A German wants to buy a car in Australia ... Help!

L[Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 18:23
Last edited 13/10/2022 - 18:23

Good day mates!

Nice to get to know you. I will live in the next two years in Australia and would like to buy a car.
In Germany we have something called "leasing" but it is slightly different than what you call "leasing".
It is like a long-term rent, just paying a fee, e.g. 24 months, $600 per month for a small car.

First Question: Do you have something like that here? Or probably a 2-3 monthly rent?

If not, I already checked the used cars market. Holy shit. The prices are so high, especially for crappy cars above 250,000 kilometers.
Nevertheless, that could be a serious option, but I would like to buy a car which carries me safely from A to B.

Second Question: Do you buy used cars in Australia from private owners, there anything you have to consider? When would you say starts a good offer for 5-10 year's old car, which is not in a that bad condition?

By the way, no Holden please …

Thank you :-)

Automotive

Comments

  • tsunamisurfer on 13/10/2022 - 18:30
    +23

    For the love of God do not buy an Audi in Australia.

    Only Toyotas.

    • HeWhoKnows on 14/10/2022 - 15:22
      +3

      Dont buy any Europenan cars in Australia

      Almost everything else is fine.

      Trust in Toyotas is totally misleading and way overdone.
      It all comes down to how the owner looked after the individual car, no matter what the brand.

  • thatonethere on 13/10/2022 - 18:36
    +5

    Welcome to Australia where we have no local heavy manufacturing (unlike Europe).

    You may want to look at vehicle subscriptions rather than leasing eg something like https://www.lennockflexiwheels.com.au/

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:07
      +1

      That was I exactly wanted to know! Thank you very much! :-) What do you say, are the prices "normal" or too high?

      • thatonethere on 13/10/2022 - 19:34

        Well i'm sure they aren't making a loss - but compare them to other subscriptions in the city where you live (where I live it isn't large - Canberra)

  • Quantumcat on 13/10/2022 - 18:41
    +6

    Stay away from European brands, servicing and maintenance is more expensive here. Back home it would be cheaper as they're more common. Japanese and Korean cars are more common and will be cheaper to maintain.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 18:57
    +4

    Holden = German BMW. :]

    • boomramada on 13/10/2022 - 19:04
      +2

      I thought FORD is BMW, and Holden is Merc.

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 19:05
        +1

        Ford = vw.

        • LFO on 14/10/2022 - 12:34

          Ford = vw.

          Nope.

          Ford = a shallow place in a river or stream allowing one to walk or drive across.

          ;-)

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:05

      Years ago, Mercedes is now the new BMW. ;-)

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 19:09
        +2

        Go a hyundai i30 if possible.

      • boomramada on 13/10/2022 - 21:08

        I love my new i30 then 😉

  • elgrande on 13/10/2022 - 18:59

    The car market was not always so bad, you've just timed it wrong.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:10

      The times are everywhere not that nice. Recognized the same trend in Europe as well. But especially Germany is a "car country" so the manufacturers cannot simply raise the prices by tomorrow, otherwise the people would be very mad.

      • Quantumcat on 13/10/2022 - 19:22

        It isn't really the manufactures raising prices but lack of supply meaning people would rather have a second hand car now than wait 6 months for a new one. More demand = higher prices.

      • Sinnerator on 15/10/2022 - 10:25

        Whilst people in Germany may get mad and motivate sellers not to raise the prices to insane levels, unfortunately in Australia the locals just bend over and take it.
        I have been in the market for a used car for many months, not buying one until prices come down. Happy to 'walk' forever if needed.

        • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2022 - 00:41

          Yes, that's a thing I already recognized here in Australia. People will pay, they do not care that much.
          Coffee prices, unreasonable. Prices for white goods, oh my good. Prices for electronics, wow. Prices for cosmetics …
          So many things! But prices for electricity, fuel, are compared to Germany incredibly low. ;-) So I prefer to pay more than 3 or 4 times more for my Head & Shoulders instead of the twice amount for my fuel bill. ;-)

  • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2022 - 18:59
    +1

    I guess you are trying to tell us your budget for a car is 24 x $600, 14.4k? I seen cars like 7 year old Honda Jazz in what looks like good condition with low km and similar small cars. Won't exactly impress future wife, but it'll get you A to B and won't be a clunker. You'd need to budget for the risk of sudden repairs too in a car that old.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:09
      +3

      Sorry, but I have to say that. That is a crazy price for such a car … You could almost buy it new in Europe, or probably 1-2 years ago.
      Nevertheless, Australia is not Europe, I know. Besides, someone already shared a link to "Lennock Flexi Wheels" that looked good!

