Backpacker Car Club (BCC)

as the subject says: we want to sell our QLD registered car in WA (Perth). I'd just like to know what exactly i have to do or what my options are.
For example: if I sell the car to a backpacker who doesn't want to register it in WA, can i just complete the "Notification of change of ownership form" and the thing is done for me? 'Cause i certainly don't want anybody drive around in a car registered on me...
I actually was at the department of transport (is that how it's called around here?) and the lady just told me... nothing at all, really. she just said that the person who buys it has to get an inspection (which i just found out is 500$) and that's it.

Many thanks in advance,
Kevin

Hi Kevin,

You are absolutely correct! You do not want somebody driving around in a car registered in your name!!!
I have heard from people that forgot to transfer the car out of their name, then the new owner 'forgot' to do their part too ... the new owner then speeded and illegally parked around Australia, and guess who got the notice to pay the fines  

With a QLD registered vehicle, you will need a safety inspection (from QLD) of less than 60 days old or less than 2,000KM's, which ever comes 1st.

If you have the QLD safety certificate - here is what you do, for ALL states, including of course WA and QLD.

If you don't have the QLD safety certificate, you will need to de-register the car from QLD and re-register it in the state you are in.

Complete the 'notification of transfer of ownership form' ... this is often on the back of the registration document.
For a QLD car, there is a form you can download and print from the QLD transport website, here is a link:

http://www.support.transport.qld.gov.au/qt/formsdat.nsf/qtforms/QF3520/

Post your part of the form immediately - make sure the date is correct.
If you are a person who worries, you can post the form 'registered post' to be sure it gets there.

WA registration is the best registration to get (it is the easiest to transfer interstate for backpackers) ... so if your van can pass a safety inspection in WA, the new owner should change to WA registration and use that as a selling point when they sell the car somewhere else.

WA cars need an immobiliser by law ... so this is something to remember. If the car does not have one, the new owner will need to buy one.

I hope this helps.

As always - check the Government website for the most up to date information ... rules do change and this topic may @ some point become outdated.

Cheers

Ivan

and while I'm at it: i'm having real trouble selling my car.
the starting price i've set was 6,500$. i paid 6,300 for the car and invested another 2,000. so I think this is a very fair price for a really good car. the flyers and ads in forums have been around for a week and i only got one phone-call. and that french couple only had 5,000 $ to spend so I decided to turn them down.
I also tried the car market in Fremantle but it seems like it does not exist anymore.
so here's my question: what else can I do around Perth to sell my car? (i also spoke to one guy at a dealership and he told me that they do not want to buy the car 'cause it's registered in QLD)
any ideas?
again, many thanks in advance!!

Kevin, which car is yours? I assume you have it on HCC?

Post the link here and I will take a look @ your ad a little later today, their maybe some advise I can give you. 

http://holidaycarclub.com/forum_au/index.php?topic=3545.0

Ok Kevin - I took a look @ your van.

Here is my view, take it for what it is, an opinion from a guy 1000's of KM away.

1. Your van looks good in the ad ... it is the kind of van that should have people calling.

2. The asking price is reasonable ... but only if it has a rego that can be transferred.

3. If I was looking through HCC (or another site) looking for a van ... I would probably not call you, because there are other vans I can buy and register much more easily.

Here is what you need to do (in my opinion), without taking a huge risk. It will cost you some $'s though.

1. Get the van tested @ a WA testing station in Perth ... get and keep the safety certificate so that a buyer can easily register the van in Perth ... all they need to do is pay the insurance and registration.

2. Cost out the compulsory TP insurance and registration for a 23 YO backpacker from Germany.

3. Write in your ad that the van comes with the safety certificate and the cost for an average 23 YO backpacker from Europe to easily register the car for a year.

4. Tell in your ad, that the van can be registered in WA and how WA has the easist rego to transfer when they sell it anywhere in Australia ... the buyer can see the cost, because you worked it out for them.

A bit of work ... but think about it ... who can buy your van if they can not register it in WA?
Brisbance is 4,351 KM away from Perth... to far to transfer the rego in 14 days ...

