Buying your own vehicle in Australia is clearly what will allow you to travel the continent with the most freedom. A road trip in Australia is kind of the image we all have in mind when we think of the famous “vanlife”. Along the East coast, explore the outback, the Red Center of Uluru or the national parks of Western Australia. In short, the Australian dream!
But buying a car in Australia, exciting as it is, can also be stressful. Because equipped cars, vans and second-hand 4×4s are not lacking in Oceania. You have them for all prices, all mileages, but also in all states.
Depending on the length of your stay, renting a vehicle can be more convenient, simpler and much less hassle than acquiring your own house on wheels.
The purpose of this article is therefore to answer 2 big questions that you can ask yourself once you are ready to invest in a vehicle in the land of kangaroos.
When is buying better than renting when traveling to Australia?
How to decide between a converted car, a van or a 4 wheel drive?
But also to help you see more clearly about the different types of vehicles, know where to buy, find the best offers, the pitfalls to avoid, the good reflexes to have when buying between individuals, etc. !
Buying or renting a vehicle in Australia?
When I say “car”, it is so as not to quote “car, vans or 4×4” each time, which would take a bit long each time we say it.
The main element which, in my opinion, will decide whether it is more interesting to buy your own vehicle or to rent it in Australia, it will be the duration of your stay or your trip.
In the sense that it allows time for research and purchase (I’ll talk to you below about a good plan that provides guarantees on the purchase), but also for the resale of the vehicle. And the used car market in Australia is a hell of a mess.
When is it more economical to rent?
Going to Australia for a long month or a year on a Working Holiday is obviously ideal to take full advantage of this huge country, but I fully understand that not everyone can afford it.
Freeing yourself up even “for” 4 weeks already allows you to explore part of the continent on a road trip. It is not for nothing that my itinerary on the Australian East Coast is the most read article on this blog.
The road trip from Sydney to Cairns can be done in 3 to 5 weeks, and attracts many tourists for the Whitsundays, Fraser Island or its mythical Great Barrier Reef.
We are generally talking about a period of at least 3 months to have time to buy, enjoy and resell a car or van in Australia.
So for any trip of less than 3 months, renting is in my eyes a better option.
