New car delivery times in Australia, 2022
27 July 2022
As the car industry globally faces major supply issues, new car buyers can face delays spanning months before their vehicle is ready for pick up.
Not so long ago the wait for new car delivery was just a few days. In some cases, buyers could walk into a car yard, take their pick of new vehicles and pretty much drive away. The only real delays came for those who wanted a particular colour or vehicle modifications.
Times have changed. These days new car buyers need to plan ahead. It’s not just about having car finance sewn up or getting insurance organised in advance. The car industry is facing massive wait times, and new car delays in Australia can extend beyond 200 days for some popular vehicles. It can make a healthy dose of patience a must-have for new car buyers.
New car supply issues
Demand for new cars remains strong in Australia. In June 2022 alone, the deal was sealed on almost 100,000 new car sales according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
It capped a 12-month period that saw Australians purchase close to 538,000 new cars. This has pushed monthly car finance figures to $1.21 billion – higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The catch is that these buyers are unlikely to enjoy the thrill of driving their brand new car any time soon.
Tony Weber, Chief Executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) explains that new car delivery delays are the result of a combination of factors. Fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hamper automotive manufacturing. This, combined with the war in Ukraine (a major supplier of car parts) plus shipping issues, means the supply of new vehicles hitting Australia’s shores cannot keep up with demand.
“Globally, car makers are continuing to suffer from plant shutdowns,” Mr Weber explains. “In Europe we have component supply heavily impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. Microprocessors continue to be in short supply and global shipping remains unpredictable.”
It’s a situation with no clear end date. “It is unlikely we will see supply chain issues resolve in the near future,” he said.
How long can you expect to wait for new car delivery?
New car delays in Australia mean anyone planning on buying a new vehicle may need to sit out a lengthy wait. Data from Price My Car suggests average new car wait times can be as high as 289 days for brands like Isuzu. As the table below shows, other makes such as Mazda and Suzuki have more reasonable wait times though you could still be looking at several months before the car arrives on Australian shores.
New car delivery date – estimated wait times
Make: Average wait time in days
- Hyundai: 113
- Ford: 169
- Isuzu: 286
- Kia: 182
- Mazda: 89
- Toyota: 235
- Mitsubishi: 134
- Nissan: 136
- Subaru: 129
- Suzuki: 60
- VW: 205
Source: Pricemycar.com.au, 26/7/22
New car delivery times on top sellers
New car delivery times not only vary between manufacturers, they also differ across models. As a guide, the current average wait time for a new Hyundai is 113 days according to Price My Car. If you’re looking at a Hyundai i20 however, this can blow out to 225 days.
For Volkswagen fans, the average delay is 205 days. This ranges from 129 days for the Amarok, through to 189 days for a Golf – and a patience-testing 253 days for a Tiguan.
Not surprisingly, the more popular makes and models can have wait times of 100-days-plus. We looked at the top five selling cars in June 2022 as reported by the FCAI, and found you could be facing a delay of 196 days for the Toyota HiLux or 235 days for a Toyota Corolla.
New car delivery times on the bestselling models for June 2022
- Toyota HiLux – 196 days
- Hyundai Tucson – 104 days
- Ford Ranger – 122 days
- Toyota Landcruiser – 252 days
- Toyota Corolla – 235 days
Sources: FCAI and Price My Car, 26/7/2022
How to beat new car supply issues
Waiting is never much fun, especially if you urgently need a car. However, car buyers can have two potential choices to beat the new car supply issues that are pushing out delivery times.
The first is to skip a brand new car altogether and opt for a preloved vehicle. Sure, it’s not quite the same as seeing an odometer with near-zero kilometres but it could get you behind the wheel sooner. However, due to the shortage of new cars, the price of used cars is also on the rise.
Another strategy may be to reconsider the make or model of car you buy. As we’ve noted, it can take 196 days for a new Toyota HiLux to arrive. If you’re prepared to consider a similarly priced LDV T60 utility, it may be possible to slash the wait time to 111 days, potentially fast-tracking your new car by almost three months.
What to watch for with new car delays in Australia
New car supply issues can raise hidden pitfalls that car buyers need to be aware of.
A key risk is that by the time your car arrives the price may have risen. Toyota makes it clear on its website that extended wait times may result in a “different price point at the time of delivery”. This could see you slugged with a higher price by the time your car is ready for pick up.
If this happens, you could always choose to back out of the deal. This will likely put you at the end of the queue for a new car with no guarantee you won’t pay even more for a vehicle further down the track.
However, it may not be so easy to walk away from a deal. If the sales contract includes a ‘subject to price increase’ clause, you could find you have inked an agreement to pay a higher price.
The other possible risk is that the specifications of the car may have altered. This may not be sufficient to have second thoughts on the car. But it’s something to consider.
The upshot is that your new car will arrive eventually. In the meantime, it pays to read the sales contract very carefully so you know where you stand if the car you’re handed comes with a higher price tag – or is slightly different to the model you test drove.
It can also make sense to tuck away a little extra cash in a savings account while you tick off the days until your car arrives. Or, speak to your lender if you plan to buy using a car loan to know what happens if you need to borrow slightly more. This can help to cover any potential price hikes when you’re finally handed the keys to your new car.
Cover image source: tommaso79/Shutterstock.com
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