Best Car Dealerships
Motor Scout 🏆 2026
5.0Let Motor Scout take the haggle and hassle out of buying a new car. 100% free service!
Motor Scout 🏆 2026
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I approached Motor Scout after hearing about vehicle purchase brokers and thought they were worth a look. I've always negotiated myself in the past… Read more
so this was new territory but I've got to say it was great move! Dominic contacted me after I sent my details in via the website and was absolutely fantastic throughout. Primarily, there was no pressure, it was a case of talking through my requirements and the various options and the outcome was better than I'd hoped, both saving over $3k off the best price I could achieve, (which was already over $3k off quoted retail), and enabling me to trade up to the Mazda CX-60 I wanted but was originally beyond my budget. Dominic kept me fully updated throughout, there was absolutely no pressure to buy through him whatsoever and he saved me a pile of cash with no fees or out of pocket expenses, what's not to like?! On top of that, Dominic also facilitated a colour change on my new factory build car order a couple of days later, result! I'd highly recommend Dominic and Motor Scout to anybody looking to purchase a new vehicle, there is zero risk and potentially big rewards. Thanks Dominic for a first class service!
John Hughes Car Sales 🏆 2026
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Matt Allegretto was great to deal with, not pushy at all, helpful and friendly.
Von Bibra
Very helpful patient salesman, explained everything without hurry.. Impressed, thankyou.
Suttons
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Very disappointed with my recent service experience at Suttons Arncliffe Hyundai. One of the reasons I chose Hyundai was the Guaranteed Service… Read more
Pricing program, expecting transparent and predictable servicing costs. Unfortunately, this latest service raised serious concerns about pricing transparency and customer service. The labour charge excluding GST increased from AUD 144 last year to AUD 368 this year, despite the same replacement parts being used. The vehicle was serviced from approximately 8:38am to 9:30am — less than one hour — making the labour cost extremely difficult to justify. Before payment, I first asked the service manager for clarification regarding the large increase in cost. The response I received was simply that “Hyundai dictates the price.” When I continued asking for a proper explanation, I was told that oil prices had increased. However, after reviewing the invoice, the oil and parts pricing were essentially the same as last year. The significant increase was clearly in labour costs, not parts or oil. Unfortunately, the same dismissive attitude continued at the front desk, where I again received no transparent explanation for the charges. I understand prices can increase over time, but customers deserve honesty, transparency, and respectful communication — especially when questioned about substantial cost increases that appear inconsistent with previous services. This experience left me feeling overcharged and poorly treated as a loyal customer.
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Easy to deal with, Nothing to difficult, simple and fast service! Very Happy, 10/10 would use again.
OzCar
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Was with my sister today she bought a car. The fellas were very nice and respectful. Price was good. Service is good and we love the car.
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Awesome salesperson and very good experience Costumer service was excellent would recommend it
Carma
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This was the best and easiest car purchase I have ever made. The team at Carma are second to none. Everybody I spoke to went above and beyond. We are so happy and will definitely use again.
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The process is simple and easy. Seamus was very knowledgeable and informative throughout the process. The outcome was positive and they negotiated a good price. Using this process was worthwhile.
carconnect
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I purchased a vehicle about a month ago and has been available through Carconnect, dealer has not been paid and I have been delayed delivery of my… Read more
new vehicle on numerous occasions now company has gone into voluntary administration. Took full payment fully knowing they could not delivery a vehicle to me, CEO and Directors should be charged with outright theft.
The company made the whole experience easy and stress-free. Everyone was friendly, professional, and very helpful throughout the process. I really appreciated the great communication and overall service.
Carbarn
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Three months ago, I purchased a used 4WD Toyota Hiace van imported from Japan from Carbarn. Despite having driven around 200,000 km, it was a… Read more
well-maintained vehicle. I was concerned about some surface rust on the underbody, but I was impressed by the strong need for 4WD and the low price, so I decided to buy it.
After receiving the car, I washed and dried the underbody. Then, I sprayed the rusted underbody with rust-preventing spray (Lanolin oil). I sprayed the rusted areas repeatedly whenever I had time, and now, three months later, the rust is no longer visible. If you spray the rust-preventing spray occasionally, rust will no longer be a concern. After receiving the car, I installed plywood and some barriers to facilitate delivery. These can be removed if necessary.
