Car Shopping Adventures

It's refreshing to note that Ozzies are not as particular as we are about the age and condition of their cars. We see lots of used cars on the road, some in somewhat sad condition (unwashed, dented, scratched) - the owners don't seem to care.

We've been trawling the Net for info on buying used cars, reading VicRoads' guide on used car buying and comparing car reviews. The most popular car models in Oz appear to be the Holden Commodore, Mitsubishi Magna and Toyota Camry.

Setting ourselves a budget of $5k (including stamp fees and transfer fees), we shortlisted cars off www.drive.com.au, www.carsales.com.au and auction houses like www.pickles.com.au.

Our car buying criteria:

• Within budget
• Certified roadworthy
• Comes with registration
• Drives well
• Fuel efficient
• Should not require too much repair or touch-ups
• Mileage preferably not more than 200k km/Age preferably not more than 10 yrs

We sent out email enquiries this morning and received auto replies from various dealers. This afternoon, we drove 90 mins to Moorabin (far south, below Box Hill and Glen Waverley on the map) to check out 2 of them, stopping for a delicious late lunch @ Hogs Breath Cafe on Warrigal Rd. We shared a Tex-Mex Combo (steak + seafood chimichanga on rice) and the famous Mudpie, and Beth had a kids' meal ($8.90 for chicken nuggets, fries, small Coke - which Daddy commandeered - and 2 scoops of rich vanilla ice cream, which we all shared: excellent value!). Not bad for $35.

At the first dealer, SS Carsales on Cnr Keys & Warrigal Rd, the indifferent salesman showed us 2 models: a Hyundai Excel for $3,999 and a Nissan Pulsar for $4,999. We didn't like what we saw (peeling paintwork, vibrating engine) and moved on to the next, Melbourne's Cheapest Cars (MCC) on Cnr South & Bignell Rd. We test drove a late model Ford Mondeo (and noticed a gash on the windscreen that the Italian-accented salesman omitted to mention) and viewed a late model Mitsubishi Magna (in good condition but outside our budget). Those that were within budget (some as low as under $2k) were somewhat dingy looking.

What we weren't comfortable with was that all the cars at MCC were sold "as-is", and came without roadworthy certs (RWC) or registration. The salesman's explanation was that these cars were trade-ins; their owners drove in to sell them off, and drove off with newer models.

While waiting for the salesman to get back to us with the keys for a test drive, another salesman - a Chinese - came up to chat. We discovered he is S'porean, has been here for 40+ days, and has been working at the dealer's for just 10+ days. He suggested 1 or 2 cars we might consider, but warned that there were risks in buying cars without RWC/registration. He then mentioned casually that if we were open, he had a used Pajero at home which he was prepared to sell for $3k. We didn't get to follow up on his offer, as the other salesman came back.

A funny thing happened later tho'. Another chap walked up and the salesman introduced him as "Jack, the mechanic who services all the cars before they're sold". He said we could ask Jack anything about roadworthiness, and left us to it. The minute he was out of sight, Jack whispered that if we could meet him on the road outside the dealer's, he would take us to his workshop and show us HIS stock of 17 used cars. Apparently, he is also a used car dealer! He was extremely confident that we would find something we liked.

We spent perhaps an hour at Jack's, where he and his partner patiently showed us various cars, took us on test drives, suggested models suitable for our family's needs, informed us that all the cars came with RWC and registration, told us what would be done for a car before it's delivered (it would be "detailed" and thoroughly cleaned), explained how Jack drives a different car to and from home everyday (25 km each way) so that he can get to know each car and listen for defects that need fixing.

In the end, it was Jack's professionalism and sincerity that won us over. He was neither overeager nor indifferent, and gave due consideration to our needs and budget without making us feel cheap. It ultimately came down to 2 choices: a navy 3.8l Holden Commodore Executive VP ($3k) and a bright red 1.8l Nissan Pintara ($4,900), both early '90s models. We liked the size and solid handling of the Holden, but not the upholstery, which made Beth and me feel scratchy/itchy. Jack assured us that was a small problem. We could buy DIY seat covers from Repco or Target for as little as $40 for the whole car (and he showed us the ones he'd bought).

We plumped for the Holden (you can't argue with a $2k price differential!) and put down a deposit. We're collecting it on Wed. My cousin comes back from the States on Sat, so the timing's perfect! Thank you Lord for taking care of one of our major needs.