Advice

Most of the time, payment for parking will be required on a public holiday. However, in most states, if the parking sign specifies days (Mon - Fri) and does not say ‘includes public holidays’ and the public holiday falls on one of those days – parking should be free. But as with almost everything, there are caveats.

How much parking can you claim on tax without receipts? Strictly speaking, you can claim up to $300 in work-related parking expenses without receipts.

Is there a more contentious motoring issue than the use of speed cameras in Australia? For a lot of road users, the answer is no, and these devices haven’t become any less controversial despite being in use now for decades.

So, what is stamp duty on a car? Vehicle stamp duty goes by a few different names but it is essentially a tax levied by a state or territory government on the sale and ownership transferral of a vehicle.

Can a front seat passenger use a mobile phone in the car? The short answer is yes, it is legal for a front-seat passenger to use a mobile phone in the car while driving in Australia.

What is car theft?Car theft can be split into two categories: motor vehicle theft (stolen cars) and theft from a motor vehicle (goods stolen from a car).Both can be financially taxing as insurance companies and police are involved, but they can also be emotional events. Victims of these crimes can feel vulnerable and upset, especially when you consider that 59 per cent of vehicles are stolen from a person’s home (or another person’s home).In NSW, car theft data is extracted from the Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) of the NSW Police Force and then analysed for trends by agencies like the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). And it’s from agencies like these that we’ve gathered a snapshot on car theft statistics Australia.On average, a car is stolen every 11 minutes.In NSW alone, there were 14,516 cars stolen between March 2023 to March 2024; which was 2.1 per cent higher than it was five years ago.Crime statistics indicate that a total of 54,700 cars were stolen and 219,100 households experienced theft from their motor vehicle across Australia in FY22.Fig 1: Car theft statistics by state, including Tasmania. Note that stolen vehicle figures for ACT have not been included as data results were considered to have a lower accuracy rate by ABS.Out of the 3224 offenders of NSW car theft (Mar ’23 to Mar ’24), 1750 were adults and 1473 were considered juveniles. Of those offenders, males made up the bulk at 2750, while female offenders sat at 474.Graph sourced from BOSCAR and is based on data from April 22 to March 23.The top 10 LGAs in NSW that see the most auto theft are:BlacktownCentral CoastNewcastleCanterbury-BankstownPenrithLake MacquarieLiverpoolCumberlandParramattaWollongongFig 2: Based on NSW data collected from 2023Stolen cars QLD - the top 10 suburbs in QLD that see the most stolen car thefts are:HendraCairnsLogan CentralKirwanSouthportToowoombaTownsvilleBroadbeachInalaUpper Mount GravattFig 3: Number of reported offences for Unlawful Use of Motor Vehicle by police divisions, Queensland 2023In NSW between March 2023 and March 2024, a car was most likely to be stolen on a weekday and at night time. While nationally, 59 per cent of cars are stolen from their place of residence (your home) or someone else’s home; and 29 per cent of cars were stolen from the street or other open land.Fig 4: Data based on statistics from NSW between March 2023 and March 2024.Fig 5: Based on data for NSW FY22.Personal items include jewellery, clothing, keys, handbags, bags and sunglasses. Electronics include phones, laptops, and smartwatches.According to BOSCAR, vehicles stolen in regional NSW are more likely to be recovered than vehicles stolen in Greater Sydney. This suggests motor vehicle theft in regional locations may be more likely to be conducted opportunistically for joyriding and transport purposes.However, vehicles not recovered by Police are most likely to be used in an organised offence/crime or with an intention to convert the car for profit (either as a whole or by its parts). There isn’t enough data to determine if a car stolen to order and sent overseas occurs and what the likelihood of their return is.In the 12 months to March 2023, two-thirds of stolen motor vehicles in NSW were recovered.In NSW 2023, the most frequently stolen vehicles were manufactured by Toyota, Holden and Ford. However, the vehicle makes with the highest rate of theft in general were Holdens, Jeeps and Land Rovers.Vehicle makes with the largest percentage increase in theft in the five years to March 2023 were Kias, Jeeps, Isuzus, Land Rovers, and Volkswagens.Fig 6: Top-10 Brands of Stolen Vehicles by Brand Names, Queensland, 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2024. Note: The top 10 brands may also be affected by factors such as market prices, market shares and other variables.Considering how many newer vehicles have increased safety features, like an engine immobiliser, it makes them difficult to ‘hot wire’ and thus thieves are most likely to try to secure the car keys either through breaking and entering the victims’ home or place of business.Seventy per cent of cars are stolen with their keys! Sometimes thieves will break into your car and use the electric garage door opener to gain access to your house; so don’t leave your garage door opener in your car.If you do experience theft, make sure you fill out a stolen vehicle report with your local police.Car theft prevention tips:Remove all valuables from your vehicle.Ensure your vehicle is locked.Do not leave spare keys in your car.Ensure your keys are secured in a safe place out of plain view, even at home.Ensure that your home is secure.If you have information for police, report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers or call 1800 333 000.

