Chelsea’s RTW Travel Log

People were practically begging for the ‘Ultimate Backpacker Wagon.’  At one point, we had buyers fighting over it. The advertisement read, *First to See Will Buy!* I know that’s over-the-top cheesy, but that’s exactly what happened!

I am in marketing and Justin is in sales, so we split the tasks. I was in charge of the Internet marketing and collateral we put up in hostels (although, we were only able to post one flyer before we were flooded with calls). Justin took the clients through the sales process once they arrived to close the deal.

To end the bidding wars, we required a $500 retaining fee for the car from the first party. They were unable to get the funds until one day later, so we required a deposit. The phone continued ring, and Justin kept track of the leads in a highly advanced CRM tool known as Notepad. Haha, in all seriousness –> it was much easier than either of us thought.

We bought the car for $2,500 in Sydney, and including all transfer fees, 18+ cards, new windscreen, camping equipment, and the foam mattress we purchased - we still came out a couple hundred dollars ahead, selling at (drum roll please…) $3,500.

It turns out, the car market is ridiculous in Cairns. At certain times of the year, the supply and demand ratio is very much in the sellers favor. We did a little market research. A 1989 Ford Falcon with 400,000 km sells for $3,800 in Cairns at Traveller’s Auto Barn. What a rip off. So needless to say, used cars for sale by owner get snatched up quick. Backpackers start in Cairns this time of year, planning to drive the East Coast, as it starts out much warmer here. Buying in Sydney was a good strategy since you can get a much better deal and have more selection than in Cairns.

Wahoo!  Ok, we’re drinking sparkling wine now to celebrate.