Schoolies guide to buying a used car on the Sunshine Coast.

Schoolies guide to buying a used car on the Sunshine Coast.

Now that you are back from a weekend on the Gold Coast celebrating the end of school, you are probably starting to think about getting your first car! Buying your first car is always an exciting time! Finally, you will have your own set of wheels and can go where you want, when you want without having to ask the parents for a lift. But if you are buying a used car on the Sunshine Coast, you need to make sure it isn’t a dud. We at Sunshine Toyota have heard some pretty rubbish advise when it comes to buying a used car so we are going to help you out by giving you some advise that will actually help you!

Buying a used car can save you money on the Sunshine Coast

Now, this doesn’t mean that going out with a blindfold on and picking a used car without any research is a good idea. Because, frankly, it’s not! There is a lot of research to do, which I will get to next. But the first point is, when buying your first car you most likely are not going to be able to afford a new car. And a lot of people tend that means missing out of new vehicle warranties. It doesn’t! There are plenty of cars on the Sunshine Coast for sale that are only one or two years old, which are still under warranty. So taking your time and not rushing a purchase is important so you can find the best vehicle out there.  And that alone can save you thousands compared to buying a new vehicle.

 At Sunshine Toyota we offer a 3-month or 5,000km Statutory Warranty on all of our used cars. For your peace of mind, a lot of Sunshine Toyota’s used cars also come with 12-month Road Side Assist!

Mileage does matter for used cars on the Sunshine Coast

This is a tricky one. Of course mileage matters! But, it is a case-to-case problem because not every car with low mileage is going to be better than the car with double that. It all depends on how the previous owner drove and took care of the car. I am sure you have all been in the car with someone who likes to do burnouts and drive a bit recklessly; they also tend to not service their car as regularly as they should. These are the types of cars you need to try stay away from, hence why the mileage can at times be a bad determinant of which car to choose. This is why buying from a dealer is much safer than buying a car privately.

Stick to credible dealerships when buying used cars on the Sunshine Coast

The buying your first car excitement can quickly turn into a first car nightmare. This is because when buying a used car privately, you don’t have the guarantee of buying a car that has had vigorous checks to ensure it is reliable. And while you are worried about what colour car to get or how big the rims are, your mum and dad will most likely be worrying about if the car is going to keep you safe! So, to keep them off your back, make sure you get a safe car. 

At Sunshine Toyota our factory-trained technicians perform a 100 point inspection to make sure the car is in perfect order so the vehicle does not appear at our dealership until it has been given a guaranteed tick of approval for safety and all-round reliability.

We also do a PPSR and REVS check to make sure:

• The vehicle has not been stolen or written off
• There is no flood or storm damage
• There is no money owing on the car
• The odometer has not been wound back
• The registration, engine and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN/Chassis) numbers match up!

All of which are super important!

Sunshine Toyota’s used cars

At Sunshine Toyota we are committed to helping our guests find the best car for them. We stock a huge of makes and models- not just Toyotas, so click here to contact us at Sunshine Toyota to discuss your used car options or click here to check out our ever changing used car stock.