Thread: Buying a car from Mackay,QLD - Drive it back to Ballarat, VIC

I cant help with inspection - but some tips (things that I've had go wrong...) about the road trip (if)
1. Transfer whatever sort of road service you have onto it before you hit the road. (Simple phone call) You can always transfer it back to your normal car later, and generally it won't cost anything. Murphys law: If you have it you won't need to use it.
2. Do some research on where to stay at the places you think you might stop. sites like wotif can be very helpful. A good nights sleep and a shower is worth it's weight in gold if you have to drive all day.
4. Bring a laptop with a wireless modem - priceless.
5. Spend half a day checking things over- and then half a day sightseeing. It gives you a chance to see how the car is, and if it survives driving around the town, it is more than likely that it will survive the bigger trip. And it's relaxing.
If you're relaxed, then 3 days on the road will be no worse than a day trip.

I,ve been known to buy cars on a whim, or just wanted the car, the last being my landrover discovery. I found it for sale, it had a 4.6 RR engine, was on gas and sounded good. It was an as is, and I had to drive it back to Cairns. In Melb it drove great, had it for a week before leaving for cairns, it had shown regular services from a reputable repairer, oil looked good in the engine, brakes and clutch, it had recently passed a roadworthy and gas check. On the drive to Cairns it had gas problems, electrical problems, found it arcing at each lead at different spots and coil, causing it to change from petrol to gas, it backfired on fuel and leaked petrol from a perished pipe at the fuel tank. Worst of all at Warwick the transfer case disintegrated and my first quote was for $3500, but got fixed for $1500.
I don't regret any of it because in the end its just what I wanted, and I made it home..just. :-)
I would in future however consider getting the car transported by a reputable company. It could save you $1000's, you just never know. If you are going to legally purchase a car from Mackay it will cost you around $500 in qld rego to allow you to drive it home, then fuel and any other expenses. Then you would lose when transfering it to vic rego, they only give some back. By getting a transport company, I think around $2000 - $3000, it won't break down, you won't get tired and you can get to know your new car in familiar territory.
On the other hand I love travelling from Cairns to Melb, no more than in a car full of tools and bits and pieces for the whatif situations. There are plenty of places to stop and rest, heaps to see, just do it carefully, never drive tired, most important enjoy the good moments and the bad, they become great memories. Three days is just enough to drive the trip, just bypass brissy and syd by going inland and its a breeze.
Good Luck !

Originally Posted by jazzaD1

I have been in the market for a Ford XR6 Turbo ute, there is a great one in Mackay of all places, which is fine, except for the fact that I live in Victoria! I have bought cars from Sydney before and being relatively close (1 days drive) its not so much of a problem, but the drive back from Mackay (approx 2300km), while adventurous, is also a bit daunting. Has anyone done anything like this before?

I am planning on flying up there, renting a cheap car and going to have a look at it, then if it is any good, buy it and drive it home over about 3 days, I would like to do it in less, but fatigue may get the better of me, so I should err on the side of the caution.

I know it may be a bit much to ask, but if anyone lives in that area, Blacks Beach is the exact location, would you mind having an initial look for me? I would really appreciate it, and will reward you for your trouble.

If you can get back to me in the next hour or so with an address and contact details I should be able to have a look at it this morning as I am going in to town at about 0730.

That would be fun. I never hesitate to look beyond our State's borders when I am shopping.

Make sure you have something like RACV Total Care on your vehicle in Ballarat and you are recorded as the primary driver and they will look after you. ( When the motor in my D2 blew in Towoomba in January they rented me a car to get home and put the Disco and trailer on a truck - and they put me up in a motel while we worked it all out.)

Mackay for me is only 2 days but then I love sitting in a comfortable chair, listening to music and watching the amazing scenery whiz by. Can't stand cheap motels so I tend to arrive late and leave early.

A slightly envious

Bill

Originally Posted by mikecairns

I
If you are going to legally purchase a car from Mackay it will cost you around $500 in qld rego to allow you to drive it home, . Then you would lose when transfering it to vic rego,!

Rubbish. You would just get a permit to drive to cover the 3 or 4 days.

I got an unregistered Statesman from the Gold Coast to Horsham by doing just that.

Check out the car transport companies too - its only costing $1000 to get my 110 shipped down from Cairns to Melbourne. Would have to be cheaper than that for a Falcon from Mackay.

Steve

I,ve bought a few cars from interstate,from my exp I now use a company called VIP. They do the vehicle inspection & give you a 11 page report, they can also arrange transport (it's alot cheaper going south as there backloads),also they will do secure money chage over.Best money I ever spent, saved me thoundsands.

just fly up and drive it, think of it as a good shakedown for the car.

if your worried, if you break down have the top level NRMA (or equivalent) cover, if major breakdown occurs they'll get you and the car home.

this has saved me a few times with the rangie, sigma & scorpion

if you do drive head down the bruce to Rocky then head inland down Liechardt/Newell, its smoother, quicker and less distance don't bother with that goat track national 1 (anywhere north of gympie...)