Sites for 2nd hand cars

[dirtysix]

Australian that is.
Best range, best search, biggest etc.

Also Sydney real estate is madness. Yes or no?
Anywhere left that is still good value and not a shithole?

[Iain]

www.carsales.com.au and Aussie forums if you're looking for something interesting. What in particular are you after?

As for Sydney - the market there is WAY overpriced.

Personally, I'd never live there. I live on the Central Coast, an hour north. I bought a 3br brick home that is 5min walk from the beach, in a quiet residential area, with double lock-up garage, big backyard, tidy home, air con, built-ins in each room (but needed carpet/paint/tiles,etc) for $345k Aussie. Try finding something in Sydney near a beach for that (hint: you won't). Takes me an hour and a half on an air conditioned express train to be in the Sydney CBD and it's fucking well worth it. $56/week for a ticket and about $15/week in fuel to drive to the station.

I'd maybe rent somewhere in the eastern suburbs (coogee, clovelly, bronti, randwick, pots point, rose bay) or lower north shore (Cremorne, Crows Nest, Neutral Bay, Kirribilli, Wolstonecroft, etc) if I was single or wanting to party in the CBD a lot. Otherwise, I'd look further out.

[dirtysix]

Curious as to value of a 2001 540 touring/import laws. Yours are tough as/restrictive?
Cant find any for sale to compare.

We're about 40min (1hr rush) drive from Auck CBD. I dont work, wife does. Paper value $700k on 2.5 acres (market is arse so true value??). Dont spose anything close to that around Sydney?

[Iain]

540 tourings never existed in Oz. You could bring it in as a personal import if youve owned it for +12months. That means, pretty much no compliance (and if you bring the E30 and get the yellow personal import plate there's complete freedom for intake/emissions mods)

Sydney has huge urban sprawl. $700k will get you a decent place within 30mins of the city, but 30mins to the city by car is fairly close in kilometres. 30mins by express train is a lot further out, which buys you a bigger house. $700k on the Central Coast buys you a nice beach-front/water-front place.

[dirtysix]

540 tourings never existed in Oz.

That'll be why I cant find any for sale ha. Sedans seem to be $7-$10k more expensive in Aus! Crikey!
I'd never get the E30 on the road though would I?

TBH not a big fan of the 'burbs'. Not keen on spending $500kAu on 300sqm house on 300sqm land. Either here or there.

Also how does tax work? Federal tax/state tax/city council tax (rates)?
How does the state collect monies?

[Iain]

Do you have engineering signatories in NZ who could sign the car off? If you're looking to move to New South Wales, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) have a list of accredited signatories on their website who can advise if your car is legal or not - maybe drop 'em an email and see what your options are?

This is the guy i'm using for my elessjuane30:

Athol MULLEN,
Mullen Automotive Engineering
24 Newcastle Street
CARDIFF
NSW 2285

P: (02) 4956 8030
F: (02) 4956 8030
M: 0414 685 537

athol@idl.net.au

Full list of engineers (some won't want to know your project, others will):

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi_15_engineering_signatories_rev_20_23march_2010.pdf

I spent $345k getting 550m2 with plenty of backyard and a double-garage. My mate bought 3km away from me in a not-so-quiet area, got a smaller, older house (really a knock-downer IMO) for $310k but has over 750m2 with a huge backyard he's putting a 3.5car shed on. Another mate bought 50km west of us (in the middle of the bush) for $500k and got a small 3br house that needs a fair bit of work, but has 12acres and quite a few awesome sheds (yes, I have shed-envy).

How big a house are you looking for? Family area or just somewhere quiet? Looking for acreage or just a private large block of land? Your $700k and desire for privacy would probably push you up to the Central Coast, or to Dural (in Sydney), or maybe the Blue Mountains (although that area is becoming more and more suburbanised).

This is where I am (a quiet, residential street)

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Lake+view+Parade+Umina&sll=-33.560851,151.245346&sspn=0.421125,0.891953&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lake+View+Parade,+Umina+Beach+New+South+Wales+2257&ll=-33.526156,151.304526&spn=0.026331,0.055747&t=h&z=15

This is where my bush mate is

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Kyola+Road,+Kulnura,+New+South+Wales&sll=-33.507653,151.326032&sspn=0.003292,0.006968&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Kyola+Rd,+Kulnura+New+South+Wales+2250&t=h&z=14

Alternatively, there are plenty of places on the Central Coast (nearer to civilisation) that you could get for $700k and still be surrounded by bush.

Also how does tax work? Federal tax/state tax/city council tax (rates)?
How does the state collect monies?

First, you get the money. Then, you get the power. Then, you get the women.

Actually, there's a 10% Goods & Services Tax out here, as well as the gubbnyment taking a percentage of your wage (a flat fee, plus a certain a rising charge for every dollar over each threshhold you are). http://www.ato.gov.au/ is the website that can explain it better than i. There are toll roads out here, but we use an e-tag - which you can get from the RTA - for 99% of them. NSW ones work in Victoria, and so on and so forth.

Petrol is taxed, we get free healthcare (until you earn over $70k when you are charged a levy) and unicorns are free to prance through meadows aplenty.

[dirtysix]

Hmmm....
All interesting stuff, thanks maaate.