Buying a used car in SA: the rules and the checks

South Australia gives dealer buyers clear protection, from a two-day cooling-off to repairs tied to the price. Private buyers get much less, and a private seller doesn't even have to tell you the car has been written off.

Buying privately in SA

• You have 14 days to transfer the registration, or a $108 late fee applies.
• Stamp duty is yours to pay, on the sale price or the market value, whichever is higher. A car given to you by family is not exempt, unless it comes from your spouse or de facto partner.
• A private seller does not have to tell you the car was written off. Checking is your job.
• Anyone who buys, sells or offers for sale 4 or more cars in 12 months must hold a dealer licence (6 or more between members of the same family or household). A "private seller" with several cars for sale may be an unlicensed dealer, and you lose the dealer protections.

Buying from a dealer in SA

• Cooling-off: 2 clear business days, and Saturdays count. If you cancel, the dealer can keep 2% of the price or $100, whichever is less. The deposit is capped at 10%. You can sign the cooling-off away, but it takes a witnessed form.
• Duty to repair, by price, for cars under 15 years old with under 200,000 km: $3,000 or less, none (but the car must be roadworthy). $3,001 to $6,000: 2 months or 3,000 km. Over $6,000: 3 months or 5,000 km. Main batteries in EVs and hybrids are now covered. A dealer can list known defects that will not be covered, so read the contract.
• A licensed dealer generally protects you from repossession if there was finance registered against the car.

Written-off cars in SA

A statutory write-off cannot be driven on the road under any circumstances. A repairable write-off needs an identity inspection and then a road safety inspection before it can be registered again. Because a private seller does not have to mention a write-off, check the record before you see any car.

Worth knowing in SA

• Saturdays count as business days for cooling-off, so a Friday purchase gives you less time than you'd think.
• Ask whether the dealer duty to repair applies to the specific car, and get the answer in writing.
• Several cars for sale from one "private" address is a warning sign, not a bargain.

The checks that are the same in every state

1. 1.Before you travel, check money owing (with the lender named), written-off history, stolen status and registration status. Money owing matters most on a private sale.
2. 2.On arrival, check the VIN on the car matches the rego papers, and the seller's licence matches the name and address on them.
3. 3.Inspect it cold, in daylight, and drive it for at least 15 minutes. Check the faults that model is known for: the used car inspection guide goes through it.
4. 4.Pay by bank transfer to the account in the name on the papers, and get a signed receipt with the VIN, plate, price and date.

The whole process, start to finish, is in how to buy a used car in Australia.

A KickTyres Vehicle Check reads the official records for one Australian plate: money owing (with the lender named), written-off history, stolen status and registration status, alongside the documented faults for that model and engine. A$17.90, or A$28.90 with the guided inspection.