Car buying & selling guides

Trade-in vs selling privately: the difference worked through

Trade in or sell privately? A worked example with round numbers shows why dealers often offer less, what convenience buys you, and how to check any trade quote against the market.

Do better car photos really sell your car for more? What the research says

Academic studies of more than 100,000 online car sales found listings with more photos fetch higher prices — and private sellers gain most. What the research shows, where it disagrees, and how to use it.

The Private Seller’s Playbook: How to Price, Photograph, and List Your Car for Maximum Value

Master the art of private car selling in Australia. Learn professional pricing strategies, lighting and photo shot lists, persuasive copywriting, and test drive safety.

Escrow, stakeholders and fake "secure payment" sites for a private car sale

What escrow actually is, why a buyer-sent escrow website is usually a scam, and the safer Australian alternatives that aren't a stranger's link.

How to sell your car in Australia: the step-by-step checklist

A start-to-finish checklist for selling your car in Australia — paperwork, pricing, preparation, photos that get your listing opened, a description that answers questions before they’re asked, and a safe handover.

Is it worth fixing your car before you sell it?

Some repairs pay for themselves before a private sale and most don't. Here's how to tell which is which — and why the answer partly depends on your state.

Selling a written-off or repairable write-off car in Australia

A written-off vehicle can be sold, and repairable write-offs sell perfectly well when they're disclosed. Here's what the register records, what you have to say, and where the rules differ.

How to sell a car that still has finance owing

You can sell a car under finance in Australia, but the loan has to be settled for the buyer to get clear title. Here's the sequence that protects both of you.

Can you sell a car with expired registration?

Yes — unregistered cars are sold in Australia every day. Here's what changes: how the buyer moves it, whether to re-register first, and what it does to your price.

Selling a car privately in Australia: what every state actually requires

Inspection rules, notice-of-disposal deadlines, transfer fees and duty for all eight Australian states and territories, taken from each transport department's own pages.

Selling a car interstate: what changes

Selling to a buyer in another state adds an inspection question, a plate question and a transport question. Here's what changes and what to sort out before you agree.

Selling a car from a deceased estate: what's actually required

Transferring or selling a vehicle registered to someone who has died — who has authority to do it, what each state requires, and what to expect if there's no will.

The safest way to accept payment when selling a car privately

The riskiest part of a private car sale is the moment a buyer says the money has been sent. Here's how to get paid safely — what "cleared" actually means, which methods hold up, and the one rule that protects you.

Number plates when you sell: what stays and what goes

Do the plates go with the car? Usually yes — but personalised plates are yours to keep, and some states want the plates back. Here's what to sort out before the sale.

What is a notice of disposal — and what happens if you don't lodge one?

A notice of disposal tells your state you no longer own a car you've sold. Here's how long you have in each Australian state and territory, how to lodge it, and what happens to your fines and tolls if you don't.

Meeting a buyer safely: a private seller's checklist

Almost all used-car safety advice is written for buyers. This is the other side — the test drive, the address, the handover, and the insurance question nobody answers.

What happens to your insurance and CTP when you sell a car

Comprehensive cover and compulsory third party behave differently when you sell. Here's what to cancel, when to cancel it, and the test-drive question worth asking first.

How to transfer car registration in Australia

Registration transfer is the buyer's job, but it runs on the seller's paperwork. Here's who does what, in what order, in every state and territory.

How to sell a car privately in WA

Western Australia needs no inspection to sell a licensed vehicle, but gives you only 7 days to lodge the seller's notice — half the time most states allow. Here's the full process, from form MR9 to the transfer.

How to sell a car privately in Victoria

Victoria is the only state where the seller must supply a roadworthy certificate, and it has to be under 30 days old. Here's what else a private sale in Victoria requires.

How to sell a car privately in Tasmania

Tasmania needs no inspection to sell a Tasmanian-registered car within the state, but gives you only 7 days to lodge the notice of disposal. Here's the full process.

How to sell a car privately in SA

South Australia needs no inspection to sell a registered light vehicle. Here's the rest of the process — the disposal notice, the 14-day deadline, the transfer, and the threshold that makes you a dealer.

How to sell a car privately in Queensland

Queensland dropped the rule requiring a safety certificate before you advertise — but you still need one to complete the sale. Here's what a private sale actually requires, and why much advice online is out of date.

