What to know if you’re buying a car from another state
Digital platforms have made the possibility of finding that dream car a lot more likely. But much as online car browsing and shopping has broadened the opportunity of potential deals and empowered buyers, there is the geographic reality of Australia’s vastness.
What happens when you discover the car of your desire in another State? If you are committed to the purchase, there are State-specific considerations and transport issues to consider, often over thousands of kilometres.
Should you buy a car from a different state?
The two significant benefits of browsing in other states:
A greater selection. It isn’t always possible to find the car you want in your own state, so broadening your search will increase your chances.
You could get a bargain. Location is everything. Car resale values differ from state to state, and you could find the car of your dreams at a much better price.
However, there are two factors to consider:
Harder to test drive and inspect. You might have to call in a favour or pay someone to check the car on your behalf.
Additional costs. Buying a car interstate could mean extra costs. You will need to register the car in your state and find reliable car transport to bring it home.
Interstate buying inspections
Suppose you are fortunate enough to live on the border between States, NSW and Victoria, for example. In that case, you can drive and inspect the interstate vehicle you want. But suppose that rare Japanese rally heritage special or classic Ford is out West, while you are on the East Coast. In that case, you must use a local professional to validate the vehicle’s condition.
Each state has a dedicated pre-purchase vehicle inspection service, and its money well spent. No matter how ardent your desire for that dream car a few thousand kilometres away, buying it sight unseen and having it transported, only to discover auto electrical gremlins and mechanical maladies when it arrives, is a crushing disappointment.
You could get a fellow car enthusiast or a mechanically minded mate to fulfil some form of remote vehicle inspection for you. Still, an official mechanical bill of health certificate is what you want.
Transporting your car interstate
There are very few countries where cars can trade across the vastness of distances that Australia has. This creates the need for enhanced cost awareness when considering an interstate purchase or sale.
Do you drive or use a transport provider? It’s worth remembering that regardless of distance, going yourself implies a return journey, where using a transport company is a one-way cost. And that’s not only a cost related to dollars, but also time.
The most important determinant is distance. If you are buying a car interstate over a distance requiring significant driving time, using a professional car transport specialist will make sense. Many offer door-to-door services and have been in business for over 20 years. You can compare all the best car transport providers in Aus in one platform called Upmove.
What about insurance gaps and special plates?
Don’t risk the despair of having found that ideal car online, far away, and attempting an interstate transaction without third party insurance.
The issue of registration can be challenging, with different States having their own requirements, but it’s a question for some afternoon online forms and competition. For some ardent car enthusiasts, there is real value in a specific number plate and some States will allow you to keep unique, personalised, or prestige number plates, often intrinsic to the value of a collector’s vehicle.
Victoria and Tasmania allow new owners of an interstate purchased car to keep all types of number plates, which is a boon for buyers who value specific plates that add to the provenance and history of a collector’s car.
In Conclusion
Interstate car buying involves a bit more homework, but the opportunity to discover that perfect car, or a great deal, is often worth the investment. Don’t let geography intimidate or dissuade you from pursuing that dream car, waiting to be discovered online, a State or two away.
Choosing the right vehicle transport partner can be frustrating when clicking through pages of inappropriate results. Dedicated vehicle transport websites like Upmove help you find the best vehicle transport provider much faster.
