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Your Guide To Selling Cars In Victoria
Few of us get to keep our cars forever. Like everywhere else in life, change in your automotive life is essential; it is one of the many reasons people sell their vehicles. Some rules and regulations apply to those selling their cars, so this article is for you if you are thinking about selling your vehicle in Victoria.
It will delve into the finer points of selling your car in Melbourne & Victoria, specifically mentioning what the government expects from you and how to get yourself ready to dispose of that car.
Rules For Selling A Car In VIC
Rules for selling or buying a car in Victoria are implemented by VicRoads and are easy to comply with. Unlike other states in Australia, individuals selling cars in VIC are required to undertake roadworthy vehicle tests and obtain a roadworthy certificate. The government of VIC also charges car sellers and buyers a transfer and duty fee.
In order to avoid any pitfalls when selling your car in VIC, you must understand and comply with the following rules and regulations:
Transfer fee and motor vehicle duty
You are required by law to make the following payments when undertaking vehicle registration or transferring a registered vehicle in Victoria:
• Transfer fee
The law requires that you make these payments to VicRoads within 14 days of lodging vehicle transfer registration.
Payments can be made by cash or Visa/MasterCard at a VicRoads customer service centre with a valid identity document or by emailing a completed credit or debit authorisation form to VicRoads using the address on their website.
Obtaining a roadworthy certificate
When you are transferring a registered vehicle in Victoria, you are required to provide a current roadworthy certificate. You can only obtain this certificate from a vehicle roadworthiness tester authorised by VicRoads. You can find a list of licensed roadworthy testers on the VicRoads website or at one of their offices near your locality.
How much does a roadworthy test cost?
The cost of the roadworthy test is unregulated in Victoria, and vehicle testers decide what fee they charge. Generally, the price of a roadworthy certificate depends on:
• Age of the car
• Type and condition of the vehicle being tested
Why is a roadworthy certificate necessary?
• It is a requirement by VicRoads to allow you to transfer the registration of a used car to a new owner.
• It confirms to your prospective customers that they will not incur extra costs on roadworthy tests or repairs.
It is not advisable to allow your buyer to obtain a roadworthy certificate. You will be held liable if they commit any driving offence as the test happens while the car is still registered in your name.
Obtaining the roadworthy certificate by yourself protects you from uncertainties of driving infringements by the buyer. Some of the driving offences in Victoria include:
• Driving without a Victorian license
• Drunk driving
A Victorian certificate of roadworthiness is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued.
Transferring A Victorian Registered Vehicle
The buyer is expected to notify VicRoads of the vehicle transfer by visiting a VicRoads customer service centre within 14 days of purchasing your car. Protect yourself by making this notification as to the seller.
You do this online by submitting a notice of disposal using your myVicRoads account on the VicRoads website. This protects you from being held liable for any of the new owner’s driving offences.
Sending the notice of disposal does not complete the vehicle transfer process until your buyer logs into their myVicRoads account to provide a roadworthy certificate as well as pay the transfer fee and motor vehicle duty.
This, therefore, means that in Victoria, the vehicle transfer registration process is not complete until all of the following are submitted to VicRoads:
• A vehicle transfer form signed by both you and the buyer
• A roadworthy inspection certificate
• Payment of motor vehicle duty and transfer fees
If you are selling an unregistered car, remove the plates before you hand your car over and surrender them to VicRoads.
Transfer fees and roadworthy exemptions
Depending on your transfer or vehicle type, you may be eligible for Victoria's transfer fee, duty payment, and roadworthy test exemptions. Almost all private sellers in Victoria are subject to transfer fees, duty payment, and roadworthy certificate provisions.
Visit the VicRoads website to discover which transfer fee, duty payment, and roadworthy certificate provisions or exemptions apply to your type of transfer and vehicle.
Roadworthy certificate exemptions also apply if:
• The transfer of ownership is to a spouse or domestic partner
• The transfer of ownership is to a licensed motor car dealer
• The car is unregistered
Interstate vehicle transfer
The law states that if you buy or sell a used car in Victoria (registered in Victoria) in another state, the car must be registered in the new state within 30 days.
Failure to acknowledge and comply with this requirement may lead to VicRoads suspension of the vehicle registration and attract a heavy penalty.
Getting Yourself Ready To Sell Your Car In VIC
If you are thinking about selling your car in VIC, it is vital to do everything in advance so that you do not miss out on potential buyers. So how can I sell my car in Victoria? The best way to prepare yourself to sell your car in VIC is by gathering the following valid documentation.
Car purchase and ownership documents
When buying a car, the dealership will give you all of your paperwork, which includes registration and title. By showing these initial purchase and ownership documents to your prospective customers, you are putting them at ease as they know that there is nothing out of place with the car.
This also gives you the confidence to negotiate for the best price. You should therefore prepare to show these documents to your potential buyers.
Vehicle repair and service documents
Put together your car servicing and repairs history report for your potential customers to review. You should also study the report in advance to prepare to clarify any inconsistency that may arise.
Preparing Your Car For Sale
Devote a reasonable amount of time and resources to preparing your car for sale. The following are some of the processes you should follow to get your car ready for the market.
Clean your car
Before you advertise your car for sale, it is crucial that you clean it thoroughly inside and outside.
