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Window tinting is popular in Australia and elsewhere, to help with safety and maintaining the resale value of their vehicles, and may be an original feature of a vehicle or may be offered as an optional extra at the time of purchase. In applying tinting to the vehicle windows, a thin, transparent sheet of film is applied. The thickness ranges from 0.0025 to 0.01cm, and will reduce radiation and damage to the interior of the vehicle which may be caused by the sun. There are 3 methods – film tinting which uses flat, metallic and mirrored materials, OEM tinted glass where tint is added during the auto glass manufacturing process, or by spraying the windows with a coated tint.

What are the benefits?
Lower inside temperatures – tinting is the most fuel-efficient way of ensuring a more comfortable temperature inside your car. With the right window tint you can reduce the heat inside your car by up to 60%.
Protection from UV rays – the amount of protection will vary depending on the tint.
Added security and privacy – tinting makes it very difficult to see inside the vehicle, and so will act as a deterrent for any would-be thief.
Protects the interior of your vehicle – upholstery, leather and carpets will last and look better for longer.
Appearance – tinting adds to the overall appearance of the vehicle. Tinted windows on a car look so much more sophisticated and professional than untinted windows.

Along with benefits, normally there is a downside.
Police may pull you over more than if your windows were not tinted – for them, not being able to see into your vehicle is a cause for suspicion.
Different states have different laws regulating the amount of tint that is permissible. If you don’t adhere to these regulations, your vehicle may not pass a state inspection.
Sometimes, tinting on the windows may lower driver’s visibility – for instance at night, or in a dark tunnel.
The tinting film may peel over time, detracting from the appearance of your vehicle – in which case you will have to have the tint removed or redone.

We all know that selecting and maintaining the tyres on your vehicle is important, right? However, there are a number of misconceptions that vehicle owners may have, that may impact on the potential safety of you and your passengers. Here is an overview of some of them:

Myth #1: It is more important to replace your front tyres than your rear tyres

While it is important to have front tyres in good condition to assist with steering in a front wheel drive vehicle, it is also true that rear tyres provide most of the stability for your vehicle – for example, in braking or steering in wet conditions, rear tyres provide balance and stop your vehicle from spinning. If you only replace the front tyres, water will bounce off them onto the rear tyres, putting even more pressure on them.

Myth #2 Spare tyres or unused tyres don’t have to be replaced as long as there is enough tread left on them

Not so – each brand/manufacturer has different criteria for replacing tyres – some suggest replacing every 5 years regardless of the tread depth. If your vehicle has been idle for some time (years) – you should replace the tyres rather than just refilling them.

Myth #3: You don’t need to rotate your tyres

Tyres wear differently depending on the vehicle and location. Rotating your tyres will ensure that your tyres wear evenly – lasting longer.

Myth #4: Don’t buy used tyres

If you want to save a few dollars, and are looking for a replacement tyre for local daily driving or to replace a spare – you can consider used tyres. Know what you are looking for – check carefully for the year of manufacture (see myth #2) as well as any visible cuts or grazes that could impact the safety of the tyres. If you are not sure – buy new.

Myth #5 : If you over inflate your tyres they could burst

If you over inflate your tyres slightly the tyre should be fine – good quality tyres are manufactured to withstand partial increases past the recommended pressure – but you need to be aware of the fact that if you over inflate your tyres and you hit a pothole or bump in the road at speed, the tyre will have a bigger chance of a blowout.

Tinting the windows of your vehicle may seem like an optional extra and an unnecessary additional expense – but before you decline this option, consider the following benefits – you may decide to change your mind.

Tinted windows will help to reduce the interior temperature of your car – and reduce the load on your aircon! Tinting is the most fuel-efficient way of ensuring a more comfortable temperature inside your car. With the right window tint you can reduce the heat inside your car by up to 60%.

Tinted windows will block up to 99% of harmful UV rays from your car, preventing sunburn on those blisteringly hot days that we get in Australian summers. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and the associated UV rays can accelerate aging and is a cause of skin cancer. Tinted windows will also keep the UV rays from fading your upholstery, and the lower temperatures inside the vehicle will help to prevent drying and cracking of leather upholstery as well as the dashboards and other fittings. Sun damage to the interior of your car will reduce its resale value, especially if you park your car outside on a regular basis.

In Australia in summer, the glare from the sun can blind you while driving. Tinting your windows will reduce glare, making driving easier and safer and also ensuring that your passengers are more comfortable.