How to sell a car privately in the NT

The Northern Territory overhauled its light-vehicle inspection rules in February 2026 — only vehicles 7 years and older need one now, and either party can get it. Here's the current process.

How to sell a car privately in NSW

What you actually have to do to sell a car privately in New South Wales — including why you don't need a pink slip, how to lodge the notice of disposal, and what the buyer has to do next.

How to sell a car privately in the ACT

The ACT requires an inspection for any vehicle over six years old, transfers have to be done in person, and its late-transfer fee is the steepest in the country. Here's the process.

Am I accidentally trading as a car dealer?

Australian states and territories limit how many vehicles you can sell privately before you need a motor dealer's licence. Here's how the threshold works and why it catches people out.

What documents do you need to sell a car in Australia?

The paperwork for a private car sale in Australia — what your state requires, what protects you even though it isn't required, and what buyers will ask for.

How much does it really cost to sell a car privately in Australia?

An itemised, state-aware breakdown of what a private car sale actually costs — the inspection, the transfer, the duty, the presentation, and who pays which.

How much does a car depreciate in Australia?

What actually moves a used car's value in Australia — age, kilometres, service history, colour and body type — and which of those you can still do something about.

Which fuel does your car actually need? 91 vs 95 vs 98, E10 and diesel, settled

Octane ratings explained without the myths: when 98 genuinely helps, why premium in a regular engine does nothing, which cars can't run E10, and how to read the filler flap like an owner's manual.

Home EV charging explained: wallboxes, installation costs and charging while you sleep

Charging an EV at home: the three levels of charger, what installation really costs, single vs three-phase power, tariff tricks that halve running costs, and apartment answers.

EV battery life, warranties and what a replacement really costs

How long EV batteries actually last in Australia, what the standard 8-year warranty covers (and the degradation clause most people miss), real replacement cost ranges, and how to read battery health before buying used.

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Statutory warranty and cooling-off: your rights buying a used car from a dealer, state by state

What a licensed dealer owes you beyond the showroom smile: statutory warranty periods and thresholds by state, which states give you a cooling-off period, and what auctions and private sales don't.

Used-car finance explained: pre-approval, secured loans and the balloon trap

How car finance actually works in Australia: why pre-approval changes your negotiating position, what a secured loan really secures, how comparison rates expose fees, and where balloons bite.

Tyres explained: reading the sidewall, knowing when to replace, paying the right price

What the codes on your tyre's sidewall actually mean, the wear and age limits that decide replacement, how to compare a $120 tyre with a $300 one honestly, and the roadworthy line most people miss.

Genuine vs OEM vs aftermarket car parts: what should you actually pay?

Genuine, OEM-supplier and aftermarket parts explained: where the price gap comes from, what it looks like from a Corolla to a Ferrari, and why your state matters less than you think.

Modified cars: what's legal, what needs certifying, and what it does to resale

Lifted 4WDs, wheels, exhausts and engine mods: what's legal without certification, when you need state approval, how insurance treats modifications, and what a mod plate does to what your car is worth.

How to spot a flood-damaged car before you buy it

Water-damaged cars move interstate and resurface months later. Where flood damage hides, the ten-minute inspection that finds it, and what a PPSR check will and won't tell you.

Buying a car at auction: what you're really signing up for

Dealer and public car auctions explained: who can bid, what condition grades hide, which consumer rights don't follow you through the gate, and how to bid without paying a dealer price.

ANCAP vs Used Car Safety Ratings: choosing a genuinely safe used car

What ANCAP star ratings actually test, why a five-star 2013 car isn't a five-star 2025 car, how Used Car Safety Ratings differ, and how to check the rating on any car you're about to buy.

Car theft in Australia: 2026 trends, prevention and what to do if your car is stolen

Car theft in Australia is rising again. The 2025 numbers, how thieves now bypass modern security, the defences worth having, and what to do in the first hour if your car is taken.

Showcase your car online: share the car without the hard sell

Not selling yet? Give your car its own shareable showcase page — photos, story and spec sheet, plus a virtual plate and short link. Listing a car on MotorLoop is free.

Why Australian cars are different: right-hand drive and our own design rules

Right-hand drive, the Australian Design Rules and the RAV explained — why a used car's specs, features and price rarely line up with UK or US versions of the same model.