My current car is perfect in every way. I'm very happy driving it. I use it as a delivery vehicle during the week and take my family on picnics on the weekends. I can even visit rural Australia with my family at the end of the year. I used to be concerned about the high cost of full car insurance, but Carbarn introduced me to a low-cost insurance company, saving me over $2,000 a year. Thank you very much ❤️ "Carbarn"
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5 Stars – Highly Recommended! Zac and the team were absolutely fantastic to deal with. I test drove a car and instantly fell in love with it. I put… Read more
down a deposit, but unfortunately ran into some issues with finalising my finance. Even though I was past the 3-day cooling-off period, Zac and his team refunded my deposit in full—no hassle, no pressure. That level of honesty and integrity is rare to find. Although I didn’t go through with the purchase in the end, the entire experience was smooth, respectful, and professional from start to finish. The staff were a genuine pleasure to deal with.
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Anyone who thinks money can't buy happiness has never bought a perfect used BMW from Wayne at Scarboro Toyota.
Tynan Motors
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Where do I start, I bought a RAM 2500 laramie for 194160.16$ of them deal date 9.7.2022 delivery march 23, company finance through Mercedes fin which… Read more
also is tynan A year and a bit ago this car went in for warranty work and it took 7-8 weeks to get back. This time the car went in for warranty work on 24th February and they still have possession of said vehicle! I told them to stop all works i seek legal advice a month ago. I want my money back! This car is 3 years old with 80000km. 3 sets of balljoints, numerous recalls and the cream, Gearbox out with issues - no spare parts. In all the months Tynan Kirrawee as well as Ram never offered a courtesy vehicle or any support after plenty of texts and phone calls. We had to cancel our Easter holidays with the kids (we tow our 3.3t caravan with it on top of work related usage). This car is not fit for purpose. In the last 16 months, they had it for 5 months yet I had to pay for their finance. All wrong I am seeking compensation from that malaised dealership. Offensively bad! Both Tynan Sutherland and Ram.
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I am still yet to receive my refund deposit from Westpoint Autos in Sprringwood. After emails and text messages to the salesman (I will not name him… Read more
on here). I now have decided to make a formal complaint to QLD Fair Trading and Australian Financial Complaints Authority to claim my long awaited deposit refund. I will never deal with them again.
easyauto123
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BEWARE , these lying dogs, mainly [Name Removed] the little snake, nice as pie when looking to buy vehicle, daughter decided to, pushed her hard to… Read more
buy the #`1095 premium warranty, yeah nonsense, the scum cover only up to 2k, this car not even making it to its first service since buying it from this maggot; oh u get no loan car from the dealer they make u go to, u have to pay for that and hope they reimburse u, which they don't do anything they say. the gearbox apparently needs replacing quoted 14k for new 7k used ...... NOT COVERED BY EXTRA WARRANTY >>>> DEALER THAT THEY FORCE U TO GO TO THEN CHARGE OVEWR $200 if u take it and get another opinion cause it seems the a rort and [Name Removed] is just a slijmy little snake, suppose to be a manager and hes just one of those people ya wanna head but, absolutely no help no care and is a lying sack of horse waste
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I was contacted by Daniel from KS Motor Company offering to sell my vehicle, as I had it advertised privately but had no success. It was a unique car… Read more
so hard to sell. Daniel was great to deal with made it allot easer. I had my money in the bank. I had a positive experience & would recommend this Dealership. Friendly and communicative staff.
AutoTribe
Force you to use their finance. Rip off prices – Not sure where all their 5 star reviews come from as I doubt their validity. As someone else mentioned, they won't sell you a car if you're not using… Read more
their finance.
TLDR: will force you to use their finance. Rip off prices. Selling used cars for more than a brand new car (time to end the Covid tax)
Sent them an enquiry stating I was interested in a car through a lease arrangement. Never heard back from them. Called them up a few days later and asked for the first registration date of that vehicle as it would have qualified for an FBT exemption if registered after July 2022. Was told it was registered in June (how convenient) so I'd lose the FBT benefit of going through a lease and possibly opt for their finance.
