Car Sale Stories

Jane and Chris, university students from the UK, purchased Neville, a cute little green 1979 Holden, for AUD$2500 in Perth. Neville, named by the previous backpacker owners for the man who had sold it to them, took Jane and Chris across the Nullabor Plain to Adelaide, and then on to Sydney, the Red Center and up to Cairns over the next 6 months. They had no major car expenses, other than having to buy four new tires, and reregister the car, the cost totaling AUD$800. They hope to sell the vehicle for the same price.

These two are already planning their next trip to Australia, and plan on doing in the same way. They like being able to go to places off the main roads, and the freedom of setting their own itinerary, and camping in the National Parks. Their advice to potential car purchasers? Enjoy what you are doing, and try not to see everything, Australia is just too big and full of great places to visit

Fiona and her friend bought “Mathilda” a 1986 Nissan van with 250,000km, for AUD$3500. (About USD$1800). Already outfitted with camping gear and a bed, they spent a year in the van, driving from Darwin down through the red center of Australia, then across to Sydney and on up to Cairns. They hope to sell the old girl for the same price. On their adventure they had no mechanical problems other than replacing a couple of worn out tires and normal service.

Fiona could only speak highly of her trip, and liked traveling this way due to the freedom she had to go, and to stay wherever she wished to. She also appreciated the privacy she had compared to the shared lodging in Youth Hostels.

Julian and Corrine have been traveling in their 1982 Ford Falcon wagon for 4 months, camping their way from Sydney up the east coast to Cairns, with many side trips inland. They bought the car for AUD$1800, and hope to sell it for $2000, which reflects the value of the camping gear they have added to the car. However, time was running out, as they were leaving for their homes in Switzerland, making their car sale very much a buyers market. While we were visiting they were offered $1400 for the car.

They loved the freedom and economy of traveling this way compared to renting a car or taking tours and would recommend traveling this way to anyone with a long time to spend on holiday. They advised that prospective buyers check the mechanical condition of the cars they like, a mechanical inspection costs around AUD$40, and will give you a good idea of the repair or re-registration costs that you may face as the car’s next owner.

After purchasing a motorcycle and riding it for two months, Amit, a student from Israel, sold it and purchased a four-wheel drive with a friend, who has since gone back home. The 1985 Toyota, which he and his friend bought for AUD$5500, is on sale for $4500, the price reflecting Amit’s intent to sell it after trying for two weeks at a higher price.

Amit loved traveling in the desert and visiting remote areas, and recommended anyone considering such an itinerary to consider a 4WD or an off-road motorcycle. Between those vehicles Amit would choose the economy of the motorcycle over the comfort and carrying capacity of the Toyota. His advice to potential buyers would be to remember that more costly vehicles take longer to sell.