Used cars in Australia typically sell for A$1,550 to A$15,350 (about $1,100 to $10,750). A private car sale is decided by paperwork long before it is decided by price, so gather the V5C, the service history and the MOT record before you photograph anything.
What cars are worth in Australia
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | A$15,332 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | A$13,033 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | A$9,966 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | A$6,900 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | A$3,833 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Long remaining test where applicable
- Recent cambelt, tyres and brakes with proof
What pulls it down
- Missing service history, which buyers discount heavily
- Accident damage and recorded write-off categories
Selling a car in Australia
Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Australia’s second-hand market is strongly local and strongly seasonal, with most activity concentrated in the eastern capitals and buyers who expect to collect.
WishThrift has not opened Australia for trading yet, so this page is a guide rather than a live marketplace — the category becomes browsable here the moment the first Australian sellers list.
Australia is a pre-launch market, so it is worth saying what a seller here should expect when it does open. Distance dominates everything: interstate parcels cost several times a metro delivery, and bulky items effectively only sell within a city. Most trade concentrates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, and buyers in those cities expect to collect rather than wait. Seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere, so listings that follow UK or US timing arrive exactly half a year out of step — warm weather items want September, not March, and winter gear moves from around May.
Working out what yours is worth
- Gather the service book, receipts and test history
- Note mileage, owner count and exact specification
Getting it ready
- Note the mileage, MOT expiry date, number of previous keepers and whether there is any outstanding finance — finance must be settled or disclosed.
- Clean it properly inside and out, and photograph any dent, scratch or kerbed alloy rather than shooting around them.
Photograph
- Three-quarter front and rear, in daylight, on a clean background
- The V5C and service history laid out, with personal details obscured
- Every dent, scratch, kerbed wheel and worn tyre
Put in the description
- Make, model, variant, engine size, fuel type and transmission
- Year, mileage, number of previous keepers and MOT expiry date
- Service history: full, partial or none, and whether main dealer or independent
Make, model, variant, year and mileage: “Ford Fiesta 1.0 Titanium, 2018, 42,000 miles, MOT to Aug 2026”. Mileage and MOT date belong in the title because they are the first two filters. State the number of previous keepers — buyers ask immediately and volunteering it reads as confidence.
Steady, with a lift in spring and around the September plate change. Cars with a long MOT and full history sell within days; those with neither can sit for months.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the A$15,332 a buyer pays is the A$15,332 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in Australia
Australia is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of Australia with their own page for cars.
- Selling a car in Sydney
- Selling a car in Melbourne
- Selling a car in Brisbane
- Selling a car in Perth
- Selling a car in Adelaide
- Selling a car in Gold Coast
- Selling a car in Canberra
Common questions
Where can I sell a car in Australia?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Is there any outstanding finance?
Answer honestly and settle it before completing a sale. Selling a car with finance still attached to it causes serious problems for the buyer and for you.
Should I disclose an accident repair?
Always. Vehicle histories are checked routinely, and an undisclosed repair discovered later can void the sale.
Is it worth servicing before selling?
A recent service with a receipt often returns more than it costs, because it removes a reason for the buyer to negotiate.
More: how to sell a car, what cars are worth, or Vehicles across Australia.