Fact is that particular vehicle model was only released in Australia late August 2022 (maybe do your research if you're gonna bullsh*t). Unless you're telling me that this vehicle's a grey import?
Also selling the used vehicle for more than a new one would cost. Current wait times for this particular vehicle is 1 - 2.5 months (so not excessive).
Definitely do your research before approaching these lot as they'll scalp you if they can.
Disappointing because after all those positive reviews, I was hoping they'd be different and honest.
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We bought a 2021 Toyota Alphard Hybrid from Best People Movers and had a fantastic experience with Natalia. She was extremely honest and transparent… Read more
about the car, with all documents and paperwork well prepared. Nothing was hidden and everything was clearly explained.
What really stood out was how supportive she was during the inspection and loan process. As first-time buyers of a Japanese import, there were many things we didn’t know, but Natalia guided us through everything and made the whole process smooth.
It’s rare to find a dealer who runs their business with this level of honesty and care. If you’re looking for a Japanese import, I would definitely recommend talking to Natalia.
MotorMall
Big thanks to Daniel for the test drives and assistance in looking for my new vehicle. Made things quick and easy for me without costing me too much of my time. Cheers mate
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In short, Terrible, THEY DO NOT DO ANY SAFETY OR ANY CHECKS, THEY PUT CARS ON SALES FLOOR AS IS, this is a statement directly from one of the staff… Read more
members if they had said that before we purchases, I would have walked away, will never buy from this car yard again. only do something when forced will put your and your family's life at risk to safe a dollar, I would rather walk then buy another car from this place.
salesperson was friendly and said everything she needed to, to make the sale including saying the car was in A1 condition
we bought a Ute to tow our camper trailer to Kalberri about a 1300KM round trip with the family. when we looked at the car it wasn't to bad it had everything we wanted and it was described to use as in A1 condition. we found AC wasn't working, fan only worked on High and A coolant warning light was on the dash. which were supposed to be fixed before we pick it up. Mrs. picked it up and on the way home she noted the AC wasn't working correctly only blowing cold air on drivers side and the fan was still squeaking as it was the weekend I decided to call them Monday. I proceeded to drive it and put in a full tank of fuel which showed it had a hole in the tank. I messaged them and called them on Monday which was just Before new year.
we organised to drop it off tuesday morning with the following problems to be sorted AC, Fan, Fuel leak on the tank and Fuel filter, we were set to travel to Kalberri on Friday morning, they said we can pick it up on wednesday without of ANY repairs being done as there wasn't enough time to fix them. we said we would rather Higher a car than to take that on the trip.
we came back from the trip on the 7th Jan on the 9th of jan I got a phone call in the morning saying "The car will be ready for pickup 10th the AC guy will be fixing AC and fan around lunch time" we then recieved another call on the 9th in the afternoon someone else saying "the car will be ready for pickup today the mechanic will drop it off in about an hour and he doesn't know whats happening with the AC or FAN but we can pick it up anyway" I said ok and ignored it as I wasn't going to pick it up if the AC hadn't been done.
we then got a call on the 10th saying the AC and fan would be fixed around 3pm and it should be ready for pickup around 5pm. we gone to pick it up all seemed well enough noted out of the full tank that was drop off (120L) only a quarter was left was told by the person in attending that no one else was here and he wouldn't be able to do anything tonight. got home to see the fuel leak on the filter was not sorted and the Fan was now working but the AC was still only blowing cold air on the drivers side.
Then the Transmission started to slip and the Brakes Failed after having driven 500Ks since its been purchased that is a little short of the 1300km we would have driven it which means while going through the hills before getting to Kalberri we would have had no brakes while towing a 2T camper trailer.
I proceeded to contact the Consumer protection which stands firm on that the car yard should be getting it towed and fixing all Issues as per the consumer protection Guarantee. which stats the car needs to be ROADWORTHY, needs to be SAFE, Acceptable Quality, fit for its Purpose, match the description,
I contacted the Yard and told them what's going on including I contacted Consumer protection. They offered to fix all issues but not the brakes as they called it wear item. I had the brakes done, then dropped the car off and everything else was fixed. so they say I have yet to see proof of anything they say was done. there is no photo's no invoices from the mechanic.
