Buying a used car involves a fair bit of homework. You compare prices, check the kilometres, look through the service history and take it for a test drive. By the time you finally get the keys, you’d like to think you’ve made the right choice. But there’s only so much you can learn about a car before it becomes part of your everyday life.
It’s during those first few weeks that you really get to know it. You might realise the boot isn’t quite big enough for everything you carry, or notice a noise that never came up on the test drive. Sometimes it’s a small inconvenience. Other times, it leaves you wondering what happens if the car needs repairs, or simply isn’t what you expected.
This is where early ownership protection comes in. It isn’t just about having a warranty in case something breaks. It’s also about knowing what was checked before you bought the car, whether you have the option to return it, what your rights are if a fault shows up and who you can turn to for help. These things might not be at the top of your mind when you’re buying a used car, but they can make quite a difference once you’re actually driving it.
What you only learn after buying a used car
A test drive usually happens on unfamiliar roads, with someone from the dealership sitting beside you. You can check the brakes, get a feel for the steering and see whether you’re comfortable behind the wheel. But you probably won’t be taking the car through your apartment’s narrow parking entrance or loading it up with everything your family carries on a weekend away.
That’s the sort of thing you discover once the car is yours. Maybe the SUV you were so pleased to upgrade to turns out to be a nuisance to park every day. Frustrating, yes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with the vehicle. An engine warning light appearing halfway through your morning commute is a different story. You’ll want to know what’s causing it, whether it needs repairing and who you’re supposed to contact.
And the two situations aren’t treated the same way. Australian Consumer Law doesn’t give you an automatic right to return a sound car simply because you’ve changed your mind. If the car develops a fault, however, you may have rights against the dealer. A return policy offered by the seller could also give you options that go beyond those legal rights.
It’s worth getting familiar with these things before collecting the keys. If there’s a return period, find out how long you’ve got and how many kilometres you’re allowed to drive. Check who handles warranty claims, whether repairs need prior approval and what roadside help is included. You might never need any of it, but if something does crop up during those first few weeks, you’ll already know where you stand.
What the odometer won’t tell you
It’s tempting to pick a used car with 70,000 km over one that’s done 100,000 km. But before you rule out the second car, have a look at how both have been maintained. A lower kilometre reading doesn’t tell you whether services were missed, repairs were put off or the previous owner took good care of the car.
Ask to see the logbook and any service invoices. Check when the work was done, whether there are long gaps between services and what’s coming up next. You don’t want to discover a large maintenance bill is due just a month after buying. Our guide explains why service history can tell you more than low kilometres.
It’s also worth having the car checked by a mechanic. Uneven tyre wear, fluid leaks or worn suspension parts aren’t always easy to spot if you don’t know what to look for. You can use our used car inspection checklist for an initial look, but a professional inspection can tell you more about its condition. Even then, there’s no guarantee that a fault won’t develop later.
There’s also the car’s financial and legal history to consider. A Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) check can show whether a lender has a registered interest in the car, along with available stolen or written-off vehicle records. When you buy a Cars24 Select car, we include a PPSR check as part of our vehicle checks, so that’s one less thing you need to organise. Just remember, a PPSR check won’t tell you how much finance is still owing or whether the engine is in good condition. Those are separate things to look into before buying.
Keep copies of the service records, inspection report and PPSR result with your purchase paperwork. If a fault or disagreement comes up after delivery, you’ll have the information you were given when you bought the car, rather than trying to remember what was said at the time.