Cost-of-living pressures are increasingly being felt, so there's never been a better time to reconsider the way you drive and/or own a car, as you could be unnecessarily losing money. But fear not, we've compiled a list of our five best money-saving tips for car drivers and owners, all of which could save you meaningful dollars. Read on.

What are the standard single car garage dimensions in Australia? The standard single garage size in Australia is about 6.0 metres long x 3.5 metres wide with a door size of 2.4m and a minimum ceiling height of 2.3 metres.What is meant by a single car garage? A single garage is a space designed to be big enough to house one car. A 1 car garage dimensions are not generous enough to cope with much beyond the stored vehicle itself, so any single garage storage on offer is minimal.How big is a single garage? Minimum garage size in Australia, in accordance with Australian Standards, is 5.4m long and 3.0m wide.A single garage door size is generally about 2100mm high and a single garage door width is usually about 2400mm.What is the benefit of having a garage in a home? There are obvious benefits to a single lock up garage, including improved security of the vehicle and boosted protection for the stored vehicle from the elements (wind, rain, hail, etc).How and why do single car garage sizes differ? While high-density living in metropolitan areas dictates that a single garage size in metres is kept to an absolute minimum, people who reside outside of those areas may have access to slightly bigger single car garages.Does Australian sizing differ from overseas? Yes, because some countries, such as the US, have mainstream vehicles (for example, pick-ups) that are longer, wider and taller than any mainstream passenger vehicles available in Australia.Is it cheaper to build a standard size single car garage compared to a custom size garage? If your custom size garage is bigger and more complicated (extra storage space), than a standard size single car garage then, of course, you’ll soon find out that your single car garage price is going to increase because of the extra materials needed.What things need to be considered in the sizing of a garage, e.g. car size, storage, open space, etc?There are numerous factors to consider when working out the appropriate sizing of a garage that will suit you and your family, including, but not limited to, car size (with doors open, aerial raised etc); general storage space (if any) around the vehicle(s); as well as the potential open functional space in the garage, even with one car inside. The bigger the garage, the more it will cost to build.What is the 'best' size for a single car garage? How do you know the dimensions that are right for you?The best size for a single car garage is the size that fits your needs. If you need only space enough for one car, then your garage will be perfectly sized at a minimum garage size, in accordance with Australian Standards, of 5.4m long and 3.0m wide.If you need more space (for storage, for a workshop, for exercising, etc) then perhaps a two-car garage – about 6.0m long x 6.0m wide with a door size of 5.2m and a minimum ceiling height of 2.3 metres – is better suited to your needs. That way, you can park your car and still have plenty of space in which to do other stuff.A single garage price will increase the more complicated your plan is and the more building materials needed to make it a reality.People who live outside of metropolitan areas may have access to a single garage with carport, or a single garage with awning, or even – man-cave extreme – a single garage with workshop or a single car shed.A carport – a type of permanent open-air sunshade for your car – may offer a happy compromise between leaving your car in the open and putting it in a lockable enclosed garage. Single carport size is generally little more than 5.4m long and 3.0m wide, the minimum size required in Australia to cover a standard vehicle.Freestanding garages in Australia are available in many shapes and sizes and if it’s a pre-fabricated garage you can even have a crack at erecting it yourself. But even though the old adage – the bigger, the better – still rings true, it’s important to remember the larger the structure you build or give the green light to, the more expensive it will be to create, in terms of building materials, labour, etc.