I had the car checked with a computer the car has 11 fault codes 5 active phones which includes the coolant system and the ABS, EBS and traction control, which my mechanic is currently checking.
besides the fault codes that are being looked into, oil leaks, brake failure, transmission slipping, bold spare tire, no High beam. I would have expected these issues from a car costing $8000 not $15000. what this car yard has shown me they will do nothing unless forced to they will put your life and your families life at risk to safe a Dollar.
If you do decide to buy make sure you get it checked by an external mechanic.
I've booked an appointment for 09:50 AM on 22nd December. When I arrived, there is no place to park the car which led me to park it half a kilometer… Read more
from the service station. The call to the service center, to inform about the delay took more than 10 minutes and was still on wait. When I arrived at 10:00 and waited my turn for around 5 minutes to be assisted, I was told that all bookings for that day were full as I was 15 mins late.
The next available appointment was only at the end of Jan. That is some next level stupidity.
If they work based on appointments, how did they accept additional customers in that 15 minutes?
This is the most unprofessional service center I've ever been to.
They arrogance is probably due to them being the only jeep authorized service center in the area.
Arnold and his team are the best in the business. Took me 3 goes to find a place I felt comfortable to buy a car. Love my new Merc. So happy
A great all round experience! – I was in the market for a second hand car and came across the Carizma website in my search. I had my mind on a couple of vehicles that I saw on the… Read more
site. I took my relative along as she too was looking for a vehicle. We had stopped at two car yards before going there. We were amazed by the help we received at Carizma. Alex and Hyula were fantastic. We both found vehicles we liked. She needed finance but ours was a straight forward sale. They helped us from start to finish. No pressure from them. Just good vehicles to choose from.
I had a great experience with this dealership and specifically the worker Adrian. They went above and beyond by repairing the damage to my side… Read more
mirror completely free of charge, which was greatly appreciated. The staff were friendly, professional, and genuinely cared about helping me out. I highly recommend them for their excellent customer service and generosity.
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Purchased a home charging port via Subaru through EVSE for my Subaru Solterra. Have been given the run around from Day 1 - lost the information, no… Read more
installers in my region, installer on holidays, trying to source other installers etc. It has been nearly 9 weeks and no progress. Do not recommend dealing with EVSE!
Hi Tim, thank you for your feedback and we’re… Read more
I was looking for a car for the kids a few weeks ago and starting about 12k and looking at a few private sales realised the budget was too low so… Read more
upped it to 15k while out with my daughter we stopped into a couple of car lots while still looking a private sale but nothing in our price and more about getting in a car the right size. but the team at village motors kippa ring offered us a car for 16k by dropping the price by nearly 3k, she is so happy with the Haval h6 with 70 000 kms and still has 18 months left on the factory warranty with extended warranty (as long as its service is done there) even done the big bow photo shoot for Youse young people that have to put your whole life on line
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Picked up the brand new GWM Tank 500 from Pacific Hyundai. Firstly. Wow, what a car is the Tank. Fabulous. My dealings with were David and I couldn't… Read more
have asked for better service from him. Very professional in his approach and knowledge of the vehicle. My 4th GWM from Pacific Hyundai. Nothing better than getting a great car and getting looked after from a knowledgeable salesperson at a really great dealership.
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Shoutout to Thomas, Ken, and Rica at MCC. They turned a complicated process into a breeze. Great price, great car, and even better service. I’ll definitely be back for my next one!
Motor Scout 🏆 2026
5.0Let Motor Scout take the haggle and hassle out of buying a new car. 100% free service!
What is a car dealership?
A licensed car dealership is a business that buys, sells, and/or exchanges motor vehicles as a retailer or wholesaler.
Dealerships are typically privately owned franchises, or they operate based on a licensing agreement with car manufacturers.
Many dealerships are mainly made up of a larger new car lot, and a smaller used car section. Others are dedicated solely to selling second-hand cars.
A much smaller percentage are online car dealerships. These let you browse various car makes and models, provide information on pricing and a location to view the car in person.