      • AustriaBargain on 13/10/2022 - 19:13
        +1

        Of course it's a crazy price for what should be a responsible teenager's first car. But it's a crazy price that's in your budget.

      • stirlo on 13/10/2022 - 20:28
        +3

        You could almost buy it new in Europe, or probably 1-2 years ago.

        You could get cheap cars here too pre-pandemic… That's just the way prices are now.

        Are you selling a vehicle in Germany before coming here? You'll benefit from the increased used price when you sell that one so at least you get more money there.

        Don't buy a European car in Australia. Get an asian one, parts and servicing is far cheaper.

        • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 23:16

          I actually did, owned an AUDI A3, 2.0 TDI, 2018. Was a quite pretty car. Earned so money, but not that much. :-(

    • ThithLord on 14/10/2022 - 10:55

      You saw cars like 7 year old Honda Jazz in what looks ah what the heck, too much effort

  • Hardlyworkin on 13/10/2022 - 19:02

    If you were here pre Covid then there wouldnt be such an issue with price and availability of second hand cars. The prices are a reflection of the market.

    Why no Holdens? I can't say I've owned one though if I was going to be doing a roadtrip then a Commodore isn't the worst option when not looking to spend a lot and you want it it be cheapish to maintain. Only look for ones with no modifications.

    If you have the money then go for Japanese or Korean. If you plan on driving long distances then don't get a small car. Australia is a big country!

  • forged on 13/10/2022 - 19:04
    +1

    Ford Falcon = Australian BMW…?

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 19:10
    -2

    There are plenty of threads on ozb, on buying privately etc.

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:11
      +3

      And now there is one more. Thankfully, in 2022 web space is not that expensive anymore. But thanks for the warm words. :-)

      • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 19:13
        +1

        No worries. If you were American i'd tell you to buy a kangaroo, and use that for travel.
        :).

        • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 19:13
          +8

          If I would be an American, I would believe it ;-)

  • holdenmg on 13/10/2022 - 19:30

    https://www.goget.com.au/ is Car Subscription

  • Euphemistic on 13/10/2022 - 19:34
    +3

    Do you buy used cars in Australia from private owners, there anything you have to consider? When would you say starts a good offer for 5-10 year's old car, which is not in a that bad condition?

    Yes, we buy used cars from private sellers all the time. They do appear to be expensive, but the average age of cars in Aus is around 10years so you can get something in any budget. It can be a little cheaper to buy from a private seller than a dealer, but there’s also more risk.

    Depending on what state you are in you may need to get a roadworthy certificate at the time of the purchase. Check your local state registry office for a ‘buyers guide’ on how to transfer rego

    You also need to do a PPSR check which checks to see if the vehicle has registered finance on it (finance company effectively owns a part of it) or if it has been listed as written off with damage.

    If you do buy a car, note that the insurance included with registration does not cover you for damage to other property, just for injuries. You will need at least Third Party Property (TPP) insurance to protect yourself against damages to other people’s property or Comprehensive if you wish to cover your own vehicle.

    There’s more but this is a starting point.

    • RockyRaccoon on 14/10/2022 - 09:06
      +1

      For the OP.

      Also Cars are registered by State, so each State has slightly different rules on purchase. Like safety checks annually or on purchase. So if buying depends on state they are going to reside in.

      Buying car (for example) in Sydney on arrival then travelling to Melbourne to live has further implications.

  • holdenmg on 13/10/2022 - 19:38
    +1

    Also, we drive on the LEFT. :+)

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 20:39
      +1

      No autobahns either.

      • The Value on 13/10/2022 - 21:36
        -1

        We call it Hume Highway.

  • jizmo on 13/10/2022 - 19:43

    Buy a GoGo Mobile if you don't like common cars

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 13/10/2022 - 20:38
      +1

      Its g-o,g-g-o. :)

      • jizmo on 13/10/2022 - 20:43

        Sorry my bad..Going to make it even harder with a German accent.
        They'll probably think some sicko ringing looking for a sex toy with a weird accent

  • battler on 13/10/2022 - 21:20

    I would like to buy a car which carries me safely from A to B

    https://www.virtualoceania.net/australia/maps/europe-in-aust…

    Be aware that A to B in Australia may be a few hundred kilometers.
    Are you wanting the car to just do suburban driving, or are you wanting it to do a lap of Australia?

  • LanceVance on 13/10/2022 - 21:45

    Despite your 'no Holden' rule an older Commodore with the legendary 3.8L V6 (VT - VY models) might be the perfect car for you and prices of those wouldn't be that high. If all else fails, get a bicycle!

