Pre-purchase Checks
Posted at: September 10, 2007
Related Topic(s): Used Cars
There are many Internet resources where you can find out a little history about a used car before you buy it. Some of them are free and you should always do at least the free checks.
For NSW Revs will tell you if a vehicle has outstanding finance, if the vehicle has been written off, and if the vehicle is under investigation by the police.
You will need the VIN number and registration number to do a search and preferably the engine number too (you can enter a random number in place of the engine number and still do a check but it will warn you that the engine number isn't correct).
There are two types of write-offs: statutory write-off means that the vehicle cannot be re-registered; and repairable write-off means that the vehicle can be repaired and re-registered after inspection. If the vehicle was a repairable write-off and has been repaired it will still show on Revs as a repairable write-off. However, the rules were changed and if the car was re-registered prior to 1 July 2003 then Revs will not show it as a repairable write-off.
From my experience the RTA will not provide any further information should you call them and ask about a vehicle.
For a small fee you can purchase insurance which will protect you against the car being repossessed by a finance organisation in the future.
There are similar services in other states but many you have to pay for. WA offers a free check.
CheckItOut (checkitout.com.au) and Autocheck (autocheck.com.au) are commercial services that both offer a free basic check which will tell you the make, model and colour. You can pay a fee to get further comprehensive information.
The government department in NSW, the RTA, offers a free vehicle check (go to myRTA, then go to myRecords and select vehicle details enquiry) that will tell you if the car is registered and when it expires, the number of owners in the last 12 months, who the CTP insurer is, written-off and stolen vehicle status, and the last four digits of the engine number. Other states may offer similar services.
Other checks you can do include ringing the manufacturer who might be able to tell you what dealer originally sold the car and what options were factory fitted. You may then be able to get some service history from the original selling dealer. For some makes you may find an on-line parts sales service where you can enter a VIN number and get some details about the car. For example, for BMW there is realoem.com where you can enter the last seven digits of the VIN number and find out the exact model and production date.
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Expect the Unexpected
Posted at: September 4, 2007
Related Topic(s): Driving Tips How many times do you see people enter intersections like a "give way" or roundabout and have to stop suddenly because they had unexpectedly had to give way?
If this has happened to you take it as a warning sign that you are not expecting the unexpected.
Most of us travel the same routes over and over again and there are probably certain intersections where we get complacent as we rarely have to give way there.
My advice is to treat every intersection where you are obliged to give way (including roundabouts) as if there is a very good chance that you will have to stop and give way.
If you drive into the intersection at a speed chosen because you doubt you will have to stop then you are going too fast. That one time when you do actually have to give way will result in a best case of a sudden stop that is uncomfortable for passengers and perhaps embarrassing, and a worst case of a collision.
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Internet Used Car Buying: Easier and Cheaper
Posted at: August 28, 2007
Related Topic(s): Used Cars The Internet has certainly made buying a used car much easier... And possibly cheaper.
Being a pretty regular car buyer myself, either for myself or family and friends, in the past I would usually take a drive down Parramatta Road (a road in Sydney where there is lots of car yards) looking for the particular model required at the time.
If it was an unusual model this arduous task might have been a waste of time.
So you don't need me to tell you that used car advertising on the Internet can save us time. Most dealers, even the small ones, now advertise their used cars on all of the major classifieds sites so you can just go and visit specific private sellers or dealers with a good idea of what you are going to see.
But can shopping for a used car over the Internet save you money?
From my experience, yes!
For the last few cars I have bought, and the one that I am looking for at the moment, I have used the tactic that I will explain to you now.
Say I have a budget of around $10,000. I would make a short-list of all the cars that I would consider buying but include cars that were advertised for up to maybe $14,000 or $15,000. Private sellers are more likely to drop their price considerably than dealers but it is worth a try regardless.
Then I would send an email to each seller explaining that I am very interested in their car but only have a budget of around $9,000 to $9,500. I would tell them that I have the cash ready for a quick sale, and ask them how close could they get to my price?
Now many private sellers are usually sick to death of trying to sell their car after the first week or two. Most people can only take so much car washing, people who don't show up, high speed test drives, etc. These are the people who will just want to put themselves out of misery and take a bit of a price cut.
They won't always come back with your price, but will usually reveal the lowest price that they would consider accepting. Some people will be so insulted at your low offer that they won't respond at all.
Here is a few recent results that I have had from using this tactic.
1) A BMW that was advertised for just under $45,000. I offered "high thirties". He agreed in the interests of a quick sale. I looked at the car and said that it was still a little out of my price range but would be irresistable at $35,000. After much deliberation he accepted.
2) A Toyota that was advertised for $5,000, then re-advertised for $4,000. I offered $3,000 and this was eventually accepted. I bought the car it turned out to have some major problems which goes to show that sometimes if someone is willing to drop their price considerably there is a good reason. So be extra careful and pre-purchase inspections are often worth the expense.
3) A BMW that was advertised for $9,500. Offered $7,000 which was straight turned down. Suggested I may be able to stretch the budget to $7,500. The seller responded saying they would not go a cent below $8,000. A pretty good deal.
So, as you can see, this tactic will often either get you your price, find the seller's lowest price, or in the case of no response, tell you that it is out of your price range.
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