Thread: Buying a vehicle from interstate

Just drive it, assuming it is registered in NSW, you have 14 days to transfer it into your name, at which time you will change states. Make sure you insure it before driving home though. This what I did when I purchased my 130 from Armidale.

Cheers, Mick.

Originally Posted by POD

I'm currently looking at a vehicle that is in NSW and I am in Vic. When I bought my last Rangie, it came from the Gold Coast and I had it freighted down by a car transport mob. This was a complete pain in the neck, cost a bomb and I wasted 2 days awaiting delivery- was supposed to be arriving mid-morning Tuesday, waited all day having declined a day's work, then it was going to come midday Wednesday and finally arrived in the one timeslot on the Wednseday night that I had said I could not be available, truck driver whingeing that he had been on the road all day and it had to be now, yada yada yada, then they had damaged it and gave me grief over getting the repair done, had to pay to courier spares that came with the vehicle cos the transport mob insisted that nothing could be in it,....all in all not an experience to be repeated. This time I plan to fly up and drive the vehicle back.
I know I'm not the first to do this, what have others done with interstate rego if driving a purchased vehicle home?

In NSW, to get an unregistered vehicle permit it must have one ov their slips (pink or blue I forget which).
When I tried to get an unregistered vehicle permit from NSW they refused because to get one I had to be a NSW resident. Truth or bull****? I don't know but that is what the road traffic Authority of NSW told me.
It would be helpful if you had friends or relatives up there to use their address if need be. Also, factor in a day or two of running around getting a UVP.
A UVP must be taken out in the state you are begining the journey in and covers you for all states except WA (because they really don't want to be part of the Federated States of Australia).
Personally, I'd stick with a transport company.

Did not buy my Disco from interstate but a similar situation, after asking all the right questions, and lots of phone calls, bought and paid for the Disco on Ebay, owner assured me that the beast was in good shape and would more than stand the drive back from Gold Coast to our home in Cooktown. To put it kindly the guy was a "shonk", I flew from Cairns to the Gold Coast stayed with a mate who delivered us to the owners address, Disco looked great, started great, checked it out, went to drive away, no clutch, (and had not been for some time). If you think a 2,000 Klm drive with no clutch cannot be done, think again.
The reason for no clutch was a broken clutch release arm it meant gearbox out to fix and despite this crook telling me it was all ok I was on the road heading back without the clutch and using all of my 48 years of driving experience to make it happen. Turns out the Disco is a good one, just that glitch at the start, which I'm sure took 10 years off my life.
And, I know, I know, stupid old me paying up before inspecting the goods, bang goes your faith in human nature, but first and last time, as the Who said "we won't get fooled again!".
So the moral of the story, know exactly what you are getting into, trust the word of no one where cars and money are concerned, satisfy yourself that its all as you would expect it to be for the money, then by all means drive it home from interstate or wherever, it could be a good time during that drive to assess and plan all the mods and repairs you will need to get the beast roadworthy for your state and make it "the machine" you always wanted.
And good luck with it, after all my "lemon" turned out to be not so bad after all.

If its registered it shouldn't be a problem, can't comment otherwise. My D1 (and my wife's car) both come from Sydney, I am in Vic. I flew up and drove it back (I had a friend in Sydney check it out pretty well before I would commit to buy) - flights are less than $100. I got lucky with the D1, the guy I bought it off when straight to the RTA and advised them of the transfer, by the time I went to VicRoads to get the numbers looked at etc, they said I didn't even need to get a roadworthy as on the records it was my vehicle already and I was just transferring it interstate, didn't argue. With my wife's car, I did have to get the roadworthy and transfer check but it was not an issue. I also claimed back the unused portion of the NSW rego and got a refund from the RTA when I sent them the receipt for the plates, which I had handed over to VicRoads.

I had no issues with getting an UVP from NSW RTA, the car dealer had the pink slip (not that IT was worth used toilet paper lol) and papers showing my ownership of the vehicle, and I just went in to the RTA and paid the fee and away we went. Usually as a local you'd take the plates off but the clever little man behind the desk told me to keep them as I'd need them to hand in to Vic roads when I re registered here. Had it been still in registration I would have saved a little money but not much and I had no drama. Since I already had my plates off when I went to the RTA (following their web advice that I should) I did NOT re attach them afterwards, I intended to plead ignorance if I was pulled up on it and make reference to the website but it really was helpful in saving me having to figure out how the heck to get NSW toll road passes....so in the end it was fly up, drive half way home the first day (Gundagai I think) then the rest of the trip the next though if you were keen you could possibly do the lot in one hit (I did not as I was working night shift before my flight and was already tripping out by the end of the first day at the half way mark lol)
I will avoid all future interstate purchases lol, but if I ever did do it again I would definitely do the same again, fly up, drive back. It was a nice trip BUT, I DID make sure my RACV total care and insurance was updated a couple days before I went so I would feel more comfortable

There's a few different options there, will probably depend a bit on what the vendor is prepared to do; can't really ask him to get a permit and hand in the plates before I get there as I want to have the final option to back out if I get off the plane and find the vehicle is a disappointment. Very nerve racking buying a vehicle interstate and I have promised myself not to commit to something sight-unseen. Getting an independent inspection done this week but I did that last time too and they overlooked some faults that I had specifically asked about.
I guess I can ask the vendor to come with me to the rego office and get a permit and hand in the plates when money changes hands. If he'll let me just drive it home on the current rego, so much the better.

My son bought a Falcon FPV Typhoon in Melbourne from a Mitsubishi dealer and the dealer took the plates off and organised a permit .

We were stopped 1Km from the dealer when my son hit the accelerator hard and the traction control was overwhelmed by the 307Kw at the rear wheels, and it stepped sideways. Hysterical Cop threatened to impound car etc etc.

Only problem in NSW was the Highway Patrol now have numberplate recognition and we were stopped by a nice bloke near Gundagai when the numberplate recognition saw no plate.

So be careful in Vic as the cops are like rabid beasts , whereas in NSW they are nice blokes.
Son had no trouble with Blue slip even though it has a $5000 exhaust and LOTS of other mods.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by POD

There's a few different options there, will probably depend a bit on what the vendor is prepared to do; can't really ask him to get a permit and hand in the plates before I get there as I want to have the final option to back out if I get off the plane and find the vehicle is a disappointment. Very nerve racking buying a vehicle interstate and I have promised myself not to commit to something sight-unseen. Getting an independent inspection done this week but I did that last time too and they overlooked some faults that I had specifically asked about.
I guess I can ask the vendor to come with me to the rego office and get a permit and hand in the plates when money changes hands. If he'll let me just drive it home on the current rego, so much the better.

There's no reason he wouldn't let you drive it on the current rego if you just bought it off him. If you buy it in NSW a a local the vendor doesn't hand in the plates, and it really doesn't matter where you live - you have 14 days to register it in your name. Forget special permits. Just get him to sign it over, get a receipt and the pink slip (for what its worth) as Michelle said, get a cover note from your own insurer and make sure your roadside care is current. Then drive it home. Then go to VicRoads, you might need a local roadworthy, but if its OK shouldn't be an issue. I've done it twice, just don't hand over the money till you or someone you trust has seen it. Good Luck. Simon