Vehicle-to-grid and V2L in Australia: what actually works today

V2L works today in dozens of EVs on sale in Australia; V2G export is still mostly trials. Which cars offer vehicle-to-load, where V2G stands, and what buyers should check.

Insuring a classic: agreed value, laid-up cover and the questions to ask

Classic car insurance works differently: agreed value set upfront, laid-up cover for projects and premiums shaped by limited use. What to check and the questions to ask.

Club plates and concession registration: drive your classic for less

Club plates and concessional registration let you run a classic at a fraction of full-rego cost. How each state's scheme works — ages, logbooks, day limits and who qualifies.

How to buy a new car in Australia: stock, factory order, or walk-in?

The three ways to buy a new car in Australia — dealer stock, a factory or dealer order, or a near-new demo — plus deposits, delivery delays and what to check at handover.

Towing explained: GVM, GCM, ATM and matching your car to the van

Towing capacity explained for Australian buyers: what GVM, GCM, ATM, GTM and towball mass mean, how the loaded weights interact, braked vs unbraked ratings, and matching your car to a caravan.

What's a good kilometre count for a used car?

How many kms is good for a used car? See Australia's average annual kilometres, why logbook evidence beats the odometer, when high kays matter, and the checks that catch a wound-back clock.

Australia's Most Popular Cars by State and Territory

From utes up north to EVs in Canberra: Australia's best-selling cars in every state and territory in 2025, and what it means for used buyers and sellers.

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Importing and Exporting Cars in Australia: The Complete Guide

How to import or export a car in Australia: ROVER approvals, biosecurity, duty and GST, plus the registration steps in every state and territory.

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Charged on Coal: How Clean Is an EV in Australia, Really?

Zero tailpipe doesn't mean zero emissions. How Australia's grid mix, your state and your charging time decide how clean your EV actually is.

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The Carbon Debt: Why an EV Starts Life With a Bigger Footprint Than You Think

EVs leave the factory with a bigger carbon footprint than petrol cars. How the "carbon debt" works, when it breaks even, and what it means for buyers.

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Beyond the Tailpipe: Tyres, Weight and the EV Recycling Problem

Tyre particulates from heavier cars, an immature battery recycling industry, insurers writing off damaged packs: the EV questions still unanswered.

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What's Really in an EV Battery: The Mining Behind "Zero Emissions"

Lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite: the mining supply chain behind EV batteries, its real environmental and human costs, and how it's changing.

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Buying or Selling a Car in WA: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in WA: no-inspection rules, PPSR checks, the 7-day seller notification and duty.

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Buying or Selling a Car in Victoria: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in Victoria: RWC rules, PPSR checks, myVicRoads transfer steps and duty.

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Buying or Selling a Car in Tasmania: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in Tasmania: PPSR checks, transfer within 14 days, duty and disposal notification.

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Buying or Selling a Car in South Australia: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in SA: PPSR checks, EzyReg transfer within 14 days, duty and disposal notice.

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Buying or Selling a Car in Queensland: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in Queensland: safety certificate rules, PPSR checks, TMR transfer and duty.

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Buying or Selling a Car in the NT: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in the NT: MVR transfer within 14 days, roadworthy timing, duty and PPSR checks.

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Buying or Selling a Car in NSW: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in NSW: PPSR and rego checks, transfer and duty steps, and the Notice of Disposal.

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Buying or Selling a Car in the ACT: The Complete Checklist

The complete checklist for buying or selling a used car privately in the ACT: transfer inspections for older cars, emissions-based duty, PPSR checks.

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Car Theft in Western Australia: What Perth Drivers Need to Know

Car theft in WA is trending down faster than anywhere in the country, but Perth remains the focus. What thieves target and how to keep your car safe.

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Car Theft in Victoria: Inside Australia's Vehicle Crime Capital

Victoria is Australia's car theft capital. What's driving the surge, which models are targeted, key cloning explained, and how to protect your car.

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Car Theft in Tasmania: Low Numbers, Real Risks

Tasmania has Australia's lowest car theft volumes, but its older vehicle fleet makes easy targets. How thefts happen here and how to protect your car.

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Car Theft in South Australia: Trends, Targets and Prevention

What South Australian drivers should know about car theft: Adelaide trends, the models thieves target, prevention tips and pre-purchase checks.

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Car Theft in Queensland: Trends, Hotspots and How to Protect Your Car

Car theft in Queensland is finally falling, but regional hotspots persist. The models thieves target, how they strike, and how to protect your vehicle.

