Mentone's roads and the bay
The Nepean Highway
Mentone sits on the highway, which runs 90.6 km from St Kilda Junction to Portsea and narrows to six lanes from Moorabbin through Cheltenham and Mentone. A second shopping area has grown up along it.
Down to the beach
Mentone Beach follows Beaumaris Bay from the Beaumaris cliffs to Warrigal Road. Sea air is hard on exposed metal, so ask for the underside to be looked at during a service if the car lives near the water.
The station moved
Mentone station opened on 19 December 1881 as Balcombe Road. A new one was built in 2020 when the level crossing was removed.
The seller's job
Selling a registered car in Victoria takes a roadworthy certificate from a licensed vehicle tester, under 30 days old.
Buying a used car near Mentone: trader or private?
| From a licensed trader | From a private seller | |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory warranty | Yes, if the car is under 10 years old by its build plate and has done under 160,000 km | No |
| How long it lasts | 3 months or 5,000 km, whichever comes first | Nothing to run out |
| Cooling off | Three clear business days after signing, unless you take delivery sooner | The trader rule doesn't apply |
| A mechanic's check first | Worth it, before you sign | Worth it, before any money changes hands |
What the warranty leaves out
Even a trader's statutory warranty has gaps. Tyres, batteries and light globes aren't covered, and nor is anything listed on a defect notice with a reasonable repair estimate. If you later sell the car privately, the warranty doesn't go with it. Pre-purchase inspection in Melbourne explains what a mechanic looks at.
If it were our car
Buying in Mentone, we'd have a mechanic look the car over before signing anything, trader or private. A roadworthy is a general safety check on the day it's done; the pre-purchase inspection is where you ask about wear, leaks and what's due next.