Different problems need different kinds of protection
A warranty, a return policy and roadside assistance might all come with a used car, but they don’t do the same job. Here’s what each can help with and what you should know before relying on it.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
| If this happens… | What can help? | What should you know? |
| The car develops a fault. The air con stops working or the gearbox starts playing up. | Consumer guarantees, an applicable dealer warranty or a manufacturer’s or extended warranty. | A warranty may cover certain repairs, depending on its terms. If you bought from a licensed dealer, Australian Consumer Law also gives you rights that a warranty cannot take away. |
| The car works fine, but it doesn’t suit you. | A return policy, if the seller offers one. | Some sellers allow you to return an eligible car within a set period. Check the kilometre limit, vehicle condition rules and any fees. Changing your mind doesn’t automatically entitle you to a refund. |
| You break down on the way to work. | Roadside assistance. | Depending on your plan, you may be able to get a call-out or have the car towed. The cost of replacement parts or repairs isn’t necessarily included. |
| The car is damaged in an accident or stolen. | Car insurance. | Comprehensive insurance can cover damage to your car and other people’s property, subject to the policy. Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance covers injuries, not damage to cars or property. |
What rights do you have when buying a used car in Australia?
Say your car starts overheating two weeks after you bring it home. You’d probably check the warranty first. But if you bought it from a licensed dealer, that’s not the only protection you have. The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) gives you certain rights, even if the car didn’t come with a warranty.
The car should be of acceptable quality for its age, price and condition, and it should match what the dealer told you about it. Nobody expects a car that’s done 160,000 km to feel brand new. Still, its age doesn’t excuse every fault. And if you explained that you needed the car for a particular purpose and relied on the dealer’s advice, that can also affect your rights.
If something goes wrong, the type of fault determines what you can ask for. With a minor problem covered by consumer guarantees, the dealer generally has a reasonable amount of time to repair it at no cost. If it’s a major failure, such as a safety issue or a serious defect that would have stopped a reasonable person from buying the car, you may be entitled to reject it and choose a refund or replacement. The ACCC explains these rights in more detail.
And don’t assume you’re on your own once a three-month warranty runs out. Your consumer guarantee rights can continue beyond it. Some vehicles also qualify for statutory dealer warranties, although the rules vary between states and territories.
What if you’re buying privately? You generally won’t have the same consumer guarantees covering the car’s quality and repairs. Certain protections around ownership and undisclosed debts still apply, but getting a mechanical problem sorted can be much harder.
Before committing to a car, check who’s actually selling it to you. On an online marketplace, the business behind the sale isn’t always the same as the website where you found the listing.
What if the car works fine, but you’ve changed your mind?
Realising you’ve bought the wrong car is frustrating, especially when there’s nothing actually wrong with it. Perhaps you’ve found a better option or simply aren’t happy with your choice anymore. But a dealer generally doesn’t have to take the car back just because you’ve had second thoughts.
Whether you can cancel the purchase depends partly on where you bought it. In Victoria, eligible used car purchases from licensed dealers come with three clear business days to change your mind after signing the contract. That right ends if you accept delivery during those three days. NSW has a shorter, one-business-day cooling-off period, generally available when the dealer provides or helps arrange your finance. Cancellation fees can apply in both states. We’ve explained the NSW rules in our guide to cooling-off rights.
A seller might also offer a separate return policy, allowing you to spend some time with the car before deciding to keep it. These offers have their own conditions, though. You may have 30 days to return the vehicle, for example, but only if you’ve stayed within the kilometre limit and kept it in the required condition. There could be fees as well.
If you’re considering a car with a return offer, read those conditions before collecting it. A few weeks of commuting can add quite a few kilometres, and you don’t want to find out too late that you’ve gone over the limit.
How Cars24 supports buyers during early ownership
When you buy a used car through Cars24, the support you receive depends on who’s selling it. Cars24 Select cars are sold directly by us, while Verified Dealer cars are sold and managed by the individual dealer.
With Cars24 Select, you can review a Car Condition Report before buying, backed by our 300-point inspection. We also include PPSR and roadworthy information, help with registration transfer and three months of roadside assistance. There’s a complimentary three-month warranty too, covering certain mechanical and electrical breakdowns. Normal wear and tear isn’t included, so it’s worth checking the warranty terms to understand what’s covered.
But what if the car runs perfectly well and you realise it isn’t quite right for you? Our 30-Day Return Guarantee gives eligible buyers up to 30 calendar days from delivery to return a car purchased directly from us, provided they’ve driven no more than 1,000 km. The car must meet the condition requirements, have been used privately and be returned with its original keys and documents. Returns are subject to inspection and approval.