How do car dealerships make money?
Dealers make around an average of 5% profit on new car sales. In the case of new cars, the manufacturer is more likely than the dealer to make the lion’s share of profits.
For used cars sales, the profit margin for dealers is higher, at around 15%. In this case, dealers usually buy the cars cheap and sell them for a higher price. The dealer may buy the cars cheaply through customer trade-ins, or from a wholesaler that only sells cars to licensed dealers.
A dealership often makes most of its money on: old cars that get traded in, dealer’s finance, car parts and servicing or service packages. All the added extras that you get offered at the end of a sale can add to the dealer’s profit.
Is it better to get a car from a dealership?
Let's take a quick look at how a buying a car at a dealership compares to two other popular purchasing methods - buying a car through a private seller, or getting a car at auction.
| Criteria | Car dealership | Private sale | Auction |
| Price | ‘Drive-away’ price is more expensive | Cheaper - but plenty of added costs post-purchase | Can snag a bargain - but less flexibility to back out |
| Price negotiating | Can negotiate price | Can negotiate price | Fixed price once agreed to |
| Mechanic inspection allowed | Allowed before purchasing used cars | Can request pre-purchase inspection | Independent inspection before sale is uncommon |
| Test drive | Test drive is standard | Test drive subject to seller agreeing to it | Can’t test drive car |
| Trade-in for old car | Can usually trade-in old vehicle | Must sell old car independently | Must sell old car independently |
| Cooling-off period | 1-day cooling off period | No cooling-off period | No cooling-off period |
| Title guarantee | Clear title guarantee | No clear title guarantee (need to do a PPSR search yourself) | Clear title guarantee |
| Guarantees and warranties | Dealership guarantees apply for most cars sold | No guarantees or warranty, car sold 'as is' | No guarantees or warranty, car sold ‘as is’ |
| Australian Consumer Law guarantees | ACL guarantees apply | State-based consumer protection laws apply | State-based consumer protection laws apply |
Car dealerships
Dealer guarantees - The main difference
Any licensed car dealership is required by law to provide a dealer guarantee (previously called a statutory guarantee). These are provided in addition to a new car manufacturer’s warranty and in addition to the Australian Consumer Law or ACL guarantees.
Dealer guarantees make a car dealership responsible for fixing any major defects on a car that weren’t revealed in the course of a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic. This requires the dealer to get the car back into a reasonable condition. This can involve making repairs or remediating - ‘diagnosing’ the problem in order to fix it.
Always check how long the dealer guarantee lasts for - known as the limitation period. The limitation period could be a time period or the distance driven. Once this is elapsed or reached, the guarantee no longer applies - but you can look to the manufacturer's warranty or ACL guarantees for help fixing the problem.
Used car dealer guarantees
If you’re buying second-hand, dealer guarantees also include a requirement to guarantee the second-hand car has the following:
- No hidden debts: Guarantee that there's no money owing on the car by a third party.
- Any pre-existing damage must be disclosed such as flood or hail damage, or major modifications.
- Clear title guarantee: This means the car comes with full title in your name, and ownership.
Used cars sold 'as is'
Note that some used cars at a dealership are advertised and sold ‘as is.’ These cars are sold unregistered and without any warranties or guarantees. These cars may be cheaper but they are riskier to buy. However, you can hire a certified mechanic to inspect the vehicle before purchasing, to ideally identify what needs to be fixed. If repairs won’t be too expensive, you may score a bargain - if you're okay with purchasing without a warranty or guarantees.
Private sales
Private sale guarantees
If you buy a car privately, the seller is under no legal obligation to guarantee that they’ll fix the car if there are any defects that present themselves after purchase. The seller is also not required to provide a warranty.
This means you’re on your own if the car has latent defects, or is the subject of a barely-disguised bad repair job. What's riskier is that you won't be covered by Australian Consumer Law in the event that something does go wrong. ACL only applies to businesses, and private sellers are usually individuals.
Private sale prices
While buying a car privately initially seems cheaper than buying at a dealership, it's likely to end up being more expensive than buying from a dealer.