If it was my van, that is what I would do ... 

Another option is to drive to QLD yourself ... 2days and 4hours non stop ... (not a good option)

Last option, slash the price and let somebody else do the work ...

thank you very much for all your effort!
just one last question (probably ;-) ) : what exactly is a "WA testing station"? in Queensland you can get the safety certificate at every mechanic. is it like that in WA? or do i have to go to special, licenced, establishments?
i am going to do as you recommended.
are those check-ups very strict? i mean, do i have to be afraid? 'cause it is after all a 17 year old car!
( i knew that it was not my last question ;-) )

No problem Kevin.

I just did a check for you, it looks like the rules changed in June 2008 ... if you owned the van for 12 months, it would be easy ...  as you only have had the van for 3 months I think you need an inspection, but double check with the licensing centre.

Re the check, vehicle examinations are conducted at 6 metropolitan vehicle examination centres between the hours of 7:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).

Here is a link for more information and locations:

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/yourvehicle/1375.asp

I found the following useful information on the www.transport.wa.gov.au site, but as you have had the van for less than a year, you don't quite fit this profile   :

Quote:

Bringing an interstate vehicle to Western Australia

Interstate vehicles that meet specific criteria do not require inspection before being licensed in Western Australia.

What vehicles qualify?

    * Motor cars
    * Goods/commercial vehicles
    * Trailers, including trailer plant
    * Caravans
    * Motorcycles, including mopeds

What criteria must they meet?

The vehicle must be:

    * A light vehicle (Tare weight/Aggregate weight less than 4500kg.)
    * Currently licensed in your name in any Australian jurisdiction
    * Licensed in your name for at least 12 months.
    * Fitted with a Government approved immobiliser
      To be licensed in Western Australia, motor vehicles must have either a factory fitted or Government approved immobiliser. This does not apply to :
          o Vehicles that are 25 years or older
          o Vehicles that have a Tare weight over 3000 kg
          o Motorcycles
    * Unmodified or issued with a modification permit
      For more information on modifications, see our Vehicle safety section.
    * Not subject to annual inspections
      The following vehicles must be examined prior to the issue of a Western Australian vehicle licence:
          o Taxis;
          o Hire Vehicles;
          o Omnibuses;
          o Driving School vehicles;
          o Vehicles with 13 seats or more, including the driver;
          o School buses; and
          o Vehicles used primarily to carry children to and from school (8 seats or more).

Let me know how you go  

well, we did not go well. in order to register the car in WA we would have to get an immobiliser, a new tyre, a new... thing where the key goes (ignition), get the rear seats out, have the car wheighed......

now we're thinking about driving to sydney to sell the car there. the advantage for us would be that from there the flights to New Zealand would be much cheaper...
but the question is: would we have to do all that stuff in NSW too? i mean... would the buyer? i read that in order to register it in nsw rather than extending the rego in qld you need to get a blue slip. is that as strict as the inspection in WA? do you see where I'm going with that?

Kevin ... driving to Sydney would not really help you (3,942KM, 1day 23hours driving), the blue slip is almost the same, without the requirement for the immobiliser.

I see your choices as this:

1. Slash the price and sell in WA

2. Drive to QLD

You will not be better off in NSW in this case.
There are less buyers in QLD, so I would use option 1 ... but that is my opinion only.
Why not try dropping the price by $1,500 for a few days?

This is not great news ... but consider if you drove to QLD and did not find a buyer  

I don't get that... the car was registered in NSW when we bought it... but if you want to re-register it in NSW you have to pass all those tests again and maybe get the car to its original condition/remove the seats?!

Your van is now registered in QLD, correct?

If that is correct, if you re-register it in NSW, the van will need a blue slip.

With regard to seats, I have not heard of installing / removing seats being a pass / fail requirement, (it could be), what I do know is the number of seats is very important as the number of seat belts must match.

The registration document clearly has written on it seating capacity, so you can be fairly sure that if you have more seats than seat belts, you will have a problem.