Moved to Perth - buying a car

[Fiddlemesticks]

Have migrated out to Perth now and looking to buy me a car. Have a budget really of $10-15k to start of and was thinking of using the auctions.

Anyone used them before and are they any good?

I was thinking of the Manheim Fowles one unless anyone can recommend another.

[chunder]

Welcome - have no experience of auctions here though I am afraid.

[Colonial]

Auctions aren't as big over here as they are in the UK - just something to bear in mind.

check out www.carsales.com.au as a guide to what's around

[Fiddlemesticks]

Hi Colonial,

Yeah have checked out carsales.com.au and drive.com.au and autotrader.com.au...(and breathe...)

Just wonder if the Auctions are worthwhile and if so which ones. The one i have seen is Manheim Fowles but unsure as to how good it is.


I presume its just like the uk. buyer beware and all that.

[Colonial]

Fiddlemesticks said:

Hi Colonial,

Yeah have checked out carsales.com.au and drive.com.au and autotrader.com.au...(and breathe...)

Just wonder if the Auctions are worthwhile and if so which ones. The one i have seen is Manheim Fowles but unsure as to how good it is.


I presume its just like the uk. buyer beware and all that.

To be honest, not many people buy private cars at auctions in Australia - it is usually second hand car dealers and panel beaters that inhabit those places. Very much a buyer beware situation. But, I imagine if you know what you are doing it would be fine. From what I have heard this is different to the UK

Fowles and Pickles are the two big ones from memory. Both reputable.

[popinoz]

I came back to the u.k last year .Brought my missus a renault clio from the auction just of the leach highway welshpool i think .It was great got a good deal only thing is and you will wet yourself when you witness it.In Australia they have the auctioneer and 1 guy either side and when you bid they let out a big yelp so the auctioneer dont miss you.Be careful not too much as i think they legally invent false bids.Set your top price and stick to it .You also need driving licence (oz) or you cant bid good luck.
Maybe avoid pommey cars as spares are a bit of a problem out there including the bits for the renult we had.Must say i met and dealt with JOHN HUGHES of skipper fame who was as straight as a die and everybody loved his fantastic service above and beyond anything ive seen.If you ring them he even answers the phone. Not bad for a multi millionaire dam nice guy i thought!!

[madazrx7]

popinoz said:

I came back to the u.k last year .Brought my missus a renault clio from the auction just of the leach highway welshpool i think .It was great got a good deal only thing is and you will wet yourself when you witness it.In Australia they have the auctioneer and 1 guy either side and when you bid they let out a big yelp so the auctioneer dont miss you.Be careful not too much as i think they legally invent false bids.Set your top price and stick to it .You also need driving licence (oz) or you cant bid good luck.
Maybe avoid pommey cars as spares are a bit of a problem out there including the bits for the renult we had.Must say i met and dealt with JOHN HUGHES of skipper fame who was as straight as a die and everybody loved his fantastic service above and beyond anything ive seen.If you ring them he even answers the phone. Not bad for a multi millionaire dam nice guy i thought!!

I've not used the auctions myself, have generally bought my cars privately. Can backup the praise of John Hughes though, bought the XR6 from one of his yards, the service before and after sale was excellent. I think Hughesie is that big that he won't allow his reputation to be tarnished by any dodgy deals?
When the car was delivered (to our home), the salesman sat in the car with my (ex)wife for an hour going through all the controls etc, then went to start it and the battery was flat as he had left the lights on No drama, he called their breakdown service and half an hour later a brand new battery fitted at thier expense

[Fiddlemesticks]

Cheers for those. Will have a look at the auctions, but the John thing sounds like a good one. Will give him a try for sure. Have heard good things about him from other people.

[pombstard]

Recently looked at using Manheim and Fowles in Sydney - both after being referred by others. All the cars looked OK, and staff were helpful. They have a lot of fixed priced cars too - which kinda defeats the object of going to an auction - and you can bid over the internet if you can't get to the auction itself.

I'd have been comfortable buying from either - esp if I was after a 2-3yo Magna/380/Commodore/Falcon - two bags of peanuts, at the most!

[Fiddlemesticks]

Great responses, thank you.

What sort of prices are the falcon/commodores/380's going through for?

[madazrx7]

Have just had another experience of dealing with John Hughes (not himself )
My GF has just bouyght a 2006 Elantra (I know, it's just an appliance to her) and the whole deal was, again, pleasant, hassle free and as far as I can see a good deal.
As i said befoe, JH wouldn't be happy with bad publicity.