Why interstate buyers often pay more
Supply and demand differ by state. Four wheel drives command more in the Northern Territory and northern Queensland. Convertibles do better in warm coastal markets. Western Australia's freight isolation means its prices set independently of the east coast for long stretches. A buyer in a strong market can pay more for your car and still make their margin, even after paying for transport.
Who pays for transport
When a dealer buys interstate, transport is their cost and it is built into the offer they give you. What matters to you is the net figure that lands in your account. When comparing offers, always ask whether the number quoted is before or after transport is deducted, because a slightly lower gross offer with transport included can beat a higher one with freight taken off later.
How inspection works from a distance
Interstate buyers usually handle inspection one of three ways: a local agent attends on their behalf, they engage an independent pre purchase inspector, or they rely on your photos and description with the offer conditional on the car matching. All three are normal. All three depend entirely on your description being accurate, since a discrepancy discovered after a transporter has been booked is an expensive conversation.
Registration and plates
You do not need to deregister the car or change anything before an interstate sale. The buyer handles re-registration in their state, which normally involves an inspection under that state's rules. Your obligations stay the same as any other sale:
- Complete the transfer form for your state
- Lodge the notice of disposal with your state road authority
- Remove personalised plates first if you are keeping them
- Cancel your insurance and update your toll account once it settles
Registration refunds vary by state. Some will refund the unused portion when a vehicle is transferred or deregistered, some will not. Check before you assume it is part of your proceeds.
Getting paid across state lines
The rules do not change: cleared funds in your account before the keys or the signed transfer leave your hands. This matters more, not less, at a distance. If the buyer is sending a transport company, the transporter is not a party to the payment. Do not release the vehicle to a driver on the basis that payment will follow collection.
The practical upside
Submitting to a pool of buyers across multiple states costs you nothing extra and widens the competition on your car considerably. For sellers in smaller or regional markets, it is frequently the difference between one lukewarm local offer and a genuinely competitive number.