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Car Theft in the Northern Territory: What Drivers Need to Know

Car theft in the NT: what Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs drivers should know, which vehicles are targeted, and how to reduce your risk.

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Car Theft in the ACT: What Canberra Drivers Need to Know

Car theft in the ACT is low by national standards but not zero. Where it happens in Canberra, what gets targeted, and how to protect your vehicle.

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Car Theft in New South Wales: Hotspots, Targets and How to Protect Your Car

Where and how cars are stolen in NSW, the most-targeted models, and practical steps to protect your vehicle — plus the checks to run before buying used.

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The Australian Used Car Buyer's Guide: PPSR, Roadworthies, Inspections and Avoiding Scams

A complete, step-by-step pre-purchase handbook for buying a used car privately in Australia. Learn how to run a $2 PPSR check, understand state RWC rules, conduct mechanical checks, and safely transfer payment.

Can you buy or sell a car with crypto in Australia?

Can you buy or sell a car with crypto in Australia? Cover tax, transfer, AUSTRAC and scam risks before you pay in Bitcoin or stablecoins in 2026.

Australian Number Plates: New Rules, State Prices and Record Sales

EV labels are now mandatory, NSW 1 sold for $11.5 million, and a personalised plate costs $111 a year in NSW but $165 once in Queensland. Here's the full picture.

Is stop-start ruining your engine? What the evidence supports

Bench tests on real bearing shells, three patents and a US regulator investigation suggest stop-start shifted the load onto a bearing coating, the starter and the battery rather than wearing engines out.

Fuel in your engine oil: how it happens and when it matters

Fuel dilution of engine oil is measured and mechanically understood, but the alarming percentages usually come from cold samples or diesel filter regeneration. Here is what the published research records.

15,000 km oil intervals: what has actually been measured

Long service intervals are widely blamed for short engine life. We went looking for the measurements: what the oil analyses show, what the fuel standard changed, and what remains untested.

Does thin engine oil wear engines out faster? What the data shows

A controlled wear study found a 0W-16 wore more than a 5W-30 across about two thirds of the conditions tested, less across the rest, and cold starting moved wear more than the grade did.

Small turbo engines, LSPI, and what the oil standards changed

Downsized turbo petrol engines run roughly double the cylinder load of the engines they replaced, and that produced one documented failure mode serious enough that the oil industry built an engine test around it.

Direct injection and carbon on the intake valves

Intake valve deposits in direct-injection petrol engines are documented in manufacturer bulletins, but the popular explanation and the popular fix do not survive the primary sources.

Timing chains have a reputation as fit-and-forget parts. The record is more complicated

Chain elongation is joint wear, not stretched metal. The oil industry built a standardised chain-wear test around it, tightened the limit, and several manufacturers have documented actions on the record.

CVT reliability: what the recalls and settlements show

Belt and chain CVTs have a documented failure mechanism and a real recall record, but we could not find a published failure rate for any CVT population - and Australia's transmission penalty went to a dual-clutch.

Filled for life: what sealed transmissions actually specify

ZF calls its passenger-car automatics maintenance-free and recommends an oil change after 150,000 km in the same document. What the primary sources say about sealed transmissions.

Wet timing belts: what the recall record actually says

Belt-in-oil timing drives have produced a US safety recall, an open NHTSA engineering analysis and an Australian recall notice. Here is what those primary documents establish, and what they do not.

The safety gap between a 1990s car and a current one

Independent crash datasets show occupant death risk is substantially lower in newer vehicles - but the measured gains stop short at pedestrians, unlit roads, rear seats and mass mismatch.

Why modern cars rust far less than the ones you remember

Dip-applied primer, zinc-coated steel and a written perforation warranty changed the picture - the caveats now sit in ladder chassis, wheel-arch liners and Australia's own coastal salt.

Did old cars really last longer? What the registration data shows

US registration data puts 9.16% of 1977-2003 passenger cars still registered at 20 years, and German roadside figures show same-age breakdown rates roughly halving since 2015 - plus the counter-evidence.

Stamp duty on cars, state by state

What duty you pay to register or transfer a car in each Australian state and territory, how the dutiable value is worked out, when it falls due, and where to check the rate that binds you.

