There are a lot of pros and cons for buying a used car.
It might not seem as glamorous as a new car, but there are thousands of well maintained and serviced used cars available. If you do your research and negotiate well, it could save you a lot of money. You might even find that the new car you have been considering is available as a used car at a much cheaper price, with only a handful of kilometres on the odometer.
The key is research.
Do your research
There is plenty of information available. Use this site, search the web for cars you're interested in.
Demonstrator Vehicles
Demonstrators are cars the dealer uses to show the model to customers. They are usually kept for a short time and may only travel a few thousand kilometres before they are sold. Demonstrators can be an acceptable buy provided the price is right. Things to think about:
- You will in effect be buying a used car. It will have been first registered to the dealer.
- You won’t get the full new car warranty term as it will have started when the vehicle was first registered.
Consider the risks of private sale
Private sales are high risk and unregulated. As such, you must be extra vigilant with your checks.
Be sure to complete a
PPSR check (formally REVS check) to help identify if a car has money owing on it or if it has been reported stolen.
To protect yourself we suggest buying from a licensed motor dealer.
Be aware of bargains and consider on-going costs
New cars often use the latest technology to save on costs such as maintenance and fuel so keep the age of the vehicle in mind as this can impact on the cost of servicing and maintenance.
Check your features
A used vehicle may also lack some of the features you require. Modern safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes are less common in older vehicles.