Applying a tint to your windows has a shatter proofing effect – your windows will be prevented from shattering on impact from a stone or other object, or in an accident, thereby further increasing safety for you and your passengers.

Tinting your windows also has a security benefit, as window tinting reduces visibility from the outside, improving your security and privacy.

Over and above the comfort, safety and security benefits which we have talked about – consider how great your car will look with tinted windows! Tinted windows on a car look so much more sophisticated and professional than untinted windows. So if you use your car for business purposes, or just want to impress others – tinting is the way to go.

The best way to ensure that you will eventually get the best possible resale value for your car, is to keep it well maintained. Ensure that you service your vehicle on time, and that the service books are kept up to date. Also avoid excessive kilometres – anything over 30 000 km per year for a large car or SUV, or 20 000 km per year for a small, sports or prestige car will negatively affect your potential resale value. If possible, try to sell your vehicle before reaching 100 000 km or just before the end of
the new-car factory backed warranty expires, as this can give the buyer peace of mind.

Another thing to consider, if you are buying a new car and want to ensure that your resale value is protected as far as possible, is the colour of the vehicle. Avoid loud or fashionable colours – stick to the basics. A purple or pink car could be worth a lot less than an identical model in a more
conservative colour.

Also, if you are buying a new vehicle, try to avoid optional equipment – rather go for the next model in the range which will have a higher book value. Buyers will normally ignore those additions that are not visible, so, if you must, go for extra items that will be hard to miss, such as alloy wheels, spoilers or a sunroof. Having said this, be careful about adding a sunroof to a regular family car as this probably won’t add anything to the potential resale value, while if the vehicle is a BMW or Mercedes Benz, it would be expected.

Don’t allow anyone to smoke in your car! The smell of smoke is virtually impossible to eradicate in a vehicle. There are many buyers who will not consider buying a smoker’s car, and will not even view such a vehicle.

Another big deterrent is the presence of animal hair in a vehicle. Animal hair is very difficult to remove, even with an industrial vacuum cleaner.
When the time comes to sell your vehicle, remember that holiday months such as December/January and April could be a bad tine to sell. If your car is a convertible, rather put the car up for sale in summer.

Before you list your car for sale, or approach a car broker or dealer or put your vehicle up for auction, make sure that it is presented in the best light possible in order to attract the best price possible.

Here are some things that you can do in order to ensure that your vehicle has maximum appeal for a buyer:

Consider having your car detailed by a professional. This should cost only a few hundred dollars and save you a considerable amount of time and effort doing it yourself. If you decide to clean the car yourself, make sure that you do a thorough job, and don’t forget to clean those hard to reach areas.

Make sure that there are no loose objects in the car, that can rattle around and look untidy.

The smell of cigarette smoke inside your vehicle could be very off-putting to a prospective buyer. Do remember to clean the ashtray and lighter and get put a deodoriser in the vehicle for a few days, or as long as it takes for the smell to be neutralised.  Don’t forget to remove the deodoriser when you show the car to prospective buyers.

Give the car a good wash and polish. Don’t forget the wheels, windows and all trim. Wash and polish the exterior including the wheels, windows and all chrome or stainless trim. Make sure that there is no polish residue left on the body once you are done.

It is best to sell your car after a service, or well before the next service is due, so that a prospective buyer doesn’t have the impression that you are trying to offload a vehicle that has something wrong with it.

Make an effort to indicate that you have maintained your vehicle well – ensure that the windscreen washer reservoir and radiator are topped up to the marks and that the tyres are at the correct pressure. Don’t forget about the spare wheel as well. Also make sure that you have the car’s service book available so that a potential buyer can see that regular services have been done.

Have the car’s current registration papers readily available.

If you still owe money on the vehicle to the finance house, contact them to find out what your obligations are in terms of settling the outstanding balance, and what process to follow in order to do this.

Finally, you could consider investing in a vehicle history report. There are several online services that can provide this service in Australia.

If you are looking to sell your car, then get in touch with the team at Carbiz!

Contact us on 1300 889 256 or message us today.

You need a new car, and you know that you need to do some leg work to find the best deal – but like most of us, you have a stressful job and little free time. Have you heard about car brokers? Maybe you have heard about them but are not too sure how this works?

Car broker businesses are relatively new to the market in Australia – but the concept is taking off in a big way. A car broker can take you through the whole process of buying a new car. All you have to do is to contact a car broker and discuss what type of car and which model you are interested in.

