laws in place to protect the buyer and also to allow you to change
your mind. Basically, you get a couple of days 'cooling off', within
which if you decide that you have made a mistake, you can pull out of the purchase
without recourse. Other states may offer this also, but at this time
we don't have any more information.
Luxury Car Tax
One rather bizarre thing about buying cars in Australia is the Luxury Car Tax. This
is simply a tax for the rich and adds an additional 33% onto the total cost of your
car if it is valued at over $57,180. For example, if your car is valued
at $100,000 at the dealership, then the total price including the luxury car tax
will be $112,863. Thats a staggering $13K for nothing! Please
check the ATO webpage above for any amendments to the legislation
If your thinking of importing your car from the UK, then the luxury car tax may
still apply to you. The ATO website has a seperate page on the subject of importing luxury cars