Used cars a hot ticket in Coffs, as buyers baulk at long wait

Used cars in Coffs Harbour are in demand and fetching great prices as buyers baulk at the thought of waiting more than a year for a new model of some popular brands. See what’s happening.

Frustrated by lengthy wait times for new cars, Coffs Harbour motorists are turning to the used vehicle market - which itself is feeling the pinch.

Covid and associated global supply issues mean people wanting brand spankers need saint-like patience.

For popular models like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, delivery dates are reported to now stretch into 2024.

Unsurprisingly, some buyers are instead looking to the pre-owned market to fill their needs.

James Follett at Coffs Harbour Motorworld said some of the British marques like Range Rover and Land Rover are also in short supply.

Mr Follett sells used cars to Grafton, Armidale and Newcastle as well as Coffs, and said the pre-owned market was facing particular challenges.

“The biggest problem we have is shortages of staff. If we put a vehicle into the paint shop whereas once it used to take a couple of weeks, now it can be two or three months,” he said.

He said smash repairers were dealing with a general shortage of workers through Covid, and also managing the backlog of work on cars damaged in the November Coffs hailstorm.

Mr Follett said used cars offered value, but the global shortage of new vehicles meant drives less than three years old were fetching the same price as a fresh build.

“I’ve been in this business for 27 years and I’ve never seen it like this,” he said.

While purchasing a used vehicle remains a significant investment, Mr Follett said buyers need to be careful if looking at a private sale.

“Buyer beware and do the due diligence,” he said.

“If you buy privately - and because of all this media attention - I’ve seen people trying to sell a lot of junk for big money.”

Across town at Fitzroy Motors, owner Geoff Partridge said it was hard to get stock of used vehicles.

“And when you can get them you have to pay over the odds. I’m glad I’m not selling new cars,” Mr Partridge said.

While traditional brands like Toyota and Mazda have been whacked in the new car global supply challenge, some manufacturers are having more joy.

“The Chinese don’t seem to have a problem. People are buying Chinese cars like MG because they think they are buying British,” Mr Partridge said.