Stop paying for a car that just sits.

If a car mostly sits in the driveway, it is still costing you: rego, insurance, any loan repayments and its age all keep running whether it moves or not. Selling it stops those costs, and a car parked for another year is still a year older when you do sell.

What does a car you don’t use still cost?

Use your own figures: the bills are already in your inbox.

Divide the yearly bills by 12 and add the monthly repayment. That is what the car costs you each month before it moves a kilometre.

Then compare that figure with what the car actually does for you, such as an occasional long trip, or a spare while the other car is in for a service. If hiring a car on those few days would cost less, the second car has become a cost rather than a convenience.

Should you cancel the rego or insurance while it sits?

Keep the insurance. A parked car can still be stolen, hit by hail or damaged in a storm, and until it has been collected that loss is yours. What your policy covers while the car is parked depends on the insurer, so check before you change the cover.

Think twice before cancelling current rego. Refunds are partial at best and differ by state, and a car that drops off the register starts a clock towards an inspection for whoever registers it next.

If the expiry date is close, the simplest answer is to sell before it falls due, because the months left on a registered car go with it when the rego transfers. If you need more time, ask your transport authority about a shorter term: Service NSW, for example, offers a 6-month renewal for most light vehicles.

Flat battery, lapsed rego or months off the road?

These are the three things that most often change while a car sits. Tell us about each one on the call rather than guessing.

• A flat battery. Most modern cars draw a little power while parked, so a flat battery after a few months is common. A charge or a jump-start, done the way the owner’s manual describes, usually shows whether that is all it is.
• A service overdue by time. Most makers set service intervals by months as well as kilometres, so a car with low kilometres can still be a service behind. Have the last receipt ready, or book the service if you have a few weeks.
• Rego that ran out. Don’t drive the car on a public road once the rego has lapsed. Each state sets its own point at which the next owner needs an inspection or a new registration.

For Victoria, South Australia and the ACT, check with VicRoads, Service SA or Access Canberra. Our checklist for a car not driven for months goes through the battery, tyres, brakes and fluids, and our guide to selling an unregistered car covers permits and paperwork in each state.

Which car should you sell if you have two?

The right car to sell is not always the one you drive least. Put both cars side by side and work through these questions.

If both cars have finance, compare the equity in each: what the car is worth, minus the payout figure from your lender. The car with more equity frees up more money.

Our valuation is free with no obligation, so you can get a real figure for each car before deciding. Our guide to the best time to sell a near-new car shows how to line up warranty, kilometre and service dates.

A car left behind or kept somewhere else

Plenty of idle cars aren’t at the seller’s home. It might be at a parent’s place after a move interstate, in a storage unit, or waiting for a partner who is working overseas.

• Who signs. The owner agrees to the sale and signs. If they can’t, the person signing needs legal authority, such as a power of attorney. Our guide to selling a car with power of attorney explains what counts.
• The inspection. It happens after you accept, at a time and place that suits you. Tell us where the car is and who can give the inspector access.
• Collection. We arrange it anywhere in Australia, once you confirm the funds have cleared. Key drop-off can be arranged if you can’t be there, and our guide to car collection and key drop-off explains how that works.
• Recording the sale. The seller still notifies the transport authority in the state where the car is registered. WA and Tasmania give sellers 7 days, and most other states 14. We’ll make sure your notice of disposal is done correctly. In most states it’s a quick online form.

Finance, a novated lease or a work car you no longer drive

If you still owe money on the car, the lender’s interest shows up on the PPSR, so the loan is paid out as part of the sale. We deal with your lender directly to pay out the loan, then pay you any equity. That usually takes 2 to 3 business days to settle. If you owe more than the car is worth, the negative equity has to be covered before settlement. Ask your lender for a payout figure before the call, because it can differ from the balance in your banking app.

A novated lease involves your employer as well as the lease provider, so read your lease contract and talk to both before you sell. Tell us on the call that the car is on a novated lease.

If the car is registered to an ABN or was used in a GST-registered business, GST may be included in the price. Selling your personal car? GST doesn’t apply. Check with your accountant if the car was ever used for work.

How selling a car you don’t use works with us

Sell Your Car Australia is run by Autohaus Australia Pty Ltd, NSW licensed motor dealer MD 077404, and by a valuer who has priced cars since 1992. We buy cars, utes, SUVs and 4WDs 2021 or newer with 100,000 km or less. If yours is older or has more on the clock, send it through anyway and we’ll tell you straight away if we can help.

Tell us when the car was last driven, whether it starts, the rego expiry date and where it is kept. You get a genuine offer by phone from a licensed dealer, not an online estimate. If you accept, a deposit is often paid the same day. The inspection follows at a time and place that suits you, the balance goes into your bank account, and the car is collected only after you confirm the funds have cleared.

We prepare the sale paperwork and help with the transfer of ownership. Usually no roadworthy or safety certificate is needed when you sell to us. Rules differ by state, so we confirm what applies to your car on the call. Before collection day, take out your toll tag, garage remote and personal items.

Start with a free valuation or call 1800 73 55 73. It’s free, there’s no obligation, and no fees come out of the offer.