Bringing a car across Bass Strait?
The Spirit of Tasmania ferries carry vehicles between Geelong and Devonport, and plenty of people arrive with a car still on mainland rego.
Sort out the rego question early. Ask Tasmania's transport department what your car needs before the mainland registration runs out, so you're not working it out with a deadline hanging over you.
What to ask Tasmania's transport department
- Does my car need an inspection at all for what I'm doing?
- Who's allowed to do it, and how do I find them?
- How long does a pass last?
- Will a certificate from another state count?
- What do I need to bring on the day?
Why the mainland's answer won't do
| The name | How long it lasts | |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Safety certificate | 2 months or 2,000 km for a private seller |
| New South Wales | Pink slip | 6 months |
| ACT | Certificate of Inspection | One month from the initial inspection date |
What Tasmanian conditions do to a car
Salt air works away at cars parked near the coast, and cold, damp winters give rust plenty of time. Hilly, winding roads between towns ask more of the brakes, steering and tyres than a flat commute does. Short winter trips around Hobart or Launceston are hard on batteries too.
A car that's lived that life is worth a look underneath before anyone official sees it, mainly for rust in the parts that hold the car together.
What an inspector generally goes over
- Rust and damage in the floors, sills and other load-carrying parts.
- Tread depth and the condition of all four tyres.
- Brake feel, and any leaks at the wheels.
- Worn steering joints and tired shock absorbers.
- Lights, indicators, wipers and the horn.
- Cracks across the windscreen, and the state of the seatbelts.
What kind of mechanic suits this job?
Any good general mechanic can do a pre-check. If the car's a 4WD that spends its weekends on gravel or a European car with its own systems, a mechanic who sees that kind of car regularly will know where to look. Say so in the note when you send the job through.
Ask what the check covers and get the findings in writing, so you can decide what's worth repairing before the car goes in.
Your jobs, and the mechanic's
You can
- Wash the underside and wheel arches if the car's been on salty or muddy roads.
- Check the washers squirt and the wipers clear the glass.
- Make sure every globe works, front and back.
- Keep the registration paperwork and service history together.
Leave to the mechanic
- Cutting out and repairing rust.
- Brake and steering work.
- Telling you what's worth fixing before the car goes in.
If it were our car
We'd ask the transport department one direct question first: what does this car need, for this exact situation? Then we'd have a mechanic look for rust and worn brakes before spending anything else. If you're buying a car that's lived on the coast, we'd book that look-over before paying, with a pre-purchase inspection from someone who knows the make.