Buying a car through your business: finance and tax

Chattel mortgage, finance lease or operating lease — how each is treated for GST and deductions, plus the car limit, the instant asset write-off and the records that decide your claim.

Balloon payments and residual values, explained

Why a lower monthly repayment can cost more overall: how balloon payments and lease residuals are set, the ATO minimum residual percentages, and how negative equity happens.

Car loans and dealer finance in Australia

What a car loan really costs: comparison rates, establishment and broker fees, balloon payments and guaranteed future value, plus what ASIC found reviewing 350,000 Australian car loans.

Ways to buy a car in Australia, compared

Cash, a car loan, dealer finance, a novated lease, a chattel mortgage, a finance or operating lease, or a consumer lease — what each costs, who owns the car, and who each suits.

Novated leases in Australia, explained

How a novated lease works: what your employer takes on, why FBT decides the cost, the employee contribution method, how the residual is set, and what happens when you change jobs.

Fringe benefits tax on cars in Australia, explained

How FBT works when an employer provides a car: the 47% rate, the statutory formula and operating cost methods, gross-up, the reportable amount on your income statement, and the ute exemption.

Servicing a hybrid: what is different

A hybrid is a petrol car plus an electric system, so it keeps oil changes and adds a few checks. Toyota’s annual battery health check decides whether its 10-year battery cover survives.

What an electric car still needs serviced

EVs drop the oil changes, plugs and exhaust, and the Government puts the servicing saving around 40%. Here is what genuinely remains — including the brake problem regenerative braking creates.

Should you buy a plug-in hybrid?

PHEVs suit a specific driver and punish everyone else. The real-world economy evidence, the FBT change that removed their tax advantage, and the charging connector issue on several used models.

Eight EV myths, and what the evidence says

Battery replacement, fires, lifecycle emissions, towing, country driving, charging in the rain, whether hybrids plug in, and grid capacity — checked against Australian data rather than assumed.

Public EV charging in Australia

How big the network is, what plugs are used here, what really determines fast-charging speed, and an honest account of where the remaining gaps are for long-distance travel.

Charging an electric car at home

What a normal power point delivers, when a wallbox is worth it, what installation involves, and the honest position for renters and apartment dwellers — where a hybrid is often the better answer.

What an electric car actually costs to run

Charging costs at home, on off-peak and at public fast chargers, against petrol at Australian prices. What the Electric Vehicle Council and the Government actually publish, with the assumptions shown.

How long an EV battery really lasts

What large real-world datasets show about EV battery degradation, how often batteries are actually replaced, what the warranties guarantee, and how to check state of health before you buy a used one.

Buying a used electric car: the checklist

What to check on a used EV that does not apply to a petrol car — battery state of health, charging history, which cables should come with it, connector type, warranty servicing conditions and recalls.

Electric, hybrid or petrol: which suits you

A decision guide based on how you actually drive. Where you park overnight matters more than anything else — then annual kilometres, long trips and towing. Honest about when petrol still wins.

EV stamp duty and registration concessions by state

Most Australian EV purchase incentives have now closed. What each state and territory still offers on stamp duty and registration, what ended and when, and where to confirm before you buy.

Luxury car tax and electric cars

The LCT thresholds for 2026-27, the fuel-efficient test that tightened to 3.5L/100km on 1 July 2025, and which costs count toward the threshold — options and delivery do, stamp duty and rego do not.

Plug-in hybrids lost the FBT exemption in 2025

From 1 April 2025 a plug-in hybrid is no longer a zero or low emissions vehicle for FBT. What the transitional rule protects, the five things that break it, and what it means if you are buying a used PHEV.

Electric cars and fringe benefits tax, explained

How the FBT exemption on electric cars works in Australia: the four conditions, the luxury car tax cap, why it is still a reportable fringe benefit, and the discount announced to replace it from 2027.

Used car inspection checklist: what to look for

What to check when inspecting a used car in Australia — body and panels, engine, interior and electronics, tyres and brakes, the test drive and the paperwork — plus the red flags that mean walk away.

How to buy a used car in Australia

A step-by-step guide to buying a used car in Australia — setting a budget, searching smart, running a PPSR check, inspecting and test-driving, negotiating, and transferring the rego.

How to avoid used-car scams in Australia

The common used-car scams in Australia and how to avoid them — fake escrow and deposit scams, odometer wind-back, curbstoning, cloned listings and cars with money owing — plus how to pay and meet safely.