Car shopping

Need to buy a car? Need to sell your car? Because Rachael does. She needs to sell one car and buy a new one as part of her salary package. Sounds like a simple transaction, but you'd be surprised. Unless you read this first. Then you wouldn't be at all surprised at how not simple this is. You would be prepared.

Let's start with selling your car. Rachael actually had two to sell, and, inexplicably, one was much easier than the other. It seems selling cars in Canberra is easier the cheaper they are. The hot little 15 year old sports car sold in about 12 hours of being advertised. The reliable economical safe 3 year old hatchback has taken three months to be close to selling, having had the price reduced three times. And it was not expensive to begin with.

The hardships of selling a car don't just include getting the price you want in the time you want, however. Once you have a potential buyer, you can expect everything to go to shit. Like, on the way to the inspection for the new owner, so that they can get the rego transferred and pay you for the car, tearing off the front bumper bar on a bit of warped metal sticking up from the concrete wheel stop at the front of the car space in your apartment complex.

Apparently in such instances the body corporate cannot be held accountable. Their sharp, protruding concealed hazard--Rachael's fault. Apparently.

Anyway, after this drama the car needed a new bumper, and the new bumper would need to be sprayed. And Rachael needed to organise all that in one day. In Canberra, this actually is possible. There are four ways to go for replacement parts: a wrecker, for used parts pulled off other vehicles; a repairer, such as Auto Plastic Repairs in Queanbeyan, who do an 'exchange' where they take your bar and give you one they repaired earlier; an after-market producer, for non-genuine, but new, replacement parts; and finally the authorised dealerships for your make of car for brand new genuine bits.

Queanbeyan is full of wreckers. Hit up Auto Dismantlers on Aurora Avenue if you don't mind dirt and occassionally non-existent service (Rachael left after ten minutes without any this time). We say occasionally because sometimes these guys have been great--it's just hard to predict. The auto plastics repairer was very helpful--he was happy to give Rachael a bar he was working on for another client and deal with the repurcussions later. He could also get it sprayed that day, he said, for $300. It was the wrong year model, which took it off Rachael's list (but he did still try to convince her it would all work out regardless). No deal. The best place for after-market parts we have found (they actually have a proper computer in a proper reception area which accesses a proper database) is Frank's on Yass Road. If they don't have it they know who does, how much it will cost and how to get it. But they don't make after-market bars yet for Rachael's model--it is three months too new.

As for dealerships, there are two in Canberra for Rachael's make, Hyundai. National Capital Motors in Belconnen was the first choice of contact--they are close to Rachael's office. They did significantly over-quote compared to the Phillip dealership however. Don't worry, Rachael called them on it, and they dropped their price. Rachael would still have bought from the ones who quoted properly in the first place, but Belconnen had the part in stock, so Belconnen it was.

Rachael asked them to get a price to have the new bar sprayed by their preferred panelbeater, and call her back. They didn't. Ever. Despite having three contacts with Rachael about it during the day. But Rachael was industrious enough to find her own panel beater. She had previously used AutoCo (who are the only ones here NRMA will deal with) in Phillip for repairs when her car was vandalised with a tyre iron in a car park. AutoCo had taken a very long time to give her back a car sprayed in two different colours. Then another very long time to retry their colour matching and do it properly. So they weren't high on the list. Rachael did some ringing around--most places were booked out for at least a month, which was not going to cut it. But then she found Gungahlin Bodyworks. Who, in our opinion, are just about the best damn panelbeaters in the territory. They would do it in about 2 hours, they said, whenever we could bring it in. For less than anybody else.

That arranged, it was in to NCM to pick up the bar. Oh, but now apprently it was at the Braddon dealership. I would have to go over there. But wait, we just called them and they don't actually have it. Our mistake. We can order it overnight though.

Great. Fine. Whatever. No time to do it through Phillip now of course. At least it is all organised, the buyer is still OK to go, the inspection has been rescheduled. It's going to cost $550 all together, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. The next day comes around, it all goes reasonably smoothly, the panelbeaters do a fantastic job and it looks better than new. The inspection is booked for the following day. The buyer is still keen.

Now it is the following day, as we type. Rachael dropped the car off at Bridgestone Tyres in Belconnen this morning--apparently they are one of the only places in Canberra now that do 'pre-purchase' inspections. What they really do is a Blue Slip, but they call it a pre-purchase inspection plus blue slip. They called her back about an hour later. Fail. Failyfailyfail.

Apparently, even though the car is mechanically perfect, because it is missing its 'Australian Designed Safety Standards Plate' it fails. Flat fail. Too bad.

This Bridgestone guy, by the way, is not the most friendliest helpfulest person. He tells Rachael she will have to take it 'to Dickson' (presumably to the Motor Registry). He is no more forthcoming than that--it's not his problem now apparently. When asked what could have happened to the plate (which should be in the rear wheel well) he says the panelbeaters must have taken it off and not put it back on. Guess who that was? AutoCo.

So Rachael calls AutoCo (I know, it is a long, tragic story). And actually speaks to the most helpfulest friendliest person in the entire automotive industry, 'Justin'. This guy is the shit. He can't find any trace of the plate they lost, but he does all the required ringing around--he calls back the Bridgestone man (who he comes to share Rachael's opinion of), calls Hyundai, calls the RTA. And calls Rachael back. With bad news. We can't get another plate. They are not replaceable. We need to get an ID check done on the vehicle. That could cost a bit. It might take a while. Let him know what else he can do to help (including possibly reimburse us).

So Rachael calls the RTA. It's all fine to book an ID check. Except, their system for bookings is down. Rachael will just have to keep calling back at intervals to see if it's back up yet...

So, you see, it's not always smooth sailing. Be prepared. If you have an accident, work through all your alternative options for repair and replacement before you go for the first quote from the first dealership. If you need painting fast, hit up Gungahlin Bodyworks. Or at least go with someone without a four week waiting period--if you explain the urgency most places should be able to sort you out pretty pronto. If you need a pre-purchase inspection, you can't really have one. You may as well just pay for a Blue or Pink slip and be done with it (in ACT whenever you transfer ownership you need one anyway). And don't necessarily bother with Bridgestone in Belconnen if you prioritise customer service. If you need to deal with AutoCo for insurance claims, make sure they get it right first time--while the service is great for fixing mistakes, it's just better if there aren't any mistakes in the first place. And for anything motor registry related call Canberra Connect on 13 22 81. As many times as you have to. There is no alternate way to book.

Buying a car, now that has its own trials and tribulations. And we think we have all had enough tragedy for one day. Watch this space for some more schadenfreude potential in weeks to come as we regale you with tales of purchasing woe, and maybe some happy news too. We are already formulating lists of who to buy from and who NOT to deal with, so don't miss the next installment!