How to sell your car in Australia

So you’ve completed your epic adventure in your campervan or car around Australia, sure it’s been great and you’re sad to say goodbye to Sheila, or whatever you decided to name your trusty vehicle, but you could definitely do with some extra $$$ right now. Selling your car doesn’t have to be back breaking work, the demand to buy is constantly there, so we’ll share with you some top tips on how to sell your car in Australia. Selling to fellow backpackers is an easy and recommended option. They’re the ones who are most likely looking to buy a car upfront with little fuss, they will probably rejoice at the fact that you might be throwing in tables and chairs with it, and importantly they will also value the fact that if it has taken you across Australia already, then it’s a reliable little thing and won’t let them down either.

REGISTRATION

We recommend at least 3 months rego left on your car, but of course the longer the better. A rego that is just about to run out will put off potential buyers just because of the extra costs it’s going to incur.

PRESENTATION

Firstly maximise the appeal of your car, make sure you give it a good clean, have it serviced (keep any service record paperwork on hand to show the potential buyer). Take good pictures! Shoot in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid harsh shadows that can hide details. Take as many pictures as your ad will allow you from every angle possible (including the interior) and take only horizontal images. When you’re uploading your pics arrange them in a logical order.

ADVERTISING, CAR MARKETS AND BUYBACK GUARANTEES

Gumtree is a good choice, but be prepared to re-list your vehicle pretty much every day because pretty quickly your advert will end up past page 3. Backpacker Cars is a site tailored to backpackers to buy or sell their cars. If you originally bought your car from Travellers Autobarn then they are guaranteed to buy it back off you, no hassle. But if you’re a good sales person/ marketeer you may be able to make more money by selling elsewhere.

TIMING AND PLACE

April to July is probably the worst time to sell your car as Sydney, Perth and Melbourne are all very quiet at this time of year (autumn/ winter). Same can be said for Darwin and Cairns between December to June (wet season) and Brisbane and Adelaide are just hard work full stop.

PRICE

Take a look at what others are charging for something similar to what your selling and use this as a starting point. You will quickly notice your competition and if it’s been a week with no interest you should revisit your price. Backpackers are price sensitive and you won’t do yourself any favours if you’re asking for way above what everyone else is selling for. Just because you bought your car for $3000 and spent $1000 on servicing it doesn’t mean it’s worth $4000. If you get anywhere close to what you originally spent then well done (60% – 80% of the price you paid is pretty good).

Don’t forget you came here to have fun so don’t spoil it by spending 3-4 weeks trying to sell your car. If you’ve got any other tips or ideas on how to sell your car please share them in the comments section below.

If you’re looking to buy a car take a look at our vehicles or give us a call on 1800 674 374.

We’ve got many more Buying and Selling Campervan and Car articles for you, come and explore.