Our car broker will then make contact with all the dealers in their network, to find out who has the make and model that you are looking for available, and at what price. Brokers are dealing with large numbers of requests on a daily basis, and as such, have better negotiating power than you, as an individual buyer, could command. As car brokers, we can therefore get the make and model that you are looking for at a discounted price and/or with extras thrown in. Sometimes car brokers may even get fleet prices, if they have a large demand for the particular vehicle and are able to negotiate a bulk purchase.

With our experience in buying and selling cars, if you are looking for a used car, our broker can go out to inspect vehicles available to purchase, to identify the best option for you and to screen out any problem vehicles.

Dealers normally pay a referral fee to the car broker – but even with this cost factored into the price of the vehicle, generally speaking car brokers will be able to source a vehicle for you at a better price than you would be able to achieve on your own.  This service not only saves you money – but also the time and trouble of running around were you to do this yourself. Normally, a car broker will be able to source you a suitable vehicle much more quickly than you would be able to do yourself.

Carbiz can help you get the best price for your new toy, contact our team today! 

You need to sell your car quickly and you need to get the best price for it. How do you get this right? Selling your car doesn’t have to be a stressful and difficult process – there are a few options open to you, each coming with some advantages and disadvantages. Have a look and choose the option that will give you the best value in your situation.

Private Sale

Some advantages are that as you don’t have the overheads of a dealer, you can afford to sell your car at a lower price than a dealer could market an equivalent vehicle. The downside is that, because you won’t be providing any type of warranty, a buyer will expect a cheaper price. You can however, mitigate this risk by getting a roadworthy certificate – this will provide some assurance to the buyer that the car that you are selling shouldn’t have any hidden issues or costs involved in transferring the vehicle into their name.

You will need to advertise your car for sale – some pointers here are to set a realistic price, and honestly represent the condition of the vehicle. Have a look at what similar cars (year, model, condition) are being offered for. If you have the time and funds, it may be worthwhile to arrange a professional detailing and repairing service for your car. At a minimum, make sure that the car is spotlessly clean.

Sell your car to a Dealer

This option will be much easier for you than going the private sale route. No advertising costs, no strangers coming to your home to view the car. If you plan to trade your car in on another car being sold by the dealer – you will be in a better position to negotiate for a better price.

The downside is that the dealer will need to make a profit – so you can expect a lower price than you may be able to achieve if you sell your car privately. Depending on your circumstances – the saving in time and trouble may well be worthwhile. Remember that once the car is in the hands of the dealer – anything that may go wrong with the vehicle is not your concern.

Auction

You can opt to put your car up for auction. Advertising and paperwork will be handled by the auction house. You can set a reserve price, and if you are lucky the car will fetch more on auction. If the reserve price is not met – the car will not be sold.

Use a broker

Using a broker can simplify the process. A broker will have an existing network of buyers to whom they can market your car. A broker will locate the best offer and present this to you – you can accept or not. This saves you the inconvenience of organising the sale yourself. A broker will charge a service fee – and you can ask for details of their charges up front before you make a decision to work with them. Even with the service fees charged by a broker, you could still get a better sales price than you might achieve with a private sale due to the exposure to serious buyers that a broker has, and the experience that they will bring to bear in negotiating the best possible sales price for you.

Carbiz can help you get the best price for your car, contact our team today!

In the market for a new car? Or has that spanky new electric car gotten your car itch started? Perhaps you have a new baby on the way or just need an upgrade to manage hauling all the kids (and friends) around town!).

What ever your reason may be for wanting a new car, you may need to sell your current car first! That’s not a problem for Carbiz – we can manage the trade in for you. By ensuring that you get a great deal on your new car, we can also ensure that you get an excellent trade in deal.

So what is our process?

First off, get in touch! Let us know what new car has your fancy! Not sure what you are specifically looking for? Be sure to let our brokers know what your needs are. Our expert buying specialists are waiting for your call!

As soon as you submit your details, one of our expert buying specialists will be in touch. Be sure to expect a quick response during the week!

Trading in your current car can be such a painful experience. Not with Carbiz! We are here to ensure that we make your sale go through smoothly and ensure that you will get an excellent trade in deal. Be sure to share all the details with your buying specialist so they can best assist you!

Spending hours in dealerships takes a toll on everyone, it can be a time consuming, energy draining experience. We are here to ensure that you get your dream car hassle free!

Selling your current car shouldn’t be the deterrent to getting the keys to your dream! Be sure to reach out to our expert buying specialists to discuss your needs.