Here is a checklist of what to focus on to ensure the cleaning is done correctly:
• Clear all food items or trash
• Remove all personal belonging from your car
• Remove plates from the front and back
• Remove all stickers and personalised markings on the car
• Unpair Bluetooth devices such as your phone and erase personal information from the infotainment system
• Vacuum the interior
• Condition the car to get rid of any bad smells
Once you finish ticking the car cleaning checklist, wash and wax to give it a shine. This way, your car becomes appealing to buyers, and you can negotiate with confidence.
Car repairs
If your car has obvious mechanical and cosmetic issues, you need to address them to get it ready for sale. It is good to fix visible mechanical and cosmetic problems in your car. However, if you choose not to fix them, you must point them out to your prospective customers.
Take the initiative instead of having your customers walk around your car during the inspection while showing signs of worry about all the things they will need to fix. The following are some of the minor damages you can fix at an affordable cost. Doing these things will significantly boost customer confidence and the value of your car.
• Door dings
• Scratches on the bumper
• Cracked windshields
• Lights
• Car starter
Remember that these are things you should prepare to face on the negotiation table. If you ignore them, your customer will definitely raise them and demand a discounted price. You, therefore, need to strike the balance by undertaking inexpensive repairs and leaving significant repairs that will not pay off after the sale.
Pricing your car
You should ensure that you price your car to reflect its mechanical condition, year of manufacture, brand, and model. Quoting the value of your car to a client can be an anxious moment.
It usually is recommended that while the price you state should be high enough to allow room for negotiation, it should not scare away your prospective customers. This can be very challenging. Fortunately, there are free online resources that you can use to determine the approximate value of your car.
Once you know the estimated amount your car should fetch, you are in a better position to compare the available ways of selling and see the option that will get you the best price. Make use of the available free online resources so as to help you get the most out of your car sale.
The following factors will determine the price of your car:
• Number of previous owners
• The condition of the car
• Mileage on the odometer
• Collisions and accidents
• Inspection compliance
Advertising and safely showing your car
Selling your car in the current digital era is more accessible than in the days when only newspaper ads were used. By using just a few select clicks of a mouse, you can get your car ready for sale by listing it on car sale sites for free or at a low cost.
Since not everyone who shows interest in your advertisement has good intentions, you must take measures that will ensure your personal and financial security when you are showing your car.
A well-crafted advertisement should include the following:
• Clear and sharp photos that show the best features of your car. It is vital that you ensure neither your home address nor your license plate appears on any of the advertisement photos.
• An excellent car description detailing its best features.
• Forms of payment accepted. List only protected payment options.
• Hours that you are available to show your car.
• Your contact information. This should be purposely for the advertisement and separate from your permanent contact details.
• An indication that you are willing to negotiate the price.
• Car warranty status.
The following are tips on how you can safely show your car to prospective customers as well as protect yourself against scams and fraud:
• Do not meet them at their home or yours.
• Do not share the login details of your car-related accounts.
• Meet customers in public places with plenty of surveillance cameras.
• Because your paperwork bears your home address and other personal information, do not just share them with every person who contacts you.
• Meet at safe exchange zones such as close to police stations.
• Sniff scammers from far. They will always offer to buy the car without viewing, conducting an independent inspection or test driving then leave you with a fake check and without a car.
• Trust your instincts, and do not venture into test driving if you have doubts. If you are accompanying your prospective customer when they are test driving your car, share the details of their Victorian driving license with a friend or family member.
• Tell your friend or family member to call you if they do not hear from you after a pre-set test drive time.
• Do not log in to your ad using a link sent to you by the person who wants to buy your car.
• You do not have to meet or show your car to every prospective buyer that contacts you.
Available Options For Selling Your Car In VIC
You can get the most out of your car if you know the right way to sell it. However, this may not be the case, and you might end up not getting the amount you deserve.
If you know the proper channels to sell your car in VIC, you are able to make a comparison and decide on the option that will get you the most competitive price.
Here are the available ways to sell your car in VIC:
• Selling to a dealer
• Selling privately
• Selling through a broker
Selling your car to a dealer in VIC
Car dealers in VIC offer three alternative ways to transact:
• Cash – They visit your place to view, evaluate your car and pay you on the spot when you agree on the price.
• Consignment – Dealers can offer to sell your car on your behalf through consignment. You benefit by getting a better price bargain, and you avoid pitfalls of selling privately, like getting scammed.
• Trade-in – Dealers, give offers to individuals who want to upgrade their cars through trade-in.
Advantages of selling your car to a dealer
• You do not spend much time and money getting your car ready if you want to sell to a dealer because they expect to do repairs and detailing by themselves before retailing the car. This allows you to sell your vehicle without much hassle.
• The dealer will save you from the burden of preparing and filing paperwork.
• Dealers have extensive car buying networks, and once you contact them, they will easily link you with their network within your locality.
• Dealers make it seamless for you to sell your car even if it has financing on it. They will pay the money you owe directly to the lender, making your selling process seamless.
• They offer protected payment options that save you from the risks of possible swindling associated with selling privately.
Disadvantages of selling your car to a dealer
• You do not get good value for your car as you sell to them at the wholesale price so as to give them a margin of profit when they retail the car.
Do You Need Professional Help?
If you follow the rules and preparation tips highlighted in this article, you will find selling a car in Victoria fast and straightforward! Regrettably, however, you may run into issues if you are inexperienced or in a hurry to sell your car. In this instance, it is better to leave the car selling to the professionals unless you are confident in your selling skills.
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