Guides
Car buying, finance & running-cost guides
Plain-English, independent guides to the money side of owning a car in Australia — what things really cost, and how to check your own numbers with the calculators.
Buying
Buying · 6 minDrive-away price explained: what's really in the on-road costDrive-away price is the true out-the-door cost of a car. Here's every line item it hides — stamp duty, rego, CTP, LCT and dealer fees — and how to check it.Read →Buying · 7 minThe complete new-car buying checklist: budget to drive-awayA step-by-step new-car buying checklist for Australians — from setting a drive-away budget and checking stamp duty and LCT to sorting finance, running costs and signing without surprises.Read →
Finance
Finance · 5 minHow much car can you actually afford?A dealer's "you're approved" isn't the same as affordable. Here's an honest, Australian way to work out a car budget that covers rego, fuel and depreciation too.Read →Finance · 5 minNovated lease vs car loan: which really costs less?Novated lease or car loan — which actually costs less in Australia? An independent, no-spin breakdown of tax savings, residuals, fees and the traps, plus how to compare them fairly.Read →Finance · 6 minIs a novated lease worth it? An honest guideAn independent look at whether a novated lease actually saves you money in Australia — the real tax benefits, the hidden catches, and how to check your own numbers.Read →Finance · 6 minCar loans explained: rates, balloons and what you actually repayAn independent, plain-English guide to Australian car loans — how comparison rates, balloon payments and loan terms decide what you really repay, plus the traps to avoid.Read →
Running costs
Running costs · 4 minEV vs petrol: will you really save money?Do EVs really save you money vs petrol in Australia? The honest breakdown: where EVs win, where fuel savings leak away, and how to run your own numbers.Read →Running costs · 5 minThe Real Cost of Owning a Car Isn't the Sticker PriceThe advertised price is just the deposit on the truth. Here's how depreciation, finance, fuel, rego and repairs quietly stack up over the years you own a car in Australia.Read →
Tax
Tax · 6 minCar Stamp Duty & Rego by State: What You'll Actually PayStamp duty and rego are set by your state, not the dealer, and can swing a car's price by thousands. Here's how they work and where the traps are.Read →Tax · 5 minLuxury Car Tax: Is Your Next Car Over the Line?Luxury Car Tax quietly inflates the price of pricier cars in Australia. Here's how LCT works, the two thresholds, and how to check if your car is caught.Read →