Should I get the car checked by a mechanic/ vehicle inspection or just avoid cars without RWC.
Thanks.
Buying a Used Car Without RWC
Comments
Usually a reason why the seller isn't providing a RWC. i.e. something definitely needs repairs.
or they are just too lazy and time poor. Also, in some states a RWC only lasts for a month, if it takes a while to sell a car you could be shelling out for multiple RWCs
I know nothing about the mechanics of cars. If I was buying a used car I would want to get it checked out by someone. If you have more knowledge than me, perhaps do it yourself?
If you're paying someone to check the car, you shouldn't be buying a car without RWC.
If you're a mechanic, that's a different story.
It's a bit of a dice-rolling venture, you're basically taking all the legwork and financial burden involved in obtaining a RWC so while it should be a cheaper option it's 50/50 whether or not it'll end up in your favour in the long run.
If it's a newer vehicle then at the very least I'd be checking to make sure it's not a repairable write off in your State, because if it is then you won't be able to re-register it.
If you plan to re-register the vehicle then you'll need a RWC at some point anyway.
it's 50/50 whether or not it'll end up in your favour
Try 90/10 that it won't end up in your favour. People sell cars without a RWC for a reason.
There are lots of cars out there that needs basic, but expensive repairs. eg clutch gone, minor panel damage. If they are unable to afford said repairs, they can sell the car without RWC. If you then buy that car and know you paid $2k less than market value and a clutch will cost you $1500 you are ahead, even better if you can do it yourself for $500 in parts.
Some things can be repaired easily but the owner neither has the funds nor skills to do so and would rather sell as requiring repair, in the case of a car without RWC.
Sure, people sell without RWC for a reason, mostly it is reasonably obvious what is wrong to a mechanically minded person. Knowing what is wrong ups your odds significantly.
If, and only if, you can do your own roadworthy check.
No point buying a car without a RWC and then complaining about all the things that are wrong with it. However, if you can work out what is wrong yourself, and then allow for the cost of repairs then you might save some dollars.
Its just a guess unless you specify what car and what purpose you are buying it for.
If you are buying a heavily modified track car to only use in a track and will never be registered, then its fine without a RWC.
If you are buying a car for normal road use and plan to register it, then I would prefer it with RWC.
Need more info, but I thought if the car is currently registered then you need RWC to do the transfer of registration.
In Victoria you are 100% correct
You can use this to your advantage. The obvious things for a RWC are Tyres, windscreen, brakes, lights, seatbelts etc. If the car has torn seats, yellowing plastic on the headlights etc it is going to fail a RWC. Use your OzB skills to get cheap parts and fit them yourself then take the car to a local mechanic for a cheap RWC.
If you are 1/2 way handy with a screwdriver and socket set and you know how to use youtube you can drive a sellers price right down with all of the non rwc things that need doing on their car. Buy it then go to Jolly's u pull it (wreckers yard where you strip bits off wrecks yourself - cheapest place for parts i've found).
Find the youtube clip showing you how to replace a headlight for example, go to jollys, strip a headlight off a wreck, pay them the $20-$30 for it, go home, re-run the youtube clip and replace the headlight.
If the car needs major work, head gasket, timing belt etc forget it and look for another.
I helped my son buy a 2nd hand Lancer without an RWC. Mechanically great car but a bit tired. We bought a headlight repair kit from Supercheap auto, used a drill and the enclosed cleaners to fix the yellowing headlights. We bought a couple of new tyres from a great deal I found online. I found a local guy through gumtree that did windscreens for less than half of what the big windscreen guys charged (Novus, O' Briens etc). I bought a new tail light and a new side mirror motor from out of wrecks at u pull it for a fraction of what the parts would have cost from Mitsubishi or even from other wreckers. I bought oil, spark plugs, brake pads and filters from one of the Supercheap Auto 20% off sales on eBay. I spent a saturday with my laptop on the passenger seat using youtube videos to work out how to fix all this stuff then I took the car to a local mechanic, had him do the brakes, I could have done them myself with the help of youtube but thought I better leave something in it for the local mechanic. He sorted out the brakes and wrote me up a RWC! Took the car to VicRoads, paid the transfer fee and registered it in my name!
and registered it in my name!
you STOLE your son's car? ;)
Bought and insured in my name with him as a named driver to save on about $1000 a year on comprehensive insurance.
What series Lancer?
2009 CJ Lancer, cost $4500, can't remember kms, around 75K I think.
A lot of used car auctions place sell cars without RWC.
All of my cars came from auctions. Have had 5 car throughout the years from Pickles and 1 from Grays. They were all less than 100 000kms when purchased, and up to 5 to 6 years old.
A safety certificate inspection is not a comprehensive mechanical inspection. Inspection covers the basics for the safe operation of the vehicle.
you can somtimes get really good deals for cars without RWC. depends on your time and knowledge though