What does MSRP mean in car sales? A car’s MSRP is its Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price, or the price a brand recommends its vehicle is sold for by a dealer. It is also known as a car’s ‘List Price’.If this question comes up at your local pub quiz, only you and any car dealers in the room will be able to answer it, because it’s one of those acronyms we take for granted, without ever wondering what it stands for.Any retail product can have an MSRP, but it is mostly associated with car purchases. Elsewhere, a more common alternative to MSRP is RRP, or Recommended Retail Price.An MSRP is designed to keep car prices consistent across different dealerships and locations, giving buyers peace of mind that they’re paying roughly the same as everyone else.An MSRP is also provided by dealerships because vehicle advertising is tightly regulated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to ensure brands don’t exclude certain charges from prices and mislead customers.However, it is best, and wisest, to think of MSRP as a starting point. As the name indicates, an MSRP is a ‘suggested’ price, and many cars will be sold above the MSRP, while others will be sold below that amount, depending on market forces like demand and supply.One of the things that makes car buying either fun or annoying, depending on your point of view, is that negotiating with a dealer, and choosing the dealership to deal with, really can make a difference to the final price you pay.An MSRP can be negotiated with a dealer, unless the manufacturer uses a fixed-price sales model.A growing number of brands use this model in Australia (Tesla and Polestar are two examples) and because they use a fixed pricing strategy, their cars do not carry an MSRP. Instead they sell direct to the consumer and the price listed is the sale price, meaning there is no MSRP to negotiate on.It’s also important to understand that MSRP is just part of a car’s true cost and isn’t the price you will actually pay to get your vehicle on the road.While MSRP includes taxes like GST and the Luxury Car Tax (if applicable) it does not include additional ‘on road’ charges like stamp duty, compulsory third party (CTP) insurance and dealer delivery costs.Hence you’ll often see in CarsGuide reviews, the phrase “plus on-road costs” after a price is quoted.This is because on-road costs vary from state to state, meaning the price of a car will differ depending on where you live. Yes, that does seem silly, but so does having different speed limits in different states.On-road costs can be significant, so there can be a sizeable difference between the retail price (or MSRP) and the selling price of a car.Many factors go into how an MSRP is determined. The MSRP is set by a manufacturer’s local arm and includes the cost of buying the car from head office, the costs to bring the car to Australia, a profit margin for the local outfit and another margin for the dealer.It also includes the cost of any equipment or optional extras specified for this market, plus any local import tariffs if a car is arriving from a country that has no free trade agreements with Australia.Crucially, the MSRP also includes local taxes like GST and the Luxury Car Tax. It’s worth noting that while some brands use MSRP and List Price interchangeably, others do not include local taxes in the List Price.Yes. In practice, an MSRP gives car buyers a starting point, or level playing field, to begin negotiations with a dealer.How far under or over the MSRP a final selling price will be depends on many factors but by far the biggest influences are vehicle availability and consumer demand.Dealers will be more reluctant to sell a car below its MSRP if it isn’t readily available and is highly sought after. Conversely, they may be willing to provide a discount on cars that are slow sellers taking up valuable real estate on a showroom forecourt.Typically, though, there is a healthy margin factored into an MSRP so think of it as a starting point with a decent amount of wriggle room.MSRP can also be referred to as a car’s List Price or its Recommended Retail Price (RRP). There are subtle differences, however.While some brands do use List Price and MSRP interchangeably, it’s worth checking if local taxes are included when a dealer refers to List Price. Some brands include local taxes in their List Price while others do not. An MSRP will always include local taxes.RRP and MSRP are essentially the same as they are both ‘suggested’ or ‘recommended’ prices. The differences are that RRP is more closely aligned to what you will actually pay (or the sale price), whereas MSRP doesn’t include additional charges like on-road costs.And while any product can have an MSRP, the term is more commonly associated with bigger, high-cost purchases and is especially prevalent in the car industry.So, while MSRP can sound confusing, it’s an important mechanism for consumers when buying a new car. It gives buyers confidence that a car’s price is in the right ballpark, while having a clear understanding of what MSRP includes (and doesn’t include) can be valuable when negotiating with a dealer.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are popular. And for good reason because, let’s face it, no one wants the world to become a disaster-plagued hothouse in the not-too-distant future (if we’re not already there?) and the EV, while not a magical solution in and of itself, may at least form a small part of humankind’s ever-evolving efforts to rectify the damage we have all wrought on the world during our time