Why a current pink slip isn't enough
A pink slip is a safety check for registration. If you want to know how the engine, gearbox and cooling system are wearing, and what the next year of ownership might bring, that's what a pre-purchase inspection is for.
RAA lists what many of its inspections cover: engine, cooling, fuel and exhaust, electrics, transmission, wheels and tyres, suspension and steering. Its reports end with a road test and a plain recommendation of go, caution or stop, which is the kind of answer to ask any inspecting mechanic for.
What Newcastle cars can hide
Beach-driven four-wheel drives
With a permit, 4WDs can drive the 32 km of Stockton Beach up to Anna Bay. One that's done plenty of it can carry sand and salt in the chassis rails, brakes and wheel bearings. Ask the seller where it's been driven, and ask the mechanic to spend extra time underneath.
Flood history
East coast lows bring torrential rain to the Hunter, and the June 2007 storms flooded thousands of homes. Water damage can be hard to see, so ask the mechanic to look for silt, rust in odd places and electrical faults.
A car from Queensland
A car brought into NSW from another state needs a blue slip before it can be registered here, and that inspection is valid for 42 days. If you're buying across the border, plan for it.
Big highway kilometres
A car that's done years of runs up the valley or down the M1 can show high kilometres for its age. Consumer Protection WA puts a typical Australian driver at roughly 12,000 to 15,000 km a year, which gives you something to compare the odometer against.
Before the mechanic sees the car
- Run a PPSR check on the VIN for finance owing, write-offs or theft.
- Ask for the service book, and ring the workshop listed if something doesn't line up.
- Check when the rego is due and whether a pink slip is current.
- Agree on a place to inspect it: flat ground, off the road.
- Ask the seller about beach driving, towing and any time in floodwater.
Private sale or dealer?
Consumer Protection WA points out that buying from a private seller means buying at your own risk, because the Australian Consumer Law doesn't cover a private sale. That's exactly when an independent inspection does the most good. Consumer Affairs Victoria's advice travels well too: if a seller refuses an inspection, don't buy the car.
What we'd do
We'd have the inspection done where the car is, before any deposit, and ask for extra attention underneath if it's a 4WD or has lived near the beach. If the report says caution, we'd use it to talk the price down; if it says stop, we'd walk away.