  • cameldownunder on 13/10/2022 - 22:03
    +1

    Hallo from your neighbour in the south. Gruetzi. :-)

    • [Deactivated] on 13/10/2022 - 23:01

      Thank you! :-) Und, wie lange lebst du schon hier? ;-)

      • cameldownunder on 14/10/2022 - 08:20
        +1

        Zu lange ! Lol - 13 Jahre. Alles Gute !

  • franco cozzo on 14/10/2022 - 05:24

    i imagine germankangaroos are a lot more efficient at hopping and more humourless than our native varieties…but thats probably unwoke to imagine that these days. sigh….

    • cameldownunder on 14/10/2022 - 08:21
      +1

      As efficient as Camels …. downunder

  • Anonymous101 on 14/10/2022 - 05:48
    +4

    Buy 2006 Bmw x3

    • franco cozzo on 14/10/2022 - 06:12
      +3

      & dont bother with an inspection…

      • H4nd0 on 14/10/2022 - 09:09

        Priceless! That thread was gold. Last night … around 6 PM an older BWM X5 broke down literally in front of our house … twas schadenfreude.

  • peter-2025 on 14/10/2022 - 07:55

    HelloCars is another subscription which a few of my colleagues use.

    But since you're staying here for 10+ years, I'd just buy one.

    (I'm came to AU for 1 year in 2010 and still here)

  • Bob Svargis on 14/10/2022 - 08:47
    +1

    Lack of supply due to Covid and labour shortages are the main reasons you’re seeing ridiculous prices. We are such a tiny global market and we tend to be well down on the list when it comes to global shipping and logistics. Ask anyone who’s ordered a new car in the last 2 years… global shipping costs have trebled, for instance.

    If going used, stick with Japanese or Korean cars.

  • codspeed on 14/10/2022 - 10:47

    Why don't you import your own vehicle? There are a lot of hoops to go through but it is possible. You would be better off picking up a RHD vehicle as well.

    • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2022 - 00:38

      I don't have any own vehicle :-) Sold all the stuff in Germany, and as previously mentioned, we lease the cars in Germany (which is a different kind of leasing as you have here).

  • Waltervp on 14/10/2022 - 10:59
    +1

    I really like the Ford Mondeo Titanium diesels. They are cheap to run (6 liters/100km) and very spacious with lots of safety gear. Cheap to buy because they had a problem with transmisions, but if you get one that's been used for long distance travel and intend to travel yourself i would highly recommend them for value/economy. If it's for city use get a smaller hyundai/toyota for $3k. Get cheap cars normally second hand from private sale, and I suggest Facebook market place first for local bargains.

    • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2022 - 00:39
      +1

      Thank you! That's a nice advice. I will definitely try this. Already had to Japanese rental cars here. They are reliable. When it comes to fuel consumption; the engines are not efficient and very thirsty. But that's a thing about them. ;-)

      • Waltervp on 16/10/2022 - 09:35

        Our fuel standard are so low that modern fuel efficient engines dont even come to Australia :( Hence the diesels are still the most efficient here, whereas modern engines and clean fuel means petrol engines in europe get equal mileage and with less polution control measures needed (DPF etc). So i drive diesel and despite 30c/l cost difference still save. Example: mondeo diesel $110/1000km and mondeo petrol $140/1000km…. and less fuel is also less pollution i assume.

        • Euphemistic on 16/10/2022 - 09:51

          and less fuel is also less pollution i assume.

          It’s not that simple. Diesel produces more of the emissions that are worse. It’s the main reason that diesel vehicles are being banned in city areas in Europe.

      • Euphemistic on 16/10/2022 - 09:55
        +1

        When it comes to fuel consumption; the engines are not efficient and very thirsty. But that's a thing about them. ;-)

        Because our petrol is cheap in comparison to Europe, Aussies tend to prefer larger cars and more power. Not as much as USA, but still Aussies in general don’t go for tiny efficient city cars, we dream of the outback highway adventure and then use our big 4wds to take the kids to school and never actually get the time to go outback.

  • bamzero on 14/10/2022 - 11:54
    +1

    and here I was thinking this was another Gumtree seller post after reading the title :)

    • [Deactivated] on 16/10/2022 - 00:38

      Not at all! Would be happy to have a car at least :-)

  • [Deactivated] on 09/11/2022 - 15:21

    Just a quick update. I decided for a MG MG3 (new). Quite decent car, so far I am happy with it.

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