When buying privately, you’ll need to tack on costs like a transfer fee, and stamp duty - calculated as a percentage of the car’s market value, not the sale price.
In comparison, dealers usually quote you a ‘drive-away’ price that includes everything in one figure. This includes dealer fees, stamp duty and registration. It’s worth shopping at multiple dealerships to compare the drive-away prices, as they can be quite competitive to get your sale.
Buying direct from the manufacturer
This is another way to buy a new car, however it’s more common for high-end car brands such as Tesla or Genesis. There are a few more everyday brands that are starting to offer this too, such as Honda.
However, a major drawback is that you can’t haggle on price when buying direct from the manufacturer. Also expect to wait some time before getting your car, as it’s rare to find available on-the-floor models.
For luxury cars, showrooms and experience centres let you browse cars and enjoy the experience without the pressure of a salesperson hovering over your shoulder.
Auction
Most cars sold at auction are sold ‘as is’ - without a warranty or guarantees, and are unregistered. This is the same situation as a car bought through a private sale.
Top 10 tips for buying a car at a dealership
1. Do your research first
You’ll definitely feel more confident walking into a car dealership if you know what you’re looking for. This helps you stay firm about your priorities and reduces the likelihood of becoming swayed by emotion when you’re charmed by cars that aren't in your wheelhouse - practically or financially.
This includes choosing the specific car you wish to buy beforehand. You can check the following so you know buying that particular car is the right decision for you: manufacturer websites, online car dealerships, car pricing sites like Red Book, expert reviews, buyer’s guides, reliability surveys and ANCAP safety ratings.
In terms of ongoing future costs, it will also be useful to check the following: fuel efficiency, car insurance costs, and resale value (this is based on the build plate date - the year the car was manufactured in). Also check that the model has a manufacturer-backed warranty.
Getting a fair trade-in price
If you're planning to sell your old car, most dealers will accept a trade-in.
Do some research on your car value and how much you’re likely to fetch for it through a private sale. This way you’ll be able to easily compare this figure with a dealer’s offer for a trade-in. The price you’ll get depends on a few factors, such as the popularity of the model and the condition the car is in. Keeping receipts from car servicing can help you get a better price.
When determining the trade-in viability at a dealer, ask for the changeover price. This is the total amount you’ll pay for your new car, minus the amount the dealer gives you for trading in your old car.
2. Organise your finances
Having your finances sorted out before you agree to buy a car helps you know whether you’re getting a good deal or not.
Dealer finance is often offered, and dealers make money on securing a successful loan arrangement. You can’t trust promises from a car salesperson that ‘this is the best interest rate you’ll get’, because it’s just not objective financial advice.
Again, do your research beforehand on how to find the best car loan. Compare interest rates from banks, loan companies and credit unions to see what the most competitive rates are. This will let you apply sound judgement when a dealer offers the ‘best interest rate’ - you’ll know whether it actually is or not.
3. Get a Pre-purchase inspection
This is especially important if you’re looking for second hand cars for sale. It’s not as crucial to inspect new cars as they’re covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
However, for used cars a full mechanic check is required to make sure the car is roadworthy. Used car dealerships will often do reconditioning on a car - making cosmetic enhancements to the car body so it looks shiny and inviting. You want to make sure there are no nasty surprises under the bonnet.
An inspection reveals any obvious defects, like damage from a car accident, hail damage, a bad repair job, etc. This is part of your due diligence as a buyer. Being aware of any problems from the outset can avoid the financial burden of costly repairs later.
It can also strengthen your bargaining position - if you’re aware of any issues needing fixing, but still decide to buy the car, you can use this knowledge to negotiate a lower sale price with the dealer.
4. Go for a test drive
Used cars
The test drive is especially important if you’re buying a second hand car. Hand in hand with a pre-purchase inspection, a test drive is one of the steps to take to make sure you’re not buying a lemon.
While it won’t alert you to all a car’s problems, it’s a good way to check the car isn’t plagued by obvious problems such as the car giving off smoke or having a rattling engine.
New Cars
For new cars, the test drive is about making sure the car feels right for you. It should feel comfortable to drive. Also keep a mental note of what you need in a car, and check that a prospective car ticks those boxes. For example, you might need enough storage space in the boot for soccer gear, or a built-in GPS that’s easy to use.
