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Used-car buying, written between inspections.

Field notes from our Sydney inspectors — what keeps failing, what it costs to fix, and how to use it at the negotiating table.

Make & Model

Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid Buyer's Guide Sydney: The Waiting-List Car, Second-Hand

XA40 versus XA50, the 2019 front lower arm recall, the hybrid fuel-tank fix, the 12V battery, hybrid battery health and the 10-year battery warranty rules Sydney buyers should check.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Make & Model

Nissan Navara Buyer's Guide Sydney: D40 and NP300 — Where the Money Goes Wrong

D40 YD25 timing-chain failure, Spanish and Thai builds, the NP300's rear sag under load, DPF data, the 2021 facelift and what a mobile inspection checks on a Navara before you buy.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Make & Model

Mitsubishi Triton MQ and MR Buyer's Guide Sydney: The Value Dual-Cab, Bought Properly

The 4N15 2.4 diesel, valve clearances that get skipped, EGR and intake sludge, DPF data, chassis cracks and the 10-year warranty catch on the cheapest mainstream dual-cab.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Make & Model

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series Buyer's Guide Sydney: V8 and 2.8 Utes, Wagons and Troopies

V8 1VD-FTV injectors and DPF, dual-cab chassis cracks, dust ingress, rust in the pillars and the new 2.8 four-cylinder automatic — the three very different 70 Series on the Sydney used market.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 9 min

Make & Model

Toyota LandCruiser 100 and 105 Series Buyer's Guide Sydney: Buying a 20-Year-Old Legend Properly

The 1HD-FTE turbo-diesel, the 1HZ, the 4.7 V8, independent front suspension versus live axle, the rust spots that cost five figures and what a mobile inspection checks before you buy.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 9 min

Make & Model

Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series Buyer's Guide Sydney: What to Check Before You Sign

The 300 Series variants, the 3.3 twin-turbo V6, the seventh-injector and DPF faults, the 2025 transmission recall and exactly what a mobile inspection checks before a Sydney buyer commits.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 9 min

Buying Tips

5 red flags a pre-purchase inspection catches before you buy

The five faults that account for most of the money our Sydney inspectors save buyers — how each one hides from a test drive, what it looks like on a report, and what it costs if you find out after you've paid.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 10 min

Buying Tips

Buying a used car privately in Sydney? Why you need an independent inspection

Private sales are where the best value in the Sydney used-car market lives — and where every consumer protection disappears. Here's exactly what an independent car inspection changes about a private purchase, what it costs, and how to run the whole process without losing the car.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 11 min

Buying Tips

Car Inspection Lansvale: the buyer's playbook for the Hume Highway dealer strip

Lansvale sits on the Hume Highway between Cabramatta and Liverpool, in the middle of one of Sydney's busiest used-car dealer corridors. Here's how to inspect a car from a Lansvale yard — what the strip does well, where the traps are, and the questions that separate a good buy from an expensive mistake.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 11 min

Process

Cheap Car Inspection Sydney: What $99, $149 and $199 Actually Get You (and When to Spend More)

There are legitimate reasons to book a $99 inspection — and situations where it's the most expensive mistake you can make. Here's the honest breakdown of the cheap end of the Sydney market.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

Novated Lease Pre-Purchase Inspection Sydney: What Your Salary-Packaging Provider Won't Tell You

A novated lease locks you into 3–5 years of pre-tax payments — but the lease provider does zero mechanical checks on your used car. Here's the PPI framework, EV-specific checks, and the paperwork most Sydney buyers get wrong.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

The Sydney Tradie's Guide to Buying a Used 4WD or Ute: Chassis, Towing, DPF and the $8,000 Mistake to Avoid

Hilux, Ranger, D-Max, BT-50, Amarok, Navara — the six Sydney bestsellers all share three critical failure modes and one universal buyer mistake. Here's the tradie-specific PPI framework.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 10 min

Make & Model

Isuzu D-Max Buyer's Guide Sydney: The Ute the Tradies Love — and the 3 Things Every Buyer Misses

