How much do car brokers charge?
Australian car brokers charge in five different ways, and the model matters more than the number. Here's what each one costs, who pays it, and how to work out whether the fee is smaller than what the broker saves you.
The five fee models, compared
Ranges reflect what's typical across the Australian market in 2026. Any broker should be able to tell you which of these they use before you share a single detail about your car.
Flat success fee
$500 – $3,000Paid by: You, on delivery
The cleanest model, because the fee doesn't move with the price of the car. Ask whether it's charged if you walk away — it shouldn't be.
Dealer-paid commission
$300 – $2,000Paid by: The supplying dealer
Perfectly legitimate, but it must be disclosed. If the broker won't tell you what the dealer pays them, you can't judge whether they picked the best car or the best commission.
Percentage of purchase price
1% – 3%Paid by: You, on delivery
Creates a mild incentive toward a more expensive car. Fine on a cheap vehicle, expensive on a $120,000 one — ask for it to be capped.
Percentage of savings
10% – 25% of the discountPaid by: You, on delivery
Sounds fair, but the 'saving' is measured against a benchmark the broker chooses. Insist the benchmark is the manufacturer's advertised drive-away price, in writing.
Subscription / membership
$50 – $200 per yearPaid by: You, up front
Usually a buying club rather than a true broker. You still do the legwork; you're buying access to a price list.
Does the fee actually pay for itself?
The honest answer is that it depends on the car. On a heavily discounted runout model that every dealer is trying to clear, the gap between a broker price and a well-negotiated retail price can be small enough that a $2,000 fee eats most of it. On an in-demand new model with a waitlist, the gap is usually far wider — because a solo buyer has almost no leverage and the dealer knows it.
The bigger point is that the car's price is only one of four numbers in a changeover. Dealer delivery fees, add-on packs, the finance rate and the trade-in valuation are where most of the margin quietly sits, and they're the lines buyers audit least. A broker who prices each leg separately can be worth their fee even when the discount on the car itself looks modest. We break down exactly where that margin hides in how car brokers work.
What you should never be charged
- An upfront fee just to receive a quote or have a conversation.
- A fee that increases if you finance through the broker's preferred lender.
- A separate 'sourcing' or 'search' fee on top of the success fee.
- Any charge if the broker fails to find the car you actually asked for.
The one question to ask
Ask: "What are you paid on this deal, by whom, and does it change depending on which car I pick?" A broker working for you will answer it plainly. If the answer is vague, the incentive probably isn't pointed at you. If you'd rather see how the two paths compare overall, read car broker vs dealership, or go straight to our broker service.
Common questions
How much do car brokers charge in Australia?
Most Australian car brokers charge between $500 and $3,000 as a flat success fee, or take a disclosed commission of roughly $300 to $2,000 from the supplying dealer. Percentage models typically run 1–3% of the purchase price. The fee is normally payable only on delivery, not up front.
Do car brokers charge a fee if I don't buy?
A reputable broker shouldn't. Fees should be success-based and payable on delivery. If a broker asks for money before they've sourced anything, treat that as a warning sign and ask what it buys you.
How do car brokers get paid?
Either directly by you as a success fee, or by the supplying dealer as a disclosed commission for bringing them a buyer — and sometimes a mix of both. What matters is not which model they use but whether the amount is declared in writing before you commit.
Do car brokers save you money after their fee?
Usually, on a new car. Brokers transact at fleet-level pricing rather than advertised retail, and they price the trade-in and finance separately, which is where most of the hidden margin sits. The saving tends to be smallest on cheap, heavily discounted runout stock and largest on in-demand models where a solo buyer has little leverage.
Is a car broker cheaper than negotiating myself?
On a common model with plenty of stock, a patient negotiator visiting several dealers can get close. A broker wins on scarce stock, interstate sourcing, and the parts of the deal most buyers never audit — dealer delivery fees, add-on packs, the finance rate and the trade-in valuation.
What does Book a Test Drive charge?
There's no upfront fee and no charge to get a quote or guidance. We're paid on delivery through our dealer network, and the amount is disclosed to you before you commit to anything.
Tell us the car — we'll take it from here.
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