Remember that the advertised price of a car is not your only cost.

Some other compulsory and standard charges you need to be aware of are:

• Vehicle licence fees - paid when the vehicle is licensed;
• Dealer's delivery charge - for buyers of new cars;
• Government motor vehicle stamp duty - for buyers of new and used cars;
• Transfer fee - for buyers of used cars; and
• Vehicle inspection fee (if vehicle unlicensed).

You may also have to budget for:

• the cost of borrowing money;
• any optional extras you might want, eg. an extended warranty; and
• the cost of a pre-purchase mechanical inspection.

Consider ongoing costs to run and maintain your vehicle such as:

• Insurance;
• Fuel, services, spare parts, repairs; and
• Roadside assistance membership (optional).