After panicking in the airplane because of the Australian customs and finally finding out that it was not a problem at all, we finally arrived to Perth. Having spent 3 weeks in Indonesia before that, we had a little bit of a culture shock in the modern, futuristic - like city, but we had no idea that that was going to be the smallest problem for the next few weeks. So, what does buying a car in WA cost you? We had a couch surfing host for our first week in Perth, which was a great experience. He helped us with everything like getting our paperwork done, buying a car and really made us feel like at home. I'd really recommend trying to do the same, because the tips that a local can give you when you first arrive will really come in handy.
That didn't help with choosing our car though. It can be pretty tough travelling with your partner and not alone, and the was the first really big compromise of our journey. He wanted a van and I wanted a 4WD, but not one of us was sure which one was the right thing to choose. So after a week of arguing and having seen thousands of cars and literally nothing of Perth, we finally found something that we agreed on. A Jeep Wrangler. It sounds really crazy but it was something that we both liked. We took it for a check to a mechanic. TIP -ALWAYS TAKE THE CAR FOR A CHECK BEFORE BUYING IT The Jeep Wrangler that we chose was in a really shitty condition. A part of it had been broken and welded up which is illegal. Even if you have to spend a hundred bucks on the check, it's really worth it because if the car has any major problems, you will loose much more money that those hundred bucks. We stayed with the mechanics for a chat and they told us that they have either a van or a 4WD drive for sale, which made the choice even harder. In the end we tossed a coin and it decided for us. Right now we own a 4WD Holden Frontera (called Opel in Europe). You can find Utes, 4WD or vans at about 4000 AUD but thanks to our experience I would recommend to spend a little bit more and find something in a better condition at around 6000 AUD. Especially if you have no idea how cars work or what to look for when buying one. Always check for the condition of the tires, oil leeks, water drops or water marks on the radiator and of course the overall condition of the car. You should also consider where and how you want to sell the car, because in other states than WA they usually do a check of the car so it won't be possible to sell it if it is damaged. The easiest way to buy a car is to buy one that is registered in WA. You have to have an address to give as a garaging place, pay the transfer fee and registration and that's about it. You might also buy a car that has the registration already paid for a few months. I would recommend doing a 3rd party insurance in case you brake someone else's car, because the vehicles that you will see driving around Oz are not exactly cheap. The best that we have found and that a few locals told us about is RAC. Really cheap, you can do it online and it includes road assistance so if you're stuck in the middle of nowhere, someone will drive up to you to tell you what's wrong with the car (you have to pay for anything extra like repairing it of course). The car transfer can be done either by post or at the office which is much easier and faster. After doing all of the paper work, we measured everything in our car and headed of to Bunnings – a very famous and favourite hardware store – to buy all the materials we needed to set up our car. We bought wood and boxes and all sort of stuff to make a bed with some storage underneath it in our 4WD. The job was done pretty quickly, we also found a mattress and a roof rack box on www.gumtree.com, also a great site to use here. It's just your decision if you will feel more comfortable with a 4WD or van, the consumption will not change much. The average price of fuel is 1.30 AUD which is nearly half cheaper than in Europe. There are a lot of 4WD access only places all around Australia which are definitely worth seeing, so remember while choosing your car that the most comfortable way is not always the best way. Safe travels and good luck with choosing a car!
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Who am I?I am a female backpacker from the Czech Republic. WonderlostBackpacker is my blog where I share stories and photos from my travels. I hope to keep you inspired on your journeys! Read more here
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