[gemma r]

Hi, I have a query regarding buying a car in Australia.

We're arriving in Perth in August and we will need to buy a car quickly so we can get about and get things organised. We have a rough budget in mind of about $12,000.

I am a bit concerned about purchasing a used car as neither of us are very knowledgeable about cars – ie not mechanically minded-at all!! Help!! We are planning to but something really reliable like a Toyota . I've had a Toyota before and it was great – no probs. Does anyone know if we'll be able to get anything decent for our budget??:confused:

Any help gratefully received!
Thanks,
Gemma

[PamInPerth]

Hi gemma,
Cars in Australia held their value much more than in the UK. Saying that I don't think that you will have any difficulty finding a good reliable car within your budget. We noticed that coming from the UK, that there were a large number of high mileage cars for sale. In general I wouldn't let that bother you too much. We have a Toyota that is high mileage and it still drives like a deam with no problems.

If you want peace of mind you could always but from a garage that has a warranty rahter than privately – but it will cost you more.

Popular cars here are Japanese, Holden and Ford makes.

Have you considered hiring a car for the first few weeks? That way you can take your time choosing the right car for you and getting a 'feel' for what you need.

Good luck with your move.

[gemma r]

Thanks PamInPerth for the good info.

[PamInPerth]

You can have a look at used cars for sale here http://www.drive.com.au/Search/SearchResults.aspx?l=3&pr=10000|15000&bc=db6c924924&from=24&nv=1 (http://www.drive.com.au/Search/SearchResults.aspx?l=3&pr=10000%7C15000&bc=db6c924924&from=24&nv=1) gives you an idea of the cars available in your budget.

A lot of cars are white or silver because of the sun (dark cars heat up too much).