Under the current policy, we refund the listed car price, excluding government charges. Costs such as registration, CTP, fuel and certain delivery or finance fees aren’t refundable. The return policy explains these conditions in full.
If you’re buying a Verified Dealer car instead, the dealer handles its own inspections, warranty, returns and delivery arrangements. Check what’s included with that particular vehicle rather than assuming it comes with Cars24 Select benefits.
A fault shows up after delivery? Here’s what to do
Finding something wrong with a car you’ve only just bought is frustrating. Whether it’s a warning light, a strange noise or a problem starting the engine, here’s what you can do.
- If the car is overheating, showing a serious warning or doesn’t feel safe to drive, find somewhere safe to pull over. Don’t keep driving in the hope that the problem will sort itself out. You may need roadside assistance to get the car to a workshop.
- Take a photo of the warning light once you’re safely parked, and make a note of when the problem started and what the odometer reads. If you’ve already had the car inspected or towed, hang on to the paperwork.
- Get in touch with the dealer you bought the car from and explain what’s happened. Ask how they want the problem assessed before arranging non-urgent repairs. Some warranties require approval before work begins, but your rights under Australian Consumer Law are separate from the warranty.
- Bought a Cars24 Select car? You can email warranty.au@cars24.com about warranty claims. If the car isn’t right for you and you’re considering a return, contact hello.au@cars24.com within 30 calendar days of delivery. Our 30-Day Return Guarantee has its own eligibility rules, so don’t confuse a change-of-mind return with a claim about a faulty car.
- Sometimes it takes more than one conversation to sort out a problem. Keep your emails, receipts and any responses from the seller. If you still can’t resolve, your state or territory consumer protection agency can explain what options you have.
You don’t need to know exactly what’s wrong with the car before contacting the seller. Explain what you’ve noticed and let them know when it started.
The first month deserves as much thought as the purchase
Buying a used car is always going to involve some uncertainty. You can go through its service history, have it inspected and take your time deciding, but there are things you’ll only discover once you’re driving it every day. That doesn’t mean you’ve made a poor choice. It’s simply part of buying a car that’s already had a life before yours.
What you can do is make sure you’re not left guessing if something comes up. Understand what the inspection tells you, which repairs may be covered by a warranty and what rights you have under Australian law. If the seller offers a return policy or roadside assistance, find out exactly how those work too. Your first few weeks are a lot easier to navigate when you know what help is available and who to contact.
After all, the idea is to enjoy your new purchase, get comfortable behind the wheel and make the car part of your routine. Early ownership protection gives you room to do that, with some reassurance that if the car needs attention or turns out not to suit you, you’ve already looked into your options. You shouldn’t have to start figuring all of this out when something has gone wrong.
Frequently asked questions
Can a used car still develop problems after passing an inspection?
Yes. An inspection gives you a picture of the car’s condition when it’s checked, but some faults only appear while driving or develop later. That’s why it’s worth reviewing the inspection report and service records before buying. Our guide to questions to ask when buying a used car covers a few other things you shouldn’t overlook.
Do I still have rights if my three-month warranty has expired?
You may. If you bought from a licensed dealer, your rights under Australian Consumer Law don’t automatically end when the warranty does. Whether you’re entitled to a repair, refund or another remedy depends on the problem and what can reasonably be expected of the car. We’ve explained the different types of cover in our used car warranty guide.
Can I return a Cars24 car if I change my mind?
If you’ve bought an eligible car directly from Cars24, our 30-Day Return Guarantee allows you to request a return within 30 calendar days of delivery, provided you’ve driven no more than 1,000 km and meet the other policy conditions. It doesn’t apply to Verified Dealer listings. Check the condition requirements and any non-refundable costs before making a decision.
What should I pay attention to during my first month with a used car?
See how it handles your usual commute, parking and everyday needs. Check that everything works as expected, and don’t put off reporting a strange noise or warning light. If your purchase includes a return policy, keep an eye on the deadline and kilometre limit. It’s also a good time to check when the next service is due.
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