The D-Max is one of the most reliable utes on the road, but 'reliable' isn't 'faultless'. DPF, EGR carbon, and rear chassis rust catch out buyers who only check the paint. Full model-by-model breakdown.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 9 min

Make & Model

Toyota LandCruiser Prado Buyer's Guide Sydney: 150-Series and 250-Series Watch-Outs Before You Sign

The Prado 150 (2009–2024) and 250 (late 2024+) need different checks. Here’s what to verify across the 1KD, 1GD, DPF, towing and 48V V-Active eras.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 10 min

Buying Tips

The 20-Minute Test Drive That Reveals More Than a $99 Inspection: Sydney Buyer's Guide

A structured test drive picks up 60% of what a proper PPI finds — for free. Here's the exact route, the sensory checks, and the mechanical prompts every Sydney buyer should run before spending a dollar on inspections.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

The 47-Point Used Car Buying Checklist Every Sydney Buyer Should Print Before Meeting a Seller

Everything a Sydney buyer needs to verify before signing — paperwork, plate, VIN, engine bay, road test, and the specific NSW gotchas around rego, eSafety checks, stamp duty and cooling-off. Print this and take it.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 11 min

Buying Tips

Redbook Inspect vs Independent Pre-Purchase Inspection: Which Actually Protects a Sydney Buyer?

RedBook Inspect publishes from-pricing plus vehicle surcharges, so a car 6 years or older costs more than the headline. Here's the real Sydney cost of each package against an independent inspection, and when each is the right call.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

NRMA Car Inspection vs Aussie Auto Care: A Sydney Buyer's Honest 2026 Comparison

NRMA pre-purchase inspections are delivered by RedBook Inspect and are described as visual and non-mechanical. On Comprehensive and Elite we take the engine undertray off on ramps where it is fitted and permitted, check every suspension bush, and hand you the report on site. Here's the honest side-by-side.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 10 min

Make & Model

Ford Ranger common problems (2016–2024): what Sydney inspectors find every week

The Ranger is the most-inspected ute in Sydney — and also the one where our inspectors find the most expensive hidden faults. PX2/PX3 vs Next-Gen T6.2: DPF, injectors, mechatronic units, dual-mass flywheel, timing belt. Model-year by model-year.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 10 min

EV Battery Health Check Sydney: the one test that decides whether a used EV is a bargain or a bomb

In Sydney's used EV market, State of Health is the number that decides value. Here's what a mobile battery health check reveals — before you pay a deposit.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 9 min

Buying a used Tesla Model 3 in Sydney: the 2026 buyer's checklist

Used Model 3 prices in Sydney have dropped 22% from peak. The market is flooded with novated-lease returns — some are bargains, some are $8,000 mistakes. SR+/LR/Performance, HW2.5 vs HW3 vs HW4, MCU eMMC, 12V, SoH thresholds and what to walk away from.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 11 min

Buying Tips

Adelaide & SA buyer's guide: buying a Sydney car with a professional inspection and SA identity check

Adelaide's used-car market is compact, so SA buyers regularly look to Sydney for spec choice and pricing. Here's the SA workflow: Sydney pre-purchase inspection, transport across the SA border, SA identity inspection and registration transfer.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

Perth & WA buyer's guide: pre-purchase inspection for Sydney cars shipped to Western Australia

Perth buyers face the biggest freight distance in the country — around 4,000 km. That makes a professional Sydney inspection non-negotiable and a live video walkaround essential. Here's the WA-specific workflow, freight options, DoT licensing and stamp duty.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

Buying Tips

Brisbane & QLD buyer's guide: inspecting and registering a Sydney car in Queensland

Brisbane and SE QLD buyers regularly find prestige, EV and low-km inventory in Sydney that just isn't available up north. Here's the QLD workflow: Sydney pre-purchase inspection, transport up the M1, Queensland Safety Certificate and TMR registration.

Aussie Auto Care inspection team 8 min

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