Roger  and his car yard. you just sit under a tree and talk about what you need.

Some excellent advice in buying Used Motor Vehicles

Buying Used Motor Vehicles with Confidence by Roger Woodall

Comment from Rogers long time mate Peter Brusaschi, an opal cutter and jewelry manufacturer who runs www.opalmine.com

“Want some good advice from a specialist Motor dealer with 50 years experience? Roger Woodall has been buying and selling used Motor Vehicles since 1958.  I have yet to find a car, bus, motor bike, 4WD, boat, or anything else either on wheels or on the back of a trailer that Roger does’t know.  There must be one, but I havnt found one yet.”

“Roger, (licence No- 3067). Has always got some good advice to give to anyone looking to buy a used motor vehicle, and here is a summary of some major points to help, the girls and the guys. To quote him” :

“Sometimes I find that women especially have some troubles in knowing what to look for in a car. I have helped over 1500 women both young and old, to purchase their cars, boats, caravans etc without fuss but this advice I believe, will be beneficial to both men and women.

So here are a few tips to help you.”

Used Motor Vehicle buying in Seven Steps

1.       Locate your preferred used motor vehicle. Try not to tie yourself down to a certain model, your budget may not allow it. Try to keep an open mind and realise that all cars have their pros and cons. Some cars do last longer than others whether it is from being built better or from being serviced better. The saying “they hold their value better” needs more scrutiny. Example: You are looking at a 2007 Toyota Corolla, auto 5 door hatch with 50,000 kms for $14,000. If you keep it for 5 years and sell it for $7,000 that is a loss of $6,500. Or you buy a 2007 Hyundai i30 for $11,500, keep it for 5 years and sell  it for $5,000 which is also a loss of $6,500. It is all relative isn’t it? In saying that it is best to buy the car you like, after all that is a big part of why we buy a car, right?

2.        Always test drive the car you are looking at be it new or used, even I have seen a car that I thought looked great but when I took it for a drive, I have been disappointed with and when I say test drive I don’t just mean around the block, make sure you take it out on the highway and get the speed up to 100kph, turn the radio off and listen carefully to any noises. Remember that Used Motor Vehicles have often been used A LOT so heed this advice.

Roger’s Dad, Syd, now 97 years of age         Roger driving the resurrected Slotus Racing Car at a recent Speed On Tweed Rally

3.       Some things to listen for: Wheel bearing noise, sounds like a humming in the wheels but can also be a flat spot on the tyres so check tyres also. Try taking the car to about 20kms and then taking the car out of gear and letting the car just roll if you can still hear the noise it is more than likely wheel bearing trouble. Gearbox noise, is very similar to that of wheel bearing noise, but has a rougher sounding hum to it. Check the all the gears change smoothly while car is not running. C.V joint noise happens when you turn the cars steering to full lock and drive you will hear a metallic cracking noise.  Roger will help you recognize these details.

4.       Can you smell smoke? Does the car blow smoke out the exhaust? This may be due to an oil leak. When you check the oil on the dipstick, is it milky? This may not be a good sign, but may just be condensation depending on how milky the oil is. If oil is very dirty this could indicate gearbox problems. Check the level of oil on the dipstick; if it is not to the full mark ask if the car uses oil, a good sign of a car using oil is old oil around engine and underneath car. Check radiator (not while vehicle is hot) to see if it is clean, full and has plenty of coolant.

5.       Is it straight? By this I mean when you look down the side of the car at eye level, are there wavy panels, different colour paint or overspray of paint? This may be an indication of body damage. A crumpled number plate or bumper bar may also be an indication. Do all the doors and windows open and close well? Check for rust.

This of course is an extreme example but this is what can happen if you dont spot rust in it’s early stages.

Don’t be afraid to get under the car, if there is rust under the car this may mean that it has been in salt water. A very bad sign! Remember that a little bit of rust will always turn into a big bit unless fixed. It may also be a good idea to stand a few meters away and look in front and behind the car to see if all wheels line up. Advice if you have rust in your car.

6.       How is the driver’s seat? You can tell a lot about a car by the driver’s seat, after all that is where the most time will be spent and you can tell a bit about the previous owner by the driver’s seat.

7.       Is there a service book? Does the Speedo match it? (Dates etc).

Payment for the Used Motor Vehicle.

Private seller. (a) Proof of ownership. Does the previous owner have a final payment receipt?

(b) Are all the Rego papers in their name? Rego papers are not proof of title. They must disclose if the vehicle is on hire purchase. If it is you should not exchange any money until the finance company’s receipt is shown to you. You may arrange to pay finance company yourself.

Dealer seller. (a) If the car is more than 10 years old and or exceeded 160,000 kms, in NSW you must be provided with a pink Road Worthy Certificate. Then you take, Rego papers, Receipt and a filled out transfer form to the Roads and Traffic Authority. (RTA)

(b) If the car is QLD rego, a Road Worthy slip must be provided and also proof of ownership as mentioned with private seller.

Where do you find information about Used Motor Vehicles?

All details about used motor vehicles  is readily available from RTA or QLD transport or any other state that is applicable.

Summary of used motor vehicle buying

Finally, it can be very hard to find an honest car but keep in mind that all cars will eventually have something happen to them, there are too many moving parts on a car to not have anything go wrong, even new cars will eventually have troubles. But hopefully our advice and tips will help you find your perfect car, if you can’t find it we can find it for you, for a small one off fee we can incorporate what we know with your needs and get you a car that suits you.

We source cars from the same places and get the same prices as the big dealers get their cars. If you would like further assistance from Roger, just leave your name at the bottom of this blog, or give him a ring on 0408 762007.  There is no obligation to buy anything. Pleased to offer whatever help you need without the feeling that you have to buy something.  I try to treat all prospective used motor vehicle buyers the same as I would like to be treated myself. Without pressure! Just keep in mind that I do have a terminally ill wife and sometimes it might take a little time to get back to you, so leave a message if you can’t contact me.