5. Be wary of optional extras
Dealers don’t make too much profit from the actual car sale, but they do pocket more cash on the extras.
Commonly, these can include fabric proofing, floor mats, as well as rust and paint protection. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t understand what’s being offered or haven’t heard of it before, don’t accept.
Some ‘extras’ like paint and rust protection, as well as capped servicing packages, are already included in the warranty, so if you opt for these without doing research first, you’d be handing over more money for no reason.
6. Carefully consider whether you need an extended warranty
There are two types of car warranties - manufacturer warranties and extended warranties.
Manufacturer warranty
Almost all new cars will come with a manufacturer warranty, also called a factory warranty. These typically cover repairs for mechanical failures due to design defects or faulty car parts. They usually last 3 years or 80,000 km as a minimum (whichever comes first), however the exact warranty details depend on the specific car and manufacturer in question.
Dealer/Extended warranty
You can also choose to buy an extended warranty, which is provided by the dealer. This kicks into gear after the manufacturer's warranty expires. For example, if you buy a Fiat 500 with a 3-year standard warranty, and then a 3-year extended warranty on top, you’ll be protected for 6 years.
Extended warranties are usually bought to give the buyer extra peace of mind. You might never have to make a claim for the entire warranty period.
It may be useful to keep the following factors in mind when making your decision:
- Dealerships usually get a big chunk of commission from selling an extended warranty: sometimes up to 50% of what you pay.
- Coverage in an extended warranty won’t neccessarily match what’s covered in the manufacturer’s warranty. Extended warranties are rarely manufacturer-backed.
- You’ll still have protection under the Australian Consumer Law guarantees, even if you say no to the extended warranty. ACL guarantees ensure cars must be of an acceptable quality and provide remedies if they're not.
Used car warranties
If you buy a pre-owned vehicle at a dealership, you get a used car statutory warranty. This is provided the car has less than 160,000 km on its odometer, is less than 10 years old and doesn't exceed the luxury car tax threshold ($77,565).
This warranty is valid for 3 months or 5,000km from the day you purchase the car - whichever comes first. The statutory warranty covers major defects, but excludes ordinary wear and tear.
7. Only talk about price at the end
This gives you more bargaining power and allows you to negotiate the best price. One of the benefits of buying from a car dealership is that you can haggle on price - so don’t be afraid to do it.
8. Question the fees and charges
These fees or item lines may include dealer delivery fees, documentation fees, and processing fees. Always question these fees, especially if you're paying for dealer delivery fees on a car that was already on the lot of the dealership (for example, a demonstrator model or floor stock).
9. Don’t succumb to pressure
Don’t buy into common selling traps, such as a dealer saying a certain price is for a limited time only.
Play it cool and don’t worry that an attractive offer from a dealer will be taken back or ‘expire’ if you don’t say yes and sign the papers straight away. It’s okay to take your time and have a think. This may be an exception if the car is a limited edition - for example limited by how many models are being produced, not limited edition by name. However, in the vast majority of cases there’s no reason you need to shake hands on the spot.
Car salespeople know how to put the pressure on - but if you’re well-prepared for this beforehand, you can resist this, even when under the guise of charming customer service.
10. Shop around
A car is usually the second most valuable asset a person will own, apart from real estate. Making a financial commitment you’re confident you can keep is likely to save you from stress in the future.
Shopping around is usually the best way to do this. Get quotes from at least three dealerships, and make sure you’re comparing the drive-away price for all three - with all costs included. Don’t sign anything until you’re absolutely ready to, and make sure that any deposit you pay is fully refundable in case you change your mind.
The bottom line
If you're in the market for a new or used car (but new to you), visiting a car dealership to make the purchase has a number of potential plus points. To make sure you get the best possible deal, always make sure to take a few precautionary steps.
These steps include knowing the make and model of car you're interested in buying beforehand, organising your finances, and being flexible. You don't have to sign anything on the spot, and always be prepared to shop around to compare prices. This will all help avoid a headache when buying a new car, and help keep the fun in it.
No response from dealership from a directors level, unbelievable